1downfourup
10-21-2005, 04:40 PM
I've done some longer rides in short times on other motorcycles (Harleys and vintage BMWs), but this is the first one on a Honda ST1300 and the first one I will register with the IBA. I did a combined Bun Burner 1500 and SaddleSore 1000 in one trip from northern New Hampshire to Northern Florida... a total of 1517 miles. I must say, the ST1300... after some ergonomics work... fared very well. I have Helibars, Steed Sticks (highway pegs), a Russell seat, a topbox with a Givi rack, an XM radio to helmet speakers, heated grip wraps, heated vest, Aerostich Darien, an assortment of gloves, and Oxtar boots. Even though I left in the rain in temperatures in the high 30s, I was quite comfortable. I left mid-day, spent one short night in Scranton PA and did the remainder the next day (departing Scranton at 1:53 AM), making it in well under the required times. I stopped only for gasoline every 250 miles. The Russell seat was absolutely wonderful! No shifting in the seat the whole way. At 61 years old, my hips would start to bother me a little from the same seating postion and the Steed Sticks helped this. One comment about the Steed Sticks. You really need a backrest to take advantage of them. When you stretch your legs forward, you need back support for comfort. My Russell does NOT have a backrest but I made do by strapping a rolled sleeping bag on my passenger seat to give me a backrest and that worked. For the future, I will send my seat back to Russell and add a backrest (or better yet I will ride out and do a one-day ride in with them). Because I was doing a lot of riding after dark, I removed my tinted face shield from my Arai and put in the clear one with a shade band at the top. I did not bother to switch them back and forth during the ride... it is a pain to do that... but I would have liked the tinted one during the day. XM radio is great for the long ride...well worth having it. I was surprised at the speed of traffic moving with me. Everyone around me was doing 80 mph plus... so of course I had to blend with traffic and not be a danger. The bike handles well on the slab at those speeds. I was worried about deer in the dark, but the only hazardous deer were the carcasses left by the trucks in the middle of the road... and the tire treads left in the road by the trucks. In one place, in the dark, I pulled out to pass a truck and there was a whole dead deer right in front of me when I pulled out. My heart missed a few beats as I dodged it! The Darien suit was comfortable in the northcountry in the cold... and surprisingly comfortable in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida whre temperatures were in the high 80's. It seemed to insulate me from the heat. The ST1300 was a pleasant surprise and I arrived at my destination feeling no worse for the wear. I would have tried the Gold Bun Burner (1500 in 24 hours) but the IBA requires lesser rides be registered before you try an "extreme" ride. No doubt the ST would handle that ride in comfort, too. Now... a Gold Wing...
1downfourup
1downfourup