Any pointers for long distance sport bike trip?

Question

I have a 2007 yamaha r6 and am planning a trip for the end of the summer and am trying too get some pointers too make it less painful lol. My girlfriend is going with me along with my best friend and his wife on his r1. This is the itinerary for the trip:

1.) Starting in Denver CO and Riding too Salina UT (450 miles) staying two nights in Salina

2.) Going from Salina UT too Las Vegas NV (300 miles) one night

3.) Going from Las Vegas too Malibu CA (300 miles) two nights

4.) Going from Maibu CA too San Diego CA (111 Miles) three nights

5.) Going from San Diego CA too Pheonix AZ (350 miles) two nights

6.) Going from Pheonix AZ too Santa Fe NM (425 miles {the hardest day}) two nights

7.) Going from Santa Fe NM back too Denver (410 miles)

Thoughts about this trip, pro's/con's, suggestions too make the ride more enjoyable, you know that kinda stuff. Thanks

Answer 1

Sound like a fun ride!  Although, an R6 could be a little hard on the back.  Take plenty of rest along the way, stretch and walk around when you fill up at gas station.    STOP often for sight seeing and bring lots of snack and water along the way.

Personally, I would recommend a more up right riding position, such as the BMW, or any of the cruiser bike for such a distance.  Your back will thank you for it and you will be looking forward to your next trip.

Have fun and be safe!

Answer 2

Chad, some great answers here.  That's truly a long ride for a sporting cruise, but it can be done.  

If possible, I would look seriously at a larger fairing.  Many sport bikes will have aftermarket fairings or even a windshield changeout that will give you significantly more coverage.  That's a world of good when it starts raining onthe 5th mile of the planned day, and you can tuck under and still move down the road.

The best thing I ever did for my life was replace a stock CB750F fairing (back in 1980) with a 3/4 aftermarket.  Instead of arriving exhausted and cold and beat, I finished the 500 mile trip from Norfolk to Connecticut with ease.

Sunscreen - lack of this can stop your trip.  I like the spray can, 30 to 50 SPF range.

Ever consider renting a true touring rig for the trip?  All that wonderful storage and a better ride and fairing still make for a great experience, and much more fun once you arrive.  

Still decided on the mounts (and years ago, I wouldn't budge off my inital idea, either!), I would recommend you reconfigure the ride.  If you lose a couple of the stay over days, you would effectively make each day no more than a couple hours in the morning, and a couple in the evening.  Although I am sure, this is nothing for your ron butt, you did say you were taking others....

Take good rain gear.

extra socks 2 pair - for the rain days.  Nothing says miserable quite as well as wet feet.

plan for laundry days/times  (Or do what the wife and I do, plan a midpoint, make sure you send a box of cothing and whatnots at that point, home.  Buy new and wear it.  It gives you souvies and lets you still have very limited trunk space.

AMA trip planner - worth the cost of the membership, not to miss the "best motorcycle ride" in the area and never knew...

Take plenty of pictures, and make sure you write about it and post it to the web so the rest of us can agonize on not doing it ourselves.

Shiny side up, please!

Answer 3

First off, sounds like a fun trip.  Second, planning is great (I do that myself) but don't feel you have to stick to your plan.  Bad weather, sore butts and road construction have ways of spoiling the best laid plans.

There are some excellent answers here and I'm not going to repeat them.  Neither will I tell you what you're doing right or wrong, but instead I'll just recount a few things I've learned over the years (and miles).

The first day of the trip is always the hardest physically, even for experienced riders.  Therefore, it's desirable to make it a shorter day rather than the longest of the trip.

When riding two up, figure on being able to make 2/3 of the distance you can one up.  For instance, if you have a butt of steel and can ride 600 miles a day by yourself, you better figure on no more than 400 miles with a passenger.  If your bike has a fairing, most likely your passenger is going to get more wind than you will and turbulance from big trucks will beat them up.  Let your passenger decide when it's time to stop and stretch their legs or rub their butt.  An uncomfortable, bitchy passenger can make for an unpleasant trip.  Most importantly, when you have a passenger, change your riding habits to suit her.  Instead of seeing her as 250 pounds of girlfriend, think of her as 250 pounds of Dead Sea scrolls that will turn to dust if handled roughly.  That means no wheelies, stoppies or peg dragging.    

A sheepskin laid over the seat will make the seat more comfortable and will wick away sweat from your butt.  Otherwise, in hot weather your butt sticks to your jeans and your jeans stick to the vinyl seat which is not a comfortable situation.

Try to have the appropriate clothing for the expected weather conditions.  If you hit a sudden cold snap, buy a newspaper and put it over your chest and under your jacket.  It will increase the comfort level immensely.   Too much sun, your sunsceen didn't work, your arms look like a couple of big red sausages and all you have is short sleeve shirts?  Stop at Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift store and buy a cheap long sleeved shirt for $3.  When you no longer need it, toss it into the trash.

In case you don't have a cell phone (unlikely for young people these days), buy one of the pre-paid phones.  It could save you a mightly long walk should something happen.

Lastly, enjoy yourself.  This is a vacation and not an endurance run.  If enjoying yourself means making half the planned trip, so be it.  1000 miles of enjoyment is much preferable to 2000 miles of excruciating body aches and unrelenting bitching by your even more uncomfortable passenger.  Good luck!

Answer 4

On the leg from Vegas to Malibu, I recommend circumventing Los Angeles as much as possible.  I don’t know how much you planned out, but you can pick up the 2 highway (Los Angeles Crest Highway) from the 138, just below Barstow.  It’s a nice ride and gets you away from traffic and there’s a good rest stop called Newcomb's Ranch.  From there, the 2 -> 134 -> 101 gets you close to Malibu and Mulholland Highway, I think, would be a good way to go.  A good stop on Mulholland is the Rock Store and, just after you arrive at the Pacific Ocean, Neptune’s Net is just up the Pacific Coast Highway – both are biker stops you might enjoy.

There are too many good rides between/around Malibu and San Diego to list.  For comfort, maybe a good tank bag to lean on and take the weight off your wrists from time to time.  Make lots of stops and enjoy the trip!

Answer 5

stay upright & have fun

Answer 6

OMG!!  The only thing you can do is try and find a really comfy seat and get lots of rest.  The R1 and R6 are ergonomically designed for racing, not touring 2000+ miles.  I have an R1, I love it and I think it's the best bike I have ever owned but I wouldn't ride it to Los Angeles (I live in San Diego).  Throw the bikes into the back of a pick-up truck and when you get to each of your destinations ride the scenic routes, you'll enjoy your trip more and you and your passengers won't be cussing out the bikes.

Answer 7

Plan plenty of stops to stretch and keep the muscles loose.

Look for some attractions in the small towns on the way. great sights, cool resturaunts, and things like that. if you only stop for gas and food, it gets boring fast.

Get one of those backpack water canteens. it has a hose that comes around into your helmet and you can sip whenever you like.

It may be cool to get some headset walkie talkies for you all to communicate.

Answer 8

Don't ride beyond your capabilities and rest as often as you need too.

Answer 9

Good luck stay safe

Answer 10

definitely hold yourself up with your knees/legs, NOT your hands/arms

Answer 11

To start with, you are using the wrong machine for the trip.  But if that is what you have, then use what you have.

Wear ear plugs.  Noise is fatiguing on long trips.  You do not have the benefit of sitting behind a real fairing and windshield.

Second.  Bring water.  You will need to drink water while you are riding.  Again, wrong machine for a long trip like this one riding two up.  A small Camelback hydration pack would be one way to carry the needed water.

Third.  Throttle lock.  Having the ability of locking the throttle and resting you right hand will be worth what ever you pay for the device.  

Fourth.  Intercom system.  Being able to communicate with your girlfriend will help while away the hours in the saddle.

Fifth.  Improve the seats.  You have a motorcycle designed for racing.  I would improve the rear seat first.  When the passenger is happy, the world is happy.  Trust me on this one.  

Sixth.  Raise the handlebars as high as the design of the motorcycle will allow.  This is for comfort.  Comfort is the name of the game during a long ride.  Again, this is the reason I am not a fan of sport bikes.  Just a good machine for long distance.

Seventh.  Along with sun glasses, bring along a pair of clip-on sun glasses.  Being able to double up on eye protection when facing the early morning or late evening sun is invaluable.  

Eighth.  Sun screen for your face and neck.  I rode east one morning out of Denver home toward Chicago.  I rode into the rising sun for a couple of hours.  That is when I decided to look for clip on sunglasses and my face got sunburned.  I had to ride with my hand blocking the sun for about an hour or so, and I had a strange sunburn pattern due to wearing a full face helmet.  Do not forget you lips.  A good lip balm with a high SPF rating is what I use.  Use it often.  

Ninth.  Rain gear for each of you.  Does double duty.  Helps keep you warm during times in the mountains or early mornings.

Tenth.  Go for a walk after each day of riding.  I used to walk to a restaurant after each day of riding.  Helps get the blood moving and stretched the muscles.  Also good for the back.

Eleventh.  (Just remembered this one)  Pack two small white towels.  Put towels on seat when temps head north of 85 degrees.  Will make sitting on the black vinyl a lot more bearable.  This is from personal experience and repeated by a family member residing in the Phoenix Arizona area.  

Seriously, you have a fantastic trip planned.  But you do not have a good cycle to make the trip with.  Especially riding two up.  Personally I don't see how you will carry all you need on your R6.  Buy or borrow a machine that is set up for touring.  Hard saddle bags and a back rest for your passenger will go a long way toward having a really enjoyable trip.  

And bring water.  Can't emphasize that enough.  You are going thru a very hot, dry part of the country.  I have two 20 insulated mugs on the motorcycle and a cooler full of ice and water and sports drinks in the trailer.

Best of Luck to you.  You have a great trip planned.

One other source of riding tips can be found on the forum below.