Miles a day on LONG trip???

Sactown2008

Sactown2008

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How many miles a day do you ride on a mutli-state ride?

My longest rides since 2/11/12 purchase has 40 miles round trip.

A friend (who rents BMWs from SF) wants to ride from Sacramento to SF to Fort Bragg (up Highway 1) at the end of the month (255 miles).

I may try an up and back from Sacramento to Forest Hill (east of Auburn, CA) at the end of July (69 miles).

Another friend (well travelled on his 2003 900cc Volusa) asked if I''ve owned my bike long enough to do a one week trip from Sacramento to Grand Canyon in August. (782 miles).

How long can you sit on a Gen 2 FZ1 before your *ss is numb? I may get the Yamaha higher windshield and the Crampbuster. I own an old Eclipse tankbag.

:thewave:
 
The key is just to build up to it and take lots of breaks. Stay well hydrated and drink while riding if you have a Camelbak or such.
 
The most I have done in a day is 1300km, just stopping for food and fuel. Even with the TS seat and rizoma bars and risers it was a pain in the ass ! Normally do around the 500-600 km just fine. Where I live it is 500km to the nearest big city and 1300 to Sydney. Have had many different bikes and they can all get uncomfortable after 8 hrs in the saddle.
 
I typically like to keep my days to a maximum of 450-500 miles when on a long tour. This is irrespective of bike and is a nice relaxing pace on most trips. I will push a bit further if it's just a one or two day trip and I get to come home to my own bed.

Get an early start and don't rush anything, not even brushing your teeth. Take time for photos and a coffee by the ocean and the miles will fly by. :)

Also, it's important to eat well.
 
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I found that 350 miles on the FZ1 was close to enough for my Arse. Motrin can help plus stopping every 80 - 100 miles is good too. A cramp buster is money well spent, a good full face helmet along with good fitting gear helps cut the wind fatigue of riding all day.
If you have only ridden 40 miles it's time to get out more. Foresthill is good, up I 80 to Blue Canyon or north to Oroville or even up Hwy 70 would make a nice day ride.

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Now when you really want to eat miles get a FJR1300. Here's mine during the Wyoming Rally at the Yellow Tail Dam in southern Montana last fall. Getting there and back I averaged 525 miles a day for 6 days on all back highways. My best was 1,033 miles in 17 hours for my Iron Butt certification. I will admit those long days are getting a bit tougher to do than 5 years ago.
 
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I have to stop for gas every 100 miles or so. I think I could go longer, but I don't like pushing :( No need to do the Iron Butt (1000 miles in 24 hours).

I think about 200-250 miles is all I've had the chance to do in a day, but I didn't have a problem with it (on a Corbin seat). I'm sure you'll do fine if you take a decent break every so often. Take a day and just see what your comfort limit is. Then you'll know before you commit to a longer ride. Burn a few tanks of gas. It's worth it!
 
Conditioning.......I think. You develop your riding skill set so that you can do 500, if need be. And then do it again the next day.

I have a route I thoroughly enjoy that I can adjust the legs of of it to be 300 - 700 on a day. But I see it like running.....you know your body performs differently on different days, hydration, calorie consumption, etc. The distance is changeable -- because you are in charge. Your ultimate goal for a ride may be like mine: ALWAYS FUN. Ride what works for you. Once you insist on a specified distance over pure enjoyment of the ride, the fun goes away. Enjoy it! :)
 
I was thinking an hour out Hwy 80 to Forest hill in the AM...

BDazzler said:
I have to stop for gas every 100 miles or so. I think I could go longer, but I don't like pushing :( No need to do the Iron Butt (1000 miles in 24 hours).

I think about 200-250 miles is all I've had the chance to do in a day, but I didn't have a problem with it (on a Corbin seat). I'm sure you'll do fine if you take a decent break every so often. Take a day and just see what your comfort limit is. Then you'll know before you commit to a longer ride. Burn a few tanks of gas. It's worth it!
Click to expand...

...then head back after dinner on a different route Hwy 49 to Hwy 50, to try different roads for my 1st long ride.

This L2-L4 Retrolistheses pain may determine my time in the saddle, but I also need the time to build up my skills on highways and winding roads.
 
425 miles is tops for me (at least so far). I do take time to stop and get off the bike about every hour or two. Camelback is great in the summer. I have a full face helmet and a taller windscreen, which helps some, I think.
 
If I have a choice I would leave it around 350. If I am on a trip I want to take in the sights to and not just be in a constant rush to get from point A to B. That being said I have done 450 - 500 mile days. I just prefer not as my carpel tunnel starts flaring up.
 
My longest ride so far is what I did today, which was 460 miles. I am pretty sure I could have gone another 100-150 more but the way our trip planned out when we all got home it was a 460 mile trip. I am looking to destroy that number sometime later this summer.
 
Michele and I did 548 miles in one day on our way to MI from NH. We broke it up a little better on the trip back... we stopped both ways for an overnight in upstate NY.

Today was 6 hours on the road, but we only covered 148 miles. It was all back roads through small towns. We steered VERY clear of Laconia Bike Week! ;)
 
I have found that people vary considerably regarding how much mileage is enough, but the figure seems to range from about 300 to 500 miles per day. I would think that the main thing for you to do, if time permits, is to gradually build up your time in the saddle to become conditioned to sitting that long.

Something that made a tremendous difference for me - is having some highway pegs. I fabricated mine and they bolt to the two lugs on the front of the engine. I can stretch out the legs to almost straight out.

I rode from Texas to the Tail of the Dragon, which was 930 miles and split it into 2 days. It was quite easy. On another trip, I did 685 miles one day, and that is too much. My record was 790 miles in one day, and that was a killer. (Not literally, but very tired and not able to do a full day the next day).

I would not recommend jumping from 40 miles to a full day without lots of mileage in between. Just my $0.02 worth.
 
140 miles today

I did Sacramento's Hwy 50 to Folsom/Auburn Road all the way to Auburn, CA (37 miles at 6am today). Then after breakfast my riding bud (Ducati 796) who knows the area, led us home on more back-roads off Hwy 49. This is my warm up for the same ride, but to Morning Star Resort near Forrest Hill in a few weeks. My friend wore two pair of Bicycling underwear in his jeans. He said it saved his tailbone on his Hypermotard.I forgot to and I am paying for it. I did remember my earplugs. Todays ride is my first ride longer than my daily 145 mile work commute. It was a blast.

FYI - I "love" the look of the white Ducati, but people walked up and want to know, "What is this red one? It's a great looking bike." Go figure.
:cheers:
 
All depend of road condition. For me 400-500 miles in a day with good rest stop and meal is a good riding day. Unless you're crazy enough for this... (Iron Butt Bun-Burner... 1538 miles in 23:38)

Here's a email I got today :)

Dear Martin Nadeau:
You are receiving this e-mail because of your application for a ride
certification. This note is to let you know that your ride has been
approved and although your ride documents may take a few more weeks to
arrive, your membership has also been approved and entered into the
Iron Butt Association's member database.

Welcome to the Iron Butt Association!
 
Cobalt said:
Michele and I did 548 miles in one day on our way to MI from NH. We broke it up a little better on the trip back... we stopped both ways for an overnight in upstate NY.

Today was 6 hours on the road, but we only covered 148 miles. It was all back roads through small towns. We steered VERY clear of Laconia Bike Week! ;)
Click to expand...

I was there... It was a blast!!! I'll be there again next year. The weather was awesome and the mountain road were amazing! I rode back to West Palm Beach one shot! I was shot for 3 days after that ride...
 
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