Some opinions please...

[Ichabod]

I need to decide weather to store the bike for a couple of months until I can move it 600 miles on a trailer, or ride it those 600 miles to my new home.

I have just started riding again after 20+ years and have only got 1200 miles under my belt since I started riding again. all of those miles are back and forth to work... I have not had it on the interstate at all. My longest commute is about 30 minutes one way.

My gut tells me to suck it up and store the bike until I can trailer it to it's new home... but the irrational side of me says mount it and GO!

HELP ME!

[NorthernYankee]

Mount it and go!

[GregR1]

only 600 miles? that's not too bad. i'd say do some 50-mile days and one or two 200-mile days, so that the 600 won't feel like a marathon. obviously, a few stops during the 600 mile jaunt to relieve sore muscles and refuel. a good 10 hour ride. i just did 17 hours nearly non-stop in the car a week ago. granted, more comfy, but still - you kinda get tired after enough hours no matter what!

[themeatmanlandry]

Originally Posted by GregR1

only 600 miles? that's not too bad. i'd say do some 50-mile days and one or two 200-mile days, so that the 600 won't feel like a marathon. obviously, a few stops during the 600 mile jaunt to relieve sore muscles and refuel. a good 10 hour ride. i just did 17 hours nearly non-stop in the car a week ago. granted, more comfy, but still - you kinda get tired after enough hours no matter what!

I'm with Greg on this one: build up to it.

Depending on how old you are, your joints will appreciate to some extent. I know mine do, and I'm *only* 37 (stifles a tear in his eye).

600 miles is fair stretch . . . about 10 hours on the interstate without stops.

I say, go for it, you'll have a blast!!!!

[Clint]

Let's not deceive the poor lad. 600 miles is a marathon. It's at least 10 hours in the saddle, and more like 13. I've done about six 600-mile days, and I'm always beat afterward.

I say go, but be well aware of what you're in for. Prepare properly.

[kay]

I'd say mount it and go!!

OK. on a more serious note, be prepared to take rests on the way and just in case you REALLY get tired, be prepared to stop over for the night on the way. Even if you don't, the thought that you can if you wanted to will be a comfort.

I'll have to agree with Landry. You'll have a blast and will be left with a memory you will never forget!! (of course in a good way) To top it all off, you'll build up your confidence like nothing else can match!

Ride safely and enjoy the ride!!



(OK. You've either asked the wrong crowd or asked the wrong question. )

[Copronymous]

That sounds like a good time...a nice ride. Go for it.

[DeRiggi]

Why don't you break it into 2 days....Plan on a stop overnight, rent a room, relax....then finish the next day. This way you won't be too beat up come the end, and you will still have time to enjoy the scenery and the ride...

Just an opinion

[Breeze]

+1 on what DeRiggi posted

[digitalbroccoli]

+1 on deriggi's thoughts. I'm suprised noone else had went that way.

Make an adventure of it. Find a hotel half way, and ride there the first day, then ride the rest of the way the second day. Use the cash you would have paid to store/ship it to pay for gas and hotels. I'll bet its still cheaper to ride it.

[Smurf]

Originally Posted by DeRiggi

Why don't you break it into 2 days....Plan on a stop overnight, rent a room, relax....then finish the next day. This way you won't be too beat up come the end, and you will still have time to enjoy the scenery and the ride...

Just an opinion

I would even go so far as to say break it up into 3 days. If you haven't rode that much, with a stock seat, no Interstate time on the bike,

Hell............break it up into three 200 mile days, that way you get some Interstate time in the saddle, your not beat any of the days your riding, you see a small portion of the country (enjoy some local flavor), meet more people along the way, and it only cost's you two nights in a Motel.

You leave Monday, and you park it in the new garage Wednesday.

[Waltamighty]

Seldom do I post here but Ill jump in on this one! Take the time and ride the ride but do as Smurf suggested and plan to make it in at least three 200 mile days. 1200 miles at 30 minutes at a time makes for a lot of trips but dont by a long shot build endurance. Id be willin to bet that after 200 miles your gonna be ready for some down time and may be felling it more than you want to admit the next day!! Plus there are a thousand and one things you may want to slow down and look at on the way, give yourself the time to enjoy the trip. Hell man if you can make it in two days or even one have at it!! But plan for three!!!

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Smurf

Hell............break it up into three 200 mile days, that way you get some Interstate time in the saddle,

Right and wrong!

Who want's to take his first long ride on the baren Interstate ????

How about 3-200 mile days on major side roads?

Just got back from a 650 mile trip, alas in the cage due to weather, but I scouted two different potential bike routes which were US routes that roughly parallel an Interstate. (US 45 and US 41). Good roads, great scenery and almost NO traffic.

That would be my suggestion......assuming that suitable roads exist.


The bike got even with me though. Got home to find a dead battery!

[RicoChet]

you'd be crazy not to ride it there!! thats what you bought the bike for!

[palanon]

It's all about your comfort level. I like DeRiggi and Easy riders suggestions. Break it up into manageable and enjoyable chunks. I personally hate riding on the highway. What's the point of going straight for hour after hour staring at the back of an eighteen wheeler.

Plus, if you store the bike and then trailer it, that will probably cost you several hundred bucks in storage and fuel costs alone. That would more than offset motel and food costs if you ride.

Motorcycling is fun. Use every excuse you can to get out there and enjoy it. To me, a 2 or 3 day trip on the bike would be better than a week in Hawaii.

[Rockhead]

w/DeRiggi

300 miles in one day taking breaks IMO is quite doable.

[DeRiggi]

i did a 230 mile "Hunnie, i'm taking the bike out for a late breakfast/early lunch" a few weeks ago =]

[kay]

Agree with breaking it into 2, 3 days!
In fact, that was what I meant in my first post. And you don't have to make any reservations. Just go ride and stop over when you're done for the day.

It might even cost you less that hauling it. Those are quite expensive.

I'm for the side roads as well! Highways are fast but boring. Bikes are for turning!! At least, that's the fun part of it which is why we like twisties!!

[SVZuki]

Ride it!

But like everyone else, I say either break it up into two days if you don't think you can survive that long, and build up to it. 100-200 mile ride in a day is cake. get a small run under your belt then go for the long haul!

[dagolfguy]

Absolutely go for it.
I'd do 100 miles early, stop for breakfast, do 100 then lunch break. Then the last 100 before packing it in for dinner and the evening. At that pace, you are not committing to doing the entire trip on the cement of the interstates either. Two days and lots of fun later you've got a nice trip to look back upon.
Just do a good job mapping the route in advance. Figure out where you want to stop and where you want to stay over and you'll have milestones to shoot for, etc.