Road trip across Canada: bike versus car?

[mimico_polak]

That is my plan but I didn't have the balls to mention it.

I agree with this. For my instance the gf will NOT sit on a bike for such a long period of time (and no she won't get her own bike). Trailering the bike to the fun parts we can take the bike off the trailer and enjoy the roads together. Still looking for an affordable trailer though

 

[nfq]

I agree with this. For my instance the gf will NOT sit on a bike for such a long period of time (and no she won't get her own bike). Trailering the bike to the fun parts we can take the bike off the trailer and enjoy the roads together. Still looking for an affordable trailer though

Don't need a trailer if you have a truck.

 

[GAR]

If you're going solo, take the bike!

I did it solo in the Summer of 2011 & IMHO it would'nt have been nearly the same experience had I done it w/ a car.

 

[mimico_polak]

Don't need a trailer if you have a truck.

Not into the whole truck thing...doesn't make sense for me to have one personally. But I can def see the appeal in it. Maybe a big minivan that'll fit the bike into it, but that's as far as I'd go.

 

[nfq]

Not into the whole truck thing...doesn't make sense for me to have one personally. But I can def see the appeal in it. Maybe a big minivan that'll fit the bike into it, but that's as far as I'd go.

Going for the "Hey did I steal this or didn't I?" look?

Get a bike designed for Touring and 2 up, problem solved. If the GF is giving you grief about riding now, just wait when she gets more comfortable.....

 

[BNKN]

If the GF is giving you grief about riding now, just wait when she gets more comfortable.....

Value added content right there. I was going to mention it earlier but didn't have the balls.

 

[V-Tom]

So, I think I'm finally going to take that road trip across Canada this summer.

Originally, I wanted to go by motorbike. But, I've been thinking that going by car has more advantages (can pack more things, don't have to deal with the weather, won't get as tired, etc). Any thoughts for those who've taken the trip? Will going by bike make my experience that much more (or less) memorable?

There is no question that a car is much more convenient practical, and comfortable to take on a long trip. There is a reason that most people drive cars and a much smaller group rides a Motorcycle. Much of the joy of riding comes from experiencing the world by actually being in it. However, it isn't for everyone.

I'm doing this trip solo, btw, if that makes a difference. And, the farthest I've gone with my bike is to Port Dover this past summer.

As has been mentioned previously having a bit of experience at it would make the journey much more enjoyable for you. If you have done a bit of touring you start to know what works for you and what doesn't. I think that you can get a ton of advice here of what others have done but until you have experienced it yourself you don't know if the advice is good for you. As has been mentioned previously in this thread doing a few shorter rides might give you some good insights. A day or two on the road can really tell you a lot!


Some things to consider:

How is your general level of experience in riding? If it was someone else, would you expect someone with your level of experience to be able to enjoy a trip like this?

Are you tenting, camping, motel-ing or couch surfing? Each can make a big difference as to what you pack.

What kind of bike do you ride? Some bikes just aren't that comfy for long-distance riding although I am sure you can point to just about any kind of bike and find someone that has done long distance riding on it. The important thing is that it is comfy for you. How is the bike with respect to reliability and maintenance? Is a breakdown likely? How will you handle it? How about routine Maintenance? What maintenance can you expect to do on a 10,000 km ride? Will you need to go to a shop to do it or is it stuff you can handle or stuff you can put off until you return? How about tires? Will they last the trip?

How about gear? Are you and your gear comfy in all kinds of weather, from blazing sun, to freezing temps in mountain passes, to pouring rain? (It is almost guaranteed to rain on a multi-day ride!) if you encountered weather extremes would it destroy your enjoyment or would you likely soldier on?


How about loneliness? If you rode for a week or two and only talked to strangers would you still enjoy yourself?

I have done similar trips and really love doing them but have to say I enjoy it much more if I am with someone to share things with. Skype just isn't the same!


I would ride; just make sure to plan ahead so that your trip is as enjoyable as possible!

Good luck,

..Tom

 

[RockerGuy]

How about loneliness? If you rode for a week or two and only talked to strangers would you still enjoy yourself?


..Tom

One of the things I love about trips is actually interacting with people & eating the local food

 

[Lightcycle]

Originally, I wanted to go by motorbike. But, I've been thinking that going by car has more advantages (can pack more things, don't have to deal with the weather, won't get as tired, etc). Any thoughts for those who've taken the trip? Will going by bike make my experience that much more (or less) memorable?

Obviously everyone makes decisions and comes to conclusions differently. Because the urge to do everything on a motorcycle was so strong for me (and I'm assuming for a lot of people on this board), I'm just surprised that the questions being asked aren't:

"What kind of luggage can I put on the bike so I can pack more things?"
"What kind of rain suits/warm/cold clothing options are there to deal with the range of climates?"
"What can I do to improve the ergonomics of my bike (seat/windshield/earplugs) so I don't get as fatigued?"

as opposed to:

"Should I just take the car instead?"

:dontknow:

 

[mimico_polak]

Get a bike designed for Touring and 2 up, problem solved. If the GF is giving you grief about riding now, just wait when she gets more comfortable.....

Working in it. Got a few bikes on the short list ill do some demo days on and hopefully have a new one this year. As for the gf...no grief yet...just complaints about being uncomfortable over longer distances.

 

[sadrik]

Doing a solo motorcycle road trip across Canada is freaking spectacular.

The suggestion that you do a smaller multi-day camping trip or two is spot-on. Get used to packing on the bike, figure out what you need to weark, how often you need to do to stretch your legs, your back, your shoulders, find your comfortable time between breaks. Cover your bases; get CAA Plus (so they'll flatbed the bike if something happens), have some spare cash in case of emergency, that sort of thing.

If you're riding through Canada, assume you'll need to camp out a couple times; sparse, fully booked lodging and finding yourself "out there" on a bike running on fumes are strong possibilities, and can really add to the adventure if you're unprepared.

As Lightcycle implies, many of us can offer plenty of other advice too.

The utter selfishness of riding solo; if you want to read a book, stop and read a book; daydreams about riding distracting you from reading, get riding; don't feel like riding much today, do something else; feel great and enjoying riding for 16 hours straight, keep riding; hungry?, stop; tired?, rest; and so on. Do that for a few weeks in unfamiliar territories, the feeling of awesome potential and things to learn, and those little stresses back at home or work start to fade into the background.

You always remember your first time.

 

[mimico_polak]

Actually now that we're on topic...what kind of timeframe would one be looking at for this? I'm thinking a leisurely pace, with some small side jaunts. A week each way is realistic or is that rather ambitious? Maybe 3 weeks would make it a nice comfortable pace for both ways.

 

[Cranky Pete]

Actually now that we're on topic...what kind of timeframe would one be looking at for this? I'm thinking a leisurely pace, with some small side jaunts. A week each way is realistic or is that rather ambitious? Maybe 3 weeks would make it a nice comfortable pace for both ways.

It all depends on the route and your capacity for logging miles. My wife and I shipped the bike out to Vancouver, then rode home. We took two weeks--backroads whenever possible, averaging about 400 km in a day. I think three weeks round trip is doable. Two weeks would be a real grind. You'd need to average 600+ km per day.

 

[RockerGuy]

It all depends on the route and your capacity for logging miles. My wife and I shipped the bike out to Vancouver, then rode home. We took two weeks--backroads whenever possible, averaging about 400 km in a day. I think three weeks round trip is doable. Two weeks would be a real grind. You'd need to average 600+ km per day.

lol, 800km/day on a sportbike is doable.

 

[sadrik]

800km/day on a sportbike is doable.

Indeed. This is something the rider needs to find out for himself during those other multi-day trips; how many hours a day is comfortable, and are you inclined to stop at every sight, or are you out there to feel the road under your wheels?

I know that I love the feel of the road under my wheels, and I prefer to just ride. I don't stop to take pics very often, though it is nearly impossible to not stop when you're rolling through the Rockies for the first time. And I enjoyed riding the Prairies, but I know that marks me as a freak.

I like 800km days, I know what I need to do (stretch, etc) to do 1200+km days. YMMV. For note, I rode a VFR800, which is really comfortable for even 18 hour riding days.

My first ride across Canada (Toronto - Tofino - Toronto, all Canadian roads) was in the realm of 17 days, plus about 3 off-bike days resting or visiting friends. I had no feelings of regret for not stopping more.

Going through the US in one direction may trim a day or two from the transit, and will give you more unique sights.

 

[nfq]

lol, 800km/day on a sportbike is doable.

and you can filter cheese curds through a gym sock, doesn't make it a good idea.

 

[RockerGuy]

and you can filter cheese curds through a gym sock, doesn't make it a good idea.

Well, I'm in my 30's, so its ok for me. I don't mean doing it non-stop. Of course there's a stop here & there. Just wake up early & you have 12-14hrs of daylight in summer. No night riding for me, thank you.

I won't risk my safety for a few hrs of time, so I am doing that completely within my limits

 

[BNKN]

and you can filter cheese curds through a gym sock, doesn't make it a good idea.

I would agree with that. Doing anything for 8 hrs. is a drag. Ever had a job? I rest my case.

 

[yum yum]

Thanks a lot, guys, for the awesome feedback! Some great info to mull over.

As a few posters have suggested, I think I'll start off with some multi-day trips first to get my feet wet. Hopefully, afterwards, I'll still want to go across CND with a a bike. Anyway, thanks again!

 

[Riceburner]

The bike first trip I took longer than an overnight(not sure I even did an overnight first) was a month long. 2nd year of riding, I quit my job, hopped on the bike and went from TO to BC to LA and back. That was a 1/4 century ago and I'm still using the same saddlebags.

Take the bike for an adventure....take the car if it's just a destination. I've done both....bike is now always the first choice.