I tend to the real long trips on the bike, 3k-4- round trips. I use it in place of my pick-up now that gas is so high. I go for the miles so have done a couple of over 650 days, but it's not all that much fun. this year I'm doing a lot of catch up work on the bike (cam chain upgrade, air filter mod, car tire perhaps on the back) so there won't be a long trip this summer. But I am going to try for a 12 mile round trip to the South Dakota Badlands for a little camping outing towards the end of September.

Even with the different seat, floorboards, windshield, etc. this bike is never going to be a Goldwing. Given that I've done three really long runs over the past two summers I've gotten to know that the bike goes down the road without a whimper. The only problem I've had was that the negative terminal on the battery came loose on me once. If that happens in  a car the motor just keeps running. On the bike (to my surprise) everything stops. DEAD!!! Took me a while by the side of the road in August in Wisconsin to figure out what the deal was. Carry tools.

New tires. New tubes. No flats. So far.

I've done both motels and camping. The motels are a nice treat when you've done 600+ miles on the 650, but the cost just keeps going up. The idea with the bike was to save money. In my vans or pick-ups I would just sleep most nights in the back and treat myself to a truck stop shower every so often. Now I haul a tent and sleeping pad.

As for riding times, go only until BEFORE you get to the miseries. Get off at a rest area, gas station, whatever. Walk around, lay in the grass with a book to stretch out the kinks. Just give yourself some stretch time. With my seat set-up and the extra and the oversized tanks I tend to go three  hours or so. I know from riding the stock seat that that's only possible once. After that sort of first leg your bottom just  doesn't snap back with a 15 minute potty break.

Drink lots of liquids. The wind can take it out of you fast. Find a Gatorade flavor you can live with cold and warm. Stuff really works to keep your energy and fluids in place.

There's my seven cents worth. Inflation you know.

Jack

I would think that if you are camping out then 300 miles a day would be about all you could do on a regular basis. Setting up and breaking down camp would take close to two hours each day. If you are planning on a shower and a good breakfast then that is another 45 minutes. Add in a few stops and the day gets short for riding. After all 300 miles on the superslab will take 5 or 6 hours counting gas and rest breaks. Staying at motels would give you more time to travel, less setup and camp breakdown time but I think you would loose a bit for the overall experence.      

I realize I have a lot to learn yet about minimizing gear, but I've found it inconvenient to try to pack a camp outfit on the bike.  I've done it, but I'd rather stay at a cheap motel or bed and breakfast.  The tent, sleeping bag, and pad (if used) are big space eaters.  My load going to Philipsburg was huge, even if it didn't weigh much.  Throw in a stove, pan, coffee pot, plate, cup, utensiles, food, change of clothes, etc...  Things start getting tricky.  Riding isn't tough with all that, but packing it and unpacking were a pain.  On our later trip together, Kay and I stayed in a cabin and bought food.  It was a huge difference.  

Now that Kay has a bike that will carry some gear, it may not be so bad.  

With all that said, if funds are inadequate to do the motel/restaurant thing, I'll camp before I stay home and miss a ride.

My trip last year to OKC was 570 miles to the first motel, 517 miles to the second motel, a lazy 250 miles into OKC where I spent two nights.

Return home was done on back roads at about 300 miles/day.

Reaching home I parked the bike in the garage and didn't even LOOK at it for three days!

That was stock saddle.  Gots a Springer now!  Add floorboards and I'll be ready for the reunion in Fort Worth next year.

Stay away from Montana, there's a new savage gang terrorizing the town.  

Mick, while I do carry a pistol when I'm out and about, I think the chances of being accosted in a campground are fairly slim.  Look at it from a crook's point of view:  The "homeowner" or tenant is probably close by, along with other witnesses who are camped there.  Typically   a person who is camping is less likely to have items worth stealing than someone who parks his Lexus and goes into the motel for the night.  Lastly, those who are willing to camp are often cut from a little tougher cloth than those who aren't.  Why risk getting shot or carved up just to get your hands on a Coleman stove worth nine bucks?

Depending on the country you are in, I think prowling animals are more likely to disrupt your sleep than prowling hooligans.

Ed L. wrote on 08/23/08 at 17:20:36:


Ed, ya need new gear -- and some practice!

Setting up camp for one (or two) should only take 15 to 20 minutes.

First, unroll your therma-rest and open the valve.  Let it inflate while you set up the tent.  (Let's say this takes 2 minutes.)

Next, A modern self supporting backpacking tent should take less than 5 minutes to set up -- do it in the shop with a stopwatch.  Look for one that has clip-on poles, sliding shock-corded poles into sleeves only slows ya down.  Police up the worst of the sticks and stones from your tent site, and set up the tent. (Call this 8 minutes)

Put a few more puffs of air into the therma-rest.  How many?  Enough so your butt doesn't actually hit the ground.  For me, it's 7 breaths of air into the valve, then close it up while my tongue keeps the air from leaking out. Throw it into the tent.

Pull the sleeping bag out of the stuff sack, shake it out and place over the therma-rest.  (If these two steps take over 2 minutes, you're just dawdling)

Take your backpacker's stove and teakettle, put it on the picnic bench, firepit or charcoal grate and fire it up. Take out mess kit and dinner selection.  (one more minute)

Pour a wee drop of your favorite adult beverage to celebrate while water boils or skillet heats up.  (Camp's set up -- you're off the clock!)

Breaking down in the morning is pretty much the reverse.  In the reverse order, so everything is set up for the next evening.  Tent and sleeping bag are stuffed, so that goes quickly.  Squeezing the air out of the therma-rest can take a little time. I hand squeese mine, close the valve, unroll it and then open the valve and re-roll it under my knees.

Only glitch can be in getting a really early start -- a tent full of morning dew can be a problem.  If you have to put it away damp, you definitely want to set it up in the sun at a rest stop during the next day!



OK, this tent takes a little longer, but it has the "thread the poles into the sleeves" design!



It's more for "destination" camping rather than "transit"!