Nothing special, 811 miles in one day

[FrugalNinja250]

Did my long ride today, came off without a hitch, mostly. My planning was mostly for naught, at least WRT miles between stops, because my first leg gas mileage was only 45mpg and I had to switch to reserve at 168 mpg. Not fun, I was panicking a bit because I was on a fairly long stretch with no exits or fuel stations. I think it must have been a bad load of gas, because previous trips with the saddlebags had me averaging in the mid-50's.

Another problem was cold. It's been in the mid-50's in the mornings, quite bracing for the ride to work. However, after about 50 miles hypothermia was starting to set in because I didn't think to put the liner in my mesh/textile jacket. I also didn't have the winter gloves. After another 80 miles I was getting to be pretty miserable and the sun hadn't even come up yet. I was actively looking for a WalMart to buy some long-sleeve shirts to put under my jacket, then stupid me I remembered I had a really nice rain jacket in my luggage. I put that on and it made the cold tolerable enough for the morning part of the ride.

Anyhow, was able to pull off 824 miles in 13 hours flat, with half a dozen brief rest stops and five fuel stops. The Corbin I got in Friday made all the difference in the world, lowering the pain level from 9 (where 10 is "Oh God, oh God, please, kill me now!") down to about a 4. Still somewhat painful but very tolerable. My longest break out of the saddle was maybe 20 minutes, most stops were in the 10-15 range. Average pace including stops was 62.4 mph, pace while moving was around 71. I spent long stretches with the speedo sitting on 85-90 indicated, 81-86 actual.

I did use up half a quart of oil on one 150 mile leg because I didn't realize I wasn't in 6th. The other legs I consumed just a trace amount of oil.

This is my first long trip, well, longer than 234 miles anyway. I started riding eighteen months ago so all things considered I'm satisfied. Now to enjoy some vacation time before getting ready for the ride home.

[Alex]

[highpsiguy]

I always said a good full day of riding should consist of around 500 miles. My best run ever was from Galveston Texas to Cornelia Ga. Thats close to 900 miles and I rode about 15-16 hours straight. That was a long time ago. Did it on my CX500. I ran out of gas somewhere in Lousianna and pushed it for 4 to 5 miles. *forgot to put reserve back down to on* Did that run sometime in early 90s.

[Snake]

Great ride report. My record to date is 600 miles in one day, man were my legs and but sore after that. I walked around bow legged like a cowboy all that night.

[rwheelz]

Hmmm we did about 200 miles today and my wife complained that her ass was sore (this is a long ride for her). Maybe I should look into a Corbin seat for her bike if you say it makes that much of a difference.

[FrugalNinja250]

Originally Posted by rwheelz

Hmmm we did about 200 miles today and my wife complained that her ass was sore (this is a long ride for her). Maybe I should look into a Corbin seat for her bike if you say it makes that much of a difference.

With the stock saddle more than 200 miles was pure agony. With the Corbin it was still uncomfortable, but only that, uncomfortable and not unbearable. Of course, everyone's butt is different, but it was a definite improvement for me.

[spooph]

sick! Good to hear. That's some miles for sure!

[SV-Mark]

very nice.. my last long day was a little over 750.. you are awesome

[Raybot]

thats awesome! I've not had a long day like that yet... I think my longest so far is around 350 ish, but I have only been riding a year. I hope to take some longer trips this coming season!

[FrugalNinja250]

I'm still writing a "real" trip report, but given that I didn't take any pictures and only one video of W Road (The squiggle thread) I don't know if it'll be worth posting.

I've been doing long drives for many years now and have evolved into what my friends call a "combat" driver. I purposely dehydrate myself and quit eating the day before in order to minimize bathroom-related stops, only stop for fuel (typically 8 minutes or less to put in 10 gallons and a brief trip to the men's room) and keep an actual speed about 5 mph over the prevailing speed of traffic, typically around 75-77 but sometimes as high as 80. I'll nibble on ice chips and salty food for the drive, no meals, no stops for food. I think that experience helped on my first long ride, though I didn't dehydrate for the ride and did stop for snacks high in simple/complex carbohydrates.

The ride back took me 12.43 hours because I was able to plan fuel stops better with experience on the bike plus I was geared up for the cold at the get-go and could maintain speed. When I left north Georgia at 7:24 am EST it was 42 degrees F with a north wind that helped me on the southbound leg to Birmingham. I was able to reduce the number of rest/fuel stops to 5 combined, averaging about 10-15 minutes each IIRC; if I do a full-up report I'll pull the actuals out of my logs.

All in all it was an excellent experience! In fact, it was so good that now I'm contemplating doing an IBA certified ride in the spring, something I'd never even considered attempting before. I'll have to do some research on routing and such, but I think I can easily accomplish such a ride.

[tjkamper]

Congrats on the trip. There is nothing quite like going a long ways on a small bike.

[j98sprint]

Excellent!!! 811 miles in one day, on a 250, wow!! That's a monster day on a dedicated tourer. You must be in your 20s or 30s to have done that on a 250.

Me and my loose crew do a south Florida to the N..C., Tn., north Ga., north Ala. run almost every spring and fall for the last 10 years. Usually around 2000 total miles. Sometimes interstates, sometimes backroads; sometimes 300 miles, sometimes 600 miles.

Rarely 800 miles, always on big bikes.

We salute you.

I want so bad to show up for one of the runs on my beat up, loaded '02 Ninja 250! I think it's only a matter of time.

You inspire me.

j98

[Sailariel]

Frugal, Great Job! Who says that 250's can't do tours. I regularly make a 510mi run to visit my very old mother (97) Corbin seat--Is there anything else? As for milage, I put an ounce of Marine Stabil (The blue stuff) in the tank everytime I fill up. For some reason it seems to offset the ill effects of the Ethanol. I carry a small bottle in a Zip Loc bag under the seat or in a saddlebag when touring. I would be remiss if I did not caution you concerning hydration. Not hydrating can be dangerous. It can cause lapses in judgment, and in some instances can induce a "Dream state". I think that Headshrink, who is an MD, will agree with me. I was only a PA. Better you stop by the side of the road when nature calls, than to risk a crash. I always find wooded areas a welcome break. Again, congrats on your long trip.

[FrugalNinja250]

Originally Posted by j98sprint

Excellent!!! 811 miles in one day, on a 250, wow!! That's a monster day on a dedicated tourer. You must be in your 20s or 30s to have done that on a 250.

Me and my loose crew do a south Florida to the N..C., Tn., north Ga., north Ala. run almost every spring and fall for the last 10 years. Usually around 2000 total miles. Sometimes interstates, sometimes backroads; sometimes 300 miles, sometimes 600 miles.

Rarely 800 miles, always on big bikes.

We salute you.

I want so bad to show up for one of the runs on my beat up, loaded '02 Ninja 250! I think it's only a matter of time.

You inspire me.

j98

Hehe, no, I'm a couple years shy of the half-century mark, and I only started riding nineteen months ago. Got my license four months before that just after taking the MSF course. Prior to becoming a legal/licensed rider my lifetime accumulated motorcycle miles was under 20 miles, mostly off road. I'm not in particularly good physical condition, either; this body really took a beating in my early years.

One thing I'm really good at is planning and working out contingencies, and adapting to unanticipated changes in my plans. That helped a great deal on this ride. I'd also made this trip half a dozen times in the car so I knew the route fairly well and was comfortable with it.

When I do it again in the spring, likely as an IBA certified run (gotta add 176 miles in there somewhere, LOL), I'm going to ship all my stuff ahead of me and only take minimal tools such as a compressor and flat repair kit. I'll also have the 42T rear on it to go with the 15T front I put on just before this trip. If I can get my fuel mileage at 75+ up to, say, 58 mpg, then I can do the ride in 5 fuel stops.

Prep and planning is the key, so I say, go for it!

Originally Posted by Sailariel

I would be remiss if I did not caution you concerning hydration. Not hydrating can be dangerous. It can cause lapses in judgment, and in some instances can induce a "Dream state". I think that Headshrink, who is an MD, will agree with me. I was only a PA. Better you stop by the side of the road when nature calls, than to risk a crash. I always find wooded areas a welcome break.

I've got a lot of experience with deliberate dehydration and monitoring my mental state. I don't go so far as to cause total renal shutdown or dramatically decrease my blood volume, just enough to decrease urine production enough to go four hours or so between stops. That way I can combine pee breaks with fuel stops fairly conveniently. When I ride I use very little energy, mainly just enough to keep my hands from falling off the grips (and often just let my left arm lay on my leg, completely relaxed). Most of the time I was laying on the tank bag with the helmet resting on the front of the bag to carry my head and torso weight, allowing me to relax my back and torso muscles. The energy savings reduces production of metabolic wastes to the point where even after 4 hours my urine is only lightly straw-colored, not concentrated. It also helps that I'm extremely heat adapted; I rarely sweat at temperatures below 90 degrees F, and even above that I sweat very little. Not until about 105 do I start to drip.

Besides, at least here in Texas public urination is branded a sex crime and will earn you a lifetime Sexual Predator label. I'd rather go in my pants than on a tree anywhere where there's even the remotest chance of being seen by someone else.

[FrugalNinja250]

My riding posture for most of the trip. Vocal cords and neck muscles where fairly sore for a couple of days after the ride out, but not after the ride back. FWIW...

[Sailariel]

Looks like you have the situation under control and have studied hydration. People who don't prepare like you do can get over their head real fast. I had no idea that Texas treats taking a leak as a sex crime.

[wild-bill]

Wow. That's alot of miles in one day. And you did it on the 250. I haven't done that many miles in one day on any bike. I've had several 5 hundred and something mile days, but not 800+ yet. I've discovered that the Airhawk seat pad lowers the pain level on long rides.

[mikedabike64]

get this man a super tenere yama.

[eddiekay]

811 miles is the longest I've heard on these bikes. My max was 756 on an FZ6 a few years ago and my arms ached for 3 days. Right now...we're averaging about 350 on Saturdays...about 10 hours because we have to go thru NYC traffic to get in and out and spend as much time as we can on 2 lane blacktops but very surprising...the ninjette is absolutely more comfy than the 600.
My hat's off to you.

[slolane]

Nice! Longest for me is 500, and that was more than I would want to do again.

[nate-bama]

awesome the best I've managed is about 120 miles with a break and i was dying

[FrugalNinja250]

Originally Posted by nate-bama

awesome the best I've managed is about 120 miles with a break and i was dying

Yeah, the Cobin saddle and being able to rest my chin/torso on the tank bag, though it caused some discomfort in my larynx and front neck muscles, made all the difference in the world. In that riding posture I could completely relax my entire body, only maintaining just enough grip force to keep the throttle set. It only took tiny weight shifts and bar nudges to maintain course.