General question about long trips on GS500f

[whitewolf]

I have taken several 300 to 400 mile trips on my bike around Arkansas and Oklahoma. What I was wanting to know if any one has taken a cross country trip or a several day trip on our bike? How did it handle and etc? I would also like to hear from other countries as well.
Thanks in advance for your comments. 

[ohgood]

I bought my GS in Atlanta, GA and rode it to our then home in Meridian, MS. It could have had daggers for handlebars and I wouldn't have cared. I was STOKED. 

A few days later I rode it from Meridian, MS to Tampa, FL. The idle crept up a little, and I realized stopping for a gas/stretch/water/sunscreen break was a really good idea.

The total miles ridden the first week I had the bike were a little over 1100, including dicking around town.

You really don't want to do that on the interstates. 70 MPH just isn't any fun imho.

On those two trips I learned about sunscreen, and proper riding gear. I also learned that if you ride sanely, the local fuzz really doesn't care that you have yet to purchase a tax plate.

Enjoy your epics!

[PuddleJumper]

HI Whitewolf.
I've done a few rides from Ft. Smith to Mt. Nebo and Mt. Magazine a time or two.
I haven't done anything longer yet though. I'd like to go see my Brother though.
He lives in El Cajon Calif.

I don't thing the GS would have any problems with it. I probably will though.

BTW, I'm the one that spoke with you at the casino gas station in pocola a couple months ago.

BeSafe.

[csnowman00]

I am taking a long trip too http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=35400.0.  I will be watching this thread for any advice too.

[manofthefield]

Yeah, read his thread ^, I already responded there

I did a 3000 mile trip on my '98, no problems except one tip over when I was loading it one morning.  And the rear brake was worn out, so I didn't use it, but I should have found that before I left

[trumpetguy]

I highly recommend this site, called Motorcycle Touring for Beginners:
http://www.visi.com/~dalebor/index.html#contents

Here's a write-up of my recent trip (2000 miles in May):
http://myweb.cebridge.net/james.south/2007%20Trip/index.html

Before my trip, I went through the bike thoroughly -- all routine maintenance listed in the service manual.  The bike performed flawlessly.  My only problem was trying to go indicated 85mph (about 78 mph in real speed) on 75mph speed limit west texas highways into the wind and/or uphill when fully loaded.  On normal highways (70 mph limit) it did fine.  It was a blast in the twisties, even fully loaded (we were carrying tents, cooking equipment, sleeping bags, etc).

[PuddleJumper]

I've been wondering if these bike should be flown instead of driven.

What I mean by that is drive it according to a power setting vs. speed.

In  a cessna 172 you use 75% power for best time to destination, and 55% power for best economy.

Not sure what RPM's those would be on the GS, but it seems to me we could get the best performance without overdoing it by using a similar technique.

The above would have to be adjusted somewhat so we wouldn't be going to fast or to slow.

Don't know if it made sense or not. Just something I want to work on and see what the results are.

BeSafe.

[ducati_nolan]

You can't really acuratly measure the % power of a on road vehicle like you can on an airplane (or boat). In an airplane you can figure out your power setting with RPM and manifold pressure. If you have a fixed pitch propeller you use a table using your density altitiude and RPM setting to get your power.

This works in an airplane because once you're at your cruising altitude, you are just going straight and level and aren't going up hill. Also wind dosn't affect your power setting (because you move within it) but it will effect your range.

With on road vehicles, the road is constantly going up and down. You have to change your speed for traffic etc. You could calculate your power (and mpg) if you had a manifold pressure gauge, but it's constantly be changing.

Basically, cars with MPG computers are calculating power, since thie higher the fuel flow the higher the power.

Realistically, I think 50 MPH or so will give you the highest MPG (basically the slowest that you can smoothly ride in 6th gear) but the economy isn't too much worse when you're going 75mph. The difference is like 58mpg vs 53 or so. Not really worth worrying about.   

[PuddleJumper]

If we look at MPG that is true.

I guess what I was thinking of was more about running the engine at a comfortable ( for it) RPM vs trying to maintain x amount of speed.

I know that changing gradient and air density will affect power out put, so we can't really make a 1 to 1 comparison with airplanes.

I'm just wondering if focusing on keeping the engine in a decent part of the power curve vs making it scream to maintain a certain speed wouldn't be better. Especially when loaded down with luggage in a touring set up.

BeSafe

[trumpetguy]

In the situation I was describing above (having trouble going ~80mph) I was running in fifth gear to keep the engine in a better power band.  I have a 140/80 rear tire, so the revs are lower than stock at any given speed.

I was trying NOT to flog it.  When the speed limit was only 70 and we were traveling ~73, the engine was much happier and would pull it in sixth, with downshifts for passing.

[ohgood]

60 - 70 MPH seems to be the 'sweet spot' for 6th on mine. Anything under 45 and passing (two lanes) tends to need a downshift. Anything faster than 80 and it feels it could use another 10-15 horsepower.

[pherako]

yeah for anything more than 80 it could use some forced induction to make it right. 

[FearedGS500]

me and two other GS'ers from this board rode from austin,tx to big bend texas .. once we got on I-10 we stayed about 90mph for 3 or more hours and the gs did not have any problem.   and that was 1200 miles for me .. i drove from killeen,tx to austin then to big bend .. and the other two came from houston to austin

[PuddleJumper]

Trumpetguy, what kind of luggage were you using?

I'm trying to decide what kind to buy. Top box from JCwhitney or Cortec sport bag system.
If the saddle bags creat to much air resistance, I think I'll go with the top box.

If I need more storage I could go with a small duffle on the passenger seat and a large tank bag.
Hopefully that would keep everything more stream lined.

BeSafe.

[trumpetguy]

I was using Fieldsheer saddlebags, a GIVI top bag (on an OEM luggage rack), and a full backpack strapped horizontally on the passenger seat above the saddlebags.  We were carrying a lot of stuff!

At times I indicated 90-95, but we all know the GS speedo is off by about 10%.  Without all the luggage I don't have as much of a problem going 90.  I do live in windy western Oklahoma, however (seriously, there are over 100 windmills in a windfarm here in my hometown), and wind is as big a problem as weight and hills.

My biggest indicator of engine load is the petcock.  If I start to get fuel starvation in sixth gear and have to set it on Prime, I know I'm probably overdoing it.  If I keep it in fifth gear and the petcock in the ON position and don't get starvation, I feel like I'm not overloading  or lugging the engine.

[PuddleJumper]

So, definitely a wind resistance issue.

Thanks for the info. I'll look into keeping any luggage I buy as streamlined as possible.
Where in OK. are you? I used to spend a lot of time out there when I worked in the Oil Field.
BeSafe.

[trumpetguy]

I live in Weatherford, now billing itself as the Wind Energy Capital of Oklahoma (like that's some prize!).  Every town has to have something, I suppose.