[Chappy]

One of these summers I plan to ride out to the San Francisco Golden gate Bridge area just because I want to see it. I will camp out in a tent at KOA...
It is a 1500 mile trip each way... How would you go about making that kind of a trip on the Burgman 400 for daily mileage?

 

[Liamjs]

Depends on what you're used to.

First off, get a backrest and Airhawk or some other seat pad. You should also look into a cramp buster or throttle lock of some type. These will add several hours of riding to your day. The bike will be just fine on a 3k mile trip. Just change the oil, check tires, etc. beforehand

So far as riding mileage, that is up to your personal preference. Personally 350 miles is a nice day of riding for me. I haven't done it for a while, but with my current set up, 500 miles a day would be comfortable. However some can do 700+ or even 1k in a day.

I like music when I ride. However, A long distance riding friend said whatever you do, DON'T get audio books. They're known in the LD riding community to put you to sleep. Not my cup of tea, just passing on the info. Speaking of tea, limit fluid intake when its cold (I keep hard candy handy, just to keep my mouth wet) or you'll be stopping every hour for bathroom brakes. If its hot, you'll perspire a lot of moisture, so keep hydrated.

The Cannonball rally people (http://www.scootercannonball.com/) say your first couple days will be your best, riding mileage wise. You should plan on 80% or less on subsequent days due to fatigue. But I doubt many can ride the kind of days these guys do. Check out their forum page. Lots of good information there.

If you get all the out here, be sure to get down to Monteray, Big Sur and Ca coastline a bit. It's generally regarded as one of the best riding routes in the world.

Hope you have a great trip! You're gonna love San Fransisco. It's one of my favorite cities.

 

[knucklehead]

I'll second the ride along Big Sur - it is astoundingly beautiful. So is Highway 1 above Frisco. Just turn off to gawk at the scenery or you'll become part of it. The last 30-40 miles of that highway is as twisted as The Tail of the Dragon from what I've read of it. I've been on that stretch of road many time in cars and motorcycles. I was last there on MC in 2002 if memory serves me.

If you have the time try to stick to secondary roads. Lots of them parallel main freeways so they aren't hard to find. Often the lodging and eateries are cheaper just 10 miles off the interstates. You can do 500 miles a day on interstates but where's the fun? You get where you want to go but you haven't really seen anything but 2-3 lanes of asphalt.

If I were taking that long of a trip I'd ask myself a few questions:

How much time do I have?

What would I like to see between here and there?

Taking my current ride into account - how far have I actually rode it (recently) in one day - with comfort?

If I'm going to camp out and prepare and cook all my meals how much more time will that take per day?

Do I need to stick hard to a set schedule? Will I need a new tire (or set) before returning? Set up a time for a new tire if thats the case. Add about 10-15% of your calculated mileage that you think you will put on your ride. I usually manage to put on 20-25% more than what was planned for.

Most importantly - HAVE FUN!

 

[Buffalo]

When I'm traveling I try to limit my schedule to 300/325 miles a day max. Reason is it takes a while to get checked in and out, setup etc each day so you can't make quite as many miles as you would on a day trip from your home base. Assuming a 50 mph average 300 miles is 6 hours of just riding time. Throw in stops for gas, rest, pictures, food etc and you burn a lot of daylight.

Only time I will schedule more is if I'm just on a get there ride on an Interstate or similar highway running high speeds with no stops except when the gas tank needs filling.

 

[Chappy]

Thanks men that's great info advice... I have decided I would do Motel 6 instead of tent which would help me out immensely I would map it out and pre-book my destinations on their map...
I was thinking no more than 10 days which would be three days out four days back and maybe three days there, and at least 2 day of rest before I go back to the shop to work!

The super slab seems to make sense for time sake considering my location but I agree be a very long haul.
It would become interesting with the Colorado Rockies maybe through Utah and Nevada.

I would go a-z through the bike before I would leave mechanically. Yes I have throttle lock.

I can do 600 miles per day ( proven last July) so I would consider two 600 mile days and one 300 mile day. I would take four days to come home to see more sights!

I would have to walk at least 1 mile per day at the end of every day to exersize.

in another 20 years when I could retire i'd like to do it more leisurely pace, but that's a bit difficult at this time in life.

 

[Day Dreamer]

I figure hours before I figure miles

This is the approach I used when I was touring on my motorcycle. First I figure how many hours a day I plan on riding, then I figure miles per day based the kinds of roads I'll be riding on.

I follow a regular routine. I ride 1-1/2 hours. Take a 15 minute break. Ride 1-1/2 hours. Take a 45 minute break to have a snack or meal. Repeat. I get 7-1/2 hours on the bike when it's time to check into the hotel at dinner time.

If I'm on the interstate in the Midwest or out West, the weather's good, and I'm not sightseeing, that's somewhere between 500 to 550 miles per day. Only 450 miles/day on the interstate back east where the speed limit is 65 MPH.

If I'm taking secondary highways, it ends up being around around 350 miles a day. Maybe only 300 if I throw in some sightseeing.

I try to work in a one day riding break every week.

I know how many days I have for my trip. I know which kinds of roads I plan on taking. Now I can bracket how far I'm going on my trip.

Also, just like any other physical activity, it pays to work your way into a long trip. Being able to ride one 600 mile day isn't anywhere near the same as riding several 600 mile days in a row.

Works for me. YMMV.

 

[ChipDoc]

I live in Tampa and I ride home to see Mom and Dad in Wilmington, DE. It's just a bit over a thousand miles and I do it in one long day unless I'm stopping off to visit with someone along the way. Except for a spell on US301 crossing from I-75 to I-95 here in Florida, it's superslab all the way. Here's the trick: Ride a hundred miles. Stop, pee, get gas and drink, get back on and ride another hundred miles. It gives you short-term goals (about 2 hours) and breaks it up into ten 2-hour rides, which are a lot easier to wrap your head around. If I leave after work on Friday, I'll get there around lunchtime on Saturday.

I love audiobooks - not only do they not put me to sleep, but I learn stuff while tooling up the road. I listen to them on my commute too. Did you know you can borrow them for free from your local public library?

And I don't even try to keep up with "the LD Riding Community." Those guys are of a mindset to make the run from Nebraska to the Golden Gate Bridge and home again in a weekend. But I'm just not into the "I'll sleep when I'm dead" mode of travel. If you're comfortable riding 300 miles a day, then plan for that, but you'll probably discover that you'd rather do a longer run after a few days on the road. Not the second day though. Plan to make the second day a bit shorter before picking up more distance.

 

[Chappy]

Your right men, its starting sound like a cannon ball run, I'm not sure I could make it in that time frame, it's starting to sound sore and tiring especially after day 1, that super slab sure works a number on a guy after a day or so.

 

[Jeff_MdR]

Chappy,

Once you enter California: just because you can ride 400+ miles per day doesn't mean you should. If you do, it means you're spending too much time on the Interstates and major highways, and you're missing the best motorcycle roads and much beauty. When you're riding in the Sierra foothills and passes, a 250 mile day is a full day's work. On Hwy 36 West out of Red Bluff you'll see a 'twisties ahead, next 140 miles' road sign. It's about a 4 hour ride through moto heaven.

I ride a ten - thirteen day tour of Calif. every summer (since 2007), and I do my best to find roads that I have yet to travel. I'm currently planning my next trip for this May. I highly recommend visiting the California Roads section of www.pashnit.com. Review the free sections. If you're serious about the trip, spend $20 for full access for road reviews, photos, food & lodging suggestions, member forums, etc.

Feel free to contact me with questions, suggestions, etc.

PS. Riding across the Golden Gate for the first time is a true rush!

 

[ChipDoc]

Your right men, its starting sound like a cannon ball run, I'm not sure I could make it in that time frame, it's starting to sound sore and tiring especially after day 1, that super slab sure works a number on a guy after a day or so.

Oh you WILL be sore and tired after day one, no matter what length it is. Day 2 will be a tough day at first. But after that, you'll have grown used to it and will be enjoying the freedom of the road.

Planned trips are nice, but I also enjoy trips where the "plan" is to simply throw my leg over and ride. With the GPS you simply can't get very lost and you'll discover all sorts of cool little places if you head on out without any expectations. And if you really don't know where you are, the GPS will direct you to the nearest hotel, gas, bank, etc without any trouble at all.

 

[Chappy]

Here's my problem... I want to be able to pull this off and ride across the bridge but unfortunately because I have my own business, I can't be gone for no more than about a week and a half... so unfortunately I can't make a leisure trip there and do lots of sightseeing. If I was retired I would definitely take maybe a month or so and I will do in another 25 years.

That leaves me with only one option at this moment, (cannon ball style) and that is to ride like hail bent for leather out there, do the bridge, San Francisco bay, and Petaluma and then ride back.

I want this for two reasons:

1) because this is something I have always wanted to do for many years and I'm getting closer ,maybe next summer if not this summer, especially on one piston motorcycle...California is a beautiful state that intrigues me.

2) because I have coffee in the shop every day loaded with Harley-Davidson riders, and when I told them about my plan they laughed their asses off. Such replies as: California could be done son, but it can't be done on a belt driven moped, and how you going to get over the Sierras on that ?? So you see, upon my return, i have to gloat and smile as I walk back in the coffee shop and say "howdy boys" as they stair at their eccentric English friend! Lol... It's all in good banter, but deep down they think these bikes are a joke and they have one eyebrow raised at all given moments.
I just want to be able to show them, who the real leathernecks are... One man and his Suzuki burgman, a one piston machine!

 

[winginit]

Chappy, Sounds like a great trip, The only thing that is left is to do it !

 

[ChipDoc]

Quite frankly, Nebraska to San Fran is a helluva run even on a Harley bagger or a Wing. But the Burgman itself is perfectly capable of doing it. The thing which is most likely to give you trouble is YOU. A thousand-mile day isn't nearly as stressful on the machine as it is on the rider.

The following link is from the IronButt Association and gives 29 tips on long-distance riding. They're an excellent compendium of knowledge which has been hard-won on a lot of long rides.

http://www.ironbutt.com/tech/aowprintout.cfm

 

[Chatman128]

I've done a few FL to NC runs on motorcycles and once on the Burgman. The trip is a little over 600 miles. Invariably I find that I'm pushing to get there so the trip up is gas stops only with about 10 hours of seat time. When I arrive I'm beat. Coming back I make a point to stop at every rest area (they're spaced out about an hour apart). If nothing else, I take a sip of water, standup and walk a few feet. The ride back takes maybe 11 hours but when I arrive, I'm as fresh as when I started. I think the value of stopping every (insert your preference here) cannot be overestimated.

 

[Liamjs]

This is the approach I used when I was touring on my motorcycle. First I figure how many hours a day I plan on riding, then I figure miles per day based the kinds of roads I'll be riding on.

I like your ride Plan. That sounds like a great schedule To keep.

Now if I could only get the time off to do it.

 

[Desert Rat]

As time is short the quickest way will be I-80. Not a lot to see (been over it many a time). I do agree if time permits head down PCH to Monterey Bay. Check out #5 http://www.victorymotorcycles.com/en-us/community/story/5-great-sun-belt-rides

 

[Chappy]

Thanks men, that's great info.

 

[Day Dreamer]

...
I want this for two reasons:
...

2) because I have coffee in the shop every day loaded with Harley-Davidson riders, and when I told them about my plan they laughed their asses off. Such replies as: California could be done son, but it can't be done on a belt driven moped, and how you going to get over the Sierras on that ?? So you see, upon my return, i have to gloat and smile as I walk back in the coffee shop and say "howdy boys" as they stair at their eccentric English friend! Lol... It's all in good banter, but deep down they think these bikes are a joke and they have one eyebrow raised at all given moments.
I just want to be able to show them, who the real leathernecks are... One man and his Suzuki burgman, a one piston machine!

Just my 2 cents...

Your signature line is "Suzuki Burgmans...Built for confident men!!", but it looks like you're letting some coffee shop cruisers goad you into a ride you don't have time to take. Doesn't seem very confident.

Ride your own ride, not theirs.

 

[Chappy]

Haaaa Haaa...I think you missed the fine print in section (1)

Section (2 ) i"d just be killing an extra bird whilst i'm doing my thing, that's why i shared that with you, in confidence... It also shows I have a lot of confidence in the bike!