Jump to content

Fall 2010 Cross Country Ride (LA>NY)


Recommended Posts

tumblr_lap0wpYbS91qcvjdto1_500.jpg

Somewhere on I5 near the Nevada border. Bike is completely stock except for a Sargent seat and factory luggage. Managed to pack everything needed for the entire 10 days in the luggage!

I bought my VFR for the purpose of making this trip. Been a long time dream. I can't even explain how amazing it it was. The trip took 10 days and was about 3600 miles. We decided to take the southern route (roughly following I40) due to the whether. Utah was easily the riding highlight while Tennessee was the coolest place we visited (especially Nashville). This was the first time I had been to most of these states and the first time I'd ever ridden more than 100 miles in a day!

tumblr_lawn6le6zu1qcvjdto1_500.jpg

The VFR was perfect the whole way. Here are some of my favorite pictures. Plenty more on the blog I put up at mcxusa.tumblr.com.

tumblr_lap0nyDSKN1qcvjdto1_500.jpg

Day 1: About to leave LA. My riding buddy is on a 2001 Aprilia Futura.

tumblr_lap118IzzG1qcvjdto1_500.jpg

Utah was incredible for roads and scenery. You can see the all weather gear I wore for the trip here. We got pretty lucky with the weather, only caught a day or two of rain. Temps were 30-80 through the trip (30 is COLD!!).

tumblr_lap152aKya1qcvjdto1_500.jpg

Favorite bike shot. You can see I raised the forks and swapped the rear linkage. I'm pretty short, so that made a huge difference.

6.jpg

Leaning over on the Dragon in Tennessee.

Can't wait until it warms up here (NYC) so I can ride again. It's been too long - had to park the bike right after this trip.

- Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's gotta be more to this story?

Come on up to the Catskills once the roads clear up, we've got lots of twisties up here. :smile:

ps - what's up with the 07 Anniversary Edition solo cover?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

Dan, That had to be a fabulous experience. We'd love to hear and see more of your coast to coast trip. Since I couldn't be there I'd like the vicarious enjoyment! We are probably spoiled by Olive's multitude of photos and her wonderful narratives of her adventures on the road.

Beautiful machine you have there (see what's in MY garage.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sure, I'm happy to get a bit more in depth. Pretty cool to check on the thread to see it's been featured! Let me look around the site a bit for some inspiration and I'll put something together.

If anybody has a specific question, I'm happy to answer as well.

- Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Introduction

This trip started with a conversation over a drink-too-many with my good buddy Joe. Joe and I met at grad school and became fast friends, mostly due to our shared interest in all things noisy and fast. That's not the most common interest at a NY finance school, so it didn't take long for us to get acquainted. We were discussing what we'd we do for our fall break (one of the many benefits of going back to school), and Joe was full of great memories of his recent tour of Patagonia on a dual purpose bike (he went on a organized tour where all guidance and equipment was provided).

It had been a number of years since I had riden regularly. I rode an SV650 in college in LA, but sold it after nearly killing myself on Vermont Blvd during rush hour. I hadn't riden regularly since 2002, but I was dying to get back at it. Our initial plan was to do a Pacific Northwest tour, starting in LA and going as far north as Vancouver before turning around. I had storage in LA and had to travel there frequently for business, so I volunteered to purchase bikes for us, prep them, and store them until we could do the trip. We would then sell the bikes when we got back (or keep them if we were feeling frisky).

We went through a ton of ideas on bikes. Initially I was into an SV650, Joe wanted to do V-Strom. No matter what we were going to do, it was going to be used. Over time we elected that sport touring bikes would be the most fun and useful. I had always wanted a VFR, so that was my instant go to. Joe is more of a european guy (he's Portuguese), so when he tracked down a 2001 Aprilia Futura, he negotiated it sight unseen and I picked it up for him. By the end of August the groundwork was laid - we had two awesome bikes in storage and tons of fancy ideas in our heads.

post-21000-0-76909500-1300153499_thumb.j

The two bikes right after purchase.

My Bike

2006 Honda VFR-800 White purchased used with factory luggage and ~7600mi. I looked at a number of viffers around LA before finding this beauty. Paid more than I wanted, but it was in great shape, looked awesome, and had the luggage. I also had to pull the trigger quick as I needed to get back to NY. Before the trip, I did the following:

- Sargent seat

- Flipped rear linkage

- Raised front forks

- Michelin PP Front / PR2 Rear

- Changed all fluids

As October approached, we met to plan our route. In a fit a creativity, Joe threw out the idea of doing a cross country trip instead. We couldn't make a decision, so I did what any normal person would, flipped a coin. I made it clear that heads meant we were sticking with the PNW trip, tails would be cross country - final answer. Joe agreed, I flipped the coin, and we watched it slowly contort and jerk its way to tails. It was set - we would ride across country. And so began the "planning" and the buying. Keep in mind that we had two weeks to transform from two guys with only Metro cards (NO GEAR) to ready and able cross country motorcyclists... oh boy.

Equipment

We didn't really start preparing for the trip until two weeks before the start date. I wouldn't recommend this as it was quite stressful, but being students, procrastination is what we do best. We did a touch of research online, but bought and packed pretty much blind. Fortunately I managed to make some good choices and was lucky to have quality and correct equipment for the trip.

  • Firstgear Kilimanjaro Jacket - I bought this online without trying it on first (HUGE MISTAKE). It's an excellent quality jacket with very very good protection, but it was too big for me. Looked funny, but overall performed excellently. Comfortable to wear from 30-80 degrees by varying the vents and the liner. Super waterproof which was a huge plus.
  • Alpinestars Edge Drystar Pants - These were very waterproof and looked good, but not particularly breathable and had light padding.
  • FieldSheer Polar Gloves (cold weather)- Bought these on the cheap. Not the most comfortable, but very warm and definately waterproof. Do NOT go on a long trip without warm backup gloves - these were a real lifesaver in Utah.
  • Alpinestars Thunder Gloves (warm weather) - Alpinestars. Much preferred to wear these when possible. Good armor too.
  • Tour Master Solution Waterproof Road Boots - Super comfortable (didn't have to bring another set of shoes), waterproof, and warm. Highly recommended.
  • Arai R-1000 - This came with the bike. I had an old AGV, but this was newer so I used it instead. The visor fogged too easily, but it was comfortable. I'll prob replace this helmet this season (looking at OGV).
  • Sena SMH10 Bluetooth Headset - This thing was the best purchase I've made in a lifetime - seriously. Bought a pair online for $260 shipped. This allowed two way radio for me and Joe (priceless - huge safety feature, navigation aid, and endless entertainment) and bluetooth audio (streamed from my cell phone) and telephone (just in case). Battery lasted for two days at a time, communications were very reliable, and I got to rock out to good tunes all the way across the states. If you are going on a long trip with a buddy, buy this - now. It's great for solo riding too.
  • Battery charger - just in case

Packed

  • 4 T Shirts
  • 1 Jeans
  • 10 underwear
  • 4 pair wool ski socks
  • 2 pair long johns
  • Turtlefur Balaclava
  • Flip flops
  • Minimal toiletries
  • iPad
  • Wheel lock
  • Spare clutch/brake levers
  • Basic tool set
  • Zip ties!

Everything above fit in the two factory hardbags. This was critical for me because I didn't want to carry anything on my back.

We flew from JFK to LAX late on October 15. One of my buddies picked us up at the airport and gave us a ride to where the bikes were being stored. We didn't sleep much that night as we went over the bikes and carefully packed and double checked everything. I had my buddy JC do a full service on both bikes while they were in storage, so fresh fluids and tires were already installed. This was the first time Joe had seen his bike, and fortunately, he was very happy with the purchase.

We never planned the trip in fine detail, we had merely spent some time on google checking distances and insuring we could do the trip in ~12 days. We decided that 10 days would be our target with two days of overage incase there was problem. Our original plan was to head north to SF and then cut down across the country in a diagonal toward the southern states before going back up the Appalachians. But when we checked the weather before heading out the first day (as in 1 hour before we left, literally) we knew we would have to reroute. We decided to skip SF and head NE toward Vegas. We would eventually hit Utah and pick the rest of the route from there.

post-21000-0-58303200-1300153676_thumb.j

Packed and ready to roll!

Day 1: Los Angeles to Baker, CA ~200 miles

We mounted up and hit the road at 9AM. We went into LA first to meet some friends for breakfast and cool our nerves before our first big ride. Again, this would be the first time either of us had done a long road trip. My nerves were totally on edge, so taking a little time to relax was very necessary. Unfortunately when I was parking my bike on Ocean Blvd, I promptly dropped it. Combination of nerves, loose footing, and not being used to a fully loaded tourer (the VFR is much bigger than my SV was). To be fair, I hadn't really ridden or parked a bike in 8 years, so I guess it was predictable. Regardless, it wasn't the start I was looking for. To make matters worse, the bike refused to start after it fell over. I had to find an outlet and leave the battery charger on her for a while before she cranked over again. Following breakfast I stopped at a Sears and got a multimeter to ensure the magneto was working (it was). I guess the stock battery just didn't like being tipped over.

Following that whole mess, we started to head east. Traffic was its usual LA self, so it took a few hours to get to the Angeles Crest Highway, one of my favorite SoCal roads. I thought this would be a great intro to our bikes and get us ready for the roads ahead - but of course - it was closed - sweeeet. We had no choice but to head to 215 and then 15, taking major freeways all the way to Vegas. Furthermore, our early morning socializing had taken a great deal of the day, so we needed to rush (and clouds were forming overhead). Things went relatively smoothly until about 50 miles outside of Baker, CA when Joe radioed me to tell me "hey dude, my gas light is on, and um, my bike is sputtering." Of course he hadn't been paying attention to his gas gauge and his italian girl was thirsty. Only 150 miles into the trip, he was totally dry and we had to pull over. It was starting to rain and the next exit was 20 miles up, so I took off hoping I could find a container to throw some gas in and make it back before it started pouring. That's when I had the chance to take this picture.

post-21000-0-27034300-1300153421_thumb.j

I was able to make it back with an old Clorox bottle full of gas. At that point it was raining and we were exhausted, so we decided to call it a night in Baker, CA and regroup for the next day.

Once we pulled into Baker, we grabbed a bite to eat and starting looking for a place to stay. We never made a single reservation on this trip, so it was just the first of our scouring for the best (and least shady) deal. We ended up at the "Wills Fargo" motel. I couldn't complain as I was exhausted, but it's not the finest in shitty motels either. And now, for your viewing pleasure, I present evening 1 in Baker:

post-21000-0-49425100-1300154410_thumb.j

Nice iconic middle of nowhere photo. Starting it off right!

post-21000-0-44982600-1300154416_thumb.j

I'm #1?!!?? We had dinner at the Mad Greek which was supposed to be good, but was actually pretty gross. Whatever, at least we got to eat.

post-21000-0-80752700-1300154423_thumb.j

Joe summons his Portuguese roots and starts navigating for day 2 (I did almost none of this during the trip, which was great)

More to come as I have time...

- Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great story Danman, looking forward to reading the rest of it.

Totally feel ya about wanting to get back on the bike and ride. I can't believe it is almost the middle of March and I still haven't been able to get out yet. ARGH!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thx...Great story teller.......... Good shots...... more,more..........

Also the VFR has a shot-off (feature?)when you drop the bike so it won't start for a while(not sure how long that is....Probably calculated for the time it takes for us to cool down), so IF it were to happen to someone you see with a VFR then pass it along. :beer:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

good stories.

by the way, im incredibly jealous. not so much for having to deal with LA traffic, but for what i can only imagine is coming in your next post. keep em' coming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice way to jump in with both feet, danman. I'm looking forward to the rest of the ride report. Your storytelling is good.

The VFR has a bank angle sensor. Once tripped the bike will not run. It is reset by getting the bike vertical and turning the ignition completely off, then the bike will re-start.... no "wait time" of any sort involved. I'm intimately familiar with this feature, as I drop my bike on a weekly basis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice way to jump in with both feet, danman. I'm looking forward to the rest of the ride report. Your storytelling is good.

The VFR has a bank angle sensor. Once tripped the bike will not run. It is reset by getting the bike vertical and turning the ignition completely off, then the bike will re-start.... no "wait time" of any sort involved. I'm intimately familiar with this feature, as I drop my bike on a weekly basis.

I figured it might be something like that, but in my case the bike clearly loses charge when it tips over (ie it won't crank/instruments go dead/trip meter resets). I bought a set of jumpers after the first snafu incase I would drop it in the future... which you'll find out shortly.

Glad to know I'm not the only one incapable of keeping my bike shiny side up. Go figure my biggest fear when riding for 10 days straight is dropping my bike in a parking lot and looking like an asshat. :)

- Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

Good ride report. Need more pictures. I, too, would like to do a cross-country trip some day. I have put that on my "bucket-list'. thanks for sharing and the inspiration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dan...you have to keep these animals fed or they get all ornery. Nice report so far, looking forward to the update(s)!

Hitting the twisties is a rush but I don't know that there's any feeling like jumping on a bike and watching state lines disappear in the mirrors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

" Utah was easily the riding highlight while Tennessee was the coolest place we visited "

And NO State Income Tax !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

Introduction

Things went relatively smoothly until about 50 miles outside of Baker, CA when Joe radioed me to tell me "hey dude, my gas light is on, and um, my bike is sputtering." Of course he hadn't been paying attention to his gas gauge and his italian girl was thirsty. Only 150 miles into the trip, he was totally dry and we had to pull over. It was starting to rain and the next exit was 20 miles up, so I took off hoping I could find a container to throw some gas in and make it back before it started pouring. That's when I had the chance to take this picture.

attachment=9333:IMG_1000.jpg

I was able to make it back with an old Clorox bottle full of gas. At that point it was raining and we were exhausted, so we decided to call it a night in Baker, CA and regroup for the next day.

More to come as I have time...

- Dan

Great Gas Station Shot. Best to have the biggest tank when riding with a buddy. VFR is not bad on tank range! My worst gas touring experience was with a guy with a Magna. Not good out west!

On tour I carry a MSR bottle for emergency fuel plus my stove supply.

But when you do that those bags start filling up fast. Good job on your first pack job.

Keep it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Introduction

Things went relatively smoothly until about 50 miles outside of Baker, CA when Joe radioed me to tell me "hey dude, my gas light is on, and um, my bike is sputtering." Of course he hadn't been paying attention to his gas gauge and his italian girl was thirsty. Only 150 miles into the trip, he was totally dry and we had to pull over. It was starting to rain and the next exit was 20 miles up, so I took off hoping I could find a container to throw some gas in and make it back before it started pouring. That's when I had the chance to take this picture.

attachment=9333:IMG_1000.jpg

I was able to make it back with an old Clorox bottle full of gas. At that point it was raining and we were exhausted, so we decided to call it a night in Baker, CA and regroup for the next day.

More to come as I have time...

- Dan

Great Gas Station Shot. Best to have the biggest tank when riding with a buddy. VFR is not bad on tank range! My worst gas touring experience was with a guy with a Magna. Not good out west!

On tour I carry a MSR bottle for emergency fuel plus my stove supply.

But when you do that those bags start filling up fast. Good job on your first pack job.

Keep it up.

We need moreeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :computer-noworky:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

Introduction

Things went relatively smoothly until about 50 miles outside of Baker, CA when Joe radioed me to tell me "hey dude, my gas light is on, and um, my bike is sputtering." Of course he hadn't been paying attention to his gas gauge and his italian girl was thirsty. Only 150 miles into the trip, he was totally dry and we had to pull over. It was starting to rain and the next exit was 20 miles up, so I took off hoping I could find a container to throw some gas in and make it back before it started pouring. That's when I had the chance to take this picture.

attachment=9333:IMG_1000.jpg

I was able to make it back with an old Clorox bottle full of gas. At that point it was raining and we were exhausted, so we decided to call it a night in Baker, CA and regroup for the next day.

More to come as I have time...

- Dan

Great Gas Station Shot. Best to have the biggest tank when riding with a buddy. VFR is not bad on tank range! My worst gas touring experience was with a guy with a Magna. Not good out west!

On tour I carry a MSR bottle for emergency fuel plus my stove supply.

But when you do that those bags start filling up fast. Good job on your first pack job.

Keep it up.

Yeah, gas will take up some space but being a newb on touring I wouldn't go anywhere significant without a gallon of gas, that's for sure. Some have said today's GPS's have gas stations loaded in their memory but roads close as well as businesses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

The GPS units do have a gas database but it is not a slam dunk either. On tour I do not reset my GPS miles per tank so I have immediate one touch access to gas stations anytime.

2375563680099738507S600x600Q85.jpg

Of course you have to update your maps and POI to get the latest information but again no guarantee. In my experience, the fuel database was worst in Alaska.

Edited to add: Fuel management is an issue out west especially if you are off the slab. Sometimes you just have to tank at 100 miles in preparation for a long lonely stretch or one with really expensive gas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like fun, Danman. You're getting us all antsy here in the Pacific Northwest Rain belt. Need summer weather badly.

You mentioned starting out with new tires, what tires were you and your buddy running and how did they look by the time you got to NY? Also, how did the Futura compare to the VFR? I see the range isn't as far, what about performance, handling, that sort of stuff?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.