I'll be taking quite a long trip this summer (MI to CO and back) and was wondering if anyone has suggestions on how to prepare for it. I'm mostly concerned with riding fatigue and lower back/butt pain. I'm new to motorcycling and currently have 0 miles of experience - winter got in the way of that!
Any suggestions?
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Get as much previous experience as you can. Gear up with clothing that will adapt to conditions and you are comfortable with. Assume that it will, at some point rain. Take it in small bites, make plently of coffee/OJ stops it will help your concentration and relax you. If it's a really long trip seriously consider a big windscreen. I have a slipstreamer turbo and Kerry has a national Cycle Plexistar 2. Both are excellent for a relaxed riding position allowing you to sit well upright and minimise lower back problems. The big advantage is that they minimise the wind-drag on the helmet at speed. He also has some info on long trips on his homepage based on his actual experience which is always good. Good luck with it, most of all take the time to enjoy it.
Sorry to leave you hanging - I meant to reply yesterday!
I endorse Cal's comments, especially his opener. Put as many miles on your bike as you can before the big trip. Take day trips or even overnighters on the weekends between now and then. Every mile you do ahead of time will probably pay you back ten-fold on the big trip.
About windshields ... I did my first long trip (UT to AL and back) without one, and got "beat up" nicely by the wind. For a short town-to-town hop it's no big deal, but when you're zooming down the road for hours at a time (3 hours between fillups, right?) it can wear you down. As I've said before, I got to know my tank bag really well; my chest was full on it much of the time so I could get my head out of the buffeting and noise from the wind.
However, when I did get my large windshield (see the Plexistar II link on my home page) I had the opposite problem. Now I had no wind blast to help hold me upright, so my arms and wrists had to support more weight. I eventually mitigated this to a degree with a pair of GenMar handlebar risers:
(http://www.bbburma.net/MiscFotos/100_0511_GenMar_FromTop.jpg)
(http://www.bbburma.net/MiscFotos/100_0512_GenMar_FromLeft.jpg)
For an inexpensive solution that will get you part of the way there, see the old thread $8. Bar Risers - How To (http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4505)
Meanwhile, as you gain experience you will also come up with a bunch of additional questions. Keep askin' 'em!
EDIT: Changed links from sisna.com to bbburma.net
Given this a little more thought. You may want to check out your toolkit and maybe supplement the stock kit. Don't burden yourself with a lot of heavy kit as you probably wont be doing majoy engineering roadside.
Consider taking odds and ends you can pocket, a roll of insulating tape, a bit of wire or a fuse, make sure you know where your fuse is (usually under the seat on the right) find it before you go not in desparation later.
perhaps a screwdriver with iterchangable bits and/or the two most useful tools I carry, a cellphone and a maglite. I also carry in my top-box one of those aerosol can puncture repair kits but you can put gunk into the tyres to do the same job, this is handy if you are likely to be off the beaten track. Don't be intimidated by the implications of the advice, It should be great fun and that, after all, is the core issue.
Quote from: stephanI'm new to motorcycling and currently have 0 miles of experience - winter got in the way of that!
Any suggestions?
:thumb:
First thing: take the Motorcyle Safety Foundation course. It will jump-start your technique, and save you from wasting the first half of the season figuring out how to set up your turns, brake hard, etc. It'll get you riding better, faster than if you learn by experimentation, or even learning with well meaning "suggestions" from friends or family.
Long rides are physically hard. After my first thousand miles, I found that about an hour between stops was my comfort limit. You probably don't want to trek cross-country until your back and bottom can outlast your gastank. If you double your comfort-distance every week, it may take you four or five weeks (or in my case, months) to reach that level of comfort.
Speaking of muscles and endurance, I brought out my GS after winter storage, and the first time I tried riding it, I was not physically up to the task. I got a muscle cramp in my left thigh/groin... the kind that makes you say "oof, rrrr, gah, rrr..." then fall onto the nearest sofa. It took me several seconds (but it seemed like forever) to figure out how I was going to pull-over, clutch+brake (no shift) and put my (right) foot down. Riding is hard work for some of your lesser-used back muscles, and you cannot afford to get too sore, or to pull a muscle, or else you're going to be in a pickle!
Great advice - Thank you all!
Just to clarify a few things:
I've taken the MSF course and am very happy I did. I would always recommend it as the FIRST step into motorcycling - okay besides riding a bicycle! :)
Also, my bike has a small fairing/screen on it already, but I haven't had my GS out yet so I'm not sure of the effectiveness. Honestly it looks like it will blast the oncoming air directly into my chest! Suprisingly it ends up to be a Maier fairing, here's a pic from the JC Whitney site:
(http://www.jcwhitney.com/wcsstore/jcwhitney/images/imagecache/I10713.gif;pv63c0f652dee2eab3)
I appreciate all the input - keep 'em coming!
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My GS has a Maier fairing on it as well. It's fine for directing some of the windblast off the chest, but leaves your helmet in the breeze, which leads to fatigue. If you're taking a really long trip, I'd recommend a fairing like Kerry's, and a handlebar riser. Once you get the fairing properly adjusted to taste, it's short work to swap them out depending on the ride.
It's unfortunate there isn't a system for one set of hardware and interchangeable different sized shields for more sporty fairings, similar to the setup that Memphis Shades markets for cruisers. Put the flyscreen on for regular riding, and larger ones for trips and cooler weather. Unless you like the Harley-style shield, it'd look a bit out of place on a GS. :cheers: