Question about proposed long trip

I've been around this board for a while but only as a lurker. I've got a 99 VFR and have been feeling its time to take a longer trip and wanted to ask those who have done it for some advice.

Particulars:
Bike has 33K on it, runs great. Has new tires, newer chain, new battery, regulator, 3 Bros exhaust, and. aftermarket seat. I love it. I have had it two years and put about 4k miles a year on it. I used to ride 30 years ago, but this is my first big bike. I have taken a 250 mile trip once.

I want to visit my son in Atlanta and I live near DC. The trip would be about 625 miles each way and I won't have much time. I am considering riding the whole way in a day. staying the weekend, then riding back in a day. I would carry everything I need either in a tank bag and another strapped to the back, or a purpose-built backpack. My riding gear is either a heavy leather jacket or an armored mesh jacket (keep in mind it will likely be hot on my trip since I would be going in August or maybe September) and good motorcycle boots.

Questions:
Is making that kind of mileage in a day unrealistic? I'm 50, in good shape and have driven 1,000 miles a day in a car.

What's the best gear to wear - I really don't want to buy more riding gear since I doubt I will do this much (then there is the budget...).

Can I get a cheap plastic waterproof something to throw on if it rains?

What is the most important accessory to make the trip better? Cruise? Ear plugs? Life insurance?

Any other sage advice will be appreciated.

 

Good luck on your trip.

If you're looking to save a few bucks, you can always get one of those bungee cargo nets and use it to hold your backpack down. Probably only about$10 to $15.

There are probably some other threads, if you search enough, that would show the essentials that people bring. I would think on that sort of a ride, earplugs are a must. Might not hurt to have a bottle of water and an aspirin/ibuprofen handy in case you start to stiffen up.

Something to clean your shield with?
Chain lube?
Tire plugger (don't even want to THINK about it!)

As for cheap waterproof gear - FrogToggs is decent stuff for the money, very light weight, and easy to pack. Probably about $30 for their cheapest, up to about $70. They'll help you out in a pinch.

You can also get one of those throttle locks for about $15. Might be nice to give the hand/wrist a little rest (oh, the comments might be flying!!) if you're doing 600 miles.

Good luck and ride safe!

 

How's the saying go; Your eyes are bigger than your stomach?

Personally, I would not recommend trying to push 675 miles in one day, unless you've conditioned your body/mind. I'm not saying it can't be done, but one should ask how safely can it be done. Factor in less than desirable weather, road conditions/road work delays, and general fatigue on your body and mind after say the 7th hour on the road?

I'm 40 and in decent physical shape and just returned last Friday from a 1400 mile, 5 day trek across NM,AZ,NV. I've had my 06 VFR since early May and have been on some 200 mile trips around my location but never any longer than 3 hours at a stretch. I was fully packed for this long journey including rain gear, tire repair items, tools, first aid items, water, snacks, etc....

My first day was 475 miles (and not one mile on an Interstate) - 8 hours. It's very unlikely I'll be doing that again... It was a tough day of riding and, while it was the best day to attempt such a haul, it made me shorten subsequent days travel to avoid further fatigue.

Your suggested plan of 675 on day one, with possible 2 days of rest then 675 home is not one I'd recommend unless you KNOW you can do it. Otherwise try to split it up. Leave at the crack of dawn and drive 300-350 stay at a cheap motel then leave on day 2 at the crack of dawn still having most of the day to spend with your son; repeat for the drive home.

There is some good info on long trip gear on http://www.ironbutt.com/tech/aow.cfm in the Archive of Knowledge section. If you go, be safe and remember to have fun doing it.

 

Yes like others have mentioned here 675 miles is really pushing it. I've done 400 mile one-day trips and let me tell you I didn't want to go another mile!

That being said, a really cheap and easy tool to make the trip managable is a crampbuster ( CrampBuster - The Original Motorcycle Cruise Control ) They're only 10-15 bucks and your right hand will thank you.

As for waterproof clothing you can get a MotoBoss suit at cyclegear, they're pretty cheap about 40-50 dollars. It's not the best waterproof suit in the world but will be good enough in that you won't be riding all year in the rain.

With your luggage you can just get your dufflebag or whatever and bungee cord it on the back. Here's my setup from my last trip:



Another note, with your trip I really recommend you break your trip down to 2 days and stay in a hotel. You can find a cheap one that's just big enough for a motorcycle and make sure to request the 1st floor room, if you know what I mean:



Seeing that you'll be riding during hot days instead of lugging around water bottles you can just fill up while you're at the gas station, one less thing to carry around!

 

I'm planning my first multi-day trip on the bike, so I'll be watching this thread. That ironbutt link has some pretty valuable info. I personally find that interstates tire me out a lot sooner than slower secondary roads. Obviously you can cover more miles faster on an interstate, but I think I can ride longer without fatigue if I stay off the interstates. It's kinda like the the old tortoise and hare fable, slow and steady wins the race. I'm planning my trip with a very loose schedule so I can easily change plans depending on how far I can ride.

Rain gear is one area where I had a hard time deciding what to buy. I hate to spend a lot of money on something I will rarely or possibly never use, but I want it to work if needed. I looked at Frogg Toggs and although I'm sure they work great I thought they felt like a $5 disposable paint suit. I picked up a closeout Teknic one piece rain suit for $20. I also got a Slime Tire Top Off inflator ($13) and plug kit ($5), and a Coleman Base Camp first aid kit ($14). All very small and easy to pack, I hope I never need any of them. I'm still shopping for a throttle lock.

 

If your trip is going to be mostly highway then 625 miles isn't all that bad for a days ride. You will most likely feel it at the end of the day. Your arse will get sore-SO you should help protect it. A gel pad, sheep skin or the like is a must for the seat. The sheep skin will allow air to circulate around your hind quarters. Using runners shorts without seams in them for underwear helps butt fatigue. Those UW seams will seem like pieces of rope after a while. You will feel better if at every stop, fuel or whatever, you do some stretching exercises. Got to get blood to all those muscles and brain. Also while riding you can stretch your neck, arms and legs a little. This helps a lot on long distance runs. The crampbuster Joey mentioned is a BIG help! Well worth $10 as well as a simple throttle lock. The other thing your going to run in to is mental fatigue. What can I tell you about that? You'll have to figure out how to deal with it. When you start getting fuzzy it's time to take a break. Carry one or two bottles of water with you. You'll be glad you did.

All the previous suggestions are good and well worth doing. Good luck and have a great trip. Oh yea don't forget the phone and charger.

 

Twice now I have ridden from CHilliwack, BC Canada to Atascadero California. This last trip I did CHilliwack to Grant's Pass Oregon on the first leg which is 574 miles. I did stop in Olympia Washington for about an hour. This was a 12 hour trip give or take. I could have gone farther but Grant's Pass was a natural stop. I am 54 years old with back and neck issues and I was fine for this leg of the trip. But time I got back, I was in not too good shape but overall the trip was probably 3,000 miles in roughly 10 days or so.

#1 on ear protection. # 1 on cheap rain suit. Believe it or not, those cheap rain suits can be all that is needed if you run into cool weather. It traps your body heat inside and stops drafts dead. When you get gas, get off the bike and go for a walk around the station for a few minutes. Every time. I ride with my rear foot pegs down and will from time to time, traffic permitting of course, throw my feet over those. This causes your lower back to hyper extend a bit which will stretch our fatigued joints. Stand up from time to time. This of course could be considered an illegal form of riding where you are.

I wear a back pack all the time but mine is an expensive waterproof Mountaineering pack. But I think to wear it on a long trip would be far too much. I have saddle, trunk and tank bags I use on long trips

Keep yourself well hydrated. You do dry out on the road. And you are likely to end up wind burned a little in the face. That amount of time with the wind swirling around in your helmet will give you a red tinge, but not too bad.

But the most important thing is to go. The worst thing is you may find that you are sore when you get home and need a few pills to settle you down. You may discover and annual event. I am going back to Atascadero again next year. This time going to make it to Mexico as well so will try for the Iron Butt Border to Border award.

 

some very good pointers on obove posts,I ride 1000-1200km(650-800mi) days alot,but build up to it at start of year,I ride a(200-300mi) couple times a week so I can ride higher milage on my days off, without much time in the saddle you might want to keep it down to300-400mi you get sore ,you stop talking to the bike,the whole fun factor is gone,I wear good wicking underwear to stop rear rash and full my tank bag up so I can lay on it to take strian off shoulders and wrists,I am 51

 

I rode from Dahlonega, Ga (North of Atlanta) to Lafayette, La in 11 hours. Thats 645 miles. I would suggest not wearing the backpack but like stated before bungee it to the back seat. Or if you have hard or soft bags use them. I dont have to tell you during the time period you have chosen to ride will be hot, so no need for anything stifling you on your ride. Of course the mesh jacket because of the heat. Redneck a/c ing every time you stop.(soak your shirt with water....sorry Long for the Dis). I would also suggest breaking down your ride into 100-140 mile stretches to break up the highway monotony and stretch your legs. Drink lots of fluids. All the safety gear as mentioned above (tire repair chain lube, rain gear) and + 1 on the gel seat. Have a safe trip.

 

Motrin, music, and water. All you need. Stop frequently, urinate often. Refill bladder every stop. Avoid travelling in the heat of the day. Leave at zero dark thirty and take a long lunch around 2. Or leave at 6pm and ride through the night. Condition yourself before the trip with light exercise and stretching. Take both jackets. The leather will keep the wind from beating you up over time and the mesh will keep you cool. Wal-mart taxi seat beads are like AC for your ass and are very cheap. And the best piece of advice I can give you, talk to people when you stop, it's amazing who you might meet.

 

Thanks everyone for the great advice.

If it was not all interstate, I think I might give it a go, but 10-12 hours of monotonous highway sounds a bit harsh unless I have to the time to split it into two days.

Of course, I might just do it anyway - I tend to be that way. Get all the good advice and ignore it... But really, thanks all for the pointers. Maybe a trip to the mountains 300 miles away first, then I'll decide.

As it is, I ride 80 miles a day to/from work, so I have a pretty good feel for the bike. I'm just itching for a trip...

 

If you don't go, then we were all lieing.

 

625 miles each way in one shot!!! NO WAY Forget about it.!!!! I am serious.

I did San Diego to San Francisco in one shot when I was 24 years old with my twin brother.
I fell asleep and would wake up a few seconds later in a different lane of traffic. When that happened we stopped and took a nap in a city park. When we were asleep we could have been robbed or arrested whatever.
When we got to our destination it took 3 days to start feeling normal. Would never do it again.

 

Ah, but I bet you weren't riding a VFR!

 

I worry about getting sexually assaulted if I stop at a roadside park for a nap. So I try to make myself look old fat and ugly. I'm pretty good at it.

But seriously though. Both times to Atascadero and back, on the way back I did stop fr a nap at a park. Believe it or not, with your bike up on the centre stand, helmet placed on the tank and your arms folded over the helmet, you can sit and have quite a comfortable nap like that. I did for about 2 hours I think.

 

Cant rape the willing.

 

You can do this! The key for me anyway is to break up the day. Leave at 4:30-5 in the morning, ride 200 miles. Find a diner, stop, sit down, rehydrate, caffeinate, and eat breakfast. Ride another 200 miles. Find another diner, stop, sit down, rehydrate, recaffeinate, and eat lunch. Another 200 miles and eat dinner with your son.