Looking for tips for multi-hour ride | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Looking for tips for multi-hour ride

MacDoc said:
:eek:
View attachment 44293
couldn't resist.
401 is actually safer than secondary roads through towns and cross streets and left turning drivers however the safest spot is the fast lane and that's no place to be on an R3. Truck drivers are by and large professionals....just stay out their vortex in a cross wind....can get .....exciting.
Middle lane is okay ...don't stay in the slow lane ...that's a nasty spot with drivers exiting and entering. Try and find a vehicle moving at a speed you are comfortable with and stay a few carlengths back and stay with that spot. Have fun and in the heat these days....HYDRATE!
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Yea pretty much, I'll just have to maximize efficiency by going in a straight line through the trees and all.

I agree, most truck drivers know what they're doing, it's usually the vehicles that cut them off and cause ****. And as you said, left lane is great, except I prefer not to go 130+ the whole time, ESPECIALLY on a 300. I've never spent much time in the middle lane on a highway, all I know is that the safety courses say not to do it since there's no blocking. What's everyone's opinion on that? Is it just dependant on situational awareness/skill? I have been stay in the slow lane, and it does suck with all the merges and exits. I'll usually overtake with the middle but rarely go to the fast lane.
 
craftymarco said:
Yea pretty much, I'll just have to maximize efficiency by going in a straight line through the trees and all.

I agree, most truck drivers know what they're doing, it's usually the vehicles that cut them off and cause ****. And as you said, left lane is great, except I prefer not to go 130+ the whole time, ESPECIALLY on a 300. I've never spent much time in the middle lane on a highway, all I know is that the safety courses say not to do it since there's no blocking. What's everyone's opinion on that? Is it just dependant on situational awareness/skill? I have been stay in the slow lane, and it does suck with all the merges and exits. I'll usually overtake with the middle but rarely go to the fast lane.
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I very rarely ride in the middle lane. Too many places for other vehicles to come from and cause you issues. Normally I go left lane as I find a little more speed safer than all the merging that occurs further right. I would have no problem with left lane on a 300, probably not a great idea on a 125. Right lane can be ok, you just need to predict where people are going and make assertive moves to help them make the correct decisions (eg slow down or speed up to put yourself clearly behind or ahead of a merging vehicle instead of just letting things happen and having people guessing where other vehicles are going to merge or even worse merging into the same space).
 
If you're riding the 401, find a truck give it a three or four second head start and follow it.
Give it more distance as you approach on-ramps.
If it's too slow, pass it and find a new one.

Most truck drivers are o.k. Every second run back to Toronto or so, though, I find one that wants to pass the next five or six trucks, so we end up with about 100 cars lined up behind for a half hour or so, trying to figure out which lane to be in. If there are too many in the left, people will zoom up in the right and then cut someone off to get back to the left. You don't want to be in the middle of that on a bike if they mess up.

In that case it might be best to just stay to the right and wait for the congestion to clear, or pull off and have a rest.
 
Sounds like a great formula for riding in a constant swirling wind turbulence to me.
Aren't all the trucks governed to the same speed? Only just fast enough to get you a ticket for passing one,
& oh ya the drivers are peachy, they drive for miles without making any effort to let another truck pass :/ elephant racers.


... but you are totally correct on the people pulling up on the side they are not suppose to even pass on and blocking a lane change, that sucks.
 
Trials said:
Sounds like a great formula for riding in a constant swirling wind turbulence to me.
Aren't all the trucks governed to the same speed? Only just fast enough to get you a ticket for passing one,
& oh ya the drivers are peachy, they drive for miles without making any effort to let another truck pass :/ elephant racers.


... but you are totally correct on the people pulling up on the side they are not suppose to even pass on and blocking a lane change, that sucks.
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If you're far enough back you don't catch it, and it definitely beats riding with them pushing you. You definitely don't want to be too close.
 
Baggsy said:
If you're far enough back you don't catch it, and it definitely beats riding with them pushing you. You definitely don't want to be too close.
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Now that they are limited to 105, there are very few situations where I would have a truck pushing me. I like to be going slightly above the average speed of traffic as I find it easier to keep track of the obstacles and you have fewer people getting in your space from behind where they are harder to deal with. If I can get into a huge gap between two groups of vehicles, I sometimes hang out in no mans land.
 
r3 is fine for cruising at any speed up to about the point where you will lose your license. You don't need to be tucked behind a tractor trailer the entire way doing 95. I've had that little engine running 130km/h , 7000RPM for hours on end. its a well balanced motor and vibration doesn't get annoying until closer to 10k RPM

I average about 24km / l on the highway. Full tank to just before the fuel reserve notice comes on is about 250-275km if you're not trying to hypermile. Runs best on 87 octane, ignore the r3 forums where everyone says they get 10hp extra from running premium.

The stock chain is known to wear prematurely so make sure you check it routinely - mine was stretched out completely by 15,000km. If you can have your family take most of your gear you don't need for the ride that might be optimal - it gets cramped fast when you start putting stuff on the pillion seat. I clip my backpack onto the seat strap and throw a cargo net over it. wear earplugs.
 
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Here are a couple of tips:

  • Plan your route, study your route. Identify road construction, technical stretches and rest stops. If you're riding alone, send the plan and your ETA to somebody who cares about you.
  • Freeze a couple of 0.5l water bottles the night before you leave, they will thaw and still be refreshing in your bag.
  • Wear all your gear - even if it's hot. A light colored well ventilated jacket is best for long distances in the summer.
  • Stop, stretch, hydrate and fuel up every 2 hours. Long distance riding is like long distance running, you build up physical AND mental sharpness with time and practice.
  • Get CAA premier membership (it covers bike tows). $120 (the cost of membership) doesn't go far if you get a flat tire 200km from home.
  • Forget the backpack. Get a small waterproof (30l) duffel bag and a couple of good bungi cords, strap your bag to your pillion seat.
  • Get into the habit of Tclocking your ride before you riding off. Remember to do same before you start your return leg.
  • Don't ride in the dark if possible.
As for your route, I'd suggest Hwy 7 if your on a smaller bike. It's more interesting, safer and won't add a lot of time to the trip. Part of distance riding is the road, roads that move keep you alert and help you develop riding skill. Riding on slabs might save a little time, but if you ask most distance riders freeways are best used when you time is your enemy.

Good luck and tell us how it goes when you're back!
 
Mad Mike said:
Here are a couple of tips:

  • Plan your route, study your route. Identify road construction, technical stretches and rest stops. If you're riding alone, send the plan and your ETA to somebody who cares about you.
  • Freeze a couple of 0.5l water bottles the night before you leave, they will thaw and still be refreshing in your bag.
  • Wear all your gear - even if it's hot. A light colored well ventilated jacket is best for long distances in the summer.
  • Stop, stretch, hydrate and fuel up every 2 hours. Long distance riding is like long distance running, you build up physical AND mental sharpness with time and practice.
  • Get CAA premier membership (it covers bike tows). $120 (the cost of membership) doesn't go far if you get a flat tire 200km from home.
  • Forget the backpack. Get a small waterproof (30l) duffel bag and a couple of good bungi cords, strap your bag to your pillion seat.
  • Get into the habit of Tclocking your ride before you riding off. Remember to do same before you start your return leg.
  • Don't ride in the dark if possible.
As for your route, I'd suggest Hwy 7 if your on a smaller bike. It's more interesting, safer and won't add a lot of time to the trip. Part of distance riding is the road, roads that move keep you alert and help you develop riding skill. Riding on slabs might save a little time, but if you ask most distance riders freeways are best used when you time is your enemy.

Good luck and tell us how it goes when you're back!
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Just be careful when passing on #7.
 
shanekingsley said:
For the life of me I could not imagine riding a motorcycle over 125cc behind a truck for any length of time.
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I've done it before and it's kind of refreshing. No worries about having to weave through traffic, people hogging the left lane etc. etc.
Make sure you're on a comfortable bike, and not in a hurry though.
 
Baggsy said:
Just be careful when passing on #7.
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Just be careful on highway 7 period!
I watched a cop car pass on a blind corner and force oncoming traffic onto the gravel shoulder.
 
Lots of good advice on here. Make sure you’re well rested. Besides drinks and snacks, you may want to include hand sanitizer, a mask, some emergency toilet paper or wipes, a phone charger and power bank.

If you attach the backpack to the bike, make sure nothing is likely to come loose or get caught up in the chain or wheel. I generally ride a short distance then pull over in a safe spot and triple-check everything.

Also, don’t forget to put on a decent sunscreen. You don’t need a bad sunburn on your face or neck to ruin your weekend and make the ride back more difficult.

Have fun and enjoy the ride .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
r3r3r3 said:
r3 is fine for cruising at any speed up to about the point where you will lose your license. You don't need to be tucked behind a tractor trailer the entire way doing 95. I've had that little engine running 130km/h , 7000RPM for hours on end. its a well balanced motor and vibration doesn't get annoying until closer to 10k RPM

I average about 24km / l on the highway. Full tank to just before the fuel reserve notice comes on is about 250-275km if you're not trying to hypermile. Runs best on 87 octane, ignore the r3 forums where everyone says they get 10hp extra from running premium.

The stock chain is known to wear prematurely so make sure you check it routinely - mine was stretched out completely by 15,000km. If you can have your family take most of your gear you don't need for the ride that might be optimal - it gets cramped fast when you start putting stuff on the pillion seat. I clip my backpack onto the seat strap and throw a cargo net over it. wear earplugs.
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Thanks for the advice, it really helps coming from a person that owns the same bike. I've been pumping 91, just cause the previous owner has been doing that, and with only 12L I didn't really mind either way. 250-275km per tank sounds about what I've been getting too. It's a fun little bike isn't it, the more I read people's opinions the more I want to keep the bike for longer than I plan to, just sounds like everyone has a lot of fun on it. I'm still unable to ride the bike to it's full capability, but I'm excited to get be able to handle the machine that well in the future.
 
If you're riding over the distance or time you have ridden in the past just be aware that fatigue can creep up on you without you realizing it, particularly if you come across a challenging corner or something like that late in your day. I know I've been caught off guard late in a riding day a couple of times when pushing the limits.
 
Make it a habit to shift position. If you feel the cramping, its too late and just pull over. Elbow on the tank, scoot forward, scoot back, leg dangling.
There aren't much in the way of shoulders once you leave the highway. Maybe bring something to rest your kickstand on in case you choose to stop on soft terrain. You are solo though so you can also just pick a better spot to stop at if you need to.

Earplugs are a must for long distance. Music helps a lot too. Find a solution to achieve that and long distance rides are no problem. I have a packtalk and i wear earplugs. Does a fantastic job at drowning out the noise and i can just eat up the miles while staying focused.
 
Robbo said:
Lots of good advice on here. Make sure you’re well rested. Besides drinks and snacks, you may want to include hand sanitizer, a mask, some emergency toilet paper or wipes, a phone charger and power bank.

If you attach the backpack to the bike, make sure nothing is likely to come loose or get caught up in the chain or wheel. I generally ride a short distance then pull over in a safe spot and triple-check everything.

Also, don’t forget to put on a decent sunscreen. You don’t need a bad sunburn on your face or neck to ruin your weekend and make the ride back more difficult.

Have fun and enjoy the ride .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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100% on the TP. Any ride of a good distance should include some toilet paper. It's light, packs easy, it's multi-use (windshield , visor etc) and you just never know.
 
timtune said:
100% on the TP. Any ride of a good distance should include some toilet paper. It's light, packs easy, it's multi-use (windshield , visor etc) and you just never know.
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This is probably more important with the current situation with some places having closed their facilities.

In the past I've ridden to PA, NY and VT and have never packed TP for the trip, or for any of the day-long rides while there. Not much of a boy scout I guess, but I have always been able to coordinate my personal stops with fuel/food/rest stops.
 
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