Just for interest really. I only got my bike in Jan and rode 280 miles yesterday to sit with my dad in his back garden for a few hours. I felt pretty good on the way there, just a knot in my shoulder but on the way home my bum ached and my inner thighs ache today from gripping the tank. Not muscles i normally use i suppose. lol. I have a honda comfort seat but towards the end of the ride it was uncomfortable. Getting more time on the bike will help for sure. The old man even joined me for a stint on the way home on his wing. How do you lot find long rides?
Nice pics! For me the biggest issue with riding long distances is boredom, if you're on the motorway - or just the sheer extra time it takes to go the more interesting route. And temperature too - anything below 10C gets chilly if you're at speed on the bike for an hour or more. Did you take the motorway or the scenic route Kirk?
250-300 miles is about my limit when touring on the Fireblade in Scotland. Anything more and its no longer enjoyable and you find yourself nowhere near as sharp as you need to be. Day trips I tend to do 150-250 miles. Best tip I ever got when riding all day was try to get the bulk of the miles done in the morning with 1 short break. Then in the afternoon you have time for 2-3 longer breaks when your getting tired.
Bit of both really m25, a12 then smaller A roads for last 40 miles. Your right about motorways but i picked up a few bikes on the way. A new zx10r joined me for a while and sadly passed a smashed up bike on the other carrigeway on A12. Did not look good. I hope the rider is ok.
On a Euro trip a few years ago just under 500 miles in a day, I'm not a big guy so no probs with comfort on the blade.
Good advice mate, i was not having so much fun towards the end to be fair. The cameras on the m25 did not help.
I always find it's the time not the miles that's the killer. Mix the M roads, A roads and twisty bits and it can be fun but a long slog is crap for me. Being born in the Stone Age means I can last a couple of hours without a break but longer than that I'm wishing I hadn't thought it was such a good dea.
Once we managed Monza in day when Foggy was at his peak, that’s around 700 miles, finished work Friday afternoon, rode home, strapped on the seat pack, slept on a late ferry rode through France in the dark, another couple hours kip on a service area bench, another group had gone down a day before, ie the sensible thing to do, we arrived in the evening before the race at Lake Como, full of adrenaline and starving hungry and a thirst to match, ended up getting so pissed we slept in late, no chance of riding a bike in that state, so took a taxi into town to watch the race on telly......it was a friggin F1 weekend, and that trumps everything, so we watched that and got more tanked, still to this day never seen Monza in the flesh.
I've run 2 strokes in, 500 miles in a day before. Done it a few times so I could get the first service done asap and cane it. Had a funny one with a dealer before when I asked if I could book the 1st service the day after collection. Longest day trip was just over 400 miles to get fish and chips in Aberystwyth (I ate them there, I didn't bring them home). That was 2 up with Mrs on the back of a new 954 Blade, comfortable sports bike that was.
Furthest in one day on my blade was about 4 years ago: left Black Forest Germany at breakfast, got home to Derby in time for bed. Was about 700 miles plus the tunnel. Was trying to outrun the rain and almost managed it.
300 miles round trip with a good few hours stop between coming home and I wouldn't want to do more. I'm 6'3 and find it an absolute killer by the time i'm half way home so that last 75 miles is not enjoyable. I'm constantly having to move about, stretch my legs and stand up. A combination of of being late 40s and only riding the bike a few times a year means i'm never bike fit. In my 20's riding long distance was never an issue but I rode 5 days a week all year round so bike fitness wasn't an issue and nor was creaky joints back then!
From the Assen TT to a place in France called Troyes - about 425 miles. Did that on the Fireblade. Down through Holland was all motorway, which was good progress - but not very interesting Got to Belgium and followed the Meuse for a bit through the Ardennes, which slowed things down. That bit was nice. Long day but not crazy long.
I probably never go above 250miles however my preference is to do much shorter bursts of harder riding. I try to avoid afternoons for riding as I am not ax alert and I know if pressing on I run a little wide more often or just fluff up a series of bends or whatever. In the mornings my ridings is just more accurate so leave a little early blast between 60 and 100 miles. Stop have coffee and then return. Had my need for speed, not saddle sore and still got the rest of the day to day stuff.
Can you send me that route? I would like to do that one day, it looks amazing. I take it you did it over a couple of days and not 10 hours solid!
Here is a list of the towns on the route. 400 mile round trip taking in Balloch , Aberfoyle, Callander, Lochearnhead, Crief, Dunkeld, Blairgowrie,Braemar, Granton on Spey, Aviemor, Spean Bridge, Fort William, Appin, Oban, Lochgilphead, Arrochar, Garelochhead and back to Balloch. When I get a chance I’ll put together a proper route with roads and directions etc. Did it in one day, didn’t quite take 10 hours.
