[gps4]

good afternoon,
i have been visiting this site for some time and finally decided to contribute. i will begin my first bike journey this friday, and have affectionately and appropriately named "uneasy rider". i will fly to missoula montana on friday, buy a bike saturday, and depart for home some 2500 miles southest in vicksburg, ms on sunday, june 9. i plan on taking a week to do it and look forward to any advice and jabs yu can throw at me. i recently read the thread about the best songs and thought id like to compose a list of my personal favorites:
freebird, welcome to the jungle, roll me away, turn the page, when the levee breaks, born to be wild, kickstat my heart, flesh and blood, paradise city, fuel, dream on, life is a highway, crazy train, shook me all night long, all along the watch tower, tangled up in blue, on the road again, pancho and lefty, like a rolling stone, knocking on heavens door....okay maybe im getting carried away.
anhow, hope to see you on the slab, and via con dios, goo luck.

 

[Roadking96]

You have a great week ahead of you. Watchout for all the cages, they will not lookout for you. Get back to us with your story of your trip and some pics would be nice to see also.



Ride Safe.

 

[Holden]

gps4,

Did I understand you correctly? This is your first ride and its a 2500 mile road trip? You got some big cahones. Hope your ass is in shape for the trip. Pack riding gear for at least three seasons and have a good game plan for miles per day and where you are going to stop, eat, sleep etc. Pack motrin and drink lots of water. Be safe have fun and report back on your trip when you get home.

Holden

 

[gps4]

perhaps a little background ............
in highschool and college i always fantasized about riding cross country on a bike ...to enjoy the roads and the freedom. well, the fact was, i wasnt free. i was "too responsible" for something like that. i always follwed the rules, i was serious about my highschool sweetheart, and i wanted to live a successful life. well, we got hitched in college and i got a well paying job pushing a pen and crunching numbers. six months after graduation, we decide that we not gonna make it....well, more like shes not gonna make it, and im not gonna take it. anyhow, i fing myself in a desk day in and day out thinking about all that was lost. then it hits me that now is the perfect opportunity for an adventure. always wanted to see montana, always wanted to learn to ride, and always wanted to do the road trip. now the chance. can afford it(barely), have no responsibilities, and damn it, its something that i want to do. to hell with logic and responsibility. so friday is the big day. i have planned the trip to take me thru wyoming, to denver where i will stay a day or se with relatives, on to saintlouis then down to vicksburg. the only time constraints i have is that i plan to be back in jackson, ms on tuesday morning, june 18th. i figure to ride at least 300 miles for the first three days. my route is almost all interstate from missoula to denver. rest for a day or so, then head out again and bump it up to about 400 per day. from denver to st louis to jackson is all interstate and flat as a board once out of co.. i plan on riding for about six hours a day and hope to get in a few more per day. i dont expect to be in anykind of hurry. plan to negotiate my riding around big cities as to not engage rush hour trafic and plan to eat at off peak times. any other advice would be appreciated.

 

[JimmyK]

Is this going to be a NEw BIKE? If so, yes there are a few things you need to know first.

 

[gps4]

go head jimmyk, im all eyes

 

[Maj]

Congrats on the new bike. You might want to rethink your route since interstate travel is a horrible way to break-in a new engine. Varying the engine speed allows the internal parts to go through their various range of stresses thus allowing proper break-in. A steady highway speed will not do this. I don't know what it is for TCs but my EVO was not supposed to go over 55 mph the first 500 miles. That might be below the speed limit on some interstates.

Besides the ride is much more enjoyable along the back roads!

 

[gps4]

good point maj, ill keep that in mind. i had thought about going thru jackson hole, which i believe is a little more varied than the interstate. that will allow for the lowers speeds for the specified miles.

 

[JimmyK]

good point maj, ill keep that in mind. i had thought about going thru jackson hole, which i believe is a little more varied than the interstate. that will allow for the lowers speeds for the specified miles.

The recomend 50 for first 500 and 55 up to 1000. You have to vary the RPM's ( no long constants ) during the break in.

At or around 1000, you will be replacing Engine Oil, Filter, Primary Oil, Transmission Fluid,

There are also some inspections and general wrenching that will need to be done.

The first 1000 service is important as you are getting all of the metal fuzz out of the system.

Make sure you have planned your route accordingly taking all of the above into consideration.

Best to ya!

 

[FXDeanX]

If you're not in any kind of hurry then, by all means, stay OFF the Interstate as much as you can. It's no way to see the country and, as mentioned above, not too good for a new bike. Do Jackson and the Grand Tetons. Grand Tetons means "Big T!ts" after all! What better reason do you need? Take the secondary roads and go through the towns along the way. See America. I look forward to reading about it here when you're done. Have fun and be safe

Dean

 

[HIPPO]

What specific model of bike are we talking here.

 

[FATVETTE]

gps4, I think several people have given you some pretty good advice regarding the breakin on your new bike. Enjoy the ride, take the scenic route. Make sure you update us when you get back. And by all means we need some pix....

 

[JFScheck]

Remember that this bike will behave like nothing you have ridden before, so don't fall into any lulls after the first day or two and become complacent. Respect this new bike and good luck!

I really wish there was a way I could talk you outta of this as I don't personally think it is a good ideal, so just please take it safe and easy!

Good luck to ya and keep a journal to write down all the thoughts as you return home with your new ride!

 

[Bill]

I don't know about harley's, but with sportbikes the break in period is governed by an rpm. Example: Stay under 5,000 RPM untill 700 miles have been driven, etc. I guess the same principle i probably used to figure out a harley's break in period, so I'd be careful to keep the rpms reletivly low while accelerating to say... 50 mph for the first 1,000 miles. I wouldn't run it up to redline when accelerating. Or even go close to redline. Breakin periods can make or break a bike.

This is all just an assumption on my part, maybe someone else can correct me.

 

[JimmyK]

I guess, if I am reading all of this right, I do have some concerns.

(1) It appears that you are doing this ride alone. ( No riding partner )

(2) It appears from your statement that you have never ridden before.

(3) It appears that you are assuming 400 miles in six hours which translates to a constant 66 MPH for 6 hours with NO STOPS

Now for some facts:

Riding alone for 2500 miles on a new bike exposes you to infant mortality possibilities with no one to lend a hand. Having never before ridden is not a bad thing, but there is a proper way to learn that is less likely to find you flat on the pavement run over by a Big Rig. While 400 miles in 6 hours is possible, the speed maintained will have to be in the 85 to 90 MPH range to allow for refueling and the normal stops. This should NOT be done on a new bike as you will run the risk of screwing the motor up. It has to have time to break in ( seat properly ).

You also mentioned some time constraints. Again, at 1000 miles your bike will be down for service and you have not planned what shop to take it to. While the service itself takes maybe an hour, there is no promise that they will be waiting at the door like a pit crew for your to pull in.

Your ambition is admireable, and you SHOULD follow your dream, BUT you must be realistic and your planned road trip is not possible based on the assumptions you have made. I am afraid that once you find out that you cannot meet your schedule, you will be inclined to push it some without the experience nor the proper machine to do so.

Simply stated, as planned, your trip is not reasonable. You MUST readjust your assumptions and properly plan this thing or your run the risk of killing yourself, someone else, or at the very least, screwing up a brand new bike trying to make your schedule.

I am not saying any of this to be mean. Just stateing some facts you cearly have not considered.

Respectfully

 

[JimmyK]

On another note, your route is projecting isolated thunderstorms for most of it in the time frame you mentioned.

 

[gps4]

perhaps in my previous thread, i got ahead of myself. since deciding in february to take my trip i have since learned to ride. however, ive never been on a road trip.
my guesstimation of six hours per day was based on the first three 300 mile days, considering the interstate. however, the break in period concerns may dictate an alternate, more timely route. 300miles/6hours=50 mph. naturally, 400 miles will require considerable more riding time. and the six hours is riding time, not riding, stopping, eating, resting time. ride a few hours, rest a while, proceed with caution. my 1000 mile "check-up" should put me right around denver, where i will be staying for at least one day, if not two. i hope to find a shop that will be able to service the bike while in denver visiting with family.

and as far as not meeting my schedule, i would not dream of pushing it on a bike. i know when to say when, but i wont throw in the towel before i give it the good ole college try. and if worse come worst, there are alternate, yet "unmentionable" ways to get home if i fall too far behind schedule.

i appreciate your responding and explanation ofyour concerns.....always helps to get someone elses point of view, especially someone who is more experienced.

 

[Sidewalk]

I would definately call way ahead to see if a shop can do the work. Last time I needed some work down, it was a 1 month wait to get a tire replaced, for 2 other fairly local shops, it was 3 weeks. Have you considered a used bike? That way the break in is already covered.

Have you taken a riding safety course? I would seriously consider taking the basic sourse, buy a cheap beater, ride for awhile, and then take the advanced course before a ride like that.

I am sure no one else here wants to see another add to the statistics.

 

[DPrice]

Riding Gear

Some other things to consider since Jimmy K brought up the fact that you will be facing some weather issues:

Riding gear? Have you factored this into your bike purchase/pickup.

Boots? Would recommend a good pair of riding boots with non-leather soles.

Leather jacket? It can get cold on the bike and the last thing you need is to be shivering. I would carry chaps as well.

Good eyewear? Something thats going to seal up your eyes. 2500 miles is a long way to ride with "red eye"

Wet weather gear? Boot gators, pants, jacket and some waterproof gloves. Its not fun riding wet, and the situation may dictate that you cannot stop and need to continue in the rain. (IE. no place to stop)

Helmet, reflective vest are other essential items to ride with. Whether you use them or not is your choice. 2500 miles with your background, I would highly suggest them.

You are looking at about 600-$1200 extra here in essential riding gear depending upon which brands you go with. But they are essential!!

 

[logical]

I'd rather ride anywhere other than on a freeway....constantly getting bufeted an blown around by semi trucks and pelted with gravel. plus most interstates are about as scenic as a warehouse.