Hello Hello.

I am a long time hawk gt 650 rider, first time Superhawk VTR1000 owner.

I am planning a super long 20,000km /12000mile road trip from Vancouver to Key west, via Baja Mexico next Sept.
Now there are better touring bikes out there, but, the feeling and control of the twin are gonna make the trip!

I have a few questions that hopefully can be answered on the forum, so thank you in advance.

1.)Fuel consumption on the Superhawk aren't the greatest. I have read that some people have found some diy improvements ie; going up one tooth on the front sprocket.
Has anyone tried this, and what were your findings?

2.) Octane...... 87 is good right?

3.) Handlebar risers in conjunction with a bigger windscreen ( and possibly lowering the foot pegs), has anyone tried this, and how did it effect the ergo's and handling?

4.) has anyone tried fitting hard luggage?

5.) Any comments or suggestions?

Thank you for any and all your questions and comments!

Bobbydebit.

 

1. Fuel consumption on the highway and with some wrist restraint can be in the 40's. I've gotten as high as 50 before by keeping revs between 2500 and 4000 in top gear.
2. Yes, some say she runs better on 87. I have mine tuned for 93. YMMV (hehe)
3. I think 94-97 VFR750 bars work to replace stockers with very little modification. I also hear Buell footpegs are a good option for lowering.
4. I once had a Givi top rack. Extremely functional. Not all that when it comes to looks. Never tried hard bags. I had some soft ones. You have to be careful how much you load them since it puts a strain on the rear cowl mounting points.
5. GET A SARGENT SEAT! Don't even try it on a stocker. Start with new tires and a fresh oil change. I might even recommend a chain oiler. I have one and I'm over 50k miles and my second chain. Still going strong on this one too! There's lots of threads on this forum that cover long distance riding on a sportbike. Do a search and you'll find all kinds of great info. Good luck!

 

Would that be Vancouver Canada, eh or Vancouver WA?

 

1.)Fuel consumption on the Superhawk aren't the greatest. I have read that some people have found some diy improvements ie; going up one tooth on the front sprocket.
Has anyone tried this, and what were your findings?

I have found that doing highway riding instead of stop/go improves mileage quite a bit. I get 105 to reserve light in town and 125+ to reserve light with primarily highway riding. that is with stock sprockets. Changes to lower your rpms will help some, but you likely won't see substancial differences. However, lower RPMs are always good in my book.

2.) Octane...... 87 is good right?

Yes...

3.) Handlebar risers in conjunction with a bigger windscreen ( and possibly lowering the foot pegs), has anyone tried this, and how did it effect the ergo's and handling?

risers are always good. I have changed mine to superbike bars and it's better ergo's in my book. I was still able to make my braided front brake lines work with my setup, but had to replace the clutch line. I got a used suzuki one off ebay. Other than that, everything switched over to the new bars and I can also easily switch back to the clipons for my track days. One note. minor fairing cutting is needed for handlebar clearance.

Additionally, I got footpegs from a late 90s ZX9 and fit them to the exhaust bolt holes just behind and below our stock footpegs. Those along with the bars made for an incribly more comfortable position for me.

4.) has anyone tried fitting hard luggage?

No help

5.) Any comments or suggestions?

a. touring windshield will help with a little more protection than stock shield.
b. Consider a tire more on the touring side. Slightly less grip, but better mileage.
c. 1 qt fuel bottle in a tank bag to help extend fuel stops.

 

That's a very ambitious trip.
Going from a 16/41 sprocket combination to a 17/41 sprocket combination isn't something that's been advocated on this forum as far as I can recall. I expect you'd get the best mileage by having a stock, well-tuned engine, a clean air filter, synchronized carburettors, properly inflated tires, good sprockets, a fresh, properly lubed and adjusted chain and a restrained throttle hand. If you're able to ride 180 to 200 km. before the bike goes on reserve, you'll be OK.
87 octane is good. I was using 85 in the mountains of Colorado and had no problems with knocking.
I haven't tried fitting hard luggage. On the last trip, I used a Navigator Tail Bag from Gears Canada and a tank bag. I was able to carry everything I needed on a 10 day, 7,800 km. trip. However, I was staying in motels rather than camping and I wasn't dressed for a GQ fashion shoot.
Comments or suggestions: Install manual CCT's and a Mosfet reg/rec before your trip. Adjust the valves before you go. Buy a decent seat. Carry oil. I had to top up about every 1,500 km. Buy touring or sport touring tires. My Metzeler M-5's, which are splendid, wore noticeably while crossing Nebraska at 125 kph. in 25-30 degree C temperatures. Get good, comfortable, reliable rain gear. My waterproof textile jacket and Gortex lined boots and gloves worked well except when it rained. An electrically heated vest is literally a life saver. Buy health insurance. Get a passport. Bring a cell phone that will work south of the border. Take a camera and use it. Plan rest days. Park it when the weather is bad and find a place to stay before it gets dark. Take money. Take a credit card. Get a CAA Gold membership. The list goes on.

 

Petrol consumption will improve at steady constant pace - wouldn't recommend altering the gearing. Carry a small reserve of gas in a sealed can just in case of emergencies! On that not make sure you have a spare key or two.

Hard luggage can be fitted but it'll need some modding to fit the carriers. Presumably you want it for security/weather protection rather than throw-overs.

http://www.haymouth.co.uk/phpBB3/vie...uggage#p126505

I recommend a flip-up style screen (see below) and heated grips (with a relay!) for the chilly bits. And while you're fiddling in the electrics you can fit a distribution block/relay to charge/run your devices.

.: Distribution Block / Powered Relay | Canyon Chasers Motorcycle Sport Touring :.

 

Hello and welcome to the forum bobby! I can relate to your owning the NT. Here's a pic of mine when I first bought the VTR.





One thing you will notice on the long haul (vs. your GT) is the difference in weight. Take some pain relievers along!! That's one helluva ride you have planned. Hope you take some pics along the way so you can share some of your journey.

I put the Heli bars on my VTR. They raised the grips as high as possible without cutting the fairing. A marginal improvement, but I wanted all the help I could get. If you research throttle locks, the Vista Cruise is a pain in the ****! It constantly bumps into the tank at full right turn, which hinders parking lot/garage maneuverability. Much cheaper than the meister though.

 

Depending on how deep into Baja you plan on going, be aware that you may not always find a gas station open (or even find a gas station) within the Superhawk's range. Even some medium sized towns have only 1 gas station.

Also you don't want to ride at night down there. Plus, below Ensenada, and anywhere away from heavily populated areas, the roads have absolutely no shoulder, and are undivided 2 lane (one in each direction). That includes the main highway going south, the length of Baja.

Oh, and even if you're not speeding, you may get pulled over for it... especially between Tijuana and Ensenada. If that happens, don't argue. The cop may say, "You can pay the fine directly to me". That's called "mordida", what we call here in the US "a bribe". You can usually haggle them down somewhat. Don't carry all your money in one place. They do accept US dollars.

 

Piece of cake!

I, too am planning to go to Florida on the VTR next year. I have already been taking multiday tours to get a feeling of the bike. I just did 1300 in three days. Two of those days were 500 each. I have learned alot from those trips.

First of all, the biked can do it easily. The real challenge lies on how prepared the rider is for weather, break downs, boredom, loneliness, hunger, fatigue... Learning how to pack efficiently. That was my hardest obstacle. I carry too much. But not anymore.

Take a 2-3 night trip now! Start to practice being on the road.

Look up my past posts for more info.

Miguel