Hours per day?
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
It depends on the number of days. 2 to 4 day weekend escapes are different than a 20 to 30 day excursion. Both are prepared for, approached and with different attitudes and expectations.
500 miles as a per day average seems about right though.
500 miles as a per day average seems about right though.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 49
From: Northern California
You juat have to be honest with yourself to know when you ahve had enough. There are so many variables to riding long distance. In perfect conditions when plenty rest I have ridden well over 1k before an extended sleep break. Another time when well rested the wind was constant and I was beat up, exhausted and done at 900 miles. I do the same ride from my home in Northern Ca to Phoenix Az. Usually I do it straight through but there have been times I was done at 450 miles. You just have to know when to stop.Have a great ride !
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 328
From: Arizona
It all depends on if you're trying to get from point A to B in a hurry or just putt on the two lanes and enjoy the scenery. There's a lot of cool stuff to take notice while on the road if you stop and smell the roses from time to time.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 331
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Valley, NY
Don't know if you saw my favorite movie, Easy Rider. When they began their trip Peter Fonda threw his watch away. Don't do that with your expensive watch. Just get the point. Wake up when you are well rested, no alarm clocks. Ride until you need a bathroom or drink break. Stop and sleep when you are tired. If you llisten to your body, it will tell you how lomg to ride, not in terms of miles but in terms of hours. The old Chineese proverb says " it is better to travel than to arrive".
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 545
Likes: 5
From: California
My wife and I have found that at about 2 hours we need a break. Our butts and backs get sore and tired. 2 1/2 at the max. Our longest ride, admittedly, has only been about 270 miles each way. It was a 4 hour ride each way. With a break for gas and a sandwich half way and it was not bad. We were 58 & 55. We spent a couple of days riding here and there at our destination. On day 4 the ride home was hard. As a rider and passenger since our 20's we love to ride. But the reality is that riding for extended periods of time can be work.
Stopping every hour or so to see the sights, take some photos, have a drink, could be a good idea.
We have a HD hammock saddle and it was an improvement over the stock seat. I think that with the proper seat, and there are many threads herein on seats, one can do more time in the saddle. I just don't care to buy seat after seat until I find "the one" for me/us.
Nevertheless, at (now) 59 & 56, for us, 4 or 5 hours would be the max for the day. And, averaging 55 or 60 miles per hour on an interstate one would travel 300 miles at the max. That is about our limit.
Though, I know a man over 80 years old who rides a GW and, regularly, rides 6-800 a day. Day after day on a trip.
I would love to put in long days. 8-900 mile days. Like in a cage. But for us, I do not see it happening.
So, your own physical condition and equipment will determine the length of the ride.
Stopping every hour or so to see the sights, take some photos, have a drink, could be a good idea.
We have a HD hammock saddle and it was an improvement over the stock seat. I think that with the proper seat, and there are many threads herein on seats, one can do more time in the saddle. I just don't care to buy seat after seat until I find "the one" for me/us.
Nevertheless, at (now) 59 & 56, for us, 4 or 5 hours would be the max for the day. And, averaging 55 or 60 miles per hour on an interstate one would travel 300 miles at the max. That is about our limit.
Though, I know a man over 80 years old who rides a GW and, regularly, rides 6-800 a day. Day after day on a trip.
I would love to put in long days. 8-900 mile days. Like in a cage. But for us, I do not see it happening.
So, your own physical condition and equipment will determine the length of the ride.
Last edited by Matt0987; Jul 14, 2013 at 02:34 AM.
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 901
Likes: 5
From: Springfield, MO
My wife and I start around 7am and ride for an hour. We stop and get some water, use the bathroom if necessary then ride another hour. We repeat as necessary with an hour stop for lunch. After the 6th hour on the road we stop. It's usually 4 or 5 o'clock pm by then. We get a room, relax for a bit, take a shower then go out to eat. We don't make a ton of miles, 250-400 a day unless we stop more often for sight seeing and depending on if we're on the freeway or back roads or a combination of both. We prefer the back roads. We can do this day after day with no fatigue and we enjoy our trips immensely.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 5,282
Likes: 2
From: Northwestern Nevada
I've done many 3000-5000 mile trips, and I plan about 500 miles per day of travel. If I plan to visit a monument or other attraction I plan less. That being said, once I reach my planned mileage, I get a nice sit down meal then (My wife if she's with me and) I make a decision about continuing or stopping for the day. Most days we do 550-650 miles, and some days more. We don't mind stopping at 500 miles, but most of the time, we are having a good time still, so we keep going for an hour or two after dinner.
The point is to plan for comfortable flexibility, not endurance. You don't want to set out with a tight schedule that makes travel hard and less fun then it should be.
Enjoy your ride.
EDIT:
I stop every 1-1.5 hours for fuel. When fueling I drink a full 16 oz water and buy a quart water for the road. I drink that larger bottle before the next stop. Keep hydrated and you will endure much better. My wife on the other hand chooses to drink less water to avoid restroom breaks. Know your needs, and break accordingly.
When we stop for the night, I need about 5-7 hours to sleep, eat and shower, before I'm itching to hit the road. When my wife is along, she needs at least 8 hours sleep, so I watch TV or go prep the scooter while she sleeps & showers. I don't rush her because it makes for a miserable day for both of us, and IMHO she deserves the respect of having the rest she needs, even if it means I wash, pack, and play with the bike every morning before we leave.
The point is to plan for comfortable flexibility, not endurance. You don't want to set out with a tight schedule that makes travel hard and less fun then it should be.
Enjoy your ride.
EDIT:
I stop every 1-1.5 hours for fuel. When fueling I drink a full 16 oz water and buy a quart water for the road. I drink that larger bottle before the next stop. Keep hydrated and you will endure much better. My wife on the other hand chooses to drink less water to avoid restroom breaks. Know your needs, and break accordingly.
When we stop for the night, I need about 5-7 hours to sleep, eat and shower, before I'm itching to hit the road. When my wife is along, she needs at least 8 hours sleep, so I watch TV or go prep the scooter while she sleeps & showers. I don't rush her because it makes for a miserable day for both of us, and IMHO she deserves the respect of having the rest she needs, even if it means I wash, pack, and play with the bike every morning before we leave.
Last edited by Glockmeister; Jul 14, 2013 at 06:56 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 7
I've found that frequent stops can extend my daily ride time. If you ride until you're miserable, you've shot your whole day. When my legs or backside starts to hurt, it's time to pull over, have a stretch and a drink, and rest for 20-30 minutes. Get back on and go again. If I stretch that first stint to the point that I'm really hurting, I can't get over it the rest of the day. It probably sounds like too much, but I like to stop every hour or hour and half. If I do, riding for 8-10 hours a day isn't a problem. And I can do it for days in a row. Keep in mind, the trip isn't just about miles and hours, but what you can find along the way. If you're in pain, it won't matter.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 545
Likes: 5
From: North West PA
My best day was 12 hours and I felt buzzy for hours afterward. Eight hours is a hard ride but with 2 hour stops for fuel and water its not bad. Must stay hydrated (water)throughout the ride. I like the sports drinks a lot, they keep me from cramping up at night. That would be a fun ride. Good luck.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,502
Likes: 6
From: Lapeer , Mich
best thing I learned to do when traveling is just take a break when you want , unless you have a time frame why rush , at night when you think you are ready to quit just take a break , get some dinner and see if you are really done , have quit in the afternoon , got a motel then got dinner and got a second wind and wanted to go on but already had the motel so I learned to but the motel on the bottom of the list