Long distance riding secrets...

L

Larisa F

New member
Great posts all!
Obviously, we're all different . .and, there are lots of great ideas here (I'll try some new ones, never too old to learn)!

Do what works for you!
This is what works for me . .
I have a Sundowner on my 06 SG - LOVE IT! Adjustable Tour pegs. I've removed the rear shifter arm for more space on the floor board.. 8" windshield as the "bikini" stock windshiled looks cool; but, not so good for any trips outside of the city; we usually put water bottles in the freezer a few hours before our trips - stay hydrated!; and have a small cooler that fits nicely in the hard bags; my honey has the belt clip water bottle holder and can pass the water to me (good to have a GOOD WOMAN partner on your trips for company!); eat lite and often; we enjoy our trips and are never in a hurry to get to our destination - it's about the ride, right!?! We stop often for pictures, stretching; and enjoying life!

Keep the tire pressure right; shocks adjusted; keep an extra "can" of oil with you (just in case!); sunglasses; clear glasses; and, despite how hot it may get - keep insulated. Better to have long sleeves, long socks, bandana, helmet, ( IMO ) - works for me!

Best of luck . .enjoy today . .
 
Just got back last night from a ride to the Grand Canyon. 8 days and 3871 miles. Butt burn was a problem for me as well. And the longer the trip got the worse it got. I have the stock seat on a 07 EGS and normally it's quite comfortable. But around the third day, it got pretty bad. Get the most miles you can the first couple of days, after that the mileage you're able to travel will fall off considerably. Start out early in the day and end early. If you start out late in the morning and you're travelling West, you'll be trying to hammer out that last 100 or 200 miles with the sun in your eyes and if you're already tired that's pretty tough. Weather plays a huge part in how far you can travel. Not just the heat. Rain or windy conditions can slow you down. Fighting 20 to 25 mph crosswinds like we had crossing Oklahoma for 300 or 350 miles can really have an affect on you. I had a big Saddlemen sissy bar bag on the back and that thing was like a sail in that wind. It was a chore to keep my bike in the lane. If you can, switch to the Elite 3 tires. I can't say enough about these tires. They are GREAT! Before the trip I had changed handlebars to WO 575's and before the trip I liked them. But now, I'm thinking of changing to something else. The width of them are just a little too much for me to ride long distance. My wrist hurt. A back rest really helps. I have the standard non-adjustable type and it worked fine. Satellite radio is a plus. I listened to the same station from the time I left Atlanta until I got back. Classic Vinyl. Sorry for the long post, but this is just some of the things I ran in to. Hope it helps.
 
for me: a backrest takes all the strain off of the arms and shoulders. satalite radio is a huge plus, and i find if i make a point of walking around at every gas stop helps get the blood moving out of your a$$. And when you've had enough, stop for the night. we do this for fun right?
 
One thing that I've just added is a Spot Messenger. I hope I never have to use it for 911. The tracking feature is pretty cool though. www.findmespot.com
 
Besides staying hydrated and making sure your bike is set up to fit you right, moving to a full face helmet probably made the biggest difference to me for piling on the miles. First time out on a long trip in the FF (after 17 years of beanie-wearing) I was shocked at how much fresher I felt at the end of the day. Earplugs are a must.

I like textile riding gear too - it's nice to not have to stop to pull on a rainsuit when it gets crappy out. Face shield down, carry on.
Plus wearing clothes that aren't flapping in the wind makes a big difference.
 
Every now and then when I'm really tired of sitting, I stand up on my floorboards and lean against my backrest, and look over the windshield. Sometimes I will adjust my mirrors. A couple to three minutes to really feel refreshed. I don't do it in curves or heavy traffic. Be carefull when trying this.
 
~120 miles / 2 hours between stops.
+1 on Sheepskin - Alaskaleather.com
+1 on cruise control - could no longer go long hwy distances without it.
 
Wife and I put 42,000 miles on our 09 RKC in 19 months. I had my seat customized by Mean City Cycles (http://meancitycycles.com/) when I had about 900 miles on it. What a difference! Also added a back rest from Mustang. The guys at Mean City are terrific and their prices are very reasonable! I originally had my seat done by a guy who was recommended by the HD dealer. He screwed it up so bad that the dealer reimbursed me for my cost and the guys at Mean City did it for about half of what this the guy who screwed it up charged me. Four things I cannot live without on a long ride: 1. Cruise control 2. backrest 3. Custom seat 4. GPS. We just returned from Nova Scotia (4,800 miles) and last year we did Key West, FL to the UP of Michigan. In fact, I just rented a '10 Ultra Classic for 3 days and the stock seat just about killed my ass and back even with the back rest.

Hope this helps.

Be safe.

Strazzman
 
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