Member Contributer landlover Posted January 26, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 26, 2015 One of the best motorcycle trip planning tips I ever read, is to send yourself a care package ahead of time to your destination. Why lug all the stuff with you, when you only need half of it before you get there? Great Idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer landlover Posted January 26, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 26, 2015 I see a lot of people that go have track suits, is this something I should purchase before I go? I have motorcycle Jean's with armor, and wear gloves and shift racing leather jacket, Have not read all posts but look at the pros and cons of leather, it will be spring yes. The only advantage of leather to me is leather bites where textile slides. Look at that the pros and cons and usage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer landlover Posted January 26, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 26, 2015 American Motorcycle Association membership includes free roadside assistance and costs less than the expanded AAA bike coverage. AAA, AMA and Honda have roadside assistance. Think Honda's plan will tow it to nearest dealer regardless of miles. Have posted to many and wanted to say the most important thing, have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMTintruder Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 How do I get ahold of killboy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted January 26, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 26, 2015 How do I get ahold of killboy? Try here... http://www.killboy.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted January 26, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 26, 2015 I see a lot of people that go have track suits, is this something I should purchase before I go? I have motorcycle Jean's with armor, and wear gloves and shift racing leather jacket, Have not read all posts but look at the pros and cons of leather, it will be spring yes. The only advantage of leather to me is leather bites where textile slides. Look at that the pros and cons and usage. Not sure what you mean by leather "bites" and textile slides. Have you seen any track races where a rider crashes? They usually just slide right off the track. These guys are not wearing textile suits! It does though, really depend on the type of leather, the suit construction and how one lands when they crash. Not all leather is the same, there are so many different "leathers" out there now, goat hide, kangaroo hide, stingray, and of course cow hide. So even between leather suits there can be a significant difference in "sliding" performance. Whether one slides or not is relative to how they land and unless you're on the edge of a cliff, sliding is much more preferred to "bouncing" through your crash. For the OP, one thing to note, with a leather suit, unless the "incident" is really bad, the suit will usually hold up for more than one incident. Ever seen suits on some of these racers and canyon riders? Some pretty beat up suits out there but they're still wearable and functional, albeit a bit scuffed up. Textile gear usually last the one time, again depending on the incident and does not usually allow for continued use after performing its job. I am not knocking textile, I own 2 textile suits but I also own 2 leather suits. If I am planning on doing any real spirited riding, the leathers go on no if's and's or but's! If I'm touring or just tooling around town however, the textile will most likely be my go to gear. As stated by landlover, look into the pros and cons of both before you decide but if going for a leather suit, I would suggest a two piece that zips together, preferably with a full circumference zipper. These are made more for "average" use and allow the jacket to come off when not on the bike, making wearing the suit less cumbersome when eating or walking around. One piece suits are typically meant for racing and usually come "pre-curved", meaning that the suit is shaped more for the racing "tuck" position and is a lot less comfortable when off the bike. The two suits I have are almost identical except one is perforated for spring/summer. The other is non-perforated and is meant more for fall/winter. The latter suit I have been wearing lately and have purchased different under garments for the different temperature ranges we been having lately. The Cycle Gear 'Freeze Out' stuff for when the temps are low and compression shirt/pants when it's mild. When it's really cold I am trying a new route...active heated gear. (more detail below) When looking into suits, leather or textile, some come with removable liners which give a little more flexibility to when you can wear it. One of my textile suits has liners for when it gets cold, which means it can extend my riding into cooler climates and/or vice verse, remove it when it gets warmer. I like to also wear a back protector, not the one that goes inside a pocket in the jacket but the kind you strap on your back, so you may also look into getting a suit that fits a little looser if going this same route. Also, if you plan on doing any cold weather riding, look into active heated gear that you can wear under the suit. But look at this first as not all heated gear is the same. Some liners are much thicker than others and you'll want to have this gear on when trying on a suit. I bought some 'Venture Heat' Jacket and glove liners, the jacket liner is about the same thickness as a wind breaker and fits under my suit really well. The glove liners are a bit thicker than the silk liners I use, so I do need to find slightly larger gloves now. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum CEO HispanicSlammer Posted January 26, 2015 Forum CEO Share Posted January 26, 2015 I usually take a long 5000 or a 3000 mile round trip ride every year, honestly I have ridden most the roads around here so much I get wonderlust to go elsewhere. I have had a few incidents, I was riding a back road that was chip sealed with flint rock and got a puncture on my back tire, I have a plug kit and pump and just sat in the parking lot of a gas station and fixed it. Took an hour, my buddy Rob waited patiently, it was raining rather hard. Best thing to do is to go over your bike carefully before leaving, make sure you have good tires, a chain with life in it, insure your charging system is not faltering, the engine is in good shape, change the oil, make sure your suspension is in good shape. Just get your bike ready beforehand and the issues on the road can be minimized. Take the time to do the maintenance before you go that the bike needs. Honestly Kentucky to the Deals gap is not a big deal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted January 26, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 26, 2015 I would vote against a GoPro (for now) As you are new to this touring game and maybe loads of twisties, knowing that there is a camera filming your every move, might make you focus more on looking good than focussing on the road and filling your brain with priceless memories. Pull over at scenic spots, take a few pictures (post them on VFRD!) and enjoy the ride for you, not for FB..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted January 26, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 26, 2015 ...might make you focus more on looking good than focussing on the road... I think this is what is going on over at the Snake here in So Cal. The infamous corner that has tons of videos all over YouTube of people wiping out, isn't anything that difficult but none the less, all sorts of wipe outs are captured there. The consensus amongst the locals here is that people are so preoccupied about looking good for the camera that they lose focus on riding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFR4Lee Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 ...might make you focus more on looking good than focussing on the road... I think this is what is going on over at the Snake here in So Cal. The infamous corner that has tons of videos all over YouTube of people wiping out, isn't anything that difficult but none the less, all sorts of wipe outs are captured there. The consensus amongst the locals here is that people are so preoccupied about looking good for the camera that they lose focus on riding. There's a handful of interesting corners, but nothing too technical or hard. Try Latigo. First time I touched down my VFRs foot peg down was near the bottom going uphill on the snake. It's looking stupid (as it turns out) for the camera and friends, but also lack of skill as a cause. In a big way for some of them. Ha Haa! Or should I say, Doh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMTintruder Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 Iv been riding for 5 years and been able to keep within my limits so far, I'm just getting camera to record my first trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMTintruder Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 I understand what you guy are saying but I'd hate to take my first trip and not record it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted January 27, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 27, 2015 I understand what you guy are saying but I'd hate to take my first trip and not record it. Don't get me wrong, I was just stating what I thought was the cause of so many accidents on that one particular corner of the Snake. I would whole heartily suggest bringing some sort of video recording device, however, be advised that depending on the size of the SD card and battery, you might find yourself having way too much footage and it will take a while to filter it down to something more viewable. Or on the other end, you also might run out of SD MEM and/or battery, so maybe plan on bringing an extra battery or two and maybe an extra SD card or two. Oh and possibly a way to keep the batteries charged up on the go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roebling3 Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I guess I've been riding too long and have been way too lucky. Plus I do not ride ever, to fuss with videos or audios. I have been one damned lucky sumbitch, though. One flat in the garage. One spun clutch disc w/in a block of the house. One failed turn signal switch. 2 fuel starved events, both an easy walk with a fuel bladder. I ferry bikes for friends and friends of theirs, who don't ride many miles.. 2 this past summer. Massachusetts to Naggs Head, NC. MA to Knoxville, TN, both done in 3 days. I give those bikes a fairly careful once over and often leave the same day. ATGATT, head to toe. Casual jacket, Jeans or kakis, rain gear, 2 shirts + walking shoes and toiletries. I love putting miles on other peoples bikes; collecting an airline ticket home. Never had a breakdown on someone else's bike. Though a certain ST1200 had bad stem bearings. For crying out loud. You're an adult. As a 'friend(?) used to say; Saddle up and get the **** out of here.. I turned 80 last October. Been riding 64 years. Think how far down the road you could have been from when this diatribe began. Cripes, I wish I had as much time as you do. Good fortune, R3~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted January 27, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 27, 2015 Don't worry too much about the video you do or don't get. Nobody but you will ever look at it more than once, or want to as far as that goes. I've taken some video in the past, but now I just snap some pics since I'm the only one that's interested in them. I've got 800 million photos stashed in the storage room downstairs, most of which have never been looked at in 30 years. Don't fixate on photos and video so much that you don't just enjoy the ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted January 28, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 28, 2015 I understand what you guy are saying but I'd hate to take my first trip and not record it. Hell yes record it . In the winter, I love to replay the summers video recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMTintruder Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Ok guys last thing, I need a list of things you recommend getting since I plan on doing a lot of touring, gear, luggage, accessories, ext.. my wife is letting me spend our tax returns on it this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspanglish Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 There's a thread on that topic here somewhere... with everyone's 5 cents' worth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspanglish Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 This is one thread on that topic but not the one I was thinking of... http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/59738-long-distance-travel-must-haves/page-5?hl=list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFR4Lee Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 You're gonna have to make your own list EMT. Otherwise it will be way too long. BTW, make sure it all fits on the bike with a little room to spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4 Rosso Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Ok guys last thing, I need a list of things you recommend getting since I plan on doing a lot of touring, gear, luggage, accessories, ext.. my wife is letting me spend our tax returns on it this yearI think your bike is well sorted with the corbin seat, bags, top box and touring screen. Below a pic of VFRD member douglasthecook (with keny on the left) on his first motorcycle trip (3000km). SP1 tail and seat , about as comfortable as the rock he is sitting on, and only a tank bag. OK, maybe he cheated a bit and slipped a shirt or a pair of sneakers in mine or keny's luggage. Just to show you do not need to carry that much with you. I think Keny only had a tank bag and top box. I did too but as I would ride for another week I also had another (waterproof) bag with some extra clothes with me. I prefer the single top box and waterproof bag (strapped to the pillion seat) over using two side cases. Also the bag filling the gap between my back and the top case reduces turbulence around the top box. Only downside is it makes it a little more difficult to get on or off the motorcycle. The tank bag is only for stuff I'd like to have within reach like my camera or side stand pad. I would spend the money first on some comfortable gear. I used to wear bicycle shorts too and found those work well. But now, whether I am wearing my textile or leather suit (both two piece suits) I always wear a synthetic or merino wool base layer from e.g. Odlo or Patagonia, I think similar gear from Under Armour is used by a lot of the US VFRD members. Briefs, long john and long sleeve shirt with maybe an extra t-shirt, that's all. The T-shirt is also the same material, not cotton or any other material that absorbs moisture (e.g. sweat). These special fabrics not only keep you comfortable all day long, they also dry very quick so at the end of the day I give them a quick wash and they're ready to put on the next morning. Not something I do as I always bring at least one extra set and use another set the next day. As you allready have a leather jacket I would suggest leather riding pants, a pair of quality waterproof motorcycle boots and a pair motorcycle gloves. I like to bring a spare set of gloves too. When possible sign up to TexasMac. Riding in the mountains is very different fro commuting in the city and it is nice to be able to follow another rider that has some experience in riding the twisties. Also when in a group you do not have to worry as much about directions and can focus more on riding and enjoying the scenery. And when time and money permits: take the long way home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Damn that bike is hawt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted January 29, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 29, 2015 ...I think similar gear from Under Armour is used by a lot of the US VFRD members. It's over here too and excellent stuff! To the OP.....just do it! I appreciate yr misgivings but it'll be fine. Don't bite off more than you can chew, take a few "what if" items but not a boatload and the main thing is to enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFR4Lee Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Take cash, credit card, just do it. Post pics here after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DFerrell Posted April 10, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted April 10, 2015 A bad day on a motorcycle is better then a good day at work. Take some tools and a plug kit and a slime compressor. Make sure you have tools to get to your tools. Take water and goods snacks. Nuts, trail mix ect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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