Second year riding, thinking of heading to Florida in May. | GTAMotorcycle.com

Second year riding, thinking of heading to Florida in May.

dshishir42

Well-known member
Hey guys, I am gonna done with my last year of university (21 years old) in April, and before I start the life as an actual adult, I wanna go off for one final tour, one last crazy drinking and partying rampage. I am a relatively new driver (Second season riding) on my CBR300RA. I am thinking of heading down south, and staying at the big cities with good nightlife. I am thinking of heading down to Florida during May, and rn my plan is:

Day 1: Toronto to Detroit.
Day 2: Detroit to Cincinnati
Day 3: Cincinnati to Nashville
Day 4: Nashville, TN to Atlanta
Day 5: Atlanta to Jacksonville, Fl
Day 7: Jacksonville to Miami

Spend about a week around Florida.

Day 15:Florida to Savanna, Georgia
Day 16: Savanna to Myrtle Beach
Day 17: Myrtle Beach to Virginia Beach
Day 18: Virginia Beach to Baltimore
Day 19: Baltimore to New York
Day 20: New York to Toronto

As you can see, I am trying to be cautious being a new rider, and on a sportsbike, and limiting my ride time to about 3-4 hours on average per day. Many of you guys have gone across the continent on the motorcycle, so I was looking to get some feedbacks from you guys, if it is reasonable for a new rider and see if any of you guys might be interested in 20 days of full on clubbing, bar hopping, drinking and laying on the beach. RN, I am thinking of doing it solo.

Of course, never ride drunk, and have emergency medical insurance to cover me on my trip to the US. My budget is around $2k for 20 days, which I think should be more than doable if I AirBnB/Hostel World, eat cheap, and spend most of the money on drinks and stuff. I am a seasoned traveller, and have been to a few countries in Europe, Asia and Caribbean.
 
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I realize everyone likes riding for different reasons.

However, to me, your route is just pounding out monotonous highway miles from crowded, big city to crowded, big city. To me, that sounds like a nightmare motorcycle ride.

You are actually routing around some amazing motorcycle roads in PA, the Virginias, Smokey Mountains and Northern GA. Scenic and twisty.

Also, your target of 3-4 hours of ride time per day doesn't take into account big city traffic, of which you are traveling through some of the most crowded and congested cities in America. Ugh, I cringe, just imagine being stuck in traffic on a motorcycle in Detroit, Atlanta, NYC (3-4 hours just getting out of Manhattan alone) etc.

I wonder, if it's a bender road trip you're looking for, why not just do it in a car? Cram it with 3-4 of your best buddies over three weeks, share driving duties depending on who's the least hung-over... that would be a f'n riot!
 
4 hours is no prob on a CBR300.

Party it up but DO NOT ride hung over. Just as bad as being drunk on a bike.

By the sounds of it, you'll be taking mostly highway between cities and riding a giant circle around the best part of eastern USA, the Appalachian mountains. If highways are exciting for you, the bike will do but sounds like riding isn't the fun part of this trip. I'd take a car if you want to party in different cities every night.

Cabs/walking to club districts will cost extra if you're staying in cheaper (usually further) accommodations.

Gas will cost you a couple hundred for that close to 5000km trip.

$2000 will not go very far for 20 days of "full on clubbing".

20 days on a bike will be dirty for clothing. Not much room for spares especially when you have rain gear with you.

That last haul from New York to Toronto, although very doable, I bet that at the end of 20 days, you're not going to want to be on the bike for 8 hours. That'd probably be a 12 hour day on the road.

Long bike trips are not glamourous. They're super fun...but the fun is in the riding and sight seeing.
 
My 2nd year riding I quit my job, headed west and then south. Took a month. Went as far as Van. Isle and L.A. and back. Don't miss the opportunity, and don't miss some of the out of the way places along the way. One big city is pretty much like another.
 
Hey guys, thank you for the responses. My main destination is actually Florida, and Myrtle Beach coming back. I just thought that it would be economical finding cheap airbnbs in the big cities, as has been the case everywhere else. More tourists coming in, more competition in room prices, simple supply and demand. I definitely do not want to ride drunk or hung over, I know how unpleasant that is!

So, going through your suggestions, I am gonna now go from
1. Toronto to Pittsburg
2. Pittsburg to Charleston WV
3. Charleston to Lexington, KY

And the same route further down as before.

Coming back,
Baltimore to Scranton, PA
Scranton to Toronto

Yeah, I figured at the end of 20 day long trip, I would not wanna ride 8-12 hours from NYC to Toronto. These are just the major cities that I plan to find accomodation on. I plan to detour and check out most of the countryside while I am down there.
 
Motorcycle parked outside a nightclub in a big city is not going to be there when you come back.

If you are going to party, take the car. If you are going to ride, skip the big cities and figure on covering much less distance.
 
Floriduh...ugggh
 
What's your daily budget for accommodations?

To me, routing through big cities just to save $10-$15/night on a room isn't worth the hassles of traffic, congestion and the inattentiveness/douchebaggery of city drivers.
This guy more than knows what he's doing! LISTEN TO HIM


and as for me, i can vouch that riding from qc city to toronto was a pain in the *** (a little more litteral than i'd want it to be)
but i wasn't geared properly (i was freezing after sun went down right after montreal) and hit some random construction traffic around kingston... let me tell ya, it won't be any better going from ny to toronto...by then you'll be used to their signage but i find that it's not a as good or forgiving as what we have in canada. highway slab is boring as ****. and gets uncomfortable fast. and since you're on a 300, you'll be probably going 120kph most of the way (in the states some places let you go 80mph but it's probably not a 'comfortable' spot on the 300)

so although the idea is kinda nice, maybe re-focus your plan... 2k on 20 days doesn't leave much
Approximately:

$5-10 for gas
$45 for accomodation
$10 for cover
$25 for drinks (clubs aren't cheap)
$30-40 for meals on the road

that's about $120 daily and just like that we're at $2400, then add the exchange factor with our dollar at its weakest in decades... and you are looking more at 3K + if everything goes right.

and that's just the basics if everything goes well. and on these kinda of trips nothing ever always goes well.
 
I really would rethink what you are trying to accomplish. Going for a bike trip or going for a party trip. If you are convinced you have to go to the big cities make sure you understand what that means, traffic,traffic,and more traffic. Also if you are primarily going to ride interstates get another bike. A 300 isn’t enough bike to be out playing with the semis. The interstates are jammed with tractor trailer rigs going 80 mph all the time, a 300 will be screaming and all the wind buffeting from the trucks will make things pretty interesting on a light small bike. It won’t be very relaxing. I’ve had trucks run right up my *** going downhill, I’m doing 140k on my 1300 and I’m still in their way. They want to keep their speed up for the inevitable uphill. It is possible to enjoy the ride and have a social life though. Think about hitting the college towns that are all around the Appalachian mountains. Go to State College in PA. lots of clubs and easy fun riding on 2 lane roads. Charlottesville in VA.,right by the Blue Ridge Parkway, huge university and college nightlife, Asheville NC. great small city with tons of nightlife, you get the idea. You can ride twisty fun more appropriate for a 300 roads and hit lots of places with great club action without going to the big cities and all the challenges they present. But it’s a free country, good luck.
 
I have a feeling you believe your trip will look like one of those "epic slow motion" highlight videos on YouTube.
 
You guys have helped me make my decision a lot better. Haha, I am a student, one thing I know is how to live in a shoestring budget. But, I got enough to cover expenses, so financially it's not an issue.

As for riding or partying, I don't know if it should be either or. I mean, riding alone, I don't wanna be in a remote area where I can't meet many people like I can in hostels and Airbnb, but I guess not in a big city either. I know being stuck on 403 for hours just getting from Hamilton to Toronto sucked so bad.

I will do more research and reupdate my route, gearing through Appalachian Mountains, living on towns with unis and so on. My goal is to reach Florida and Myrtle Beach, the most economical, safe and fun way possible.
 
sounds like a hell of a fun trip OP
may I suggest thinking of it in 2 components:

1) the destinations
narrow your list to 2 or 3
you mention beach towns, I like them too
so maybe plan on spending a few days in each one
at an airbnb with safe parking and near the beach
uber to the clubs

2) the ride
choose routes on secondary highways
safer, much more enjoyable
and try to put on more miles per day
to give you more time for component 1
airbnb's may be less abundant in the smaller towns/cities
but everything else is far more affordable
and you can meet cool people anywhere, especially riding
 
My goal is to reach Florida and Myrtle Beach, the most economical, safe and fun way possible

Fun is not the most economical.

Fun way is staying off the slabs and taking it easy through the lovely back roads.

Do longer but slower days. May is gorgeous down there and if you are camping at all there will be other riders. Just watch the weather and make sure you have layers....May can still be chilly in the mountains.

There are lots of us here that can plot you an interesting route.

That said ....partying usually implies booze and doing twists the day after drinking is not smart. SKip the social scene and concentrate on your ride.
THEN party at the major destinations.

I'd get a good route down to maybe Myrtle Beach.....take 3-4 days
Something like this gets you some good Pennsylvania Roads and part of the Blue Ridge Parkway

https://goo.gl/maps/cv941Vybsg52

I'd add State College to that map BTW great Uni town...good overnight for the second day.

Others can chime in on Back of the Dragon down near Wytheville.

THEN do your party stuff with the bike parked or in limited use. DO make sure you have proper medical insurance. You could be ruined for life without it.
Go with CAA for that and get your CAA premium road side assist.
 
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If I had 20 days and given your outline I'd do 2 trips. Ride to NY, PA, OH WV and those areas and enjoy back roads on your bike for 7 - 10 days. Then return home and fly on an all inclusive last minute type thing or slab it in a car to FL for the duration and you can party there. Your budget of $2k for 20 days or $100/day for all expenses is not realistic.
 
If you don't have your full M, you shouldn't drink at all on the trip, unless you're staying somewhere for two or more days and only drinking on the first.

The M1 & M2 have a 0.00000 alcohol limit on them, so any hint of alcohol will cost you your license if you're caught.

Even with an M, drinking and riding a motorcycle is different than drinking and driving a car. Be careful.
 
I would echo what everyone else has said for the most part, specifically the bit about boozing hard the night before and then hopping on a motorcycle the next morning – not a great combination.

Your accommodations are going may cost more than you think – although tenting is huge money saver (been there, done that, love it) if you haven’t done it on a motorcycle before you will find it loses its appeal quickly if you’ve spent a long day slogging through rain and traffic, arriving with wet luggage and the prospect of putting up camp in the rain and mud.

Unless you do an extreme amount of homework ahead of time and confirm hostels and such realistically you should be budgeting $100 per day for accommodations, meals, and basic living expenses while traveling. Over 20 nights that’s $2000 alone, USD at that, so $2600 ish our money. Even if you split that in half somehow (which IMHO isn’t realistic) you’re still talking $1300 on food and accommodations alone, again, USD.

Sounds like a fun trip, but personallly I’d skip the partying, the cities, and would tent when possible to save some coin there...but that’s not possible when you’re in a big city.

Before your fuel costs. And your drinking and partying.

On the topic of weather, keep in mind that you are highly unlikely to experience 20 days of perfect riding weather, both precipitation and temperatures. Will you be able to carry everything you need on that bike so far as clothing, rain gear, etc?
 
Also, your target of 3-4 hours of ride time per day doesn't take into account big city traffic, of which you are traveling through some of the most crowded and congested cities in America. Ugh, I cringe, just imagine being stuck in traffic on a motorcycle in Detroit, Atlanta, NYC (3-4 hours just getting out of Manhattan alone) etc.

!

Rarely ever traffic in Detroit from my experience there.

If you love proper techno, it's a must stop for the "full on clubbing" part of the trip.

Atlanta is a mess EVERYWHERE for traffic. I stopped there for a couple nights on the way to New Orleans. Decent nightlife but you really need to do your research before going if you're after clubs/bars. Not really a house/techno city.

....Atlanta to New Orleans was dreadfully boring, especially after starting at the top of the Appalachians and working my way down and in/out of those places.

You can still make an awesome trip and get some city exploration in...but the riding around those areas is a means to an ends.
 

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