Looking for tips and tricks for touring

[cowpuc]

I guess I may have been able to do more, if I had a destination. I already did 280 with no place in mind. Just got on a nd rode.still a little chilly later in the day abd early in the morning.

Definitely will be trying the beads abd sheep skin.as I think part of the discomfort was a sweaty rear end. Gong out to purchase sheep skin this weekend

 

I used to wear a pair of spandex type shorts with a shammy cloth like liner in them for racing dirtbikes.. Had my share of problems down yonder before doing so.. If you could find a pair (I am sure they gotta still make such a thing - in the mountain bike world maybe) it would be well worth a try!!

[VentureFar]

I'm 34 . 4 kids. Oldest is driving and youngest is able to microwave food.

My wife abd I are just beginning our motorcycle adventures. I have logged in 8 years experience on 7 bikes.

Yesterday was my first long solo ride. 280 miles. I don't know if I can do 400 plus mile days.

Just about 8hrs and I was glad I arrived home. I plan to take the wife on that ride, let's see if she can handle it

 

Muaymendez1 - what specifically made you feel as though 8 hours was over your comfort zone. Long distance riding is all about eliminating ALL the "little" things that add up over the day. Noise, wind, back pain, knee pain, focus, hunger, bladder etc etc. Can you list the issues you faced? I am sure many on the forum will benefit from this discussion.

Also start with previous to the last 8 hours ride, what was your longest time in the saddle?

Since I am spewing here, let me share that realistic distance expectations are important when planning a long ride or several days of long rides. I plan on 45 miles per hour for all the hours of the day I plan to "ride" when taking my time. That would be riding the interstate but stopping for breakfast and lunch and taking a few minutes at each gas stop for a snack, bathroom, etc. NOTICE THIS: When I did my last IronButt which was all 9 mph over the posted interstate speed limit, including carrying 2.5 gallons of gas to eliminate one gas stop on the way to my turn around point. ALL food was eaten while riding. I did not stop to take a break at any stop. My average mph for 17 hours from leaving home to returning home was 60 mph! I couldn't have eliminated any moments of wasted time and I still only averaged 60mph. Riding two up, and your wife is NOT Tippy, I suggest you plan on averaging 40 mph per 8 hour day. Most couples I have come across on the road average 300-350 miles per day, MAX.

 

ok, back to work...

 

VentureFar...

[crazygaucho]

Hey Don,, I go to add that into my signature with the rightful owners name attached,, the sites filter wouldnt let me put his name as stated... Had to change it a little but got it done!!

Thanks for the input!!

Puc

That phrase isn't mine !!! I can barely speak English lol !!! I used to work for many years at the Portofino Hotel and yacht club in Redondo beach California where Bob *****in lived and had the offices of his Magazine "latitudes and attitudes" I always was positively impressed by this guy attitude and personality, just fell embarrassed

posting his name lol

 

Dan

[muaymendez1]

Ok so ill do this as to not hijack the thread. First 30 miles was highway at 65 to 75. I stopped because I didn't realize how cold it was, fueled up threw on the liner and chaps.

I got into some very hairy twisties into mile 70 or 80. Mountainous blind curves, abd I guess I'm just not used to this bike yet so I may have become fatigued.

Mike 120 was a stop at a mcdonalds where I made a poor choice not drinking any fluids but consuming fries. Mile 160 I was fatigued and looking fir a rest area. I started singing to myself cause my radio isn't working. Met up with a group who I followed down some pretty good curves.

Mile 210 I was getting skin aches on my butt. I could feel cool when I lifted so I knew there was moisture .

I fueled up and began heading home. I took a few winding detours because I guess I still wanted to ride but thoughts of my dog home alone and a nice sandwich and drink along with a shower, filed my head.

So writing this and thinking it through , maybe only 2 reasons for discomfort where mechanical. The others were poor choices made by me. Not keeping hydrated and eating a small amount of food with a high dose of sodium. Not having a sitter for the dog and no one being home worried me and took my focus off the ride.

[muaymendez1]

I should add that this is my first long ride on this bike. My last bike was a Kawasaki concord which was fun but made my knee ache after hour 2

Before that was a goldwing which was an awesome bike .

I think I did some long days on that but never a solo ride. Always with a leader with a destination point

[cowpuc]

Muaymendez1 - what specifically made you feel as though 8 hours was over your comfort zone. Long distance riding is all about eliminating ALL the "little" things that add up over the day. Noise, wind, back pain, knee pain, focus, hunger, bladder etc etc. Can you list the issues you faced? I am sure many on the forum will benefit from this discussion.

Also start with previous to the last 8 hours ride, what was your longest time in the saddle?

Since I am spewing here, let me share that realistic distance expectations are important when planning a long ride or several days of long rides. I plan on 45 miles per hour for all the hours of the day I plan to "ride" when taking my time. That would be riding the interstate but stopping for breakfast and lunch and taking a few minutes at each gas stop for a snack, bathroom, etc. NOTICE THIS: When I did my last IronButt which was all 9 mph over the posted interstate speed limit, including carrying 2.5 gallons of gas to eliminate one gas stop on the way to my turn around point. ALL food was eaten while riding. I did not stop to take a break at any stop. My average mph for 17 hours from leaving home to returning home was 60 mph! I couldn't have eliminated any moments of wasted time and I still only averaged 60mph. Riding two up, and your wife is NOT Tippy, I suggest you plan on averaging 40 mph per 8 hour day. Most couples I have come across on the road average 300-350 miles per day, MAX.

 

ok, back to work...

 

VentureFar...

 

Man I really like where Neil took that writing.. I might add that it is very easy to get caught up in the "how many miles we ride" thingy,,, in a competitive kind of way (I actually mean this in a positive sense - I am just like lots of folks out there,, get a goal and chase it till I win hahahaha).. The other side of that coin is that is just one small aspect of biking.. I personally have had many many 50 mile days of two-trackin that have been just as much fun as any high mile day ever ridden...

When it comes to bringing a new passenger into the realm of touring I strongly suggest you verbally let it known that riding is allllll about fun and if fun for the newbie (especially a spouse) is going for groceries, a sunday afternoon 40 mile ride and lunch or whatever,, listen and cater to THEIR needs and build on it.. Establish the rule of "we are in this together and doing it for fun for BOTH" right from the beginning and you may very well end up finding something within that other person that will AMAZE ya,,,, scare em off and it could ruin something that could have been very very special...

Last year, Tippy and I came out of the east side of Yellowstone, pulled into a small grocery store located before Cody.. Some guys from NYC pulled in, were staring and glaring at our dirt covered, weeds hangin ol beat up Tweeks of a bike.. Guys were riding new Duc's and Beemers.. Tippy says,, are you sure you wouldnt rather be like them,, riding with your buds.. One of the guys over heard our conversation and chimed right in,,, said, I think that beast you two are riding is the prettiest bike I have ever seen, he also said how much he longgggg for his wife to ride with him.. Said he really messed up by "pushing her" and now wished he wouldnt have.. Looked at his buddies and said,, out loud so they could hear,,, "these guys are my good friends but my wife is my BEST friend and I miss her"..

[VentureFar]

I should add that this is my first long ride on this bike. My last bike was a Kawasaki concord which was fun but made my knee ache after hour 2

Before that was a goldwing which was an awesome bike .

I think I did some long days on that but never a solo ride. Always with a leader with a destination point

 

Ok- that was a long day in the saddle. Glad you focused down on the issues. I think we all wouldn't want you to be disappointed with your own capabilities when you actually "manned up" for most of it. ( sorry ladies - it's just an expression ).

Being cold, sucks! Being dehydrated, sucks! Being worried about issues other than riding and safety are even dangerous. I would like to bring up that you became fatigued in the twisties - ME TOO! So I got leveling links and narrower front tire for my RSV and now it feels like power steering. Something to consider. Buy a cup holder or wear a camelbak. By the time you feel the effects of dehydration it is many hours too late.

So based upon all the info, if you were having a great day, setting off with the wife for a planned destination, 300-350 miles is a cake walk for you. Suggest you build the wife up to the trip with day rides - 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours. That way you find out where her "pain" points are before you take off on the big one.

Sorry to hijack the thread Cmcoffey but I hope this is relevant to everyone who hasn't "packed" for a trip before.

 

VentureFar...

[Money Venture]

I have heard several of you mention the smaller tire up front. What changes does it cause? Is it safer?

[VentureFar]

I have heard several of you mention the smaller tire up front. What changes does it cause? Is it safer?

 

It makes steering lighter but you lose a bit of lateral stability in high cross winds. You don't have as large of a contact patch on the ground so in high cross winds you have to keep both hands on the bars instead of one. Straight and level I can do hands off - like look ma no hands at 80 mph just like before changing out the front tire.

But the lightness of the steering in twisties and slow speeds is worth the trade off.

But leveling links lightened up the steering about 60-70 percent and the narrower front wheel took it the rest of the way - in my humble opinion.

 

VentureFar...

[CMCOFFEY]

No need for apologies, i like where the thread is heading. I personally will have my mountain bike camel backpack on my tank like a tank bag. 3 liters of water and expandable storage. I ride with a 3/4 helmet now, so I can eat and drink in the saddle.

[cowpuc]

No need for apologies, i like where the thread is heading. I personally will have my mountain bike camel backpack on my tank like a tank bag. 3 liters of water and expandable storage. I ride with a 3/4 helmet now, so I can eat and drink in the saddle.

 

Thats probably a whole lot more acceptable than my method,, I prefer a gallon jug of water hangin on a my flag holder,, reach back, grab da jug, take a swiller AND than dump a nice cool douse over ya head an down your back and belly -- ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[kantornado]

I truly enjoyed reading all of these entertaining posts. In my youth I would take off on trips with no more then the clothes on my back and be gone for a week sleeping on the side of the road or on tables at road side stops.(Oh youth).

Then as I grew older and bikes changed as well as things I learned I thought I needed to what I really needed. I found a solid bike and less is actually more ( the basics) and as storage space grew (bags,trunk, fairing) I searched for items that would fit in the space provided (tent, sleeping bag, personnel items). I found a Credit card some cash was more then enough.

Then after getting married I found that if it did not fit into a saddle bag it did not go with us. (packing light is better, throw away clothes to buy "T's" at rally's) Then came a bigger tent (as we got older) and we wanted better sleeping bags as well as comfort items (pillows,air mattress,air pump and tools) better to have and not need it then need it and not have it mentality,so a trailer ensued. Now we are back to the basics and we have tons of room on the bikes. No more tents (it's hotels) no more eating on the side of roads from a cooler.(restaurants are #1) and credit card and bank card is all we need with very little cash and a good cell phone with nation wide coverage. We still pack as light as we can with what we have on and a spare set of rally shirts,socks and undies and our toiletries. We can always buy if we really need something and discard what we don't need. Now this is what I have learned over the years of trials and tribulations. I know everyone thinks a little different and this may not work for anyone but us. But we like it and it does works for us.....

[muaymendez1]

I tried fitting my wife in the saddle bag. Bad move!

[djh3]

Muaymendez1 Try something like this. I bought a couple different styles and types. they need to have about 25% Polyester. Moisture wicking drawers will make a difference. They make some in bike magazines with padding in the butt also, those will most likely be spandex type material. Also some Monkey Butt Powder in the trunk/saddle bag is a good thing to carry.

[VentureFar]

Since we are getting I the "nitty gritty", I carry and use baby powder ( corn starch not talc) on all summer rides.

I also always wear either

Under armor heat gear long johns in the summer or

Underarmor cold gear long johns in the winter. They are moisture wicking- cooling/ heating

Under my brosh Kevlar reinforced jeans with knee armor.

VentureFar...