Reasonable daily mileage for cross country trip

[exskibum]

I represent the other end of the spectrum, that being the Candy Butt Association mentality for riding. Some of the BEST days I've only travelled 200 - 300 miles yet spent 8 - 12 hours in the saddle. I like to go slower, find the tiny little backroads that go to no-where.. then disover the little tavern/eatery that's not on the map, have a nice long stay, talk with locals, get invited over their house for a bbq / party... screw the hours at high speed just to feel the wind in your face. To me, riding is about people and places. In the proper ratio of course. Some days you may need to put in long high speed marathons to get there.. and that's cool too. But for a preferable ride, have no destination, have every reason to stop. Every town, burg or village has a story to tell if you are willing to take time and listen, not just blow through at 80. Signed, CBA member #1 (we have more fun).
Edit - BTW, great post, FNG!

Can I join the candied panty assn???? I mostly look for twisty ways there, so that I'm taking a lot more time enjoying the turns and exploring than racking up big miles. Took me two full days to get to LA via the Sierra foothill scenic leasurely route, but was home by 2pm on another day from LA when I slabbed it and got 'er done. Much preferred the two day ride. 300 to 500 miles is usually a nice comfortable range for me, esp. if I'm going to set up a tent, find something to eat and get a shower before retiring. (BTW, 750 ml Cuervo Pre-Mixed Margaritas are an ideal campsite treat while laying on top of a table staring up at the stars.)

Mostly, though, I enjoy messr. carver's approach -- see what life brings, explore, try to soak up the stories of the towns and rural countryside I'm traversing. I'm getting back on the bike in the morning anyway.

 

[HaulinAshe]

If we're talking getting to Point-B from where I've already been, I like to average 80 miles each hour. That requires some serious concentration (for me) where I'm very alert, scanning constantly and not zoned out in any way. So I try to plan 400 miles before stopping for lunch. Then I'll kick back and run closer to posted limits, explore the terrain, maybe even stop and chat with someone at some interesting places along the way.

But miles is never my guideline. I look at every trip in terms of hours. I'll do five(5) hours then eat lunch. Four hours then eat a light dinner. Any more depends on whether it's sucky EST or if the sun shineth on my sorry self and blessed Daylight Savings Time is once again in effect.

I'm old and can't do more than 14 hours in the saddle on any given day. The miles that translates to varies mostly by available roads and weather.

 

[tripletango]

It's like this. How do you feel when you get up? Some days are 500 mile days and some are 800 to 1000 mile days. For me one 1000 mile day is enough in a series of traveling days. 1000 miles in a day is quite long and very tiring and I have only pushed it that far twice, neither recorded for posterity, once on an FJR and once on my Moto Guzzi V11 Cafe Sport.

It really depends too on where you are trying to get to and how much time you've got to get there get it done and get back.

If you want to get some easy miles under your belt 500 to 600 miles are pretty much duck soup on a bike that is as easy riding as the FJR.

If we're talking getting to Point-B from where I've already been, I like to average 80 miles each hour. That requires some serious concentration (for me) where I'm very alert, scanning constantly and not zoned out in any way. So I try to plan 400 miles before stopping for lunch. Then I'll kick back and run closer to posted limits, explore the terrain, maybe even stop and chat with someone at some interesting places along the way.But miles is never my guideline. I look at every trip in terms of hours. I'll do five(5) hours then eat lunch. Four hours then eat a light dinner. Any more depends on whether it's sucky EST or if the sun shineth on my sorry self and blessed Daylight Savings Time is once again in effect.

I'm old and can't do more than 14 hours in the saddle on any given day. The miles that translates to varies mostly by available roads and weather.

Hey Jeff I got to get off the bike every 150 miles just to pee! Actually I stop for various reason at around 150 miles for about 5 minutes to get a rest from the bike. Even so after 12 hours I am tired, after 14 hours exhausted and 16 hours totally knackered and should have got of the bike 4 hours ago!

After a day like that I have to get more rest the next day so may go for less miles.

 

[HaulinAshe]

If you want to get some easy miles under your belt 500 to 600 miles are pretty much duck soup on a bike that is as easy riding as the FJR.

Maybe for YOU TTT. But my left hand starts to ache after 500 miles, from constantly shifting into 6th gear!

 

[turbodave_98]

I am a 'VINTAGE" LDR and love the thrill of doing the Insanity type IBA rides. Planning to do the Border to Border Insanity spring of 2007.

I get my second wind for continuing to ride after I have been in the saddle for 12 or so hours which nets about 750 miles. Then I will usually easily net 250 more miles fairly comfortably. Then I just look for the next available reasonably priced motel to crash in. I usually will sleep for 6-7 hours and then start over. I am not much of an eater on the rides and coffee at every gas stop is a big boost for me(some will disagree but...it works for me). The longest run I have made is from Jacksonville Beach FL to San Diego CA with only one sleep stop, that for 1.5 hours on a rest stop picnic bench in Junction TX. I was riding with a buddy which helped but I do not recommend that INSANITY form of riding for anyone and I shall never do it AGAIN!!

 

[tripletango]

If you want to get some easy miles under your belt 500 to 600 miles are pretty much duck soup on a bike that is as easy riding as the FJR.

Maybe for YOU TTT. But my left hand starts to ache after 500 miles, from constantly shifting into 6th gear!

That's no problem on the AE - keep flicking the paddle if it makes you feel better. Never quite gets into gear 6 for some obscure reason. Wears your finger out though!

If you want to get some easy miles under your belt 500 to 600 miles are pretty much duck soup on a bike that is as easy riding as the FJR.

Maybe for YOU TTT. But my left hand starts to ache after 500 miles, from constantly shifting into 6th gear!

That's no problem on the AE - keep flicking the paddle if it makes you feel better. Never quite gets into gear 6 for some obscure reason. Wears your finger out though!

Oh yea that's 500 miles in a day. Never seem to get mine much past 250 miles in a long session dam thing just stops, haven't figured that out yet, think it has something to do with gas.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

Well, A few years ago I was going out west, Started at 830 that Easter Sunday evening!

I road 17 hours straight just stopping for fuel and mountain dew!

I think I wound up in green river, Utah. or was it Wyoming!

Needless to say, sleep a few hours watched the national championship game and then went to sleep, woke up and trucked it the rest of the way to Sacramento.

Went through the continental divide, too busy getting there to stop and enjoy the ride.

So, from now on, I will be stopping to smell the roses along the way if I ever make a cross country trip again, as one never knows when they will get to see those things a second time.

Going forward I will be taken scenic routes, there are just to many cool things to see that I have just let pass me by, because I have always had to get from a-b with no c in between.

 

[red2kcbr]

I like 600 miles per day. It's a lot, but not too much. We generally stop for fuel around 150 to 175 miles, so we like to do two hops before lunch, and two after. We use the stock seats, with Alaska Leather sheepskin butt pads. No problems.

We did have some heat issues on a 400-mile day, but the weather was unexpectedly hot, 104 in the shade, and I noticed a bit of heat stress. I recognized the headache, so we stopped every 50 miles for a bottle of water; drink half, pour the other half on the head and the T-shirt under the mesh jackets. After that, we made it fine.

 

[dooker]

I personally like to hit around 400-600 miles per day. However, I have been on rides with friends who love to stop everywhere. I can remember days where we rode well under 200 miles, which to me is very tough to do...if you're going to be out there riding, might as well ride. Remember that your daily mileage will decrease the more days on the rode. Have fun...

 

[boogahboogah]

On this year's trip to Reno our daily mileage actually got better after we were riding for a few days. Got up earlier, wasted less time at the gas stations & food stops, & had better road so we could get a higher average speed. More of a Zen thing maybe ? The nicotine twitches didn't go away, though, no matter how many days we rode. Have to remember to buy some nicky patches for the next big ride...

 

[okmac]

When I retired my idea of mileage changed. I used to put in some miles and long days in order to see the places I wanted to see. Now I go by hours instead of miles. My day goes like this:

Leave the motel by 7AM and ride about an hour and then have a big breakfast . During the day I will stop if I see something interesting or more than likely I had planned to stop there. I usually take a short break at the half tank of gas and then at the gas stop. I just have a snackie for lunch . I start watching for a motel after 5PM. I like a mom and pop where I can park in front of the door and I don't feel like I am buying the place just to sleep. I get my room and then find a gas station and fill up the bike so it is ready for morning. I have my first toddie and then clean up and look for a place to eat the evening meal . I usually walk if it is within a mile as the exercise is good after setting all day . I get back to the motel and , on a good day, drag out a chair and have a couple more toddies and talk with the other travelers . I hit the rack about 10PM .

I ride about 5 above the speed limit and cover whatever miles it happens to turn out to be . It usually is 350 to 500 miles out west and less in the East.

 

[wheatonFJR]

@okmac: That's pretty much the way I like to travel also...except I may cruise at a higher speed.

I also trip plan so sometimes my destination for the day is set...but in the ideal world I would travel your way...just looking for a hotel at about 5 pm or so...

 

[rogdeb]

Did the "cross country" thing in July 2004. Sacramento, CA to Ocean City, MD and back, using Hwy 50 to get there and the faster slabs to the north on the way back.

We were in "touring mode" and made stops to sight-see, eats, drinks etc. In this mode, leaving the hotel at 7.00am and back in another at 5.00pm, we were doing 300-400 miles per day very comfortably. Our hotels were not reserved so we had to beat the other travelling crowd, and found that most places were full by 6.00-6.30pm.

Interestingly, our high mileage days (500-600) were the first 2 and the last 2 of the whole trip. We did 6,500 miles in 18 days and one day completely off the bike.

Just our ramblings, hope this helps.

 

[ndivita]

There is no one answer to this. Do you have to be somewhere by a certain time? Is there a destination other than home? In the abstract, 500 to 600 miles is not any big deal unless you like to stop a lot or you have to stop a lot. My longest day was 772 miles from Gunnison CO to KC MO on US 50 last year on the way home from CA. Frankly while I enjoy scenery, I also enjoy speed. In certain states, I have an odd preference for interstate highways sometime. The FJR is your own personal bullet train. You can do pretty much what you want with her as far as time from Point A to Point B, riding within your skill and experience limits of course. Let no one kid you that a 550-600 mile day is not somewhat tiring. It is. It's work, but it is the best kind. You are concentrating and analyzing your surroundings the whole way, and there is literally nothing else like it. Completely exhilarating. Above all have fun and savor it. Don't ride at night unless you have to; very little good can come from it. If you feel the need to ride when the sun is not shining, make it before dawn. Don't let the rain stop you unless it is a downpour that causes lots of cars to pull over. In the rain, just slow down, don't pass very much and keep your visor clear.

 

[UweRoss]

There is no one answer to this.

I agree.

It's possible to cross the continent in 2-3 days (one way) or you can take several weeks and still not have had enough time to see all the things you wanted to see. A buddy and I did our first trans-continental trip last year. When planning the route, I estimated it would take a minimum of 3 weeks and a maximum of 5. We ended up being on the road 32 days and covering 9300 miles, so we averaged almost 300 miles a day. However, two of those days were essentially "down" days for bike maintenance (we stayed in the same hotel two nights in a row). We also avoided the slabs as much as possible except when crossing the prairie. This wasn't on an FJR, but I don't think that really makes a big difference. Complete day-by-day details here.

Another factor that will affect mileage (which nobody seems to have mentioned) is whether you're staying in hotels or camping. Setting up and breaking down camp obviously takes more time that checking into and out of a room, and it's something best done during daylight hours. We camped 18 out of 31 nights.

Then of course there's the type of roads you're using. 500+ mile days are easy on the slabs, but much more difficult on secondary roads where you've got towns or twisties which will reduce your average speed considerably.

-Uwe-

 

[Ric in Sac]

Our system: Our best trips have been without any schedule planning at all. We just ride and stop when we feel like it. Some days are short, some long. We have never had problems finding a place to stay. Stay flexible. Spend more time in the fun places and less time in the not so fun places. You will know them when you find them.

 

[MKO]

500 miles has been about where I reach my comfort limit, but it is dependant on the bike and farkles. I have yet to put that much on the FJR in one stretch, but the stock seat was not agreeing with my candy ass after 350 back-road miles and an 8-hour day. I want to do a BB1000/24 iron butt ride this year, but I know I'll need a Russell (or some non-Corbin aftermarket) seat to get it done. That'll be all about the accomplishment, not smelling any roses. The IBA calls it a Bun Burner for good reason. I expect the last 300 miles to be a challenge.

 

[ADHinVA]

Congrats on your cross country trip. I completed my first CC trip last year. VA to San Diego. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to make the trip back across, so I shipped the bike back. As everyone said earlier, prepare and enjoy... Read up on how to PACK. With this being my first trip, I prepared over and over. I also read a LOT of websites on the areas I was going through so I was familiar with the areas etc. You mentioned 66 in a earlier post... If you have the chance, this is a awesome route.... Pay attention to the weather forecasts etc. Going through the AZ/CA desert in the Summer can be HELL!!! :angry2: I learned this the hard way.

Have fun and remember.... upload the pictures for all of us to enjoy.

 

[KrustyKola]

Some great advice on the trip. I have three week to make the round trip in and that sounds doable from all I’ve read.

I am planning on meeting wife and son in or near Yosemite National Park for a day or two. I would like to follow the coastal highway from around LA to San Francisco then head over to park. Any advice on where to hit the coast? I should add I do want to go thru Victorville on the way to LA area.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

<snip>Some great advice on the trip. I have three week to make the round trip in and that sounds doable from all I’ve read.

Time is a valuable commodity (kind'a like a bucket full of water with a small hole in it).

One thing, I think, that helps put long trips into perspective -- is to think of them as a series of little trips linked together. Not as one big, all-encompasing, event. An anecdote: Ten, or so, years ago: S.O. & I attended a wedding in San Francisco -- riding our bikes from the Mid-West. Someone asked S.O., "How'd you do it? Ride those bikes all that way?" The answer, "We rode a little bit every day and pretty soon we were here."

Another quotable quote from some wise old motorcyclist, "The only thing better than a 300 mile day is a 200 mile day."

Good luck and enjoy.