Distance Riding Improvements?

[tcfjr]

do planking exercises to strengthen your core and wear a Camelbak to keep hydrated as not drinking enough will cause fatigue sooner..
I never ride more than 50 miles without my Camelbak..

I've used a Camelbak in the past, but after a couple hundred miles it felt too constraining, so I moved over to a Garauld Refreshment System.

This hydration system comes with a base that bolts to either passenger foot-peg, a Coleman insulated water jug, a clamp- or strap-based retention system (your choice - I love the clamp system myself), the tubing, and a bite valve -- pretty much everything you'll need. You can get 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon versions, depending on your needs. At a fuel stop, it takes just a second or two to un-clamp the jug, and then take it into the mini-mart and fill it with ice and water. (I always ask the clerk first, but I've never been turned down.)

Garauld gets universally excellent reviews for his engineering, workmanship, and customer service, and has been a member of this Forum since '05. (I have a number of his items, including the 1-gallon clamp-style hydration system, the radar detector mount, the Gen I stiffy-kit, the hand-guard extenders, and the under-mirror Gen I aux light brackets. When I roll-out in full rally trim, there's a lot of Garauld stuff to be found. Garauld also repainted my side-case lids.)

Standard disclaimer: I have no connection with Garauld, other than as a very satisfied, long-term user of his products.

 

[steve'o']

Well there's a lot of good advice here, IMHO, I agree with HotRodZilla and a few others, it simply will just take time in the seat to get used to the bike. I went from a cruiser, no wind protection, to my '03 FJR with an OEM shield, and it's like night and day. Ride on an OEM seat with the Spencer mod. The only real extra (comfort features?) are bar risers, highway pegs, and a throttle lock. Every spring when the bike comes out of storage, I'm sore for the first few rides then the soreness disappears. No doubt there are also a bunch of other factors that may come into play as well, but just remember everyone of us are completely physically different with different riding styles. Just get more time on the bike and then see how you feel.

 

[Shane]

Gentlemen,
I had the pleasure of riding to Skyline Drive in Virgina yesterday with a few other riders. They were on F6B's, Harley's and late model BMW touring motorcycles. Total trip from my home in Maryland was about 300 miles. We stopped numerous times for gas, bathroom breaks and once for lunch. Weather was nice, but it did get into the 90's by midday. Now (today), I feel like I did a whole body workout...lol. I'm not exactly sore, but I definitely feel like I did something. Shoulders, low back, legs mostly.. Took 2 Alleve and had a beer last night...slept great but if I had to do it again today, I wonder if I'd enjoy it half as much due to the fatigue.

Here's my setup;

Corbin seat

Standard Windshield (low position most of the trip, due to heat)

"Heat out" compression shirt and shorts under clothes and riding gear

Earplugs

Full Face helmet

Highway pegs (used occasionally during the trip)

MV Riser...pull back handlebars

I'm planning on taking multiple day longer trips (500+ miles) in the future but I'm concerned fatigue may get the better of me the next day.

Any suggestions on what I could improve? I realize the answer may be "nothing" other than practice but I'd figure I'd ask anyway...

Drkrider

https://s1378.photobucket.com/user/Drkrider/media/image_zpsd9yhjnw5.jpeg.html?filters[user]=145254974&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

I put some bold emphasis for the part of your story that resonated with me...

Riding with a group of others that require numerous stops during a 300 mile ride in 90 degree heat makes me exhausted just thinking about it.

Frequent stops in hot weather for the needs of other riders makes a decent 300 mile ride turn into a whole-day endurance test. Twice that distance at your own pace would probably be easier, and potentially in a shorter amount of time without speeding.

I wouldn't classify that ride as a test of LD needs, per se. It seems to me that it was more of a group-day-long-excursion. Much more tiring, IMHO.

All the best,

Shane

 

[Bill Lumberg]

Well put Steve. If you came from a sport bike, the FJR will be luxurious. If you come from a traditional sport touring bike, you're likely to feel a bit leaned over and cramped. Ride it. Figure out what your priorities are. I figured out that my last bikes stock ergos were perfect for LD for me. I spent somewhere around $1000 to get mine in the LD ergonomic zone for me. It was a joy to ride throughout that process, it just lets me be more comfortable and less fatigued (they go hand in hand in LD riding.) That was shield, pegs, risers, and seat.

Shane has a good point. LD is LD. Starting and stopping over and over again is a PITA. It can be enjoyable (for me) only on rare occasion riding with folks I care about, and it's sketchy even then. LD is miles not time. I like to ride until my gas gauge is hollering, fuel, often on the bike, and back on the road less than 5 minutes from stopping, for a couple or three tanks in a row when I can. For the twisted, deranged few, zen is found in long, uninterrupted riding. Often solitary. The bike disappearing below us for long periods. That's not the only way to ride or enjoy the bike. But for those that are twisted, it's pretty good stuff.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Shane posted: <snip, snip> Riding with a group of others that require numerous stops during a 300 mile ride in 90 degree heat makes me exhausted just thinking about it.

No kidding. Your friends don't know to pee when they stop for gas? (Not your friends, Shane.)

Even in Georgia's mid-August with full ATGATT, 300 miles is a one-stop trip, and gets done in about 6 hours. Hydration is important: I have a CamelBak with 90-degree bite valve in the tank bag. My Harley buddies (they ride) have cup holders on their handlebars. I have seen one of them toss the empty into his hard case and fetch a new one while motoring up I-75 at 80 mph.

To paraphrase Mr. Lumberg, I felt like an LD rider only after my first tank-to-tank-to-tank ride.

All that said, the best Distance Riding Improvement you can make (that was the OP's question) is to gain experience and discover what you need to be comfortable for whatever you define as a long ride.

 

[FJRMGM]

do planking to increase your core strength.....

 

[Drkrider]

It's great to see the continued advice and tips given to my original question. I agree, riding in a group can be a double-edged sword especially if you have different expectations of how often you need to stop. I admit, we stopped a bit to often due to one of other rider's bad back.

BTW- I got a VStream windshield and Russel Day Long seat. At the end of last riding season, I could do approx. 500 miles with minimal discomfort. I made a few adjustments to my handlebars and made frequent use of my throttlemeister. I'm looking forward to some longer and possible overnight rides this year.

Now....does anyone have any advice on getting the "misses" to agree to all day/overnight trips?

 

[K Rider]

Does she ride with you already?

 

[K Rider]

When my wife started riding with me again after a fifteen year absence from the bike, we started with short rides, 1/2 - 1 hr. Then worked up to longer rides. The very first all day ride I took her on, she wasn't ready. I under exaggerated the length of the ride. She wasn't happy at all!! That did let her see that she could do it and survive! So from then on, I included her in the details of the ride planned.

I have purchased her whatever I felt like I could to make her more comfortable, High end helmet. The cheaper ones aren't nearly as comfortable. I've had both. One of the best things that we have purchased is a sena intercom, so she can communicate with me. She has mentioned many times how she loves it and wouldn't be without it.

We do all day rides almost any time we go out and many weekend trips. My wife would be a big encouragement to her if you are interested, PM me.

 

[Drkrider]

Does she ride with you already?

No she doesn't. I negotiate riding time or wake up really early (think 4:30am) and come back by noonish on Saturdays and/or Sundays.

 

[K Rider]

Even though it wasn't what I wanted to do, I would take her for very short rides at first. Asking her where she would like to go. Maybe suggesting a local park of for icecream or something similar. She eventually started going. I took it real easy with her at first. We have built a trust and she loves riding with me. I love that she goes. It's a win win in my eyes.

 

[K Rider]

Another thing I would mention is adding a backrest or a trunk for her to lean against. They don't want to feel like they could fall off.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

Backrest or top case is a must. Start with short rides under optimal conditions, during a time of day she likes best. It'll grow on her or it won't. Riding 2 up is very different from solo. Be super smooth during braking and acceleration. Good luck.

 

[rbentnail]

Now....does anyone have any advice on getting the "misses" to agree to all day/overnight trips?

I didn't take you're question as others did. My wife hates bikes and won't ever ride. I'm good with that. How did I get her to agree to me being gone on an all day or overnight trip without her? Mostly I made sure she had a long weekend for herself to go wherever and do whatever while I stay home to look after things.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Yes to the advice above: sissy bar or trunk; smooth starts and stops; minimize lean angles (until she decides she likes it).

Here's another: discuss mounting and dismounting and practice it a few times with the engine off. I want both feet down, bike in neutral (or turned off), and a firm grip on both bars -- meaning the front brake is squeezed hard. And Aunt Kelly always asks: "Are you ready?"

No one's mentioned this yet, so I will: get her serious gear that fits her and is comfortable to her. I cannot imagine the guilt I would carry for any tipover that injured my sweetheart.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

Spot on on the gear, and on mounts and dismounts (no less important for Distance Riding). We (my wife and I) are overly officious when mounting or dismounting. She knows not to get on until I've given the go ahead (stealth attacks early on taught her that she could damn near put me and the bike down if I wasn't expecting her to step on a peg). When we get to where we're going, I stand up and nod. She knows that means I'm braced and expecting her to dismount. I know if we're at a light and I feel both hands on my shoulders, she's about to stand up on the pegs and stretch for a minute.

When she first started riding with me, my wife would have fits of claustrophobia inside the helmet. Any difficulty in getting the visor open would cause her to make very entertaining faces and to contort in unusual ways. When this first became apparent, we were almost to a grocery store. When we pulled into a parking space, she was so out of breath and panicked- she was trying to tell me what was going on (this was before I installed comms) and she was too torqued up to dismount. I think, for her, it felt a little like being handcuffed and having a drycleaning bag pulled tight over her head, while someone of low breeding asked questions about the whereabouts of their money. I figured out what was going on, but not being a Russian contortionist, I couldn't exactly turn around and take her helmet off. She could dismount, willfully, or she could pass out and roll off. Either way, I'd be able to take her helmet off afterward. As you might imagine, the humor of my rather philosophical perspective on the problem was not immediately apparent to my wife. I got her a nice modular helmet, and got her to practice with it around the house until she was confident and competent in getting the chin bar up. Since she knows she can, she rarely has to. She can ride fairly long distances without incident. No issues running a tank dry, for sure. MCL peg lowering brackets increased her riding comfort, but made mounts and dismounts a painfully awkward thing. Just a bad angle. A Laam seat negated the need for those brackets, made the bike feel 6 inches longer, and I removed the brackets and got her feet the hell out of my way when padding the bike around.

 

[wetwolf]

I'm pretty lucky I guess. The gal that I take riding with me is a little tiny thing. 5'0", 110lbs. The bike doesn't even know she is there and she knows what she is doing as a pillion. She trusts me completely which is great as we regularly blast along at 80 plus. She doesn't get on or off until she knows I'm ready and at the end of a long days ride she gives me a backrub on the way home. Life is good.