IL to San Francisco and back, Two up, Mid-summer

[Vasil]

In May 2009, my wife and I are planning to take our 1st and long-awaited long distance trip from Midwest Illinois to San Francisco. We will be riding two-up on the FJR with packed side bags and Yamaha Top Case. We' plan on spending about 15 days on the road, with the hopes of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge for the first time.

My original plan was to to travel from Midwest Illinois via Lincoln NE..........Rocky Mountain Nat. Park CO,......... Salt Lake City UT,......... Lake Tahoe NV...... San Francisco CA and ride about 450 miles a day mostly on country roads with stretches of HWY where needed..

Technicalities:

We'll be communicating rider-to-passenger with a Cardo Teamset and relying on GPS.

We will stay in motels.

I'd like to hear the forum's recommendations for roads, destinations, attractions and general advice from fellow riders.

Suggestions for reverse route also highly welcomed.



Thanks!

 

[Tyler]

Would be happy to help with the central CA and bay area roads when you get closer... however, 450 miles per day with no stops to enjoy your surroundings is something to take into consideration for you and your pillion. Plan two longs days and one short day or a day for sight seeing to give yourselves a break.

 

[Auburn]

Get LDComfort wear for both of you if you don't already have it.

 

[Vasil]

Would be happy to help with the central CA and bay area roads when you get closer... however, 450 miles per day with no stops to enjoy your surroundings is something to take into consideration for you and your pillion. Plan two longs days and one short day or a day for sight seeing to give yourselves a break.

Yeah, we'll definitely plan on taking it easy(ish) and try to enjoy the surroundings as much as we can. We plan on entering CA via Lake Tahoe and Sacramento by local roads and ending up on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge for a victory photo shoot. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Vasil]

Get LDComfort wear for both of you if you don't already have it.

Wife will be sporting a mesh jacket and I haven't decided between mesh or leather.

 

[Fairlaner]

when in May are you making this trip?

R

 

[Vasil]

when in May are you making this trip?
R

Probably last two weeks in May.

Too cold for mesh?

 

[smokeFJR06]

Hey Vasil, if your wife is anything like mine, you'll need a Russell seat. I just about killed my wife on the stocker on a 4 day 1500 mile trip.

Your route sounds like a great one. The Rocky Mtn. National Park is excellent. While in San Fran. check out the Wharf area.....very nice. Otherwise, I can't help you much on your route and places to visit. The stretch between here and Lincoln, NE I would suggest staying all super slab to make most time. There's nothing to look at between here and there anyway. The left coast is where the action is. Someday, I hope to do a trip like you're doing.

Give us a report when you get back if you can. Good luck, be safe, enjoy God's country, and don't forget the Russell Seat!

Smoke

PS. One last thing, you're leaving in May so don't forget the rain gear!

 

[Vasil]

Hey Vasil, if your wife is anything like mine, you'll need a Russell seat. I just about killed my wife on the stocker on a 4 day 1500 mile trip.
Your route sounds like a great one. The Rocky Mtn. National Park is excellent. While in San Fran. check out the Wharf area.....very nice. Otherwise, I can't help you much on your route and places to visit. The stretch between here and Lincoln, NE I would suggest staying all super slab to make most time. There's nothing to look at between here and there anyway. The left coast is where the action is. Someday, I hope to do a trip like you're doing.

Give us a report when you get back if you can. Good luck, be safe, enjoy God's country, and don't forget the Russell Seat!

Smoke

PS. One last thing, you're leaving in May so don't forget the rain gear!

Good advice Smoke.

That's exactly what I was thinking of, Interstate to Lincoln, NE to get some miles out of the way. I was actually thinking of getting a pair of Airhawks. Hopefully the wifey will be (somewhat) confortable.

-Vasil

 

[Murph]

Warning. Western Nebraska can be brutally boring and windy. I've done many two-up long distance rides and I think the most important thing is to remain sensitive to your wife's needs. As a rider, I prefer not to stop. However, when riding with my wife, I have to stop more often and be more patient. It sounds obvious but you've gotta be flexible.

 

[Auburn]

Get LDComfort wear for both of you if you don't already have it.

Wife will be sporting a mesh jacket and I haven't decided between mesh or leather.

This goes underneath. Provides a much more comfortable ride. If you are going to spend long days in the saddle, she'll be much happier and so will you. (It manages the moisture build up and monkey butt.)

When it's hot out, you can wet it and as it dries it will cool you off. Works very well.

 

[Auburn]

Hey Vasil, if your wife is anything like mine, you'll need a Russell seat. I just about killed my wife on the stocker on a 4 day 1500 mile trip.
Your route sounds like a great one. The Rocky Mtn. National Park is excellent. While in San Fran. check out the Wharf area.....very nice. Otherwise, I can't help you much on your route and places to visit. The stretch between here and Lincoln, NE I would suggest staying all super slab to make most time. There's nothing to look at between here and there anyway. The left coast is where the action is. Someday, I hope to do a trip like you're doing.

Give us a report when you get back if you can. Good luck, be safe, enjoy God's country, and don't forget the Russell Seat!

Smoke

PS. One last thing, you're leaving in May so don't forget the rain gear!

Gunny on the Russell. Don't forget to take a hard look at your suspension. Espcially if you end up slabbing to wide open. You will end up pushing the higher ends of the speed spectrum which will overwhelm stock suspension two up and drastically effect your rate of travel and comfort (and her happiness).

 

[Vasil]

I'm 160lbs, my wife is 110lbs. Any suggestions of comfortable suspension settings?

 

[wheatonFJR]

Question...what the previous longest trip you and your wife have travelled together?

If you've done these kind of miles two-up in the high summer heat on the stock seat...then good on you. Otherwise you might have an unpleasant surprise sometime before you get to the west coast. Just trying to help you plan...not dissing your ride plans in any way.

I found that I could do a long day 700 miles solo with the stock seat...but butt-burn would lessen the ability in the subsequent days to do very much. It affected my ability to do the 400 miles/day I had planned for a New England trip back in '05.

 

[garywayne]

I've done it twice from East Tennessee and riding solo. Lots of great roads in Colorado and Utah...make a point of going all the way across lower Utah (Arches, Canyonlands, Needles, Zion), the roads are good and the senery is great (such a change from the Smokie Mountains that I have).

Gary

 

[Auburn]

Question...what the previous longest trip you and your wife have travelled together?
If you've done these kind of miles two-up in the high summer heat on the stock seat...then good on you. Otherwise you might have an unpleasant surprise sometime before you get to the west coast. Just trying to help you plan...not dissing your ride plans in any way.

I found that I could do a long day 700 miles solo with the stock seat...but butt-burn would lessen the ability in the subsequent days to do very much. It affected my ability to do the 400 miles/day I had planned for a New England trip back in '05.

Wheatie hit it in the head. Comfort is everything when a passenger is invloved.

Suspension, seat, and clothing will directly affect your miles per day and comfort. With aftermarket rear suspension, GP suspension rebuild on the front, Russell seats and the proper comfort wear, we did a ride last year to South Dakota and back over 7 days. We had one day of ~700 miles, much of it at 100 mph on the slab in 100+ degree heat. Other than being tired (due to the heat) we both were to tired and rode a 500 mile day the next in 100+ degree heat again.

How well the bike and rider is prepped will directly affect your experience. IF I was on stock seat, stock suspension and two up I would plan shorter days, or your pillion will probably plan it for you and niether will be very happy (unless she is a hard core rider and doesn't mind monkey butt).

One other thing to consider is a means of being able to talk to each other (starcom or something else) while underway. on the last trip I bought a very good SLR camera, and handed it to her. She took pictures as we rode. In the auto setting they came out very good. Gave her something to concentrate on and gave us something to document the trip with.

I have about 50,000 miles riding two up with my wife and we usually ride 400 mile days as a target. We have done many multi-day trips and 1500 mile weekends.

If you have a limited budget, get the seats first, then the suspension. LDComfort is relatively cheap and can be had anytime.

 

[twistedcricket]

Everyone else has hit comfort, I'll spin something new....

PM me with your travel plans if you like. I live along your route. (Omahell, NE). I do have a trip planned to Dallas, TX the very last week of May. If you're going to CA before then and need something I'll try to help.

I've done this ride and loved it (well, I was by myself, yours should be a more enjoyable ride). I took 80 to Denver then i-70 to I-15 then to HWY 50 through UT and Nevada, picking back up on I-80 near Reno, NV to get to Sacramento. On my return trip I took I-80 the whole way. I-70 was nice, scenic and twisty. Hopefully your wife doesn't get motion sick?

HWY 50 *is* the loneliest road in America. There's nothing on it. Some nice scenery but.....if you want to it's there. I don't think I saved any time, but to me it was better than staring at the back of semi trucks for hours on end. It's worse, as far as services, than the slab. I think there are 4-5 towns and they all have fuel stations. However, the one in Austin is very memorable...I think they only took cash when I went through. I'm glad I had a $20 tucked away for such fuel emergencies.

I never had an issue, but I did jot down where the yamaha dealers and most truck stops. Also, get the FJR Assistance List (there's a thread) Through WY, UT, NV there aren't as many stops as there are in IA, NE, and CO. I typically rode 250 miles at a time, but there were times when I was just over 1/4 tank and decided to stop because either the GPS or signs said it was over 50 miles to the next exit. Unless the middlewest, not all exits in the west have services. Some are just farm access roads. (if you knew that or not).

The only warning I have relates to weather. I got snowed on the last week of May last year riding through CO. I don't know what it will do to you in WY, but there's nothing out there to break the wind for most of that route. I usually pulled up weather.com and looked at various major cities along the route. Do you have a way to check weather while you're riding? (i.e. smartphone with a data plan, small laptop to hit up free wireless spots?) If not you can text GOOGLE (466453) with "w <zipcode or city, st>" and get a decent forecast and current conditions. (if you have a texting plan )

Consider KOA's if you like. Most offer "Kabins" which will protect you from the weather. The are generally close to the slab and super cheap if that's a consideration. (complete with hot showers!!)

EDIT: Ok, I re-read your original post. HWY 20 through northern NE or HWY 34 through the southern part of NE aren't too bad if you're serious about the boring flat county or state roads through NE. Both will get you to Colorado, although 20 cruises further north and from there you can pick your way over the mountains, through UT/NV and back over more mountains. I have not ridden on 34 and have only taken 20 to Valentine, NE.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Some awfully good tips on this thread for travelling...

 

[Vasil]

Question...what the previous longest trip you and your wife have travelled together?
If you've done these kind of miles two-up in the high summer heat on the stock seat...then good on you. Otherwise you might have an unpleasant surprise sometime before you get to the west coast. Just trying to help you plan...not dissing your ride plans in any way.

I found that I could do a long day 700 miles solo with the stock seat...but butt-burn would lessen the ability in the subsequent days to do very much. It affected my ability to do the 400 miles/day I had planned for a New England trip back in '05.

To be honest with you, the longest trip my wife and I had together was 150 miles on a Ducati Monster. Naked bike + tiny seat = not fun.

However, the longest I have ridden solo was Washington DC to Key West, 3000mi round-trip on the Monster with no windshield.

Part of the reason I bought the FJR was to remedy the discomforts of a naked bike and to enable us to take comfortable trips together.

I should say that my wife is pretty enduring when it comes to physical comfort. Her petite frame (XS jacket size) allows her to get very cozy in car seats, planes and generally finds any seating/sleeping arrangements comfortable. She assures me she'll be fine on our long trip. I on the on the other hand have less faith in my own physical comfort as I have a bad back, bad shoulder and get pretty moody when either start to ache.

Regarding butt-monkey, I was thinking of borrowing a pair of Airhawks from a friend.