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Long Distance Interstate Riding

posplayr said:
I'll just add a note about a guy I met last week. I was selling a tow bar on Craigslist Tucson to tow a car behind an RV. The guy shows up and is really nice and we quickly agree on a final price without much haggling. We keep talking about cars and motorcycles and turns out he had set a US record for riding a BMW GS motorcycle 20K miles in 25 days. Pretty sure his name was Steve Siler.
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This is Steven, he dropped back by to pick up some more parts from the tow bar.

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I do mostly long distance riding. Assuming I get away at a reasonably early hour I typically do 750-800 miles. I have done a couple of 1100+ days, one for an iron butt certification. A lot of important points have already been mentioned.

I fournd the Crampbuster to be the best solution for a "cruise control" but you must use a thinner one than is in Charlie's link or trim that one down. AND--most important--it must be mounted on the INSIDE of the throttle grip next to the switches, NOT on the outside. That way you just have to slide your hand to the ouside of the grip to let the throttle snap closed. When I had it on the outside I thought it downright dangerous in any kind of close traffic/quick stop situarion. With it mounted on the inside I just rest the fat part of my hand beind the thumb on it to hold the throttle open. I can uncurl and stretch my all my fingers and thumb at the same time if I wish. And if you don't want to fork over the $9.95 you can make a reasonably functional similar device from a hose clamp.

Don't plan your trip in miles. Do it in gas stops. Take your total number of miles and divide by your range (mileage x tank capacity); allow some slack of course; I don't know if the Bandit has reserve setting or not. From Evansville, IN (where I'm from) to Jacksonville FL (where I live) is 750 miles. Assuming I start with a full tank that means for me and my bikes 3 gas stops before I pull into my driveway. Psychologically 3 is a much less daunting number than 750.

And when you make your gas stop, do not ride immediately to the pump. First pull to the curb, go inside, take your leak, get your drink; then fill up as the last thing you do before pulling out. You are less likely to do something stupid like leave a cap loose, drop your credit card, drop your bike, etc. when you aren't fatigued, thirsty, and have a painfully full bladder.
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Thanks, Don. I'm going to switch my Crampbuster as you recommend. And I like the order of doing things at a gas stop.

I'm also finding it useful to make intermediate stops every hour or two. Get off, do a few stretches, walk a few hundred feet, do a few more stretches, and get going. Wasn't necessary when I was younger, but seems to help now.
 
themess said:
Thanks, Don. I'm going to switch my Crampbuster as you recommend. And I like the order of doing things at a gas stop.

I'm also finding it useful to make intermediate stops every hour or two. Get off, do a few stretches, walk a few hundred feet, do a few more stretches, and get going. Wasn't necessary when I was younger, but seems to help now.
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My habit is to combine rest stops with gas stops. If I need to stop and stretch, I stop at the nearest gas station and fill up. That is usually about two hours or 140 miles if I'm on a interstate.
 
Never hurts to top it off before it is needed.

I barely rode from 1994 to 2015. I didn't mind interstates much with 55 mph speed limit, but I really don't like them with average speeds above 75 mph. It's partly the noise, but mostly heavy traffic + noise + too many driving at 85+ mph.
 
themess said:
Never hurts to top it off before it is needed.

I barely rode from 1994 to 2015. I didn't mind interstates much with 55 mph speed limit, but I really don't like them with average speeds above 75 mph. It's partly the noise, but mostly heavy traffic + noise + too many driving at 85+ mph.
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I prefer not to ride at 80, but I figure it is more dangerous to have a constant flow of traffic weaving around past me than it is to keep up with about 95% of the traffic, so at 75 mph or more I have a lot less encroachment from the rear. I normally will work my way through traffic until I find a clear place between gaggles of butt buzzards. LOL
 
On the interstate highways I usually ride 5-10+ mph faster than the traffic. I like to put the traffic in my rearview mirror. Then a lot of times you can slow down and be in your own space for miles, or till the next entrance ramp.
 
Last night on my may to a HS championship lacrosse game to watch a bunch of kids I coached when they were 8-14 year olds, (they won, in OT, it was awesome, I almost cried), anyway, where was I.... Oh yeah, a bridge out on the 2 lane county road I intended to take, detoured me onto the interstate. I really didn't want to, but I was determined to get to the game. It was only about a 15 mile stretch. I had never ridden on the Interstate before. I've just never had a reason to. Now I know I'm nowhere near ready for long distance highway travel. I knew it would be rough with no windshield, I just didn't know how rough. Bike is running great, had no problem with the speed, but getting behind a 18 wheeler in its draft was just about the least comfortable I've ever been on a motorcycle. The buffeting was ridiculous. I passed that truck going about 80mph and she still had more to give. Cops abound on this stretch of I-80 so I settled in front of that truck only to get behind another. Suffice to say, I'm not ready for long distance. First item to get is a windshield, and maybe some more comfortable grips.
 
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Rich82GS750TZ said:
Last night on my may to a HS championship lacrosse game to watch a bunch of kids I coached when they were 8-14 year olds, (they won, in OT, it was awesome, I almost cried), anyway, where was I.... Oh yeah, a bridge out on the 2 lane county road I intended to take, detoured me onto the interstate. I really didn't want to, but I was determined to get to the game. It was only about a 15 mile stretch. I had never ridden on the Interstate before. I've just never had a reason to. Now I know I'm nowhere near ready for long distance highway travel. I knew it would be rough with no windshield, I just didn't know how rough. Bike is running great, had no problem with the speed, but getting behind a 18 wheeler in its draft was just about the least comfortable I've ever been on a motorcycle. The buffeting was ridiculous. I passed that truck going about 80mph and still she still had more to give. Cops abound on this stretch of I-80 so I settled in front of that truck only to get behind another. Suffice to say, I'm not ready for long distance. First item to get is a windshield, and maybe some more comfortable grips.
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Lighten up your grip and relax. The bike will do the work for you if you let it.
 
earlfor said:
Lighten up your grip and relax. The bike will do the work for you if you let it.
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I'll have to remember that. I did realize when I got off my exit, that I was totally bunched up from my fingers all the way through my shoulders.
 
Rich82GS750TZ said:
Last night on my may to a HS championship lacrosse game to watch a bunch of kids I coached when they were 8-14 year olds, (they won, in OT, it was awesome, I almost cried), anyway, where was I.... Oh yeah, a bridge out on the 2 lane county road I intended to take, detoured me onto the interstate. I really didn't want to, but I was determined to get to the game. It was only about a 15 mile stretch. I had never ridden on the Interstate before. I've just never had a reason to. Now I know I'm nowhere near ready for long distance highway travel. I knew it would be rough with no windshield, I just didn't know how rough. Bike is running great, had no problem with the speed, but getting behind a 18 wheeler in its draft was just about the least comfortable I've ever been on a motorcycle. The buffeting was ridiculous. I passed that truck going about 80mph and still she still had more to give. Cops abound on this stretch of I-80 so I settled in front of that truck only to get behind another. Suffice to say, I'm not ready for long distance. First item to get is a windshield, and maybe some more comfortable grips.
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also get some earplugs, if you don't have them already!
 
My grips are wrapped with strips of an old innertube, my hands are big to start with and the cusioning is nice to have.
 
"lighten up your grip and relax" is mostly about relaxing physically, while maintaining mental alertness. It is easy to worry yourself into a scary situation or a crash.
 
I commute regularly on my bike, 40 mins of 70mph interstate at a time, and have found two things that really help: Comfortable grips (I have big mitts, so oversized but squishy grips are a must; good grips help deaden vibrations too) and a decent windscreen that will direct most of the wind up over your helmet. I'm firmly in the "throttle rest" style camp as well, I don't use it for my commute, but for longer highway blasts I have it set up all the way to the inside of the throttle, and rest my thumb/thumb side of my palm, on it to keep the throttle open and stretch out my fingers.
 
Look up "Grip Puppies" on Google - These are foam that slides over the existing grips and makes them bigger and softer ;)
 
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