A question for bikers: Denver to Phoenix by motorcycle?

One word...WATER.

I rode from Houston to Denver with one overnight stop midway. I made the mistake of not drinking enough water and felt absolutely terrible when I finally got there, even though I stopped rather frequently for gas and stretching my legs.

On the return trip, I went from Denver to Houston non-stop, just to see if I could do it (just over 1000 miles). I was able to make the trip in just under 20 hrs and felt great the whole way. The difference was that I drank water the whole trip back. Staying hydrated helps you stay alert and keeps you from feeling like crap. I did have one scare south of Wichita Falls around midnight where my fuel light came on and I didn't find an open gas station for almost 40 miles. That's the big risk about doing the long open stretches at night.

Wear a riding jacket. It keeps the sun off your arms and, surprisingly, helps you stay cooler than if you were riding in short sleeves. I didn't believe it until I did it.

What somebody said about animals at night is true. I had to contend with deer in northwest Texas during night hours. In the desert, you will probably have coyotes to look out for.

I say go for it. Pack your water, put on your jacket, and have a blast riding.

for a ride of this distance, it would be best to use a bike built for the long hauls. i assume u'd prefer interstates vs back roads. a road king would be the best bet, or a dresser. but if u outfit ur bike right, it'll work. u dont say what bike u have, but i will say that 90% of what will be ur problem will be in the seat. an aftermarket seat like mustang would be a good pick.

now u might need a change of handlebars; if u have to reach a bit on the bars, it will get tiring after about 150 miles. i highly suggest a windsheild. the wind blast will wear u down after about 2 hrs give or take at interstate speeds.

having a pair of pegs mounted on the engine guard will let u shift leg position every so often.

my bike has a 3.3 gallon tank, and i can get at freeway speeds roughly 140 miles before i hit reserve, and when i hit reserve, i will pull into the first gas station.

in some ways, night riding isnt safe. for 1, animals have a tendency to move around more at night, and the headlights dont do all that great of a job at lighting up the road on low beams if u wind up tailing a cage.

if u even think that u are starting to wear down from something, pull off the road for a few mins and chill. on a bike, u cant afford to make mistakes. the road is the most unforgiving thing on the trip, and it will hurt u. wearing gloves will reduce the handlebar vibrations, and will protect ur fingers from bug and rock strikes, and those are inevitable. it would be adviseable to also wear a vented leather jacket; the dry wind blast can actually dehydrate u, and that's something u dont want.

I just took a long tour with temperatures over 100 degrees. I bought a 661 radiator cooler and it felt like I had air conditioning under my jacket. Heat was never a problem.

I just road to Denver from Pueblo this weekend. Early Saturday and Sunday mornings are best.

You don't say what your experience level is, or if you prefer back roads or interstates. We took a drink brake about every 40 minutes and drank a whole bottle of water. Staying hydrated is essential.

Most experienced riders plan for 350 miles a day and an average speed of only 30 mph including stops. It would be higher if it's all interstate, but don't plan too much in one day.

We stuck mostly to 2 lane roads through Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Utah. Almost 1900 miles in 7 days. It's 1,000 miles to Phoenix from Denver. So plan for 3 or 4 days.

When we planned to stop in small towns, we made a motel reservation. It took the pressure off on getting in early.

Unless you are very experienced riding at night, I wouldn't recommend it. But others don't seem to mind.

Bring a good digital camera, have fun, take an extra day than you think you need.

Bring a spare key, spare glasses. And two credit cards from different banks as sometimes there is a stop put on them if you use them too often in one day. Keep them in separate pockets in case you lose one.

Bring half the clothes and twice the money.

And have FUN!!!

Well, both of the bikes you've "chosen" to show are nice but they are as different as night and day. The first one is a cruiser style and they are generally much more forgiving for newbies. The second one is a sport bike and yes, they go fast so there is little margin for error.....personally, I started small on a Honda Rebel 250 for one year, moved on up to a VLX 600 for 2 years and then on to a 750. which I've been riding for 3 years now (all 3 are cruisers). I also have a BMW 650 GS sport bike. However, I would suggest you take a course first and then you'll have the ability to go to dealers and test ride a variety of bikes. You may think you like one type of bike but you may find that something different is the right one. Start small and cheap - don't listen to people who say "Oh, buy a 1500cc bike because you'll outgrow a smaller bike" - just like you wouldn't get you driver's licence and buy a semi-trailer truck .... Honda makes a wonderful 125cc sport bike or the 250 Rebel cruiser. You should be able to buy a Rebel quite cheaply because, it's generally a learning bike and people sell them once they feel confident.... Anyway, good luck, take a course, wear all gear and stay safe....it's fun.

I have packed a 3 gallon gas can on the back of my bike before, but only had to use it once or twice. If it makes you feel more secure, go for it.

I'd highly reccomend a 'camelback', its a bladder type of cooler with a hose and a bite valve that you wear like a back pack. Keeping hydrated will help keep you alert on the desert crossing. I don't know if I'd like to do it at night.

It sounds like a fun ride and a bit of a challenge. Rock on!

I live in phoenix and its still 110 degrees out and will remain in triple digit weather till the end of september

Easy.

Start engine, then ride.

Not really that hard.