Coast to Coast ride questions

Mtneer · 01-21-2006, 06:28 PM

Anyone out there with experience in a ride of this magnitude? I have always thought about a ride like this but I could never afford to take enough time off to do it round trip. Well, now it turns out that my father and brother are planning to trailer a couple of their 60's Ford Broncos to California this spring for a big 40th anniversary rally. They have a converted semi and a 40 ft' trailer so I was thinking about having them drive my bike out to Cali with them. I would fly out to meet them and ride back.

Any advise would be welcome. Particularly, reasonable miles per day, routes from LA area to PA, must have/must avoid...etc.

Thanks in advance.

ExtraJ · 01-21-2006, 08:30 PM

I'll be back from my cross country trip in mid april and I'll make sure to let you know all the info I pick up.

Mtneer · 01-21-2006, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExtraJ

I'll be back from my cross country trip in mid april and I'll make sure to let you know all the info I pick up.

Thanks. Good Luck on your trip. I'll look forward to hearing from you.

Go Steelers!

cherrypicker · 01-22-2006, 10:34 AM

I'd think that going East like your planning is favorable, since you'd have mostly tailwinds or cross-tailwinds.

Based on my expereince, I'd avoid Nebraska or Kansas... i.e. I-70 and I-80. IF you have time, maybe consider taking more backroads or using a historic road like Route 30, 36, 6, 64, 20 or a combination of them. You can realize what it was like crossing the country before around 1960 when the interstates were completed. Then you can visualize those roads being all dirt and realize what it was like crossing the country before about 1930.

likebikes · 01-22-2006, 11:14 AM

Which bike are you going to take?

Consider getting a Throttlemeister.

Stay off the interstates.

Mtneer · 01-22-2006, 06:04 PM

I'm looking to sell the ZX-9R this spring so I 'll probably go with the Tuono. I just put a Throttlemeister on this past week, and got to try it out for the first time yesterday. (60 degrees on January 21st in PA...go figure. Not that I'm complaining) I really like it so far.

likebikes · 01-23-2006, 11:08 AM

That seems like it might be a better choice. I've never sat on one but from pictures it looks like you sit more straight up on the Aprillia.

On the long trips I have taken the only real problems I've had have been with the throttle hand, not being able to rest it at all, and my ass hurting.

Where in CA are you leaving from and what time of year are you doing it?

I like the idea of a one way trip because it always seems like the ride home is a bit harder.

VIVID1 · 01-23-2006, 11:32 AM

350-500 miles per day has always worked for me, taking mostly back roads and you can still see things on the way and you don’t feel like you are rushing though. As for road suggestions, I use motorcycleroads.us as a resource for good roads and MS Streets & Trips software for planning the actual route.

This is how I plan a trip:

#1 Figure out how much time you have for the trip
#2 Start mapping out your route until you are satisfied with the result

In Spring probably your best route is through southern US, traveling though CA, AZ, NM, TX, AR, MO, TN, KY, WV, PA

Plenty of good road in those states

bush · 01-23-2006, 11:40 AM

Lucky bastard, make sure you get some photos along the way.

chuck69lowe · 01-25-2006, 09:56 PM

If i had a way to get my bike there i would be game. Then i would ride all the way back to kansas with you.

keet · 01-26-2006, 09:51 AM

when i got married in 1980 the "bride" and i took a trip from NH to california on a 1977 gl1000 (goldwing) we camped the entire trip, despite some funky weather...i almost cooked a battery when we did some long days in some unreal "hot" weather...i checked the water level just barely in time..that was in south dakota....we also got caught in a snowstorm when we were in yellowstone..had to stay put for a couple days until the snow melted off....kind of sucked trying to stay warm ..we spent time scavaging for wood...another tip!!!...if u are in griz country (in a tent) camp near the winnabagos...their generators will keep the hungry bears away(hopefully)...other than that...good luck!!

scuffedknees · 01-30-2006, 10:01 AM

lucky bas%$#% !!!!

CorvetteChris · 01-30-2006, 12:28 PM

advice: go in July or august so you can enjoy the mouaintains! Do the appropiate amount of miles per day depending on where you are. 500 across Iowa and Kansas, 150 in Colorado, etc.

We did it back in may. Check it out http://50cc.tmfhosting.com

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