Need some insight on a road trip.?

I've done a lot of long haul riding so I do have a little insight. First off, 850 miles a day is a lot of riding. Do you have a good windshield or fairing? If not, forget making that many miles. How old are you? A young sprout? The older we get, the stiffer our muscles get on long rides. To make 850 miles in 13 hours comes out to an average speed of 65 mph. If you stay on interstates and miss the big towns at rush hour, you might be able to average that. And that's figuring 13 hours of actual riding time and not including the time to gas up, take a whiz, grab a bite to eat and so on. Figuring three days would make the ride much easier on you. Don't forget, fatigue is the biker's worst enemy. The longest straight through ride I ever made was 1,200 miles from Florida to Missouri in March. A VERY long ride and I ended up being punch happy when I got home. I was not a safe rider in the least.

In addition, you aren't going to see much of anything other than highway, the rear bumper of the guy ahead of you and a green blur on the sides of the highway. If you planned on taking three days, you could relax a bit, look around and not be so physically taxing. Four days and you could actually enjoy the trip, take some 2 lane roads and actually see the country.

As to St Louis, try to miss rush hour at all costs. Whatever you do, gas up early and stay out of East St Louis. Personally, if stay at a motel, I'd try to stay at Warrenton. Big enough to have plenty of services but small enough to still be a safe place to park your bike and not get mugged. If you're looking for a place to throw down a sleeping bag and catch a few winks, there's a rest stop around Jonesburg or Danville. Can't really camp out, but I doubt a Highway Partolman is going to make a big deal out of resting up.

Listen to bikinkawboy on this one. 850-mile days are no fun. Riding through St. Louis is no fun. Riding on the freeway is no fun. Find a route that sticks to 2-lanes and circumvents St. Louis. Camp in National forest or state park campgrounds. Or stay in city parks. Many small towns offer free camping in their municipal parks. Pitch your tent in daylight. Drink whisky, smoke cigars and talk to your neighbors in the camp ground.

You can realistically average 50 miles an hour on the road, including stops. You say you have plenty of time. Five 350-mile days will be a lot more pleasant that a couple of long white-knuckle endurance runs.

I know guys who have done 1700 miles straight through. Trust me, the stories you will have for your grandchildren will be a lot better than theirs.

Carry water bottle, don't plan on 13 hours riding-- plan on 3 days and maybe 600 miles a day, 150miles between gas and rest stops so 4 riding sessions a day. Seat cushion will help especially 2nd or 3rd day, I used sheep skin to good feel on hind end at end of day. Medium to large windshield or handle bar fairing needed- or Windjammer type frame fairing. I've carried a gallon of gas emergency tank on run through Dakota for Sturgis- was needed for other people. East St. Loius? Went through there coming back from fall rally in Missouri- as other noted, plan to ride straight through mid day-- or have a pack of friends with 1% colors, the police escort acts as security from local criminal element.

camping and a lengthy highway vacation. The BMW airheads are perfect, a minimum of 800cc.s. you desire a minimum of a mid-sized bike, (you're on highways lots), the BMW will do a touch trouble-free off highway, (a tremendous number of torque, and under no circumstances too heavy. I do undergo in recommendations assembly a guy on a Goldwing - with a trailer no a lot less, on properly of the ten,000' Cumberland pass - gravel highway, yet i did not envy him the vacation.) (Been from the East Coast to the Rockies 6 situations. once Yamaha 650, 5 - quite some Beemers.) Your tent, mat, and napping bag pass in a water-evidence barrel bag on the rear rack, your rain-healthful, gloves, water bottle, maps,etc. contained in the tank-bag. you'll desire some form of area circumstances, and hard bags are the more beneficial effective decision, inspite of in case you don't love their seems. (keep the C.G. low.) sturdy success & celebrate with!

Shucks, just go for it! You will enjoy telling your grandchildren about it 50 years from now.