To ride or to drive...

[mtalicarox]

Originally Posted by ShonR

As a new rider myself and after riding with several people on this site, the ***MOST IMPORTANT*** thing I've learned is to do what you are comfortable with.

I'm practicing for my own little road trip by hitting the highway and going for a half an hour to a full hour after work. Like someone else said, I just turn around and come back. If traffic, the speed, or road conditions make you nervous, consider the car. Rickster put it well. You will feel it in different places than you are used to. 200 miles of slow, curvy country can be easy compared to highway speeds against the wind...

Either way you decide, have a good, safe trip.

Best road trips are windy roads.. highways are boring.. oo lets chug along at 100 mph in a straight line basically. not fun.. me and my dad took a 800 mile road trip last summer ( I have a gsxr 1000, him a harley sportster 1300) and we did all back roads - it's the only way to enjoy everything.

[tallannie]

contrary to your assertions, you do clearly offer ad hominems.... and your 'highbrow Latin' comment is clearly disparagement of my words...and the 'tough' comment in the same sentence were clearly aimed at me.

I am continuing this because it always interests me to see how far someone will go to avoid a simple... "I am sorry".

And before you say it, your "I am sorry you feel that way" is no kind of apology...it is only a clever way of saying that it was actually me that was wrong to have taken offense....not you for having offered it.

I will let this go now... pointless...
Annie

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

I'm sorry you feel that way, Annie, but I don't object to being called a risk-taker, and I'm not sure why anyone would be offended by being called a worrier. That's what some of you are doing - worrying about what might be in store for Basso.

As for the Ad Hominem assertion, it would only apply if I'd actually suggested one of you were objectionable somehow, not by questioning your riding history. It doesn't apply here. Your experience certainly isn't in question.

Anyhoo... no "belittling" intended anywhere by me. Thanks to E.R. for realizing that.

[Kodatech]

Originally Posted by themeatmanlandry

(100+ degree heat) + (65 mph windchill) = <some as-yet-undetermined temperature>

He won't melt out there in the wind.

Depends on whether or not it rains.....Haven't you ever seen "The Wizard of OZ"?????

[Clint]

Originally Posted by tallannie

...it is only a clever way of saying that it was actually me that was wrong to have taken offense....not you for having offered it.

Now you're getting it. No offense was even remotely intended until you made an issue of it.

[mtalicarox]

wait - is this the official sign up list for high school stupid drama? if so count me out. i thought we were trying to offer advice here, not bore each other by pretending someone on the internet can insult one another.. it's on the internet.. who cares.

[DragonRider]

Originally Posted by Kodatech

Depends on whether or not it rains.....Haven't you ever seen "The Wizard of OZ"?????

Basso is a witch?



Man, talk about a thread hijack,opinions are like_______ everybody has one.
Basso ,do what you think is right. only you know yourself well enough to know if you are up to it.

Where did Basso go anyway?? Probably thinking he'd like to retract the question about now........

[Kodatech]

Originally Posted by DragonRider

Where did Basso go anyway?? Probably thinking he'd like to retract the question about now........

Probably sorry he asked now.

[tallannie]

I think this is called 'piling it on'.... lol.....?

INTENTION doesnt matter...offense WAS taken....but you are lily white as always....

Annie

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

Now you're getting it. No offense was even remotely intended until you made an issue of it.

[c_law23]

moving on, i would say if you had the time to move along at your own speed then ride your heart out, but if there is a tight time frame where you would be pushing yourself to the limits then drive

[womper]

Originally Posted by themeatmanlandry

(100+ degree heat) + (65 mph windchill) = <some as-yet-undetermined temperature>

He won't melt out there in the wind.

here's a nice little tool to find out... only works between 50 and -50 degrees though

NWS Wind Chill Index

[Basso]

I'm just listening. Most of the opinions have already been said, and now its just drama. I still haven't decided which way to go. I was all set to go by car when a meeting I had on Thursday was cancelled, so now I can leave Wed. night. I'm thinking about the bike again. I will decide tomorrow afternoon and when I leave the house, I'll either be on the bike or in the car.

As to the windchill, I believe above a certain combination of temp/humidity the wind doesn't help much anymore. 100+ will be hot, no question, which is why water consumption is so important.

Right now I'm 60/40 leaning toward the bike.

[womper]

i already stated my opinion, but i have another one

if you think that the ride will help clear your mind and you can enjoy the ride, then it might be the better option...

if you don't think it'll clear your mind and you want to get from a to b as fast as possible, then take the car...

i thought about this some more and what i would do in that type of situation.
i dunno, i like to ride and would want to ride, but something tells me i'd take the car and just go from point to point...

like stated previously, do what you think is right, and what you think is safe

[themeatmanlandry]

WRT the relative humidity/windchill thing you are absolutely correct. I believe that this would be an asymptotic function approaching some limit that would vary based on many factors.

Normal windchill charts simply don't go up past about 50 mph. That's because no one's going to be standing outside in a hurricane going, "You know, if it weren't for all this humidity I might be comfortable out here in these 100 mph winds, but as it is, I'm miserable. I wonder what the windchill is??"

[EDIT]
Oh yeah . . . ride the bike. Not because I'm some super-rider with oodles of experience (5 years, 30K+ miles), not because I think I know what's best for others, not because I eat latin grits (as hominem, you know ), but because I am positive that you will enjoy riding your new motorcycle on a nice cross-country trip to go see your family and take care of some business.

Just think about how great you'll feel pulling up on that big machine. Everyone'll be all "ooh" and "aah" and you'll have a conversation piece for when the talk dies down about the matter at hand. Not to mention the fact that you'll actually look forward to the ride home for a change.

Take the bike.

[Clint]

Originally Posted by Basso

I still haven't decided which way to go. I was all set to go by car when a meeting I had on Thursday was cancelled, so now I can leave Wed. night. I'm thinking about the bike again. I will decide tomorrow afternoon and when I leave the house, I'll either be on the bike or in the car.

If you're going by bike, you have some prep to do. Don't just get on and go at the last minute. You have some maintenance and inspection to deal with, and you'll want to pack carefully to make sure you have the essentials along and that they're safely stowed.

-Drama Queen

[tallannie]

With more days for this ride I also lean more toward the bike.... and I do like to lean a bike....lol

Drama queen #2

Originally Posted by Basso

I'm just listening. Most of the opinions have already been said, and now its just drama. I still haven't decided which way to go. I was all set to go by car when a meeting I had on Thursday was cancelled, so now I can leave Wed. night. I'm thinking about the bike again. I will decide tomorrow afternoon and when I leave the house, I'll either be on the bike or in the car.

As to the windchill, I believe above a certain combination of temp/humidity the wind doesn't help much anymore. 100+ will be hot, no question, which is why water consumption is so important.

Right now I'm 60/40 leaning toward the bike.

[Basso]

Warning, long post follows.

Well...I rode the bike. I had done all the packing and maint stuff assuming I'd go just in case. Overall I'd say I'm glad I did, and I learned a thing or two that I wouldn't have learned otherwise. I did not bring a camera, so the only picture I have of the whole thing was my wife taking one as I left. Its still on her camera though, so I can't post it yet.

Meeting with my grandmother
Anyway, my grandmother is mentally well, but she definately has quit. Her vertebrae(sp) have been crushed so she will never sit up or walk again without intense pain. Upon hearing that, she stopped eating. She's gone without food now for 5 days. I expect she'll check out in the next month or so. It was good to talk to her, and we had a great chat. I'm glad I went.

Day 1: Madison to NW Indiana. ~220 miles
I got back from work and packed the bike, said goodbye to the family and headed out. I have tourmaster cruiser II saddlebags, and I also brought a Walmart duffle bag, covered by an Arkel pannier rain cover. I bungied the duffle on the pillon seat, and this had the unexpected benefit of providing a back rest. Anyway, I didn't fill up at home, so I made it to Beloit prior to my first stop. I got fuel, and downed some water and then got going agin.
I then experienced my first toll. What a PAIN! Come in, stop, put bike in neutral, fish for money while wearing gloves, get change, find some place to keep it, put bike in gear and then go. This made the cages frustrated, but hey, I already had the money in my sleeve pocket, and went as fast as I could. I saw rain clouds in the distance, so I put on my rain gear. About the time I hit the border, the sky opened and the rain dropped. There was flooding everywhere, and I was on the skybridge from IL to IN. The car in front of my and the car behind me were both going 35 mph so I decided to stay put. I got on I65 and stopped at the first intersection with a motel.

Lesson: water resistant =! water proof. I was soaked. I also ended up going through some deep puddles so I was nervous about the bike...but it was fine.

Day 2: NW Indiana to Eastern NC. ~850-900 miles
I started at 5:00 am (central). My stuff had mostly dried out, and the rain was over, so I got dressed and headed out. 70 miles down the road I stopped for breakfast and gas. All was well. I continued through Indianapolis and on toward Ohio. In Ohio, I was on HWY 35 for the whole trip. For about 50 miles, a state patrol car was right behind me. Temps were near 100, and I was hot. I stopped about every 100 miles and drank a bottle of water. I finally got through ohio and into W. Virginia. The toll road here provided some interest with the hills and curves, and the mountains and trees cooled off the temps pretty well. I stopped in Winston-Salem, for dinner, and realized I still had 250 miles to go. I got to my destination at 11:30 (Eastern).

Lesson: I need hwy pegs and a bigger windshield if I do more of these trips. Also, leaning back is a good way to get numb-butt, so I need to sit upright to maintain comfort. That, or get a new seat...or a new bike before doing another long trip.

Day 3: Bike stayed parked
My parents carted me around. My mom was all "I thought you were smarter than that" and refused to let me ride it again until we left. I protested a bit, but was kind of glad to have the day off.

Day 4: Eastern NC to Clarkesville TN...Lots of miles..I'm not sure
The circus arrived at my granmother's house (all the relatives) and I had to get out of there so I left in the morning (about 6 eastern). Since I had the extra time, I took a detour through the smokey mountains state park...hwy 441 or something like that. Anyway, I got on the Blue-ridge parkway in Asheville, and took it to 441, then up through Pigeon Forge and then back onto I-40. It was a nice detour, but being Saturday, the roads were packed. That took quite a bit of the fun out of it. Some of the turns were fairly tight, but none so tight as to make me nervous. I know the "dragons tail" is around there somewhere, but I didn't care to explore any more due to the traffic. I got back on I-40 and learned what speed is. After having a late lunch/dinner in Knoxville, I headed toward Nashville, doing a steady 75 mph indicated (or about 70 in a 70.) After the 7th car in 5 miles came right up on my rear before swerving back in, I decided to speed up and go with the flow so to speak. The rest of the trip to Nashville was at an indicated 90-95 mph, which I'm assuming is 85-90 mph. Scared the crap out of me, but I was just riding along in the line of cars...no one moved into my safety margin, and the traffic just went...really fast. I didn't even pass too many cars. This was the longest fastest ride I've ever done. After I stopped for gas traffic in and around Nashville was a more sane pace, and I settled in at about 9:30 (central).

Day 5: Clarkesville TN to Madison More lots of miles
This was the most boring day of the trip. Lets face it, IL plains are not that interesting. I went 75 mph (indicated) the whole day. As I got north of Bloomington, the rain started. It went well, but I couldn't get some of the rain to clear from my visor. I later learned that this was due to water coming up inside. Also, a few comments about rain. Rain coming down clears quickly...rain coming up sticks. I felt the need to put on my flashers, but I'm not sure why. I maintained 70 mph (indicated) in a 65, so I was going about the speed limit. Anyway, I got home last night and now I'm back at work.

Lessons and post-ride thoughts
* I think I went past the second service interval over the course of the 2600 mile trip

* Tire pressure can change pretty significantly with different conditions. I had to adjust pressure regularly

* Watch your drum brake adjustment. What doesn't drag (and even feels loose) on a 30 mile ride in 70 degrees might start to drag on mile 130 in 100 degrees.

* 100-130 miles is about the right distance between stops. If you aren't sure there will be a gas stop in the next 30 miles, and you've already gone 100 miles, stop. Otherwise, you feel like Kramer and pray that you find gas. I did at 150 and put 3.2 gallons in. I think I have a 4 gallon tank, so I wasn't really on the verge of running dry, but looking at the fuel gauge going from 2 bars to one is a scarry moment when you think the next stop is still 50 miles away.

* Water-proof =! heat proof. My bike is now wearing part of one of my rain pants. Anyone know how to get melted material off your pipes? Luckily I had 2 pairs of rain pants (I needed them). This is what I get for using cycling rain clothing instead of motorcycling rain clothing.

* The ride was kind of fun...but not so much so that I will do another one really soon.

* 800 miles in a single day is too much.

* Getting to say goodbye is important, and I'm glad I had something to take my mind off of it. Riding also gave me a chance to talk to my grandmother about something other than her, how she feels, where is the pain...seriously. I don't understand my dad and his siblings. Everything they say to her is about her situation. Way to drive it home in her mind folks! Anyway, dealing with that frustration is for another time.

*Riding fast on a freeway doesn't take much skill and you don't learn much about motorcycling skills. However, getting lost and doing lots of u-turns and creeping along in traffic do wonders for slow-bike control practice.

Thanks everyone for your comments. Its good to have a group with experience to ask questions of. I think it helped.

[Clint]

Bravo! I'm bummed you had to do the loooong day, though. That is tough, especially by yourself. Good for you!

[themeatmanlandry]

I'm glad you rode, and even more glad that you enjoyed the experience. Nothing teaches like doing it once yourself.

-I like to stop every 100 minutes or so.
-You had to adjust your tire pressure? Did you adjust it "hot"? If so, how'd you know what the recommended hot pressure was?
-Personally, I'd heat the bike up and try to wipe the plastic off the pipe, or maybe I'd try steel wool.
-800 miles in a day almost makes riding into a chore instead of a hobby.
-While it is necessary to discuss someone's condition with them from time to time, I (like you) think that a person in poor shape receives more benefit from conversation regarding topics that do not require them to constantly think about their condition.
-You are correct. IMO, an ape could ride fast on a freeway and not wreck.

Sorry about your grandma. I'm glad you rode and enjoyed your trip.

[mtalicarox]

Nice man, glad you took the bike. Hope you enjoyed the ride.. it will stay with you for a while til your next big ride.

[Clint]

Yeah, I checked pressure in the morning when filling up for the day, then let it be.