Suggestions for first LD ride, an SS1000

[Allen_C]

My wife and I plan to do our first LD Ride in mid-April, the SS1000 before the Moonshine Lunch Run in IL. Our route will take us from Indy going West on I-70, South on I-57, South on I-55 then West on I-40 to Little Rock, AR. We will reverse the path to get back to Casey, IL. We plan to leave Indy around 4pm, riding the 595 miles to Little Rock, arriving about 2am, sleep a few hours in Little Rock then leave there around 8am. to ride the 480 miles to Casey, IL, arriving around 3pm (all times Eastern Time, we have to arrive by 4pm). Is this a silly way to do this? Because the arrival time of 4pm and not able to leave until the afternoon before, it didn't make sense to ride all the way through the night since the temps could be a bit cold in mid-April and I'd prefer to get some sleep instead of being over-tired.

Has anyone done one this way before? What are the things we need to plan around for this trip? Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[SailorTim]

Your wife is on board for this? (Seriously?)

 

[escapefjrtist]

First and foremost -- Plan the ride and ride the plan.

For SS1K's, conventional wisdom is leave at 3 - 4 AM, keep the hammer down and you're easily done by midnight or so. With your rest stop in the middle, you haven't left much time for the unexpected. Traveling with a passenger will increase the complexity as you both need to be on the same [stopping] cycles. Keep in mind you don't need to run that hard to make a SS1K, BUT you must keep moving as stops hurt the moving average and are hard to make up. Try for a couple 5 - 600 mile warm up rides to see what needs fixing before the real thing...

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

--G

 

[101stpathfinder]

Just some thoughts:

That is quite a few miles in Illinois, if I remember correctly that is 65 mph interstate (?) Very few chances of traffic (Which is good)

6 hours of layover time (2-8am) That does not leave much cushion in your actual ride time.

You know your capabilities better than anyone. I like the mid-ride rest, but maybe not so much for 6 hours.

Getting out of Little Rock at 8 am? Perhaps cut an hour off your rest (?)

Have a great ride!

Also perhaps a receipt when arriving AND departing Little Rock would help clarify your ride for IBA documentation.

 

[101stpathfinder]

First and foremost -- Plan the ride and ride the plan.
For SS1K's, conventional wisdom is leave at 3 - 4 AM, keep the hammer down and you're easily done by midnight or so. With your rest stop in the middle, you haven't left much time for the unexpected. Traveling with a passenger will increase the complexity as you both need to be on the same [stopping] cycles. Keep in mind you don't need to run that hard to make a SS1K, BUT you must keep moving as stops hurt the moving average and are hard to make up. Try for a couple 5 - 600 mile warm up rides to see what needs fixing before the real thing...

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

--G

I agree with this^

Do Not fiddle with gas stops- Get it and go!

Carry snacks and drinks and do not shop for them. Pay at the pump- and make sure you give your Credit Card a travel notice.

Which leads me to ask … Seat?… What kind of seat will you be riding on?

IF it is a stock seat:

Change your plans to gas stops and walk around rest stops and cut your layover down, although I suspect by the time you arrive in Little Rock- You will have a good idea about the 2nd half ride plan.

Also understand that this better be something you BOTH want to accomplish, because the mind WILL question "WHY" So have an answer.

 

[escapefjrtist]

<snip> Also perhaps a receipt when arriving AND departing Little Rock would help clarify your ride for IBA documentation.

Great reminder Tony! This is spelled out very well in the ride rules too. I had a five hour layover on my BB1500 to / from Pink's so I just included the hotel receipt with check in/out times.

--G

 

[Chuck35]

What are the IBA rules concerning mid ride rest stops?

 

[escapefjrtist]

What are the IBA rules concerning mid ride rest stops?

IBA SS1K / BB1500 rules. Basically document a stop or break longer than 30 minutes so your ride time can be accounted for.

--G

 

[McRide]

From the plans you have and the thoughtfull questions you ask, you appear to be ready for this. Looking backwards to my ss1000, it was pretty straightforward but on the ride I can remember struggling to stay in the groove once past mile 750. It's not clear from your post if this your first long distance ride (say +500m) or if it's your first LD ride AND an ss1000? If it's the latter, your passenger might be threadbare long before you are. You might consider a solo ride instead. Also, like George says, get a few +600 mile day runs in to sort out what works best for you. Good Luck, we're routing for you!

 

[Allen_C]

Great comments so far, thanks!

Yes, she is on board for this! We love riding together and the reason for getting the FJR instead of just riding the FZ6 was the long distance comfort trips we can take together...we enjoy traveling together!

I know most would ride straight through, taking gas and rest stops along the way, but with our 4pm arrival time and not being able to leave the day before (due to work constraints) until after noon, I needed to make a different plan. Yes, this does not leave much time for unknowns other than shortening our stay in Little Rock, which might not be a bad idea. Speed limits are 70 and 65 on all roads, as far as I know so we can run 70-75 without much traffic to worry about - unless there is an accident.

We plan to take a 500 mile ride to Asheville, NC the weekend before, spend the night then ride back home the next day to test our abilities! We also plan to get our seats customized by a local company about 1.5 hours north of us next month and go on some day rides to test comfort.

As for documentation, this one IBA event is the most lax requiring only online registration, an email at the start to the event organizer, receipt in Little Rock and check-in in Casey, IL by 4pm Central Time.

I get 45 mpg when cruising an even 70 mph so we should get over 250 miles/3.5 hours between fill ups. My wife is a bit hypoglycemic so she will need to eat something that we have packed at these stops. The way I calculate the math, we need to average 65 mph so traveling at 70-75 will give us 5-10 minutes "extra" every hour of travelling, is I use 7 minutes average times 8 hours of travelling on day one = 56 minutes for breaks!

My concern is the posts I've seen from others who have done this ride straight through seem to do it in about 19 hours. What I wonder is how many breaks did they take and for how long? My math indicates we will be on the road a total of 17 hours.

 

[101stpathfinder]

What are the IBA rules concerning mid ride rest stops?

The general rules are here:

SaddleSore 1000/Bun Burner 1500 Rules

Beyond the rules, I consider my ride a "Court Case" that I am trying to convince the "Jury" that I DID in fact ride.

Every bit of documentation is "Evidence" - The more the better.

Start Witness- A Preferred witness is best- I use fire stations a lot. Police officers …

Start receipt/ End Receipt

Map- Spot Tracker access

Every time I am not riding I feel I should explain why progress was halted or the pace changed.

Fuel stops- rest stops- traffic congestion ….

You must keep a log but…

Receipts are physical evidence of these stops.

 

[NormKern]

IMHO, It's a bit early in the season to do a SS1000. Here are a few ideas:

1. depart at 3-4am as other have said.

2. Preferred date- 1st Saturday in May (not too hot, not too cold)

3. Do a loop route rather than an out-and-back. (Easier to get documentation accepted.)

4. Stop, gas & receipt at major changes in direction

5. Start out going west till at least 9am.

6. Then go south, east & north in the afternoon and west after sunset to finish. Strategy: Coldest and into prevailing wind early in the ride when you are fresh. Avoid riding into the sun- that causes fatigue.

7. Just drink water and eat bananas, nuts etc. until late afternoon. Then take a one hour break and have a sandwich or light meal at about the 750 mile mark.

8. Do the final leg.

I know you want to wind up at the Moonshine lunch run in mid april on Sat afternoon at the end of your ride, but that will make it a LOT harder. Hope you have some electric heated gear for you and the missus.

I've done 4 SS1000s using the above formula and several different routes. Used a police station with advance arrangement to get starting and finishing witnesses. Longest ride was 1140 mi in 18h 12m including stops & 1hr meal break.

 

[Allen_C]

This SS1k has slightly different RULES. I forgot to include that a receipt from the starting point is also required to verify start time.

 

[101stpathfinder]

I get 45 mpg when cruising an even 70 mph so we should get over 250 miles/3.5 hours between fill ups. My wife is a bit hypoglycemic so she will need to eat something that we have packed at these stops. The way I calculate the math, we need to average 65 mph so traveling at 70-75 will give us 5-10 minutes "extra" every hour of travelling, is I use 7 minutes average times 8 hours of travelling on day one = 56 minutes for breaks!

My concern is the posts I've seen from others who have done this ride straight through seem to do it in about 19 hours. What I wonder is how many breaks did they take and for how long? My math indicates we will be on the road a total of 17 hours.

You are correct with an average of 16-17 hours for a SS1000 at steady pace.

BUTT,

And trust me on this one… You will NOT get the same gas mileage with your wife riding. Do not count on 45 Mpg. I rode a SS1000 with my wife and we got to walk over a mile of it, because I made the same conclusion you

are making. Get gas at the "Corners" and count on 225 per tank. I thought with all my riding that I had the FJR/Tank mastered. Joke was on me…

 

[101stpathfinder]

IMHO, It's a bit early in the season to do a SS1000. Here are a few ideas:1. depart at 3-4am as other have said.

2. Preferred date- 1st Saturday in May (not too hot, not too cold)

3. Do a loop route rather than an out-and-back. (Easier to get documentation accepted.)

4. Stop, gas & receipt at major changes in direction

5. Start out going west till at least 9am.

6. Then go south, east & north in the afternoon and west after sunset to finish. Strategy: Coldest and into prevailing wind early in the ride when you are fresh. Avoid riding into the sun- that causes fatigue.

7. Just drink water and eat bananas, nuts etc. until late afternoon. Then take a one hour break and have a sandwich or light meal at about the 750 mile mark.

8. Do the final leg.

I know you want to wind up at the Moonshine lunch run in mid april on Sat afternoon at the end of your ride, but that will make it a LOT harder. Hope you have some electric heated gear for you and the missus.

I've done 4 SS1000s using the above formula and several different routes. Used a police station with advance arrangement to get starting and finishing witnesses. Longest ride was 1140 mi in 18h 12m including stops & 1hr meal break.

He is doing a ride in SS1000 or so I think I figured out - a little late.

Sorry- Ride their rules.

Overkill is always welcome though!

 

[Shane]

Here are the things that I'd think about addressing, it it were me...

1. My wife has fallen asleep on the back seat when "prepared" for an all-night ride. We'll not make that mistake again.

2. April weather has a tendancy to mess with motorcycle travel plans, particularly with narrow start-time options.

3. 4 pm is a lot later than noon. 14 hours for riding by 2 pm is way better than 10 hours.

4. Arriving late for the scheduled event is a problem--arriving early and catching up on some rest, well, that's gravy.

Good luck!

Shane

 

[Allen_C]

Norm, yes, you are correct. I know you have much experience with this and I appreciate your input. I have heated hear, she does not (yet), but will depending on the weather forecast. I am not set in doing this ride if weather does not look good - I do not want my first to be a miserable ride in rain or worse...

101, we have ridden 2-up and seemed to average about 45 mpg when cruising at 70 mph, but our test trip the weekend before will allow me to be sure! Even if we only get 225 miles per tank, we still need 3 fill-ups the first day but will need 3 thee second day too.

As you can probably tell, I am a firm believer in "fail to plan, plan to fail." I will keep watching for additional ideas and suggestions...I am a sponge at this point!

 

[Allen_C]

Here are the things that I'd think about addressing, it it were me...
1. My wife has fallen asleep on the back seat when "prepared" for an all-night ride. We'll not make that mistake again.

2. April weather has a tendancy to mess with motorcycle travel plans, particularly with narrow start-time options.

3. 4 pm is a lot later than noon. 14 hours for riding by 2 pm is way better than 10 hours.

4. Arriving late for the scheduled event is a problem--arriving early and catching up on some rest, well, that's gravy.

Good luck!

Shane

Not sure I understand the bold point.

 

[Shane]

Here are the things that I'd think about addressing, it it were me...
1. My wife has fallen asleep on the back seat when "prepared" for an all-night ride. We'll not make that mistake again.

2. April weather has a tendancy to mess with motorcycle travel plans, particularly with narrow start-time options.

3. 4 pm is a lot later than noon. 14 hours for riding by 2 pm is way better than 10 hours.

4. Arriving late for the scheduled event is a problem--arriving early and catching up on some rest, well, that's gravy.

Good luck!

Shane

Not sure I understand the bold point.

Up in post #10, it looked like you couldn't leave until after noon due to work constraints. Didn't know if "after noon" was the same as 4 pm...

Just wanted to suggest that if there are any hours or minutes between noon and 4 pm available, I'd use them for riding--as opposed to waiting to leave at a later time.

All the best,

Shane