Long Distance
 

Hey all! Well This saturday, weather permitting, I am going on pretty good sized group ride to the Outer Banks and back to Goldsboro. We are making it a good scenic route which in turn is going to take 12.5 hrs.
I was wondering if you had any advice on long rides?

How do you deal with the discomfort?

What kind of things should I check my bike for before the trip?

Also, a lil thing that sucks, my fuel gauge doesnt work, I know this is a long shot question, but does anyone know about how far a 06 CBR600f4i can get on a tank? I usually go about 100mi before I fuel up.

Any hints, tips are welcomed! Oh and if anyone is in NC and wants to join your more than welcomed too! We got a good group going, street, harley and goldwing, its for my buddy deploying soon.

Take care yall!

Sounds like you have a nice little ride planned. Hope all goes well. Best wishes for your buddy's deployment.

Comfort-wise... the best thing I can recommend is wearing comfortable clothing under your gear. Other tips for 'comfort'... don't be in a hurry... A ride of this sort should be relaxing, not pressured. Make sure to stretch b/f getting on your bike for the first time. Allow time to take as many breaks as possible/necessary. Stretch again as needed. The better hydrated & relaxed you are, the better you will ride (& enjoy)...keep a bottle of water in your tank bag. I don't like to be hungry on rides either... Throw an energy bar/snack in your tank bag to munch on when you feel the need.

Since you're going to be in a group, allow proper spacing...this will keep you less tense than being wheel-to-wheel, so to speak.

Things you check on your bike... are the things you always check on your bike. ;-) Tires/tire pressures, chain, fluids, brake pads, fork seals, etc etc etc. You always want to do a good pre-'flight' check. ;-)

Gauge/Mileage... You should be able to get 150 mi on a tank easily. Since your gauges don't work, you should continue getting gas at whatever interval you are used to (or close to it). The less confusion the better.

Tips... Already added a couple in the 'comfort' topic above. Additionally, someone in the group should take a tire puncture repair kit & a tool kit. Seems there's always one flat in a large group on a long touring ride. Take a micro-fiber towel & cut it in half or smaller & spray it liberally w/ Honda Polish...put it in a ziploc & put it under your seat...then it'll be there when you need it. If you're going to be going thru unincorporated areas that don't have cell coverage or spotty coverage, turn off your cell phone...otherwise, it will keep searching for a signal & drain your battery. Mainly, just be relaxed & not worried about time-constraints.

Weather... It is what it is. I personally don't use rain-gear all that much unless its prolonged storm. However, to ea his own...take it if you normally use it.

Enjoy!

One suggestion is if you can get your hands on a $10 throttlerocker you will thank me 10 times over, Great for strecthing your throttle hand without letting off the throttle.

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Sweet! Great advice, I didnt think about a tire repair kit at all! What is the Honda Polish for though?

Jeff Jones- Good idea, they might have one at the bike shop here, My throttle hand gets crazy tired on normal rides so I can imagine how it will be on this trip. 0_o

Again thanks GotCBR, very good advice!

Sure thing. Glad to help. The baggie w/a cloth liberally sprayed w/ Honda Polish/Plexus/etc will be there to clean your helmet's visor when you need it. ;-)

Ahhh soooo! haha def didnt cross my mind! I use auto glass cleaner, wont ruin my tint. :)