Who rides motorcycles?

[IslandTractor]

I strongly recommend one of these if your going to tour.

Day-Long | Motorcycle Seats | Russell Cycle

I have a similar custom seat from a shop in the Seattle area. Feels like sitting in a lazyboy.

Combination of custom seat, suspension, cruise control and tall windscreen will make for a pretty comfortable ride. Planning mostly 300-350 mile days with occasional day off so pretty relaxed.

 

[IslandTractor]

Awesome. Color me envious, IT. I've long wanted to do US-50 from coast to coast. It happens to roll right through my town, about 4 miles from the house. Two-lane highways are the only way to go when it's about the journey and not the destination. You get to go through America instead of around or past all of it.

Keep us updated. Be safe, and enjoy.

I'm definitely taking US 50 from Colorado to Dodge City. After dinner with Wyatt Earp, I'll continue east on either 50 or 400 to MO.

I hope to go from Jackson WY south through Aspen and over Independence Pass then to Canon City and 50 but if weather is bad I'll detour southwest to Grand Junction and pick up 50 there.

 

[houstonscott]

I'm flying out to Seattle right after Labor Day to start a solo cross country trip on my new to me 2014 Yamaha Super Tenere. Calling it my Bucket List Tour. Planning to ride via WA, ID, MT, WY, CO, KS, MO, AR, TN, AL, SC, NC, VA, PA, upstate NY then back to MA. Should take about a month. Trying to stay off interstates as much as possible. Initially planned to camp but decided the extra couple of hours to find a campsite, set up and break camp each day was going to cut into daytime driving hours so will stay in motels instead. Looking forward to seeing Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Independence Pass, Ozarks, Memphis and all 500 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Take pictures and good luck. Pack your four piece fly rod. Sounds like the trip of a lifetime, you know me, very surprised you are not on a BMW.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Sounds like a fun trip. I've crossed the USA a few times on HD's and BMW's. I like to camp, time permitting, and if not too warm. 90 degrees is about my limit these days. I've a few 900 mile days on a couple of my beemers, never on a Harley. These days I like 500-600, start early, and be sitting in a to tub by 3-4 in the afternoon.

SO and I have also crossed the States a few times... about 200,000 miles, on Harley's. We've also ran a few 1,000+ mile days, but that was back in our young days, 50 - 60 y/o. A 700 mile day is just about right for us for a leisurely ride, giving us time to enjoy the sights, stop off for breakfast and lunch, then check in a decent Mom & Pop motel early. Have a shower, then go out for a nice evening meal.

The Hawgs do ride nice; air ride, air cushion seats, cruise control, music, cb's, etc. so we can talk to each other and other 2-wheelers. ahhh... the good life on two wheels. As a rule, bikers are some of the best 'brothers' one can associate with, excluding the notorious bunch that we all know about. You meet the nicest people on a Hon... errr motorcycles. We like and enjoy all brands of motorcycles, having owned a few different brands ourselves.

 

[Gem99ultra]

IslandTractor - man, are you fortunate. I have the ideal situation to do what you are doing. My situation is, I can only ride about 300 miles max per day and then most likely I will have to rest the following day.

I'm retired with a brand, spanking new 2017 BMW R1200GSA - that I ride almost every other day. I've tried riding every day - problem is - every days ride gets shorter & shorter.

I guess I better not complain too much. At least, I can still ride.

Isn't there a recall out right now on the R1200GSA? I think I read something about the front forks breaking. Be sure to let the dealer check yours out to be sure that it's all good. BTW, the R1200GSA is rated to be the best road/off road bike out there right now. Super good bike in my opinion, but a little tall for my structure.

 

[IslandTractor]

Take pictures and good luck. Pack your four piece fly rod. Sounds like the trip of a lifetime, you know me, very surprised you are not on a BMW.

I've already done coast to coast via a northern route back in the early 1970's on a BMW R60us. Fun bike but very primitive compared to the current GS or the Super Tenere.

I love eating fish but I'm no fisherman. Had to farm out my youngest daughter to a neighbor to teach her how to fish!

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Awesome. Color me envious, IT. I've long wanted to do US-50 from coast to coast. It happens to roll right through my town, about 4 miles from the house. Two-lane highways are the only way to go when it's about the journey and not the destination. You get to go through America instead of around or past all of it.

I made that trip in 2003 on a Beemer. Picked up 50 where it starts in Sacramento, took it all the way to Maryland where it ends. Made several memorable detours along the way, and enjoyed almost every mile. Took a more northerly route back, mostly along 2, the then bending south through Idaho and Nevada. US50 has been replaced by freeways in many of the major metro areas along the way, but sometimes we were able to ferret out the old surface streets and use those instead. Staying on the two laners certainly helps keep things interesting, even in supposedly boring states like Kansas, which I didn't find boring at all. My buddy and I motelled every night, ate in restaurants, and enjoyed many good meals and lots of laughin'n'scratchin. The only mechanical problems were caused either by rain or inept dealer warranty repair work, which we dealt with on our own by the side of the road. We stopped in at a Harley factory, I think in Kansas City, for a tour. Of the dozen or so guys on the tour, we were the only ones that actually rode motorcycles there!:laughing:

IslandTractor: I've been a lot of places in the western states you'll be crossing, and I'd be happy to pass along info on places to eat, stay, and see. PM me if you're interested.

 

[PJSprog]

I made that trip in 2003 on a Beemer. Picked up 50 where it starts in Sacramento, took it all the way to Maryland where it ends. Made several memorable detours along the way, and enjoyed almost every mile.

Nice. When I first mapped that ride back in the early '90s, it was inspired by my desire to take my '89 R100RT on some long trips. Loved that bike, and wanted to spend some quality road time with it. Unfortunately, life conspired against me, and I never made the trips. Living here in the middle, it would be two trips for me; one east, and one west. I figured on different routes back as well.

There are indeed several places where 50 has been merged into interstate highway. However, there are also many places where "Old 50" still runs right through the small towns. Here where I live near Trenton IL is like that. We have "New 50" that goes just outside of town, and "Old 50" that still runs through the middle. My plan was to always take the old routes when they were available.

Not sure my back could handle weeks of riding anymore, but I'd sure like to try anyway. Man, you guys sure are stirring the pot here for me. :drool: That's my bucket list ride.

 

[ning]

I've got a 2003 BMW K1200GT, which I got almost-new in '05. I mostly use it to drive to the Bay Area when I have to visit the office (I work from home mostly), and while it doesn't usually affect my trip down in time, it often shaves an hour off of my trip home, between lane splitting and getting to use the carpool lane. I also appreciate that I'm forced to be aware of driving on the bike vs goofing off when driving a cage, and to be honest the sport-ish position is great for my back (though less so for my wrists).

I recently picked up an '01 F650GS Dakar which I'd like to go up into the mountains and go to my favorite hiking trails instead of driving my truck, but so far I haven't had the time for that, or I've taken the truck and a couple more people and a dog...

Long-term goals - road trips. Wife says B&B, I say rough camping. We'll see.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Nice. When I first mapped that ride back in the early '90s, it was inspired by my desire to take my '89 R100RT on some long trips.

Somewhere on the 'net I think I saw where someone was selling route sheets for a US50 route that maximized the two lane exposure. I know the AMA magazine had a story on it back when I took my trip, and we did find it helpful.

I used a K1200RS, and the fairing was too much for the heat. Out here, I put the R100RT into mothballs in April, and it doesn't wake up again until November for the same reason. I'm headed out for 1200 or so miles over the Labor Day weekend, a Gypsy Tour where we only know the starting location for Friday. Riding the old R100GS with a smaller fairing, but even that won't help deal with the 100+F highs we're due for. Hopefully the organizers routed us into the high country, but the start in Grass Valley gives me doubts they "get it" when it comes to summer riding.

And I remember downing ibuprofen with my beer on more than one night on that trip, dealing with sore wrists, neck and back.:laughing: