I'm out on the road now left Monday around noon headed west. Been averaging about 500 a day, made it to Red Lodge MT Thursday nite then rode the Beartooth Pass and Chief Joseph Hwy/Bighorn Range yesterday(brrrr cold) and got back to Hill City SD last nite. As others have said a lot depends on the area, was planning on seeing Yellowstone NP but decided to blow it off (been there,done that) after following a bunch of RVers poking up the Beartooth. Those bastards don't pull off to let others pass no matter how many are behind them anymore. Think I liked the Chief Joseph Hwy more because the traffic is lighter and speeds higher. The key is hitting the road early, I'm usually on the road by 8am. Good Luck

 

I've done that route - on a bicycle, only I went back through YNP via the northeast gate. Beautiful scenery and the RV's weren't a problem, since they were going about 10-20 times as fast as me. Cranking up the Bear Tooth, on the other hand, was a total b!tch!!

 

It all will depend on the road, and of course the weather. If it is interstate on a good day, 5-600 miles is not hard on you. But I have had 300 mile day wring me out if the road is fun/challenging and or the weather is tough.

 

Denver to Mesquite NV, 700 miles. That is all my a$$ can take in one day.

 

Depends on the duration of the trip. If the destination is 500 - 600 miles, I will do that in a day. But, if it's a 2 - 3 week trip, with riding everyday, you can't do 600 miles each day. On those trips I usually limit the miles to 300 - 400 a day.

 

For a multi-day trip, say a week of riding I target 350 miles. This allows me to stop and see the sites and gets me to the destination around 3:00 before the worst heat of the day. My max is about 700 and that is if the destination is worth it. For instance, I am looking at 750 mile first day ride in October but it is not freeway (Up through Banff). That will be an early start and a late finish,but it is about my max and I have a whole day to rest before heading home (another 750 miles).

But for cruising, I target 350 per day, 300 some, 375 others, just depends on the type of roads, the number and length of stops. Am example is the Utah ride, if you plan to hike out to some of the arches you will be lucky to do 200 miles.

Riding is not a contest. It is there for your enjoyment. Plan it accordingly.

One other related detail. Some riders like to plan every stop, make every motel reservation months in advance. If you are this person then 250-300 miles is good. Others, myself included often change our minds, take different directions and do not arrive at a destination at a set time or day. I normally look at where I may end up at 2:30/3:00 and call ahead for a room. Surprisingly, except around Sturgis I always find a discounted/coupon room that they will hold for me.

Find out what kind of riders you will be riding with and then pick an average mileage between them. If you've got a guy that likes to stop alot, rides 250 and calls it good and you like to make fewer stops and average 375-400, then pick a target like 350 and you both will have a good ride.

Added some notes: The mileage I do includes little or no freeway. When you add interstate hwy's, doing 450-500 miles for several days is not as much of an issue. If you are riding mostly 2 lanes, especially with a few small towns included or scenic visitas, National parks, then 300-350 represents 8 hours riding. I generally try to get on the road by 8:00 AM, still cool enough and stop before 3:00 as a target. However, add freeway and that same riding times puts you at 450-500 easily. For me personally, I get road hypnosis if I ride more than 8-10 hours a day for 3 days in a row. If I have to ride hard for 3 days, I plan an easy day to take in the local sights, ride some great local twisties with the bike unloaded. Sort of just play around. Maybe ride a gondola to the top of a mountain, watch bison tear the fender off the cadillac in front of me (Yellowstone) or wet a line in a local stream (Idaho and Montana). Then I am rested and ready for more hard riding. Riding with friends adds to the ease of long rides. I guess misery loves company, but it works and I can ride much further in comfort with friends than multidays alone. The trick is to keep sharp. Unless you are an iron butt'r, 8 hours riding will start to wear on your reactions and senses, especially in the heat of summer or the cold/rain of spring and fall. Ideal riding days seem to come only in one day at a time doses.

You will see threads where riders talk about what they do to "handle the heat" or "stay comtable in the rain or cold". Read these threads as well. It will add to your enjoyment and that will add all the miles you can handle.

 

The trips we do I estimate 250 - 350 per day but I am not a planner. I have a loose route in mind and I tend to not plan it all except for how many days I am going to be gone. I live in a world of structure and when I vacation I don't want any pressure to be anywhere. With that being said, I have done as little as 150 in a day and as much as 800. We tend to get up, have breakfast and head out by 9:00 and plan to be where we are going to stay by 4:30-5:30 - again we don't know where that is going to be until we get there.

I did not read what kind of trip you are planning to do. If you plan to get somewhere and hang out and plan to do interstates then I would think you can get pretty far but will be worn out after 10 hours of pounding the pavement. If your trip is totally scenic, I would suggest that you plan around 250 average per day with a couple of stops to enjoy meals and sights.

 

I'll usually hit 6-700 miles to get to the good stuff then keep it down to 300 or so to sight see etc... Do the same 6-700 on the way home. Getting out of Texas sux!

 

+1. I ride to enjoy the ride. I stop and see whatever catches my attention. Plus, I ride solo: no bs about schedules, having to be somewhere at a certain time, etc.

 

Always depends on the route and the number of bikes involved. Most of the time now I've been riding alone and plan around 400 +- 25, secondary roads.