Road trip planning

 I have posted this on alt.motorcycles but I decided to get the Yamaha
view of this.

I'm looking to ride the Alaskan Highway next year after I've built up
enough vacation time at work. I'd like to do it on a motorcycle (Yamaha
V Star 1100). Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this trip.

My general idea is this. I live in New England. I'd ride to Vegas spend
a few days around there. Head to Seattle then do the Alaskan Highway.

My return route would be cutting across Canada back home.

I'm thinking 1 month for the trip.

Any thoughts?

TC

 



unless you have an iron ass and steel will, you'll need more
than a month. 400 miles per day is good distance by bike.
if you are traveling with others, it's unlikely you'll do
more or even keep to that.
sure, i've gone cross country in 4 days. i was 20, had to do
it and was a basketcase for a week after.
obviously, don't take my word for it. try some trips for
yourself. try a weekend 800 mile round trip. easy? try 1000.
make sure you do it with the people and bikes you plan for
the ah trip.
long bike trips are endurance runs if you want to make
miles.
also, the bike is everything. new battery, tires, a
saddlebag of spares and even a tire kit are essential.
google up the iron butt rides for some encouragement.
and write here to share expiriences.
i live relatively near vegas in mojave. if you travel in
july-august, go across canada first, come back via vegas.

 
Go to www.pashnit.com and read "Racing Daylight."  It's a (somewhat
lengthy) article about the author's whirlwind motorcycle trip across
the country to Alaska and back.  It's quite interesting.

Regards,
Dave Riesz

 

I also am in New England and can relate a bit about my 10 day ride to
ME-PA-NY-ME  Last year, I took my Vstar 650 on a 1700 mile roundtrip
including putting around visitng, playin tourist, you know...

Unless you have an iron butt or a good seat (Mustang, Corbin etc...) You may
need to take longer than a month.  Took me 2 days at highway speeds
(Normally a 10 hr ride in a cage) to get to Harrisburg area, 650 miles. My
ass was dead beat sore when I got there. Stock seats suck. With a better
seat you might be able to make it in one.

Putted around my old stompin' grounds for a couple of 3 days and boogied to
Rochester, NY in about 8 or so hrs. After a couple of hours, my ass was
screaming so loud I had to stop every 100 or so miles to ease the
discomfort. Again, R&R and putting with friends. From there to Bangor, ME,
another 650 or so miles straight thru.

I forgot my ass because I didnt have one at this point and pushed back home.

Moral is, being on the East coast, you can count on at least a week to get
to Vegas and rest up for the long ride North. Then to putt around in Alaska
would be awesome, but if I had a month to kill, I would take my time and
head there first thru Canada and enjoy the scenery. Then Vegas from lower
California Rte 1 along the coast, is a very nice cruise.

My 2 cents.

Rhatt
(my ass remembers)

 



get a better seat, get forward controls, get really good
hiway shocks and have a few pain killers. the pain killers
is a joke....