Distance Riding

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TheFableTheFury

New Member
Any of you guys do longer rides? 200-300 miles?
If so, how comfortable or uncomfortable are you? And whats your setup? Seat.Bars.Rearsets

I'm in Central Ark and there are A TON of beautiful curvy roads that are a perfect ride, but to get to most of them and back, we're talking about a little bit of a ride.
 
I can put miles like that on my Goldwing no problem, and after about 150 on my enduro my body hurts. Higher bars and a windshield help. Throttle lock is nice, too.
 
assuming we're talking about a cafe setup:

I've never done anything over 138 mi. at a time. And that was on a padded skateboard deck, using drag bars, no front brake, and with incorrect ignition timing issues, which caused all sorts of weird problems while at stop lights. It wasn't terrible but not comfortable by any means. And turned out to be a great time regardless of the bike I was on at the time.

I've utilized my passenger pegs to lay down on my tank. It helps stretch out your limbs a little. When that becomes uncomfortable, I sit upright and then move all around like a kid in church.

I've come to the conclusion that my bikes aren't made for long distance and I'm ok with that. I have no problem throwing it in the back of my truck and being chase vehicle for the rest of the crew and then putting around once we reach our destination.
 
No matter how I travel I get uncomfortable after a short period of time. It doesn't matter if it is on the motorcycle, in the car, etc. I always plan my trips around stopping frequently to stretch/move around. It also makes for an excuse to see cool stuff you might otherwise miss, chat with people, take cool pictures, and basically make it a more fun experience.

There are people who can go hundreds of miles a day without stopping for anything other than gas and bathroom breaks... not me.
 
I've only been on 2 long trips on my bike. The first on the first incarnation of my bike, clubmans, rearsets, and 1 inch of neoprene as my seat "cushion". About 170 miles each way, about 650 mile total over a 4 day weekend. I could usually go for about an hour before I had to stop and stretch. My hands would go numb and my ass hurt. Getting off the bike for about 10 minutes was enough to get going again. Towards the end of the trip, my ass could only handle about 45 minutes.
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My second trip was a couple weeks ago on the second incarnation of my bike. Drag bars, stock pegs and more seat cushion (1 inch of camping pad and 1/2 inch of upholstery foam). This trip was about 320 miles each way and over 800 miles over a 4 day weekend. This was significantly more comfortable, but I could still only go about 90 minutes between breaks. Occasionally my hands would start to go numb if I wasn't careful about my body position and again my ass started to hurt after awhile.
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So, higher bars and more seat padding help. Before my next long trip, I am going to make an additional seat pad that goes over my seat.

Like Krafty, I like to stop anyway to see the sites. A motorcycle trip should be about the journey, not the destination. However, since you are in the midwest, I understand there isn't much to see. But sometimes those small towns you pass on the way will surprise you.
 
Thanks guys, good answers.

Flug,
Arkansas is by no means the midwest, IF you ever call it that again, I'll ride my uncomfortable ass as far as I have to to teach you the truth. ;)

Do a Google image search of Arkansas Ozarks if you think there is nothing to see.

Your bike looks great, by the way, I'm going to switch out the club mans for drags, most likely, and had been thinking about the removable seat padding like you mentioned.
 
TheFableTheFury said:
Arkansas is by no means the midwest, IF you ever call it that again, I'll ride my uncomfortable ass as far as I have to to teach you the truth. ;)
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You're right. My mistake. I read your post too fast and my brain read Kansas instead of Arkansas.
 
the airhawk is expensive butt really a very good solution for your ass's sake
bonus being you can make it very soft or more ferm they ventilate and quickly remove and sto it
I have been using airhawk for years
 

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I need an airhawk. I have my GL setup with stock pegs, Superbike bars, removable screen (big help) and can go 200 miles between stops on longer trips. exactly 1 full tank of fuel. I can do 6-800 mile days with that setup, having a throttle lock helps with the numb hands and I think if I had an airhawk I could hotseat half the fill stops. I did Mid-O 2 summers ago and it is 1200 miles one way, then 3-400 miles while there riding around and 1200 home. I split the 1200 into 2 days, 1 long one shorter. like 400 miles one day and 800 the next.
 
I have a Valkryie solo seat on my otherwise stock 78 GL1000. They aren't kidding when they say "road sofa".

I put 1200 miles on this in five days last year, won't do it again:

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If we don't have a babysitter for Mid Ohio, illpit the sheepskin on it again and hit the road. If it's going to be dry. :)
 
Ha, with Mid-O I can guarnatee some rain at some point. I rode home 2 years ago in rain so hard and deep it was up to the pegs on the GL. All the way across Pen and CT. sucked. I dumped water out of everything when I stopped for the night in Danbury LOL
 
CB750 with superbike bars, cushy seat, and a throttle lock....I can ride all day, no problem. Tried the same on a Sportster with drag bars and couldn't do more than 50-60 miles at a time without having to stop and stretch my wrists out.
 
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