Chicago to DC on the Vstar: advice?

[dchakrab]

Hey all (and hey to all the new Riders of Vision...seems to have been a ton of new signups since I logged in last).

It looks like I have a conference in DC in about two weeks, and I'm thinking about riding instead of driving for once. Not the Vision (it's still in need of some TLC) but the Vstar 1100. Never been on a long bike trip in the US, so I thought I'd ask for some pointers.

What do you guys recommend in terms of:

1. Frequency of rest breaks? 15 minute stop every two hours, etc? Guessing I'll get 100-120 miles or so till reserve, so 2-hour stops seems mandatory. In terms of fatigue? My mechanic says it all depends on the seat, and there's no way to know for sure till I've been riding for several hours.

2. Maintenance / checks prior to leaving? Anything particular I need to double check? Bike has a windshield (just mounted), no saddlebags, probably one of those vertical cylindrical bag things for the back seat, no highway bars. Brakes, tires, and oil are great. 11k miles.

3. The vertical cylinder is a Nelson Riggs; assuming I can figure out how to strap it, is it ok to assume it'll be good for 720 miles? I was planning to check fastenings every time I stop.

4. Picked up a second hand Joe Rocket jacket (ballistic, armored), have gloves, and am waiting on a new modular helmet. Other than the usual "wear layers" ...any advice on textiles for the trip?

5. Riding plans: I'm thinking about leaving super-early on day #1, averaging 60mph, with stops for gas every two hours for 15 minutes. That puts me at 2:15 for 120 miles. Should I try to pull it straight through, or plan to stop in OH somewhere? I've done the drive straight through three times in the past three months, but I think the bike will cause much more fatigue (and slower speeds).

6. Good cruising speed? I was estimating 60, but the bike is an 1100 with pods/Krome pipes/rejetted, so I'm thinking higher speeds aren't totally out of the question. Especially in long flat Indiana stretches where everyone averages 80+. Is it a good idea to hold higher speeds on an air-cooled engine if I'm planning to ride for that long?

7. Anything else you guys can think of...I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

  Dave.

[ps2/bikevision]

dave, its been awhile. welcome back.

i would plan on doing it in two days. try to split it up. it will be less stress on you. if your making good time and decied to keep going its always better to be a day early than a day late. try to keep the weight low. you dont want to make it top heavy. youll want to stop for longer that 15 mins. most likely. lafter my trip to the dragon in 05, on my way back i was stopping every 100 miles just to let the blood flow back to my but. it was great though. 

highway speeds can be a little tricky. the air is much worse. cars and trucks passing you will push you around alot more than at 50. the shield will help out. when you stop for gas check your air pressure, oil, coolant level, well you know what to check.

the most important thing is to not push yourself like you would in a car. if your tired pull over. a few mins on the side of the road may just save your life.

but have fun too. make time to see a few things. (if there are any) make it a little pit stop. talk to people and have a good trip.

[haunter]

def take lots of breaks or fatigue will set in fast!

[Kevin]

Welcome back, I recommend wearing earplugs, at the end of the day you won't have a headache from the wind noise. My first choice is a  tank bag. Strap on type with quick release buckles. The more you stuff in the better they work.   

[kwells]

If you have a budget for it I would add a ThrottleMeister or ThrottleLock to help with the fatigue.  Just take your regular gas breaks and add a few minutes extra.  I am not really thinking that you HAVE to limit your speed to 60. To be honest if all the traffic is doing 80 and you are doing 60, you are putting yourself in greater danger than speeding up to perhaps 70 or so. 
Dont really have to sweat it.  I would say to make sure u stay hydrated to alleviate the effects of being in the wind and I have read that the above idea of ear plugs helps with fatigue as well.  I like my iPod through the ChatterBox to keep me goin. That's really about it.  Turn the key and go once u think the bike is mechanically ready for it.

[Coil Coyle]

Dave,
Good to hear from you. Here's my tips to add to this trip list.

1. Ear plugs. I don't even want music on a long ride, but if you got music keep it down where you can barely hear it.

2. Lots of fluid, you're air-cooled too.

3. Ride 200 yds behind one of those 80+ cars, if your oil is full the engine will cool fine. The 200 yds is to give you front clearance so you can scan your mirrors and both flanks often for rear attack while allowing the distance necessary for you to react and allow the 80+ "rabbit" in front to get the radar ticket.  8)

4. Take breaks, carry something that will serve as a small pillow while you stretch out on the ground and watch the birds at a rest stop. This is to unfold your neck and shoulders, but on a VStar your hands may also need to de-buzz. I use a thin windbreaker that is flannel lined, rolled up.

Have fun. An entertained mind is a safe mind. I pray I can see the Smithsonian some day. If you have the chance, take it.

$0.02
;)
Coil

[ProfessorRex]

I did Dallas-New Orleans recently

One thing I liked, and one I missed:

1. I had a camel back and it was a god-send.  Drink lots of water.

2. I forgot ear plugs, and regretted it the whole way so wear ear plugs

As far as rests went I rested when I saw something pretty, or when I needed gas.  I listened to my body and didn't push it.

[haunter]

yeah get a camel back, you can find em for 20 bucks these days

[don_vanecek]

Have you had a chance to go on an hour out and hour back highway trip on your VStar?  You need about that long a trip to find out how your body reacts to the bike you are on. I was not bothered by the seat of my Vision on my trip last summer but after an hour or so the back of my neck starts to hurt and just gets worse each hour I ride. Seems to be many factors to cause this, riding position, body type, etc. You just about need a two hour long ride to see how your body will react (if you have chance before going on the longer trip).

As for speed, I think you will find yourself willing to go faster and faster as you get adjusted and used to riding at speed. Hopefully you will not have really gusty winds (just makes you have to concentrate more). Did anyone mention having a rainsuit in your bags?

I would certainly think this trip should be but a stones throw for a bike with 1100cc's to make!

Unless I can team up with someone in a four wheeler, I know I plan to make my ride to the 25th anniversary meet in Colorado a two day event (in a cage I would normally do it in one day).

Good luck, you will have to tell us your experience in the "Going Riding" part of this forum.

[h2olawyer]

The ear plugs cannot be stressed enough.  Also take stuff to clean your helmet visor.  Never know when you'll run into a swarm of bugs.

Don - Crossing Nebraska only seems like three days.

H₂O

[dchakrab]

Guys, can't thank you enough for the responses / advice so far.

The previous owner said the Krome pipes were crazy loud so he always wore earplugs. I might just be deafer, but I *love* the sound, so I've never worn them. Then again, I've never held the bike at speed for hours on end either. I'll grab a set.

Engine + scenery...who needs music?

Camel hump? I have no idea what this is, but I can guess. Will find one. I'm a big fan of vitamin water on road trips, so I plan to stay very hydrated.

I'll do a couple of stops and see if 15 minutes is too short...longer would work, too. I wanted to take two-laners instead of the expressways, since that generally makes more conversations possible...people just seem more willing to talk at the local diner than a highway rest stop fast food chain. Might add a ton of time to my trip, of course.

Didn't really think about center of gravity...probably should have. That cylinder's going to make it really easy for the wind to blow me over. I have a tank bag, but the Vstar has a tank-mounted odo, so that might not work so well. Hmmm. Should I dump the cylinder and just do the trip with a small backpack? It'd be a lot less convenient to have that much reduced baggage capacity, but might be safer for a first trip.

Might interfere with this camel hump contraption, though. Will do some reading.

Thanks guys! Any other advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Any great places to stop between Chicago and DC?

  Dave.

[dj]

I would say a hearty negative on the backpack idea.  I've taken some long trips (for me) from Bangor (central Maine) to Newport and then from Newport straight through to Greenville (Northern Maine) which is only about a 3-4 hour trip with breaks and the back pack was killing me.  And that was with most of the weight of the bag resting on my sleeping bag that was strapped to the seat behind me.

Either go with a tank bag or the roll bag.  The backpack will put strain on your shoulders, upper back, and neck.  Not a fun situation for an all day drive.  Backpacks are good for real short trips around town, but not for long huals.

just my $.02

Definitely go with the ear plugs.  When going 70-80 mph the wind is almost deafening.

[Kevin]

Your right, 2 lane trip is much more pleasant. Any time you stop and want to talk to people take off the sunglasses and  remove your helmet. With these on you are some alien behind a mask.

[ps2/bikevision]

if your worried about cargo then take two back packs, if you have them, connect them together and sling them over the seat behing you and stap them down somehow. makes a cheap set of saddle bags. ive done this a few times. or take a long duffle bag and load it up so most of the contents are on the sides then hook it to the bike. with a little thought you can make anything work. ive never used a tank bag, though i want one.  a cargo net works great for hold things down too.

[dchakrab]

Strapping down backpacks: That could work, if I have enough faith in my strapping to trust it for a long trip. If it's a safety issue I'd just as well ride without and trust that my brother can lend me a dress shirt when I get there.

I'll have to carry a laptop, though, so at least one light backpack will be in order. Might wear it in front, resting on the tank, so there's no direct strain on the back / neck / shoulders.

Did an hour ride in city traffic today...just aimlessly wandering around Chicago. No major fatigue or pain, other than the clutch hand (all stop-and-go). Seat still seems comfortable enough. Would have ridden more, but it got cold all of a sudden.

Any recommendations for two laners between here and DC? Favorite routes, highways to avoid, etc?

[vavision]

Get your ear plugs from a music store. They should have ones with high and low filters built in. It takes away the wind noise and loudness from your pipes but doesn't muffle your hearing as much. It's the best way to go other than getting custom ones made. They cost about 12-15 bucks but last quite some time