My wife and I rode a two up 550 mile day on Labor day. It was pretty easy since it was all interstate. If you are on twisty secondary roads, a 400 mile day may be a killer. When we do long trips, we schedule accordingly.

 

Back roads 500 miles a day

Super slab 1000+ or when ever tired

Usually ride daylight to dusk. Sometimes longer

 

200 is enough for me, 300 the fun factor has gone away but I ride 99% little 2 lane pave back roads where the traffic is little to none and the country side is the main menu. X-ways suck and only used to get from point A to point B in a hurry.

 

You've got to figure out how you ride -- as fast as possible on the interstate, just looking to make time, on the back roads stopping to relax at every town, or somewhere in between. We're all different, and where we fall in that spectrum can vary day to day, and ride to ride.

 

Sturgis 2010 (with wife on her own bike):

Up
Day 1: 400
Day 2: 400
Day 3: 600
Day 4: 500

Back:
Day 1: 400
Day 2: 500
Day 3: 400
Day 4: 200
Day 5: 400

Sturgis 2011 (all male group):

Up
Day 1: 700
Day 2: 600
Day 3: 600

Back:
Day 1: 1100
Day 2: 800

So who you ride with makes a big difference too.
Good times either way...

 

turning 67 on friday, and i did a little over 700 miles yesterday on the way back from the springfield mile. if on a trip, i try to keep to 500 miles a day. my feet have been swelling up after a few hours in the saddle...doctor suggested compression socks. the socks were a big help. i gulp down a gatorade at each gas stop, and then drink a bottled water on the road to the next rest/gas stop.

as someone stated above, i make myself walk around for a few minutes at each gas stop. i prefer the interstate for most of my traveling...like to have a destination and wait until i get there to do my sight-seeing.

 

The best way that I've found since I started riding back in the early sixties is to ride at the pace you feel comfortable at, regardless of what others say they do. I've never ridden any where in my entire life that gave out money for the person who rode the hardest or more miles than anyone else. I prefer not to ride in a pack for this very reason. Some days you will have people who want to ride 700-800 miles before stopping, others will want to stop after only a 300 mile day. Remember the Harley saying that states, It's not the destination but the Journey that matters. I've came upon a place that I had planned to only eat lunch and ended up staying 2 days so that I could see all the interesting sites in the area. Now I'm of course speaking about when you have that time to burn. In 1990 for the ride to the 50th Sturgis in a group of 7 from Baton Rouge, La., we left at 6:00 am and rode 750 the first day. We then decided to ride 600 on the second day and a little over 350 on day three IIRC. I was riding a 1981 FX with no windshield and Kick start and I was tired even at my young age. The entire purpose of riding should be to enjoy the sounds, smells, and sights of each and every trip. They don't have you drop your pants and check your family jewels to see how much you could endure.

 

Comfortably 8 to 9 hrs 500 miles a day occasionally 700 + miles on xtra long trips to a destination.