Planning a trip for next year, looking for input | GTAMotorcycle.com

Planning a trip for next year, looking for input

DOHC1

DOHC1

Well-known member
Forum Sponsor
I’m trying to put together a trip for next year. Last year was my first year riding, and I did a ride down to New York City and back – loved it. This year I am planning a trip which is a bit longer, with more destinations. I will be on my Ninja 250r. It’s a small bike, but handled the ride to NYC like a champ last year.
At the moment it’s just Google mapped (to estimate time), but over the winter I want to work through it, tweak and pick the best route. Any suggestions? I don’t mind adding a few hours of riding to get to a nice road. Only thing I want to avoid is being out in the middle of nowhere where I have no cellphone coverage, as the trip is being done solo.

Here is the Google Maps link:
http://goo.gl/maps/mKewp

So far I’ve got this:
Day 1 – Leave Toronto
· 8.5 hours to New York City
Day 2 – Spend day in New York
Day 3 – Leave New York City,
Arrive in Boston (4 Hours)
Day 4 – Spend day in Boston
Day 5- depart Boston for Montreal (5 hours of riding) (Passing through Middlesex Falls Reservation and White Mountain National Forest),
Day 6 – Spend day in Montreal, Leave at 5 pm for Toronto
Montreal to Toronto (5 hours)
 
I looked at your Google route. Hope you don't mind a few comments, questions or observations...........

Are you limited to 6 days in total and/or are you committed to getting to all the cities indicated? I ask because much of your trip seems to be slab and getting off the major highways and taking side roads can add significant time (and enjoyment) to your trip. If you only have 6 days I'd cut back somewhat on the number of cities you plan to visit and spend as much time as possible on side roads. Skip Montreal this time and take 2 days to get to NYC, slab it to Boston and then take 2 days to get back to TO.
 
I can be flexible with time; maybe even push it to 8 days.

I dont really care to see New York too much, (because I grew up there), but the benefit is that I can drop into my condo, rest from the long ride + save on hotels.
The only cities I really want to see are Boston and Montreal, because I have never been there.

I want to add side roads to my trip, because you're right - the last thing I want is to be on a major highway the entire time. How do you normally plan a trip with the side roads? Last year I got lost for a while and found some amazing places, but that was by accident.

I like the idea of taking 2 days to get to NYC!
 
Last edited:
DOHC1 said:
I’m trying to put together a trip for next year. Last year was my first year riding, and I did a ride down to New York City and back – loved it. This year I am planning a trip which is a bit longer, with more destinations. I will be on my Ninja 250r. It’s a small bike, but handled the ride to NYC like a champ last year.
At the moment it’s just Google mapped (to estimate time), but over the winter I want to work through it, tweak and pick the best route. Any suggestions? I don’t mind adding a few hours of riding to get to a nice road. Only thing I want to avoid is being out in the middle of nowhere where I have no cellphone coverage, as the trip is being done solo.

After New York City, I would head over to Oyster Bay on Long Island (funky town - home of Billy Joel) and then take the ferry over to Rhode Island so you can visit Newport (stay there overnight, another funky town with lots to do) and head up to Providence on the way to Boston.
Click to expand...
 
Interesting....do you carry much gear? do you have saddlebags for that bike or just a tank and a tail bag..
 
Planning a trip around cell phone coverage is not for me. We've managed for thousands of years without needing to be glued to our phones so far. But if that's what keeps you feeling secure then so be it.
 
RedDogDarren said:
Planning a trip around cell phone coverage is not for me. We've managed for thousands of years without needing to be glued to our phones so far. But if that's what keeps you feeling secure then so be it.
Click to expand...

yep. i agree 100%. there will always be someone that comes along eventually should an emergency arise. The north eastern United States aren't exactly desolate.
 
scornay said:
DOHC1 said:
I’m trying to put together a trip for next year. Last year was my first year riding, and I did a ride down to New York City and back – loved it. This year I am planning a trip which is a bit longer, with more destinations. I will be on my Ninja 250r. It’s a small bike, but handled the ride to NYC like a champ last year.
At the moment it’s just Google mapped (to estimate time), but over the winter I want to work through it, tweak and pick the best route. Any suggestions? I don’t mind adding a few hours of riding to get to a nice road. Only thing I want to avoid is being out in the middle of nowhere where I have no cellphone coverage, as the trip is being done solo.

After New York City, I would head over to Oyster Bay on Long Island (funky town - home of Billy Joel) and then take the ferry over to Rhode Island so you can visit Newport (stay there overnight, another funky town with lots to do) and head up to Providence on the way to Boston.
Click to expand...


Thanks! I'll tinker with the route today at work and try to make that work.
Click to expand...
 
Slick_Steveo said:
Interesting....do you carry much gear? do you have saddlebags for that bike or just a tank and a tail bag..
Click to expand...

I dont have any special bags for the bike.. I just put all my stuff in a gym bag, and throw a cargo net over it. Have my laptop in there too (wrapped in 2-3 garbage bags) This was my set up last year for New York City. It's not ideal, but it works. Plus I get to lean back onto it, which is surprisingly comfortable.

Backroad.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20120719_140648.jpg
    20120719_140648.jpg
    96.1 KB · Views: 12
If you're looking for side roads and don't have a route someone has given or suggested to you then use Google and toogle back and forth through map view, satellite view and even roadside view. Depending on available resolution Google can give you an amazing preview of what a road looks like, whether it is straight or winding, how built up an area is and how close the road is to lakes and rivers along the way. A few hours planning and a programable GPS and you'd be set.
 
DOHC1 said:
I dont have any special bags for the bike.. I just put all my stuff in a gym bag, and throw a cargo net over it. Have my laptop in there too (wrapped in 2-3 garbage bags) This was my set up last year for New York City. It's not ideal, but it works. Plus I get to lean back onto it, which is surprisingly comfortable.

Backroad.jpg
Click to expand...

Extreme Fitness must be happy with the amount of free ad they're receiving :D

Sent from my Phone, dont judge the grammar
 
Two things pop out....missing the PA twisties is insane and since you've already done New York why not go on further from PA to Washington DC instead especially if it's earlier in the year.
Catch the Smithsonian Aerospace for a couple of hours

P1070168.jpg


more

http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m269/macdoc/Smithsonian Aerospace/

Then cut across to Baltimore and in around Chesapeake Bay
Back up through Lake Placid and home.

5 hours into the wind from Montreal to Toronto is a stretch on a 250.
If you do Montreal then go north of the city and have some fun and across to Ottawa tho I really think that should be another trip entirely.

If you are early in the year the PA, Washington, Chesapeake and Placid Loop will be warmer and nicely done in 8 days with some decent sight seeing breaks.
You can always hop a slab if weather turns ugly.

I like this for guidance for good roads
http://www.motorcycleroads.us/states/ny.html

Do an Ottawa Montreal another time.
 
Last edited:
MacDoc said:
Two things pop out....missing the PA twisties is insane and since you've already done New York why not go on further from PA to Washington DC instead especially if it's earlier in the year.
Catch the Smithsonian Aerospace for a couple of hours

P1070168.jpg


more

http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m269/macdoc/Smithsonian Aerospace/

Then cut across to Baltimore and in around Chesapeake Bay
Back up through Lake Placid and home.

5 hours into the wind from Montreal to Toronto is a stretch on a 250.
If you do Montreal then go north of the city and have some fun and across to Ottawa tho I really think that should be another trip entirely.

If you are early in the year the PA, Washington, Chesapeake and Placid Loop will be warmer and nicely done in 8 days with some decent sight seeing breaks.
You can always hop a slab if weather turns ugly.

I like this for guidance for good roads
http://www.motorcycleroads.us/states/ny.html

Do an Ottawa Montreal another time.
Click to expand...


where was this????
I went to washington last year and missed this museum??!?!?!?!?!

WTF!!!!
 
Yup - you think they might have come up with an easier name eh.
The downtown museum was cool too....the original Wright flyer, the Spirit of St. Lewis. Lovely fun.
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom