Ducati Monster Forum

what was the best bike trip that you took? How long were you gone? What did you do , where did you go?Pics would be a plus if you have some, and please if you live outside of North America this is for you! I wanna see the world thru your eyes!
BGB

This may seem like a pretty lame trip to some, but it's my best one so far.

Last spring, I was looking to sell my Monster for a couple reasons.  I decided to take it to my parent's house for the weekend.  It's only a two hour ride, but it's very beautiful back country road through PA's oil valleys between Erie and Pittsburgh.  The weather was perfect and the traffic was scarce.  I fell in love with my bike all over again and decided that I would be stupid to sell it.  Since then I've loaded it with more mods and look forward to doing more.

 :)

Kaiserslautern, Germany to Venice, Italy. Across the south of Germany, through Austria. into Italy. Tons of unlimited Autobahn, technical twisties, tall mountain passes. and finally beach.

OH and forgot one of the best parts...
take a look at my avatar... that's from the factory.

This year, from Long Island (NY) to Cumming, GA (just north of Atlanta).
Southbound: Cross Manhattan, cross New Jersey and meet buddy in Harrisburh, PA. South through Western Maryland, a slice of West Virginia, and on into Virginia. Did the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway. Headed into Western N. Carolina, Eastern Tennessee and south into Georgia.
Northbound: Best section of the trip- Dahlonega, Ga to Blairsville, GA, through the North Georgia mountains. After that, The Tail of the Dragon was a bit of a let-down (cops, radar, parades of Harleys). Crossed the Great Smokey Mountains from Asheville, NC to Johnson City, TN.

For most of the ride, the scenery was just beautiful. The twisties were great. A trip I'm glad I made.

Didn't have a Ducati, but in 1995, while I was still in the Air Force, I rode a 400 mile loop starting in Phoenix. Somewhere around Payson where it was much cooler, I encountered a honest to God ZR1 Corvette. One of the moto mags did a racetrack comparo with the ZR1 and a Yamaha FZR1000. Well it was mountain twisty comparo that day  [evil] We both took turns leading and following and I only passed on the inside once because I made a bad decision. We stopped at a store, chatted and agreed that was probably not the smartest thing we've done, but great fun. On my way back to Luke AFB it was so hot I had to stop 15 miles from base just to rehydrate. When I got to my room, I was able to take off my helmet, take off my jacket and pass out on my bed. My troops found me a few hours later with my jacket still zipped to my pants. It would've been better on a Duc, but yeah that was an awesome day.

They're all awesome in one way or another...

One trip I took this summer (in no particular order):
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/PICT0029-1.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/DSCN2524.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/DSCN2510.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/DSCN2527.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/DSCN2471.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/badlands4.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/DSCN2498.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/DSCN2488.jpg)

Some of mine (More will be going up soon):

http://matadormoto.com/?page_id=47 (http://matadormoto.com/?page_id=47)

holy crap, it was two years ago...

jebus tristos and I rented BMWs in san francisco and rode around for about a week.

got as far south as solvang, and the last few days we met some of the MOB, ate tamales at the 'geist, and partied with the hot asian chick



*only moto trip taken... so best by default.

I once road to a friend's house.  Then ate some mushrooms he had.  That was a good one.

My World Ducati Week journey was good.

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=39662.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=39662.0)

haaahaaahha..awesome one  [laugh] [clap] [drink]

Not on my Monster, but recently got back from a 6000km trip in Australia on my DR650. Just about all on dirt roads from the mountains, to the coast out to the desert and back home again lots of mud, sand, rain and even snow all in about 16 days. I'm currently writing up a trip report for advrider.com, check out the ride report section over there - some epic trips detailed [thumbsup]

London-Dover-Calais-some places I did not know the name of in France, Ghent,Brussels, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Numansdorp, Aachen,Cologne, Frankfurt and then back to London.During this time I had an accident, got a flat, got bitten by a spider, got rained on, sunburned, drank far too much,got stopped by a cop for riding to slow on the autobahn, fell asleep riding ,took a ferry ride,snapped my rear chain, and had the time of my life.Oh to be 20 again! I did this in 1984 on a Triumph 650 in ten days. Awesome road trip! [thumbsup]
.
Portland Oregon-Coulee Dam-Cour d' Lane(sp?)-Bend-Sacramento-Portland. 2000 miles great road trip. I got sunburned,rained on and snowed on in Idaho.

I think later today a trip to Safeway is in order, that'll be about 3 miles roundtrip. Epic!

BGB

My most memorables...in no particular order-

- Northern Italy to the 2000 Isle of Man TT on my 1995 ZX-7R (sold to get my S4R).
- Following entire Italian coastline on 1990 Ninja 750R (sold to get ZX-7R) in 1996.  2800 miles total in 9 days including 2 days on Sicily.
- 2008 trip to Indy MotoGP from south Georgia...damn hurricane.
- 2010 trip to Indy MotoGP from south Georgia.

Just returned yesterday. 

Left Minneapolis on the 25th for Moto GP.  Left from the track after the GP for Bub Speed Trials on the Bonneville salt flats.  Was on the salt Tuesday morning the 31st by 10:00.  Spent the day with an old friend running his double engined Triumph out there.  Pitted next to a dude named Jack from Indiana on a 999 trying for 185 MPH.  Left weds and rode the west, Nevada, Utah, Four Corners, Colorado, Pikes Peak.......

5389.5 miles.

I am too old (well for sure my knees are) to ride the monster that far, I took the FJR.  I have not ridden a Connie yet, but that Yamaha sure seems to be the pinnacle for long rides.  Never missed a lick, no chain to lube, POWERFUl comfy and sporty enough to have some fun.

Oh yea, received a riding lesson form a local on a canyon road 2 up on a Honda Lead Wing.  That dude knew the road, his passenger must be very comfortable with him.  And he was smooth as butter.  Right to the lean limit, never saw a spark off of it.  And the big torquey six could really pull up the hills!  It was really fun chasing him, it helps to have a bird dog out front on a strange road.

I'll work on getting some pics up 

Hell of a trip, now to wash the filthy beast.....

summer 2003 on my 01 900ie:

Toronto-to-Pittsburgh-to-Santana, then up through the rockies through Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Alberta and then finally turned east and back across the praries home to the Toronto area.

2 1/2 weeks and 10,000+ km

great roads, great scenery, and lots of adventures.

that's epic - I'd love to hear about whatever mechanical problems or bad luck anyone has had on these monster trips and what they did to overcome them

Pay attention and concentrate!

It is easy to zone out on a long haul and just drone on busting off the miles.  I had three close calls on my last adventure. 

Out on I 80 (it sux but I had to get from GP to Bonneville quickly) a tractor trailer was in the right lane with right turn on.  As I was overtaking in the left lane he moved over on me suddenly, still showing right turn.

I don't recall where exactly, one of them tall sprinter vans, grossly overloaded judging by the way it wallowed around.  It was VERY windy and a huge gust hit as I was closing. Shoved it right over in my lane.

And the worse, yesterday on the long drone home through Nebraska and SD.  I was EB on a state highway.  A west bound cager was passing another.  He wasn't even close to making it.  The gracious dude he was passing moved onto the WB shoulder.  I was heavy on the brakes and onto the EB shoulder.  The douche bag stayed in my lane as he motored on by.  I must confess I gave him the long term one finger salute, seriously doubt he saw it tho.  I nearly gave in to the temptation to turn around and "educate" the bugger.  I must be getting old, I settled on the finger.

I have been fortunate on the mechanical.  I cheat, I take the FJR on long hauls.  Just finished my third very long trip, defined as in the neighborhood of 5 k miles without mishap.  I start on new tires so I don't have to deal with that on the road.  In 2009 we did stop and asist a guy in the middle of nowhere Wyoming with a flat on a KTM dual sport.  The other key piece of advise is have emergency gear, know how to use it.  Poor guy had brought tire irons and "self vulcanizing" patches.  Had no clue they needed cement.

And last and again:

Pay attention and concentrate!  ALWAYS

For me this is a big trip.

Saturday I did a 6 hour " endurance race "  ( unofficial ) through the hills and forests of Southern , Ohio w, my BMW S 1000 RR.

Couldn't believe I never saw a  [leo] so I rode as fast as I wanted.

Can't get over how great that bike carves up the corners.

Much better than my 1098 R.

I had the time of my life.

So much so I'm still feelin' it 2 days later.

The weather had cooled down into the 60s which made it wonderful compared to the 90s that had been going on for most of the Summer.

What a gas !

Got to blast by many H-Ds and another Super bike.

Dolph     :)

Pictures to go with my earlier post:

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss294/make the beast with two backsphoto_bucket/Bike%20Trip%202010/P1000101.jpg)

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss294/make the beast with two backsphoto_bucket/Bike%20Trip%202010/P1000106.jpg)

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss294/make the beast with two backsphoto_bucket/Bike%20Trip%202010/P1000217.jpg)

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss294/make the beast with two backsphoto_bucket/Bike%20Trip%202010/P1000172.jpg)

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss294/make the beast with two backsphoto_bucket/Bike%20Trip%202010/P1000161.jpg)

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss294/make the beast with two backsphoto_bucket/Bike%20Trip%202010/P1000221.jpg)

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss294/make the beast with two backsphoto_bucket/Bike%20Trip%202010/P1000227.jpg)

Isle of Man this year, 5 days total, two weeks after the mountain race ended.  epic.  lots
of circuits around the course (much of which has no speed limit), and touring the
rest of the island.  wonderful place to visit without the throngs of race week.

July 1989, AlpenTour ride (long since out of business :P) through the west Alps. Rented a Kawi Concours in Horgen, Switzerland and rode on small, narrow 2 lane back roads 90% of the time through the Alps. Three and a half weeks through Switzerland, France, Med coast (Nice-Monte Carlo), all over northern Italy, into Interlaken, Switzerland, then ending back in Horgen. Stayed in small family owned hotels in small towns. Dinner and breakfast were provided by the hotel. Food was awesome!! Home cooked!! It was a "group ride" but you didn't have to ride as a group. I went 2 up with my wife (now ex-wife) and we rode alone 50-70% of the time. You'd run into others in the group along the way each day. All you had to do was get from the morning's hotel to the one in the next town you were staying in. Point A to point B. You were briefed as a group in the evening about the next day's route options... who wants to ride fast on killer roads, who wants to stop and see some cool castles, etc. You could ride any route you wanted, with whomever you wanted to ride with... or not. Pretty cool! And they had a van that hauled all your luggage to the next hotel! You checked in at the hotel when you arrived, they tossed you a room key, go to your room and voila... your luggage was sitting there! All I carried on the bike was a tank bag with rain suits in it. That was it!

Amazing trip, scenery and roads just blew me away! Gee... nothing like north Texas! [laugh] Too bad the outfit went out of business. It was 11 years old when we did it in 1989. They ran the east Alps too. Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Liechtenstein. We made friends on our trip that ran the east Alps the following year. They said it was awesome but the group wasn't as fun as our west Alps crew. Really cool experience. The ride of a lifetime for me. [thumbsup] [moto] Too bad my ex managed to keep all the photos!! How did that happen?? [bang]

July of this year: Spent most of my summer over in Italy took a day trip from Lucca to the outskirts of Bologna down through the Macca coast and finally back into Lucca. Probably one of the best trips I have taken but also one of the most concerning. Lane spliting isn't legal there but is more or less what you can get away with, atleast that is what my guide told me. We spent much of our time riding on the wrong side of the road into on coming traffic till we got into the mountains sort of hiding in between cars as traffic came. Every single road we went onto was just crazy hairpin turns and changing elevation so fast my ears would pop two or three times, dream riding sir, it was awsome. Finally got tired of trying to keep up and my guide was over taking cars going into blind corners. Told him I'd meet him at the bottom of the hill and I didn't feel comfortable riding beyond my ability after a scare. I got an Hyper 1100S & an 848 for the day which were fun but I still didn't like them as much as I do my S2R1K. Always thought I would like acting a fool on the Hyper but kind of glad I never got one and chose my Monster instead. Most of the trip I didn't get to photograph what I was seeing but here are a few shots that I did manage to get. These are the abandon marble quarries that we past, cool looking mountains white with green grass growing out of them and the air was like a mist because of the elevation and clouds. One shot of the many tunnels we went through. These don't have lights in them and the road surface is pretty rough. Its almost like rain inside from the moister seeping through the rock and dripping down. Little crazy to experience going from 85* sun shine to wet, rainy, pitch black curving tunnel with gravel  :-\.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Batman50/Italyredo190.jpg)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Batman50/Italyredo195.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Batman50/Italyredo203.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Batman50/Italyredo208.jpg)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Batman50/Italyredo204.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Batman50/Italyredo205.jpg)
Althought these are semi-related I did manage to make it to the infamous Cinque Terre and took my personal Mecca to the Duc Factory in Bologna a few weeks later.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Batman50/Italyredo188.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Batman50/39a64632.jpg)

Sounds a little like my riding experience in Europe in '89. It was a little scary at first until I found my comfort zone. Paris Dakar type bikes were very popular at the time and packs of them would go flying past us into all sorts of crazy blind turns on the wrong side of the road! I loved the long tunnels with 90 degree turns in them that came out of nowhere! [bang] Go from bright sunshine into semi darkness (bad lighting) and just about the time your eyes adjust WHAMO a sharp turn appears!! Lots of skid marks and chunks taken out of the concrete wall. :P Slowed way down going into every tunnel after that. ;D Even still, it was an awesome experience and I came home in one piece.

On one trip out west I hit a huge pot hole on one of Michigan's lovely highways and badly cracked the rear engine mount on the monster's motor. I had to rent a U-haul and drive it home where I was able to get it welded. Other than that I've never had a major issue.

I've had lots of instances of riding into cities on a bald tire or badly stretched chain, but was always able to get squeezed in for a quick repair at a motorcycle shop. Most places will fit in a long distance rider for emergency type service.

And as for non-monster related trips, I just got back from 12 days in Costa Rica, where I rented a bike to ride the back roads.

Between rain forests, cloud forests, lots of volcanoes, ocean vistas and many deal's gap type roads that go on for an hour +.........it's far and away the most amazing motorcycling I've ever experienced.

It would be either this one (15 days, 22 states, 4900 miles)...

(http://www.desmodemon.com/south_dakota/south_dakota_map.jpg)
http://www.desmodemon.com/south_dakota/index.html (http://www.desmodemon.com/south_dakota/index.html)


Or this one (12 days, 16 states, 5600 miles)...
(http://www.desmodemon.com/california/california_map.jpg)
http://www.desmodemon.com/california/index.html (http://www.desmodemon.com/california/index.html)