Cross Country Ride Advice/Tips

[mysticbluex3]

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.

[Slide Panda]

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

[xsephirot]

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.

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.

[CDawg]

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

[live2ride]

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

[PhilB]

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 ...

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

[Drjones]

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.

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.

[Buckethead]

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.

[mysticbluex3]

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?

[pitbull]

a credit card


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

[Buckethead]

a credit card

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.

[mysticbluex3]

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.

[He Man]

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.

[10/10ths]

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.

 

[muskrat]

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