How far have you gone on your bike
 

Hi guys,

I have to ride about 310 miles to go to a huge party. I would really like to go on my bike. The longest trip I did was about 1:30 hour drive. No I'a gonna spend about 5 hours on my bike. Is the Sh comfortable enough to do it. Did you guys do long trips too?? I'm 6'2 and feel my legs need to be stretched after a certain time. My 1:30 h drive wasn't incomfortable, it was mostly pleasant except for the strong wind that day. Of course I bought the Storm caus I like it and find it comfortable, I would just like your feedback on your experience.

You'll have to refuel every 100-120 miles, so when you stop you can stretch your legs a bit. I've done 250 miles in one day so far, all back roads. Not bad, but I'll be ordering a Sargent seat soon. I'm under 6 feet, so I'm not folded up as much as you. I rode across 5 states on a Suzuki Intruder 800 once, and that was one of the most uncomfortable bikes I've ever ridden. It's all about your level of tolerance for suffering.

This may sound weird, but one of the best things you can invest in is a set of gel-padded bicycle shorts. Wear them under your riding pants, with nothing under them. They wick moisture, and the gel padding is oh-so-nice after about 2 hours in the saddle. For $35-40 you can't beat the benefits.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

I think it depends most on how you will do these 310 miles!

Is it will be only highway at 140Km/h?
Or countryside road at 90Km/h?

How many time you have to make this trip, will you be in a hurry to catch the party or you will have plenty of time to enjoy the trip?

For 310miles ( almost 500Km ) with the VTR tinny tank, you have to fuel every 200Km ( approx ) so that means you will have to stop 3 time to fuel, will you take that fuel time to make a break or just stop fuel and go?

I often do Mtl-Qc-Mtl in the same day, which is 600Km and 6h ride and it's a very fine ride for me but I'm "only" 5'4 and I've a corbin seat. And this is only highway at about 140Km/h.

So, doing a 500Km ride at 90Km/h on small and bad countryside road will be something else!!! Oh! and I don't talk about the weather too!!!

Most times I go out riding it is around 200 miles. I'm blessed to have some great roads in my area though. At 6'1" and ~195 I think we're similar build.

I take some Tylenol before I go riding. My hips get sore regardless of whether I sit on the sofa or bike for too long. I also have a Sargent seat and don't know anything about the stock one other than it looks about as comfortable as sitting on a stack of magazines.

You will have to fill up between 100 and 120 miles. That is perfect for me because it is time to stretch anyway. When you do, get a drink and walk around a bit before you get back on the bike.

I do find riding on the slab I get much more sore than in the twisties. I think it's because I don't move on the slab and it's very boring to me.

310 shouldn't be a problem if you plan it and listen to your body. Let us know how much fun it was.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

I've done about seven hours at one time when I was at the Dragon and surronding roads but I have a Corbin seat and am under 6' at about 5'7". I don't think I would have been able to do that on the stock seat it used to make my ass sore after about 2-3 hrs! :evil: Stock seat sucks!!

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

Well my bike is still stock, no corbin or sargent. These gel underpants look very interesting, I'll go to the bicycle chop near my house to investigate.

Since you do the Quebec Montreal ride often, you know where I'm going.
I'm from Laval and going to Notre-Dame-Du-Lac. It's 30 min ride from Edmunston, the closest city of New-Brunswick. It's mainly the 20 all the way.
http://www.mapquest.com/directions/m...-lac&2s=qc&2z=
I wont be in a hurry but a good 140 Km/h will be my cruising speed.

I know I'll make it, I just don't want to cry too days after caus I got to come back.

Yes the Storm is comfortable but it's no Goldwing.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

I rode my VTR from Montreal to Calgary back in 2002. The total mileage was @ 9000 kms and this included 5 1000+ km days including one at 1250 km. I do not recommend that by the way :)

A 600-700 km day on the VTR is no problem. Of course, I have Heli-bars and a Sargeant seat though.

Cheers

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

OK! So the highway 20 ride will be easy and fun but I think the 44 miles on the 185 road will be the painful parts of the ride!! That will seem you as long as the 253 miles trip you will have just do on the highway.

So, if I was you, I will start full fuel from Laval stop at halfway from Qc on the 20 around Drumondville, almost 160Km, ( Madrid restaurant is always my stop, exit 202 ). Then stop again around Pintendre/Lévis, almost 140Km, ( exit 325, this is my born town :) ) and finally another time just before to leave the 20 for the 185 and at this stop, take a good rest for the next of the trip. ( this example is good only if you are enough comfortable to do almost 160Km on your VTR before to stop, otherwise, you will have to stop more often... )

And i'm 90% sure that you will be VERY happy to step out of the VTR once arrived, but if you like to ride, you will enjoy this trip!!

Oh! and I REALLY hope you will NOT have any passenger, otherwise that will be like hells for both of you!!!

Take care of the cops and enjoy your trip! :D

Cia

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

I've been just over 500 miles; Pittsburgh, Pa. to Richmond, Va.( 400 miles ), ... and after I regained circulation to my butt, I did another 100+ miles riding around the suburbs. I have a corbin seat, but my butt still goes numb. A freind ( and fellow SH owner ) says he has done 600 miles. This was years ago, I was younger, in better shape and more obsessed.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

The 500 mile ride was a one day ride, longest trip ride was 2500 miles.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

Wow!! what a trip! :shock:

Ok, now this is sure we definitively need to take a beer together and maybe with Quebecer too :D I would like to hear so many more about your trip!!

Man, this is awesome 9000Km!! in how many time?

I'm ready for a beer anytime :lol:

Cheers

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

I rode there to see a good friend of mine. My trip included stops in Sudbury, Winnipeg, and Barrie to see friends also. The entire trip took two weeks but in reality it was too rushed as I had to just ride by far too many things (lot to see in 4500 kms believe me!!). I would particularly recommend riding the North shore of Lake Superior (between Sault Ste Marie and Thunder Bay). Not overly populated but the scenery is gorgeous.

I would love to ride the Maritimes soon, am told that the Cabot trail is fabulous.

P.S. Would love to get together with you soon but am not a beer drinker (or any other alcohol for that matter). Still, I can suck bakc a pop and watch you drink your beer, lol

Man, I just can't believe you rode a 9000 kms trip on a vtr. You must have a butt of steal !!!!

We have to meet guys. Just like we say here : on pourrait s'en conter des vertes pis des pas mures.

9000 km, totally crazy. I went to Virgina Beach a few years ago, I drove an old mazda B2000 pick-up, that was as incomfortable as sitting in an emergency waiting room in Quebec hospitals. I can't understand how you did that. You're a crazy bastard!!!

A beer would be excellent, I guess we could find some place in montreal where people can meet and have a drink ...... yeah like every street corner

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

ROFL!! :D

But we will have to find a corner with a "Dépanneur" for Mikstr's pop :lol:

Can't wait to meet you guys!

Cheers

Hummmmm a good Canadian beer !!!!!
I don't want to brag guys .....
Hell, I think I'll have a few tonight, I've got a some Unibroues in the fridge !!

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

I don't know about anybody else, but the first thing to go on long rides for me is the hands. No matter how much I try and stretch and move around the fingers on my right hand go numb after a couple hours. Even after I stop they go right back to sleep when I get back on.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

My tush is the first to go. Need more junk in the trunk if I want to go on trips longer than an hour and a half.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

Ahhh, nah better just leave that one alone. :D

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

Oh yeah and it's my hands as well, (with me it's damn carpal tunnel,) get a really good quality glove it helps a lot!

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

I've done 700 km = 435 miles in one day on Shawk, and about to do from 375 to 500+ miles daily for a week in 2 weeks from now.
It was OK, except I appreciated fuel stops and it quickly get's boring on highways.
With Hornet (in US that's Honda 599) I did average of daily 375+ on mountain passes in High Alps for 6 days and then 553 miles on way back to Beglium mostly on motorways (not really highways, some of them 2 lanes each way some 1 lane each way). Honestly - I was tired, mostly sore ass :) and battling air on naked bike at 100+ mph
On Storm my backside was OK after 435 miles, but arms a bit tired. Fairing and screen protected me very well, but I am short guy - 5.64"

One thing that I can advise is: when wrists tired - grab more greep with your legs on tank, then you can relax your wrists without stopping.

I went 400 miles last Thursday, 300 miles on Friday and 400 miles on Sunday, getting to Laguna Seca, riding PCH to Hearst Castle and home on Sunday. It's very important to support weight with your back muscles to lighten the load on the bars. This makes your steering inputs lighter and more controlled and keeps your wrists from getting sore. I can honestly say I was comfortable the whole time, but glad to get off each day.

Only time my hands get sore and numb is if I'm riding slab for hours. I probably lean on them too much then, but I'm bored as well.

Yeah, unfortunatly I will be riding 5 hours on the highway, I do expect the ride to be at some point boring.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

556 miles one day. 70% interstate.
I had several good breaks for lunch and dinner.
It was not as bad as I would have expected.

Brian A

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

Rode 452 miles last Monday on Texas highways (not interstate)
Some good scenery.
Took all day doing it with the aforementioned 100 mile breaks. Actually mine were about every 80 miles.
Sore butt & back towards the end of the ride.
Last 100 miles I was tired but it was my 1st road trip on the SH on my second day of owning it (can you say "Superhawk Fever" ? )
Speeds between 65 to 90 MPH most of the time.
Had to slow down in those little Texas towns.(didn't want a ticket or accident)
Drank a quart of liquid every stop mixing both gatorade & water each stop (got to 104 deg that day).
Averaged 38 MPG overall fuel usage.
Bugs on the helmet shield were bad at night.
I love this Superhawk.
Really nice road bike for me :-)

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

Most miles so far is 300 in one day. All 2 lane mountain twisties, stayed comfy the whole time. This bike is more comfortable than I expected, much much better than the R1. But not quite as good as the Futura.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

Went on a ride while I was in the UK once and it ended up being the longest day trip I've ever been on. I left Newquay, Cornwall at about 5:30 AM an rode NE of London. Rode all day and got home after mid-night.
All said and done.....just over 770 miles.


Talk about sore! :shock:

Mike

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

SH owner for 5 years. During that time I have been on several 500 mile one day trips. Too many, I lost count. Usually to the North Carolina mountains. Leave Charlotte, hit the twisties and ride home, all in one day.
I don't get a chance to ride as much as I would like now, so I try to make up for it when I'm on the bike.
In the past on several other bikes I have done the following:

- Charlotte, NC to Chicago, Ill.
900 miles / 15 hours in one day. Each way.
Return trip also in one day.
Bikes used: 86' Kaw. ZX600R(Ninja) 2 trips.
87' Kaw. VN750(Vulcan) 1 trip.

- Charlotte, NC to Daytona Beach, Fla.
500 miles / 8 hours in one day. Each way.
Return trip also in one day.
Bikes used: 83' Hon. CX650 Custom. 2 trips.
86' ZX600R(Ninja) 2 trips.

- Charlotte, NC to Cherokee Village, Ark.
800 miles / 15 hours in one day. Each way.
Return trip also in one day.
Bike used: 86' ZX600R(Ninja) 1 trip.
During this trip I took a nap for 1 1/2 hours.
I-40 really wore me out.

Looking back on some of my trips, I should of applied for the Iron Butt Club. It wouldn't of been hard to go and extra hundred miles or so to qualify. But, hey I wasn't trying to set out to do anything special. Just taking trips to see family. Boy did they think I was nuts! Maybe just a little.

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

The longest day I've ever ridden was somewhere over 800 miles. I did this a few months ago on a '94 VFR750. Since I was on route 66, I had a nice mixture of backroads, business routes, and interstate. I believe the ergos on the Super Hawk are similar to the ergos on early VFRs. If you're old or out of shape, some heli-bars and a nice seat mod will make your life heaven. I'm not too sure about changing out the rear-sets on a VTR, as I just got mine, but some of the VFR owners I knew replaced their rear-sets with Buell pegs for a more obtuse knee angle.

Any bike can be modified into a tourer, if you're dedicated enough. I think one of the Iron Butt Rally winners rode a Ninja250.

Then again, YMMV

Re: How far have you gone on your bike
 

I came up with this:

https://www.superhawkforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=477

AFAIK, no one's tried it yet but me so let me know if you do and how you like it.