Ducati Monster Forum

So I'm thinking about riding my monster from Phoenix, AZ to Boston, MA.  It will be a 5 day trip. Never done anything like this before.  Most miles I've done in a day is like 400miles.  I'm looking for some advice/tips on pre-trip preparations and during the ride itself.

There's a thread or two about long distance rides on here - search around.

My thoughts:
Avoid a back pack. As good as my Kreiga R25 is I did not want to see it for a while after riding from deals gap to DC in a day.

AMA/AAA/ or other assistance group. Remember if you do AAA you need RV+ coverage to have it apply to a bike.

Get fit - strong core in preparation makes a difference....

hmmm. I'll ponder mre

advrider.com is your friend. Though most people there ride gs or drz's. But there are lots of good information there especially preparing and mapping routes on your gps.

Meet another DMRer whos thinking about something similar:
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=56816.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=56816.0)

i did cross country last summer. from nyc to cali and back to nyc

not sure what kind of advice you are looking for.  i went 2-up with the wife and we camped everywhere.

gas up, suit up, and go.

are you camping or hotel or couch surfing.  if you want to save some money, check advrider forum.  there's a thread with a bunch of people willing to host. 

get good rain gear.  if you want to avoid rain, learn to read a radar map for weather.  never ever ever ever rely on the simple weather forecast.  rely on the radar map (assuming you have a smartphone and access to the sites)

the stock monster seat was sufficient for me.  i was never uncomfortable, but i can't say i was comfortable at the end of the day.

the most miles i put on a day was 800.  this is a LOT of riding.  try and avoid committing yourself to a long ride.  have back up stops.  there were plenty of times we were hoping to squeeze out 700 miles and only ended up going 500 and calling it a day.  some days we took it easy and only went 300. 

avoid highways whenever possible. they just suck.  they're boring.  but then again, sometimes its the best option, especially if theres no stops in the area.

stop for gas/rest/water often.  if you just make regular stops for gas, it should be nice. about a stop every 2 hours.

eat well.  don't eat junk. 

let me know if you have any specific questions

Props to you, but even more so, props to your wife.  The rider's position on the Monster is pretty good, but the passenger perch is not.  She gets major points for not shooting you and taking over the riding.

(I fixed that problem by getting my wife her own Monster.)

PhilB

Another reason to avoid highways is that there tends to be more crap on the roads that can cause a tire puncture.  Also pack the specific axle nut socket if your bike is a SSS in case you need to change a tire and are 11tybln miles away from a Ducati shop.

From my own personal experience:

- If it's going to be a "long" day, which for me is anything over 400 miles, I prefer compression shorts to regular underwear. They help prevent chaffing. A shot of Gold Bond helps, too.

- Spend a good 15 minutes or so stretching at the end of the day, before you go to bed. You'll feel much better when you wake up than if you don't.

- Get all of your maintenance done BEFORE you go. Anything that MIGHT be due before you can get home, do it before you leave. Valves/belts, tires, chain/sprockets, and of course, oil change. If you know for a fact that they're new/fresh/properly adjusted, it'll take a load off your mind and let you enjoy the trip.

- Check your bike over thoroughly every day. Tire pressure, oil level and condition, chain tension, check your lights (especially your brake light) for function. You can do most of that while your bike is warming up.

- A tire patch kit (yes, the gummy rope kind is okay) and CO₂ canister air-up kit can let you limp into town so a minor puncture is an inconvenience rather than a day-ender.

- Along those same lines, I know several people who keep a 1-liter metal can of gasoline with them in case they need just a little bit to get them to the next fuel stop. Nothing sucks like pushing a motorcycle uphill.

- I keep a spare key in my jacket pocket. I haven't needed it yet, but it's nice to know it's there. I also keep my insurance and registration info in a Ziploc in my inside jacket pocket. I'm not afraid of rain.

- If you can, plot out your available gas stops, especially over any stretch where they might be scarce. Also, my personal rule is "when in doubt, top off." That little yellow fuel light will burn a hole of worry in your brain very quickly. 

- I've got a tank bag with a map pocket, but I don't use maps while I'm riding. I plot my course the night before, then write out pertinent directions (exits, hwy numbers, distances, etc) on a 3x5 with Sharpie that I can read at a glance.

I'm sure I'll think of more stuff to update later.

Thanks for all the tips!  By the way.  This is the plan.

Tempe, AZ to Albuquerque, NM (410 mi)

Albuquerque, NM to Stroud, OK (600 mi)

Stroud, OK to Effingham, IL (550 mi)

Effingham, IL to Erie, PA (550 mi)

Erie, PA to Nashua, NH (590 mi)

That's my route.  I'm planning to stay in motels so I'm trying to stop outside of major cities.  I figure motels in major cities are more expensive?

a credit card


everything else you can pretty much find at any walmart along the way.

Ooh! That reminds me:

- Call your bank or credit card company and tell them what you're planning. Gas stations are a popular target for stolen credit cards. Apparently 3 or more gas station stops in a day qualifies as "suspicious" activity, and got my card locked the first time. All it took was a phone call to straighten it out, but it was still a pain in the ass. The second time I had called them ahead of time and told them what was up, so it wasn't an issue.

Good tip.  It would be shitty to get stuck in a gas station in the middle of no where and no cell reception to call the CC company.

Make your bike carry everything. From its really nice to have nothing on your back. Since you are staying in boston for a while. carry only essential gear, have the rest mailed to you.

TOOLS TOOLS TOOLS.

Allen key, a few sockets, duct tape, zip ties and some hand wipes make life a lot easier. dont want to pee on your hands just to wash them. ;)

Great tips already posted.

Also, wake up early, do some crunches every morning, eat a big breakfast, and get rolling a little before dawn.

Eat light meals during the day.  Drink lots of water.  Get off the road about an hour before sunset.

Enjoy the journey.

 [beer]

And Monkey Butt powder.  Laugh all you want but it saved my arse to and from Montana

if you are going to hotel it, stop by all the state vistor centers.  they usually have a booklet of coupons for motels. also check AAA before you go.

take the tools you know how to use.  other than that, zip ties and duct tape.

strap more to the bike and less to you. but make sure whatever is tied down is tied down securely. 


oh yea, if its hot, don't wear cotton.  i prefer nike dri-fit, but any similar polyester wicking shirt will be nice.  get it wet if its REALLY hot

One advice, enjoy your ride and adventure

I have one, shit happens when travelling be careful that if something happens to slow you up you don't fixate on getting to your planned destination. Knowing when to change your plans is a important skill.

I have gone both ways but I know that speeding in the dark and cold after riding 8 hours isn't the smart call.

When the sun goes away, it feels like it drops 30 degress. a 50 degree night suddenly turns deadly.

take a chain breaker and some spare links.

get a camelback and fill it every chance you get.  you dehydrate quickly.

i like textile gear because it's versatile.  get a one piece rain suit if your gear isn't for sure waterproof.

as said above, stop every 120-150 miles for gas, stretch, water.

avoid junk food.  ask the locals where to eat/drink.  don't ask chain hotel flunkies, they recommend whoever gives them a kickback (trust me, i use to work in a hotel).

keep your ID, money, cards, registration, insurance card, etc etc on your person at all times.

use a carbiner (attached to above camelback) to hold your keys when you're off the bike.  Make it a habit to clip them on as soon as you're off the bike.  Nothing sucks worse than thinking you lost the key, searching for 45 minutes, then realizing it's in your pocket.

do warm up rides before leaving.

change saddle position often.

get a throttle lock of some kind, go-cruise, throttle meister, vista cruise.

make sure someone else knows your route/hotel info and check in at lunch and each night.  consider getting a spot tracker as well.

especially especially watch out for rapid speed limit changes when you're entering city limits (my first out-of-state achievement award).

Buy an airhawk
http://www.airhawk.com.au/products.php?product_category_id=28 (http://www.airhawk.com.au/products.php?product_category_id=28)

goog point about the credit card. It's great that credit card companies are more on the ball now about raising red flags if your card appears in too many places, but it can be a pain.

a couple more thoughts:

along with the tools already mentioned, a small pair of vice grips. They make a great shifter, footpeg or break lever if you snap one off and need one in a pinch.

staying dry and warm is tops. Along with the rain suit and warm clothes, I suggest a neck warmer of fleece or merino wool, in case you hit some cold temps. I've dressed in warm gear on the monster, at cold temperatures and if the neck isn't warm, the whole body gets cold. I have a few cheap fleece ones I bought at a dollar store and they are the most valuable item in my touring kit.

warm gloves, for the same reason as the neck warmer.

to those that said stay hydrated, I couldn't agree more.  a number of years back I rode across the continent, including the mid and western U.S on the monster,  during a killer  heat wave and suffered bad dehydration even though I drank 2 litres of water at each gas stop. I was riding 12-14 hr days and simply couldn't drink enough. The lack of wind protection means the constant air on you sucks the water right out of your body which combined with high temperatures, makes it very hard to stay hydrated.

Lots of good advice here.  All of it may be more than you need, but it's better to be overprepared than under.  Once you've made a few trips, you can figure out what is overkill for you, what you're not using, and what extra you might need that others haven't thought of.

I definitely second the throttle help; you can really tire out your hand (at best) or come up with CTS (at worst) without some help there.  A throttle lock is one solution (go-cruise, throttle meister, vista cruise).  I have found that a simple CrampBuster solves the problem for me just fine, for about $10.

PhilB

Lots of great advice.  Thanks!  Hopefully I don't have to worry too much about the cold.  Looks like the temperature will be high of 80s and low of 50s.  I think I will have to worry about heat more than anything. 

I was planning on placing a camelbak bladder in the tank bag.  I'm going to practice at home to see if its possible to thread the mouth piece thru the bottom of the helmet so I can drink water when on the bike.

I don't really have much time to order a throttle lock as I'm leaving next week.  Or maybe I do.  Either way, I'll get at least a CrampBuster.  I think they sell that at my local Cycle gear.

I actually go roadside assistance from Progressive.  Extra $15/year and this is what I get.  Much cheaper than $120 with AAA and the coverage is more or less the same.

- It covers towing to nearest qualified repair shop (unlimited mileage).  So if I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere and the closet shop is 100miles away, they will tow it for free.  Or free towing within 15 miles. 
- Dead Battery
- Flat Tire
- Run out of gas
- Trip interruption: $500 for hotel / food / alternative transportation when the bike is in the shop.

heat is a problem, but be prepared for unseasonable showers.  Might be better to have a rain suit and not need it.

unless your chin bar is really close, you should have no problem getting the camelback nozzle in there.

my local cyclegear sells the go cruise, which I used for my yellowstone trip.  it was weird riding left-handed, but it was nice being able to change positions and grip

i just ordered the go cruise. thing looks badass, i have the throttle rocket II. its good for the short highway jaunts but for real long distance riding, i really wanna take my hand off the bar and switch it up.

This thread has most of the information you probably need...

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=55191.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=55191.0)

Yup.  I just ordered the go-cruise too!

if you are on a stop over and get bored, don't kill a hooker and bathe in her blood. you don't know what diseases the hooker might have.  [thumbsup]
you want to eat her heart (cooked of course)


on a more serious note. make sure you have a camera that can be operated with gloves on. that way you actually stop to take that picture that you think would be pretty cool, but don't want to add a full minute to your travel time  ;)

I'll add
- bike security
- 3" folder for self defense. Legal in most if not all states.
- mounted gps
- locate contacts along the way prior to leaving. Friends, family, friends and family of friends and family. You might need help of some kind.

Bigger knife always wins, i have a 4" cold steel with me. sharpened to the T.

Check!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/Hemansd/Bike/Ducati/IMG_2761.jpg)

I'll add my experience with it hopefully to help others.

My experience is the throttle on a twin is pretty sensitive to small changes.  You will find the go cruise works pretty well, but it needs to be in juuuust the right spot to really keep your throttle steady.  What I do, I get to the speed I want, i rotate the go cruise down with my right index finger to the brake lever.  Then I slightly, very slightly, squeeze the throttle so it rotates down a little at the same time pushing the go-cruise with my finger.  

If I don't, I find the throttle drops off ever so slightly and suddenly I'm slowing down.   If you find it doesn't hold on very well (I found it slipped a little over time) use the silicone band that comes with it.  

edit:  Oh, forgot to mention.  Be careful of stretching it too far.  The older produced ones used a different injection mold (what a retailer told me) and they were prone to break at the 'point' when stretched over the bars.  Apparently the old mold had the injection at the open end, the new mold injects at the tip.

It does work, but it takes a little finesse and technique to get it just right.  Here's me using it at about 80 mph:

(http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/184081_256454104379141_233395296685022_931505_2303998_n.jpg)

Think waterproof. What are You going to do when it rains, and it will. Trash bags, zip lock bags, good pair of gloves, boots. Ideally have drybags for all your luggage. Also helps keep the dust and smell of exhaust out of your clothes. Rain sucks. Especially if your camping after finding in the rain all day.

Get one of those emergency blankets. All sorts of uses from tent foot print to actual emergency heating.

Get one of those mini aircompressors for about 15$. You'll need it if you get a flat. Also top off tire pressure I'm the morning.