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I left Tuesday morning for the northern part of the Sandhills area of Nebraska. Spent Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, and Thursday roaming around on very rural 2 lanes just south of the South Dakota border. Actually I did cross over into South Dakota Thursday, and found a wonderful road with some tight curves - unlike the gradual sweepers that exist in the Sandhills occasionally. Rode back home this morning. The entire trip was on 2 lane roads, with speed limits typically 60 or 65 mph, except when passing through the occasional small town. I covered a bit over 1000 miles in all.
A lot of the recreational riding was through very unpopulated country. I could often ride for a half hour or longer without seeing another vehicle. Rarely saw a building or any sign of civilization - just herds of cattle scattered here and there. The landscape and the sky seemed absolutely huge. One of the routes I rode was aptly nicknamed the "Cowboy Trail" on my map. I remember thinking how much trouble I'd be in if the Burgman broke down out there... The cattle seemed to find me interesting. Sometimes an entire herd would collectively lift their heads and watch me ride by. No place to buy gas on those roads, so I had to keep a close eye on the fuel gauge, because it might be 30 miles to the nearest road that cut south - and then another 20 miles to a town big enough to have gas stations.
Further south, on the more populated roads, small towns were still 30 miles or further apart. I saw one extremely small Suzuki dealer and one equally small Kawasaki dealer. The only things parked out front were ATV's. Not very promising if I needed scooter support...
The scooter did well though. All of the modifications I've done worked out well. The Ikons shocks smoothed out rough roads nicely. The Clearview XXL windscreen kept me sane on Wednesday when I encountered high winds all day. The Pirelli rear tire did it's job, and the re-upholstered seat was comfortable. The Remus pipe gave me audible feedback on engine load, without being intrusive.
A couple of minor issues surfaced. The centerstand started sticking again. I need to try some 3-in-1 oil on the pivots. For the rest of the trip, I used the sidestand wherever I could, and had to remember to lift the centerstand fully up with my foot when I did use it. On the last two mornings, I heard a minor squeal, just after starting the engine in the morning. I'd guess that it came from the CVT belt. Someone mentioned finding their CVT filter clogged with dirt - I think I'll check mine this weekend. A little dust on the belt might be the problem.
I packed an unbelievable amount of stuff under the seat, including a good size duffel bag with my clothes in it. The Givi trunk was also about 3/4 full. I did not end up needing the hump bag, so I left that home. Of course, I left a lot of that stuff in the Hotel during the week.
I avoided the major "tourist attractions" this trip. There are some up in that area, enough to justify another trip later on. I saw some interesting terrain, and talked to some very friendly and interesting people along the way. I had a good time.
A lot of the recreational riding was through very unpopulated country. I could often ride for a half hour or longer without seeing another vehicle. Rarely saw a building or any sign of civilization - just herds of cattle scattered here and there. The landscape and the sky seemed absolutely huge. One of the routes I rode was aptly nicknamed the "Cowboy Trail" on my map. I remember thinking how much trouble I'd be in if the Burgman broke down out there... The cattle seemed to find me interesting. Sometimes an entire herd would collectively lift their heads and watch me ride by. No place to buy gas on those roads, so I had to keep a close eye on the fuel gauge, because it might be 30 miles to the nearest road that cut south - and then another 20 miles to a town big enough to have gas stations.
Further south, on the more populated roads, small towns were still 30 miles or further apart. I saw one extremely small Suzuki dealer and one equally small Kawasaki dealer. The only things parked out front were ATV's. Not very promising if I needed scooter support...
The scooter did well though. All of the modifications I've done worked out well. The Ikons shocks smoothed out rough roads nicely. The Clearview XXL windscreen kept me sane on Wednesday when I encountered high winds all day. The Pirelli rear tire did it's job, and the re-upholstered seat was comfortable. The Remus pipe gave me audible feedback on engine load, without being intrusive.
A couple of minor issues surfaced. The centerstand started sticking again. I need to try some 3-in-1 oil on the pivots. For the rest of the trip, I used the sidestand wherever I could, and had to remember to lift the centerstand fully up with my foot when I did use it. On the last two mornings, I heard a minor squeal, just after starting the engine in the morning. I'd guess that it came from the CVT belt. Someone mentioned finding their CVT filter clogged with dirt - I think I'll check mine this weekend. A little dust on the belt might be the problem.
I packed an unbelievable amount of stuff under the seat, including a good size duffel bag with my clothes in it. The Givi trunk was also about 3/4 full. I did not end up needing the hump bag, so I left that home. Of course, I left a lot of that stuff in the Hotel during the week.
I avoided the major "tourist attractions" this trip. There are some up in that area, enough to justify another trip later on. I saw some interesting terrain, and talked to some very friendly and interesting people along the way. I had a good time.
