How many miles can you ride in a day?
About 30 years ago I cranked 1070 miles in one day on a Harley Softail coming home from Mexico (and that was on an older Softail without the rubber mounted engine…it’s the one you see in the photo above). I was younger and I could ride, as they say, like the wind. A couple of weeks ago, I did a 250-mile day ride on my Enfield and it about wiped me out.
Gresh and I were talking about this recently, and I thought I would share my thoughts on how many miles you can plan on covering in a day. Maybe it will influence your planning. Maybe not. We get paid the same either way.
1: Age
Like I said above, big miles used to be no big deal for me. That’s not the case any more. After substantial scientific study and close observation of my geezer buddies over many decades, I developed a graph showing the relationship between age and how many miles you can reasonably ride in a day.
Like it or not, when we get older, it gets harder to rack up big miles. Serious scientific study went into the above, so if you want to debate our conclusions, bring facts. We want to hear them.
2: Weather
Weather plays a big role in how many miles you can ride in a single day, and here at ExNotes we rely heavily on our weather rock before leaving on any ride. You’ve probably heard about weather rocks. We sell weather rocks here on ExNotes and they are conveniently sized to fit into a tank bag. They work like this…you hang the rock from any available support (you have to supply your own string and support). Here’s how to interpret your weather rock:
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- If the rock is wet, it means it’s raining and you should reduce however many miles you had planned to ride by half.
- If the rock is swinging, it means it’s windy that day, and you should reduce your miles by maybe a third.
- If the rock is hot to the touch, it means the temperature is elevated, and you should reduce your miles by maybe a third. Maybe even more.
- If the rock is cold, it means it’s cold, and you probably can ride as long as you dress appropriately. If the rock is really, really cold, though, maybe you should stay home. If there’s ice on the rock, you definitely should stay home.
ExNotes offers weather rocks in brand-specific models:
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- If you ride a Harley, we offer chrome weather rocks for $395, chrome with conchos and black leather fringe weather rocks for $495, and chrome, conchos, fringe, and matching do rag weather rocks for $595 (freight and setup fees not included).
- If you ride a BMW, we offer the GS weather rock with an electronically adjustable center of gravity, BMW logos, and a one-year Starbucks gift certificate for $1995.
- If you ride a Ducati, you probably don’t need a weather rock (Ducati riders generally only ride their motorcycles short distances on clear days, anyway, although if you insist, we can provide a red rock for you personally autographed by the former famous racer of your choice, or we can put several rocks in a bag you can shake to sound like a Ducati clutch). Ducati rocks are free, or at least that’s what we tell you (we’ll recover the cost on your first valve adjustment and let you think you got the rock for free).
- If you ride a Chinese motorcycle, we sell an ExNotes weather rock decal for $2 and you can put it on your own rock.
3: Roads
The kind of roads you plan to ride make a huge difference. If it’s all freeway, you’ll be bored but you can rack up huge miles. If it’s surface streets (and a lot of us do everything we can to stay off the freeway), you won’t cover as many miles unless you’re riding in Baja, where you can run 140mph+ on the long straights south of Valle de Los Cirios. If it’s in the mountains, it will be less, unless you’re posting about your skills on Facebook, where the folks who post are world class riders (to hear them tell it). The same holds true for riding in the dirt. You just won’t cover as many miles.
4: Headcount
This is the big one, folks. Maybe I should have listed it first. If I’m riding by myself or with one of my motorcycle buddies in Baja, I can easily do over 500 miles a day. Throw in more people, and…well, read on, my friends.
The number of riders in your group has a profound impact on how many miles you can ride in a day. In the math world, we would say that the miles per day are inversely proportional to the number of riders in your group.
As a starting point (and after extensive research and mathematical modeling), the technical staff here at ExNotes developed Formula A:
A) Miles per Day = (M)/(N)
where:
M = Miles you want to ride
N = Number of riders in your group
What the above means is that as the number of riders in your group increases, the number of miles you can cover in a day decreases. That’s because with more riders you’ll start later in the morning, you’ll be stopping more often, and you’ll take more time at each stop. That is, unless you’re riding with me. Then Formula A reduces to Formula B:
B) Miles per Day = M
where:
M = Miles you want to ride
The B in Formula B stands for Berk because basically I’ll leave you behind if you’re not ready when I am. You can catch up with me later. You might think I’m joking. I’m not.
Formula A varies a little depending on what kind of riders you have in your group, and especially if you have a Rupert. Rupert is the guy who takes 20 minutes putting his motorcycle gear back on after every stop. I once rode with a Rupert who could take 20 minutes just putting his gloves on. He got better when we threatened to cut a few of his fingers off.
5: Your Motorcycle
There are several motorcycle factors that play a huge role in how many miles you can ride in a day. In the old days, a motorcycle was a motorcycle and we did it all with a single bike (touring, off-road, canyon carving, adventure riding, etc.). Today, you gotta get specific:
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- ADV-style bikes are actually pretty comfortable and the ergonomics make sense. 500-mile days are easy. My KLR 650 was one of the best touring bikes I ever owned. It had phenomenal ergos.
- Standard motorcycles are also relatively comfortable and you can probably do 500 miles in a day, but you’ll feel it, especially if your bike does not have a windshield. My Enfield 650 Interceptor is a good bike, but it’s the one that wiped me out on that recent 250-mile ride.
- Cruisers look cool in motorcycle ads and they complement do rags and tattoos nicely, but they are less comfortable on long rides. I’ve found I can reasonably do 350-mile days on a cruiser without needing to see a chiropractor. Go much beyond that and you’ll feel it.
- Sportbikes generally cut into big miles, but a lot depends on your age. Good buddy Marty and I rode sportbikes on the 2005 Three Flags Classic (I was on a Triumph Daytona) and we did big mile days on that ride. But I was 20 years younger then and I bent a lot easier. I wouldn’t want to do it again.
- Classic bikes generally require shorter daily riding distances, particularly if they are British and equipped with electricals manufactured by Lucas (as in Lucas, the Prince of Darkness). I think a mid-’60s Triumph Bonneville is the most beautiful motorcycle ever created, but I wouldn’t want to ride Baja on one.
Beyond the style issues outlined above, there are other motorcycle factors to consider:
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- Bigger motors generally mean more miles in a day, but bigger motorcycles can slow you down if they suck up too much fuel. One year at the International Motorcycle Show, Yamaha’s bikes all had labels that showed, among other things, fuel economy. The VMax, as noted by Yamaha, averaged 27 miles per gallon. You’d be making a lot more fuel stops on that one. 27 miles per gallon. I can’t make up stuff this good.
- Daily mileage is independent of displacement at 400cc and above (as long as fuel economy is not VMax nutty). Below 400cc, it gets harder (I think) to crank big miles. On my 250cc RX3, 500 miles is a big day for me. But my good buddy Rob once did a 1000-mile Baby Butt on his RX3, so I guess anything is possible.
- Seats can make a big difference. I’ve never found any motorcycle seat to be really comfortable, but I have found a few to be god-awful (my Enfield is working hard to earn that title). If you want to really improve a motorcycle seat so you can up your miles, get a sheepskin cover (I’ve found those to be quite comfortable). There are other options like inflatable seats or custom made seats, but my advice is don’t waste your money. A guy showed up with an inflatable seat cover on a group ride once and it slowed us considerably. It kept blowing off his bike and we had to stop and look for it each time that happened.
- Fuel tank capacity doesn’t make much difference. My KLR could go 250 miles on a tank; my TL1000S would start blinking at 105 miles. You’d think you could ride a lot further with a bigger tank, but I found I need to stop and stretch roughly every hour or two, and if I do that at gas stations, tank capacity doesn’t matter.
What do you think?
So there you have it: Our thoughts on a complex topic.
We know there are keyboard commandos out there who will take exception to our carefully constructed and presented thoughts. If you disagree, let’s hear it. We appreciate all comments, dumbass and otherwise. Please leave your thoughts here on the blog for others to see. Don’t waste your time leaving comments on Facebook (all the cool people leave their comments here…only losers post comments on Facebook). You’ll be a faster rider, you’ll be thinner, and you’ll look better if you post your comments here. And don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar, or capitalization (believe it or not, it will help our readers assess the validity of your thinking).
Like they say, your mileage may vary, and we’re looking forward to your comments. If they’re particularly inane, so much the better. We await your inputs.
Some of our more interesting rides? Right here, folks!
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That was one of the most true to the fact and insightful articles I have read. Your humor is well…….humorous, and carried me through to the end. We all know a Rupert. Thank you.
Ruperts are best left home.
Well, no one has said it so I guess I will. “Women”are much worse than Ruperts. Every gas stop will bring 20 minutes of “bathroom time” with 6 women in a bathroom meant for one. What goes on in there I have no idea but I’m assuming it’s social time even though it’s only been 2 hours since the last gas stop.
If you treat your women like a Rupert, your ride and your life will be cold and lonely even when the temperature is 85. In my later years I find myself riding only with crusty old single bastards like myself that have need for a woman once every 2-3 weeks.
And before everyone gets their collective under wear seams in a bunch, all of this is said in jest, having said that you know who you are…..lol
You have to be careful saying stuff in jest. I wrote this entire article half in jest and half looking to provoke angry comments. Instead, everyone is agreeing with me. I may seek political office.
The most I’ve done In a day is 850 Miles. Mitigating factors: I was riding a 1968 Sportster, it was March so cold weather slowed progress.
In my favor: I was 20 years old.
850 miles in a day in the cold on a Sportster. You are a glutton for punishment.
Pretty much spot on… except for the inflatable seat pad theory. AirHawks are by far the best way to add mileage to any seat. Anyone and everyone who has ever used one will attest.
Flying off? Was he using a deflated beach ball? A proper inflatable won’t fly off any more than your sheepskin.
The guy who had that problem was using an AirHawk.
I can vouch for the Corbin to alleviate the medieval torture device Royal Enfield inflicted the 650’s with. That said I find a nice mixed day of riding with a smallish screen to keep torso stress in check say 300 – 500 miles quite pleasant. Setting up campsites with some daylight vs motel is the other big I gotcha in my travels. Camping cuts deep into the time vs flopping in a room both have their merits of course.
Corbin….I will have to check that out. I’ve been in their restaurant in Hollister.
Good point, Mark. Camping will cut into your mileage at both ends. You’ll need to find a spot while there is still light (setting up camp in the dark is no fun) and when you wake up you’ve got to put all your gear away.
I agree with you. When I was 21 I rode my Yamaha YR5 350 from Dijon to Rome in a day: 700 miles. My prime motivation was to avoid spending money on a second night in a hotel. I loved that bike, and it was great fun through the Jura mountains and the Alps, but today my 66-year-old self wouldn’t dream of covering that distance on a 350. Since then, I’ve managed 650 miles in a day on my Valkyrie once, and more typically 500. That has been dictated more by the available time, fitting in a tour on a two-week summer holiday. Now that I’m retired, I won’t feel the same urge or need to cover big mileage.
Seats and riding position are interesting factors too. I had an excruciatingly uncomfortable ride (again to Rome) on my brand-new Honda Firestorm in 1997. I took the faux-sheepskin lining out of my jacket to help, but it didn’t help much. I have had comfort issues on almost every bike I’ve owned since then (a Kawasaki Vulcan, the Valkyrie, a Rocket III Touring, TL1000S, Ducati SportClassic, Suzuki V-Strom and Triumph Tiger 800) and have concluded that part of the problem is my bum and my clothing, rather than the seat. The backside is less well padded than I thought, which is good, but I think the position of seams on underwear and trousers is critical. The rear pockets on jeans always seem to dig in, whereas a pair of summer riding pants with no pockets or seams in that area works better.
Thanks for commenting, Peter. Sounds like great riding.
Peter, I must agree with your riding wear assessment! Even on a short day trip the wrong pants gave me a miserable few days after due to seams/pockets.
Joe, thanks for the laugh this morning! Sadly, my own scientific research confirms your graph.
You have to go with the science.
Yep! Try the popular women’s studded jeans on a long day! Lol…seams are the least of the problem!
Joe, you pretty much covered all the bases. I couldn’t agree more. I’m good for about 400 miles on my stratoliner. The comfort is fine but the inherent throb of an enormous V twin slowly wears you down. Thanks for another great article.
Hmmm. I almost bought a stratoliner. Good inputs, Colin.
I’m 80 and in questionable health…..
I’m just happy to ride ….. any miles are a bonus!
In the old days….. 500 miles was about as far as I wanted to go ….. I was a sucker for a good restaurant and a dining experience……. was part of my m/c adventure!
A great dinner adds a lot to a motorcycle ride. Did you ever notice that things tasted better after a day on a motorcycle?
Another important factor: Motivation. With a threatened rainstorm, I did 497 miles from Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks on mainly dirt (Dalton Highway) on my BMW 1200 GSA this summer.
At 67, riding from 8am to 1am, was trying but July in AK is sunny all the way!)
Hours of daylight available…a factor I missed. Thanks, John!
Years ago, at end of a three month wander-about, was out of money for motel/camp/food/etc in New Mexico. Had enough for gas in the ’78 Suzuki to get back to San Diego. Left Albuquerque in the morning and headed to Flagstaff on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Rain turned to sleet and snow as I got to Flagstaff and was punching my chest to pop ice from the front of the leathers. Goal had been to get into L.A. morning somewhere to sleep. Decide to turn left and go south to Phoenix instead of maybe dying on way to L.A. As I moved on, temps went up until I was into town and it was 70 at about nine at night in the desert. Got gas again and thought wtf, lets got to San Diego instead. Up over the hills/mts into San Diego and about 0200 arrived at my parents house and dropped bedroll in their front yard. Was awakened by youngest brother in shower using the spray to shoot water out of the bathroom window on to my head as a “welcome for turkey” sort of thing. To this day, crappiest ride I have ever done, but best ending. Hadn’t seen family in six months or so and great meal to celebrate the holidays. Now in my 70’s, fall into the 350-500 miles per day sort of rhythm most of the time. 7000 mile trip this year over about six weeks.
Good memories, David. Thanks for posting.
Every time I did a SS1000 it was part of a coast to coast ride. Cranking out big miles the first day was insurance to make sure I got to the West coast in the 6 days I had allocated. This allowed for weather, sickness, or other distractions. I always picked mid June to early July in order to take advantage of the much longer daylight hours. That way I only had a short time of darkness at the start and another hour or two at the end. The most important factor for me was time management. I stay close to the speed limit but spend as little time sitting still as possible. Frequent, short, stops for gas or food keep me more alert. An hour spent for lunch is about 45 minutes wasted. You make good points about seating, type of motorcycle, clothing, and age. At 74 I’m no longer interested in pushing the limits like I did when I wore a younger man’s clothes, a common theme here.
I still wear younger man’s clothes. I buy them a size or two too big and people ask me if I lost weight.
Hi, sorry but I do not agree with the age factor! I just turned 66 rode 1200 km in 1 day 2 years ago. Last year, Bern (Switzerland) to London 1000+ km in 1 day also! Returned 4 days later within a day again.
July past it was a trip to Norway 2000+ km in 3 days and returned within 4 days.
It seems the older I get the more I ride … ha ha
Send us a copy of your diet and we’ll publish it here on the ExNotes blog!
I average 250/350 miles per day depending what there is to see on the way…I always plan my long rides mostly with this parameter…Me and my girlfriend are both at retirement age and, indeed age is a concern…Long rides take their toll..Younger, it was camping due to lack of “dinero”…Now it’s hotels or B&Bs…Ride safe!!!
Around 300 miles a day makes a lot of sense. Thanks for posting, Jean.
Sounds like you nailed it all of the variables are there I couldn’t agree more!
Thanks!
I rode a 97 800 Intruder for years. I added off-brand forward controls, with my tour back on the passenger seat behind me, feet stretched on the highway pegs, very comfortable ride. AND that was with a stock seat. Kind of sorry I got rid of it a couple years ago, seems that stock seat had conformed to my butt. lol Now I ride a Suzuki Boulevard, have switched the stock seat for a Z1R with removable backrest. For me, 68yrs old, weather is the biggest factor for a long ride.
If I was to make a suggestion, stay hydrated. Stop about every 2hrs max. Get off, stretch, drink 1/2 bottle of water. May seem counter productive on a long ride, but better to stay alert and get there.
Thanks for sharing
Staying hydrated is important. We did a blog about riding in high temperatures a month or so ago and that figured prominently in it.
A few more considerations:
EMPLOYED or UNEMPLOYED? Employed you will ride 24/7 unlimted miles to make it back to your minimum wage job so you can make the next payment on your bike so you can go out and do it all again.
POLOtics: Did Numbnuts really hang himself?, Who won this election? thinking about stuff like that has proven to slow everything down on a universal scale so when on the bike , flush the brain of all wasted thought that you cant change one way or another. Less weight to carry. Instead focus on whether you should buy that next farkel or not. Still slows you down thinking about it. But way more funner. Just do it already. Like Ah-Hem, a new seat for your bike. I think I have a silly putty arse because I seem to get use to most of the seats on my roady bikes after they break in and get squishier. Except for the skinny 2×4 dirt bike ones. Me no like for long distance.
ALIENS: Not mentioned but none the less important. You took us on a pretty good Alien area ride on the Destination Deal ride Joe that had me looking all over for them . They may of abducted Orlando on one of his potty breaks me thinks. He is way too happy of a fella and says JaJa alot on FB to not have been. Alien abduction definitely slows the ride down. Unless of course they have a newer modal space ship that can outrun the Enterprise. Then you may find you actually go faster in time and beat your friends to the next over night stopping point.
I’m missing riding already and its just November. Still 4-5 more months of cold.
Can you tell?
It’s the aliens. And the politics. And having a job. Orlando and Velma were easy to ride with; so were you. That ride on the ET Highway was a very pleasant one. I took it slower than usual because I was worried about the distance between gas stations; to my great surprise, everyone loved the slower pace. We need to do it again.
OK so now I understand why Orlando is always saying “Jaja” on facebook.
“Jaja” is Spanish for “Haha.” Orlando is teaching me Spanish. He has a blue RX3. I have an orange one. This is what I learned so far:
El naranja es el color más rápido.
I agree with the KLR – a 16″ Clearview Shield on my 2006 keeps the body from being buffeted by highways speeds and headwinds. My max in my mid 50s was probably 600 miles/day, now in my late 60s its closer to 400. I still prefer to camp, but won’t deny a motel if the weather sucks or I’ve been out too long and need a shower.
Also, see my comment on Facebook… I’m cool now!
You are most definitely cool! Thanks for posting, Steve.
Can confirm: I have a Honda Super Blackbird and a KLR. Both have had the ergonomics adjusted to fit my middle-aged self. If I want to go fast, it’s the XX, but the KLR is the bike for going far, and not feeling like I’ve been beaten up once I get there.
I always felt Kawasaki made a mistake dropping the KLR. If sales were down, it was a marketing failure, not a motorcycle failure. I loved my ’06 and did a lot of traveling on it.
Sadly the KLR was dropped due to World wide emissions and ABS issues and to modify was to costly . IMO the KLR is the best all round bike ever !!! Done over 82,000 miles in 6 years on it , and many a day over 700 miles the only thing stopping me going further was “Skippy” and his mates , as the sunsets the Kangaroos + others like to gather on the road side , and if your unfortunate to hit one of those big buggers ….. Enjoyed your write up and the following comments . Thanks
Did Atlanta to Maine and back in September of this year on a Ninja 1000.
Factors that reduced miles:
1. I’m 50 years old riding a sportbike. My knees may never be the same again. Ever. My butt ain’t so great, either.
2. I’m 50 years old, which means I have to pee about every 2 hours.
3. I lost my wallet in Kingsport, TN on the northbound leg, which meant I had to plan stops around Western Union outposts. Also, since I didn’t have a driver’s license on me anymore, significant speeding was no longer an option, and it took me longer to pay for meals and fuel.
4. On the second day, it rained. This didn’t slow me all that much, because I was already riding slow because I didn’t have a license on my person. I also decided I needed to do at least one day of slab to make up lost time. I did 600 miles that day.
5. I managed to get lost a couple times, which means I did just as many miles, but not in the direction I was supposed to be going.
Factors that increased miles:
1. The lousy campground in New York where I didn’t sleep a minute. At a certain point, you just give up, pack your stuff, and get out of there.
2. Sheer force of will.
That doesn’t sound like a fun ride.
A good windscreen makes a lot of difference. Six years ago a buddy and I had 3-1/2 days to get from western Colorado to Delaware (from a regional blacksmithing conference to the national). We were both on Moto Guzzi Stelvios which is a wonderful touring machine. We did 600 miles each of the first two days, mostly two lane highways and no Interstates, and were barely tired at the end of each day. The third day we only did 400 miles because we had torrential rain most of the day. The weather was nice the next day and we made it to our destination as planned. The big windscreens and big seats made this comfortable.
I now ride a Moto Guzzi V7 which is similar to your Enfield in many ways. I have found, as many other V7 riders have, that a small windscreen to keep the wind off my chest makes a world of difference. Most are using Dart Marlins which shield the chest and provide smooth air at the helmet. With this windscreen I find that 400 mile days are no problem if I am trying to make time, although I prefer 250 miles for a more relaxed pace. Dart does not show a windscreen for your bike on their website, but probably have one in development.
Awesome info, Dan; thanks very much. I’ve toyed with the idea of mounting an RX3 windshield on the Enfield (that is the best windscreen I’ve ever sat behind and they are inexpensive) but I don’t think the styling would work.
This was spot on. I’ve ridden across the US and back on a Japanese naked bike, 300-800 miles per day. No problem.
But I can also fall asleep at the wheel (handlebars) on 300 mile days on familiar roads. Som I don’t know.
I like hitting the road at ungodly early hours for two reasons..To beat the traffic and to get away from my friends. We’ll meet up later.
Your comment about falling asleep at the handlebars was spot on for me, Marcus. For whatever reason, I had a hard time staying awake in China. Maybe it was the time change. I would do kneebenders (standing up and sitting down on the pegs) to wake up while we were riding. Then the Chinese guys started doing it. We looked like a big internal combustion engine, with the pistons (us) going up and down as we rode across the Tibetan plateau.
I have to take issue with the comment about cruisers, I rode my brand new (bought the previous day) 2015 Indian Vintage Chief 516 miles from San Jose to Las Vegas and it was perhaps the most comfortable ride I’ve had. I was almost 61 at the time and had been riding since my teens. Previously I had a ’95 Concours that I had ridden to Colorado and Oregon. It was pretty good too. I rode a ’77 R100RS to Spokane in 2 days in driving rain while in my 50s, I think just to prove that I could and that my rain suit worked. One of the toughest rides was on a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 from Anaheim to San Jose. My ass still twinges when I recall it. There was also my ’89 Honda PC 800 That took me to Canada twice and Colorado twice, an almost perfect touring bike.
All great inputs; thanks for posting, Paul!
Joe,
You failed to mention that about 600 miles of that 1,070 mile day you did was on Mexican roads. You also failed to mention this day followed the 700 mile ride the day before. As Rob mentioned, employment meant that some riding days were not meant to be as enjoyable as most.
Nowadays, I plan for 6-hours in the saddle, with a break every hour or two. This equates to about 300 miles a day. If it’s summer and the days are longer, I may add to that, but I don’t plan my trips beyond that point. Since many of my rides are still in Mexico, this kind of planning gives me time to sightsee and enjoy the occasional beer at a loncheria.
Another factor that I found that makes the seat less comfortable is sweat (or anything wet), which is why I believe the sheepskin is so helpful. I was on a ride in triple digit temperatures many years ago, and my butt was much less comfortable after someone poured cold water down my back to cool me off. Dress to stay as cool and dry as best you can.
Loved the “women” comment from Dale. As long as you plan appropriately, the right woman can definitely make the trip more enjoyable.
Keep up the good work, “President Berk”!
Those were both awesome rides, Primo.
When I travel I tend to settle on 400-500 mile days. I leave fairly early and try to settle in before dark each day. I don’t ride at night, especially when traveling if I can help it. The last time I rode at night on a trip, I was hit in the helmet at 75 mph by a bird. He landed in my lap or I would never have known what hit me. I did manage 985 miles one day on a Concours 14. I just wanted to get home, so I rode non-stop from Traverse City, MI to southern KY. Could have done more-that bike could cover miles!
I came close to hitting a heron on a ride to San Felipe once. Missed by when felt like inches, although it was probably more. A bird can take down an airplane. You were lucky, my friend. Thanks for posting.
Rain can be your friend. I doubled my planned riding day once because it was raining. The rain made the ride cool, so I took advantage of it and was able to cut a three day planned road trip in half because it was raining and made it very cool and comfortable to ride in. After the first few hours I was afraid it would stop raining and I’d be too hot to continue riding, but it didn’t, and it rained most of the next day too.
Good point, Emmett. Thanks!
The longest ride I ever did was 1400kms (about 850 miles) in 20 hours. This was Kazakhstan to Russia, on my Suzuki DR350. A very comfortable bike to ride, with additional screen and airhawk seat. Mostly single carriageway road, with some diversions onto dirt for roadworks. I was 62 years old.
But here in India (and other Asian countries) safety is a big factor. Riding fast is life limiting. Anyone who’s ridden in Asia will know what I mean.
I’m currently 6.5 years into my RTW trip, with 165,000 under my wheels. There’s at least ???? years to go.
Geoff
Awesome, Geoff. Ride safe, my friend!
I’m 78 and have had six knee replacements. I’ve only owned four bikes that I’ve covered really big miles on. I started with an ’83 Honda GL650i Silverwing and rode it for a year. My longest day was about 600 miles. Then I bought two ’99 Kawasaki Concours. I rode the first one for 115K miles, which included three 1000 mile days. The second one I rode for 50K miles and my longest day on it was about 900 miles. Then in ’10, I bought my first Honda NT700VA and rode it for 138K miles. My longest day on it was for a BBG in Nevada — 1524 miles in 23 hrs, 48 min. My last long ride on it was 877 miles from Greeley, CO, to Missoula, MT in July of this year. I was on my way to trade it in on a practically identical ’10 NT7ooVA. My longest ride on it (so far) has been 394 miles.
My longest days have been riding solo. There a few people I’m comfortable riding long distances with…like maybe 3-4 of my friends. Weather is a factor for me. If it’s colder than 40F or hotter than 85-90F, it usually means I ride shorter distance.
As far as comfort goes, the NT with a Russell saddle and a V-Stream windscreen works. Having a cruise control helps as well. I wear a ‘Stitch and REI nylon pants with the legs zipped off it’s hot (above 60F) and zipped on if it’s colder. LD Comfort tops and underwear keep the seam issue at bay.
I doubt I’ll do another 1000-mile day, but who knows? I do know that I probably couldn’t pick up even the NT after all my knee replacements.
That’s awesome, Phil. I’m glad you got through the knee replacements okay. Thanks much for posting!
Yup, last trip I took we had 40-50 mph cross winds and a guy with us on a scooter. Lost his windscreen going across a lake. His scoot was pretty much done after our twosted sisters trip a couple days later. My only trip with a group that size and never again.
I’m usually very reluctant to ride with someone I haven’t ridden with before. Folks often have different approaches to a ride.
In my wayward youth, I did 200 miles from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara and back to Los Angeles in 1 day. I was really wiped out at the end of the day. Oh yeah, that was on a bicycle. Never mind. After that, any ride on a motorcycle seems like a piece of cake. My RX4 has 6,000 miles on it now. Much more comfortable and enjoyable that the bicycle.
200 miles on a day in a bicycle is beyond awesome. In an earlier life, I did a century ride once, and I thought it was crazy. 200 miles on a bicycle…wow!
I have been fortunate to have owned and ridden many motorcycles in my 56 years on the planet .Finding enjoyment in each one for different reasons … my first , a 1970 something Yamaha ct175 between my 8th and 9th grade year . That summer was spent finding trails around our neighborhood and was about as good as life gets . Fast forward a bunch of years and a bunch of bikes and my mind settles on a 2013 Road king . Several 500 to 1000 miles days riding across the middle of the USA on that heap of steel , rubber , and plastic were memorable . Whether it was the day I killed 6 million yellow moths in Nebraska or riding through small rural towns in Kansas each of which seemed to have a small park with some sort of interesting military history . Tanks , cannons and various air craft all designed for destruction : ) That Road King looked great next to a railroad track or sitting in front of an abandoned building with corn fields in the background . It wasn’t especially efficient , fast or fancy for that matter but any thing between 40 mph and 75 mph and it smoothed out while gobbling up miles and miles of small 2 lane highways . After that summer of lengthy rides I began to understand what the Harley thing was all about … I almost thought about getting a tattoo and pirate outfit , I even filled out an application to join the middle age satanic bandit brotherhood of super bad Harley guys that miss treat females . My dog ate the application before I had a chance to send it to the SBBSBHGTMF approval committee . The RK got traded in on an adventure bike that is way more efficient , faster and fancy …. it looks great next to a small camp fire with the mountains in the back ground . Now to find a ADV riding club to join …
Good stuff, Tim. Thanks for posting.