What is the appeal of long distance trips?

MajorTom said:

What is the appeal of long distance trips? To keep it short, the riding. If you enjoy riding a motorcycle, then a long distance trip equals more enjoyment. Ride at your own pace, stop as often and as long as you want. Enjoy the ride.

Click to expand...

+1

Gerhard

I have never done a 1,000 mile day but returning to Ontario from Canada's west coast I did 1400 km, about 850 miles, which did give me a feeling of having accomplished something.

I rode coast to coast at 18........I was hooked. The world opens up, absolutely no better way to travel. I find I lay there at night and recount the days sights, events and people I've met in my head. Routes traveled on a motorcycle are etched in my memory............I remember very little about trips taken in the car.

I think it's different for everyone. I do a few XXSTOC's events a year and enjoy being on the road sharing the ride with a few other people. This is my time, plugged into a ipod and disconnected from the day-to-day routine.

Wanting to do some more long distance trips myself because it is just a chance to GO, be free, away from it all and have fun and SEE the country.

I understand the A to B fast as you can mentality, that's how some of us conduct our lives. The working years seem to demand much from our day. Taking a long distance trip on a bike, for some may be for economic "savings", but for many it's the "enjoyment" of just riding.
If you enjoy riding, then setting your "mental state" before setting out can do wonders in starting the enjoyment process. If you locked into the "quick as I can" routine, then it may take a while to reprogram the mindset. Having a destination in mind is not a bad thing, but while riding, it should not be the "only thing".
I like the back roads, you see much more of our great country, meet more people, and can be forced to slow down and smell the roses... so to speak.
The next time you get on a bike, tell yourself it doesn't matter how long this ride takes, I'm here for the ride and all it encompasses. Take in the moments and enjoy the road, sights, sounds, smell the things around you... talk to folks when they strike up a conversation. This is a Great country with mostly wonderful folks... you will be richer for experiencing it... but you first have to open yourself to it!

I'd say for most there really isn't much attraction in taking long trips on a motocycle; there are already more responses to the question than riders who show up at most SToc events. Less than a tenth of a percent of board members actually ride to ST-Owner events.

Don't think it has much to do with not having the time, I've always taken long motorcycle trips, even when I had young kids and only 2 day weekends. Riding distances is really a solitary hobby and like any time consuming hobby, golf, fishing, etc. either you enjoy it or not. If you enjoy it you make time and do it, if not you make excuses to do it "next time" or do something else to personally enjoy a motorcycle hobby.

I hate golf; no explanation is going to make me enjoy it .

Bilko said:

I plan to purchase a motorcycle before the end of this year, and I've been thinking how fun it would be to go on long distance trips on it.

I'm wondering now if I am just kidding myself, will my motorcycle experience be similar to being in a car - where I can't wait until I've arrived, I am concerned that I may not enjoy the trip to either of these locations, because they are so darn far away, even on a motorcycle.

Click to expand...

A motorcycle is much more fun than a car. I travel to/from my parents house 6x/year at 1,200 miles round trip. What I like about the motorcycle is that you are out in the environment and part of it. In a car you are basically sitting in a box watching time go by. In addition, on long stretches of highway cars and other vehicles tend to ride in PODS/groups that are miles apart. With a motorcycle, a quick twist of the wrist will get you from one pod of cars to the next fast. Not so in a car. So, if you see an interesting vehicle or payload up ahead you can get their fast in a few heart beats. That is fun.

You can also play find the Highway patrol person. They hide in the most interesting places. On long trips, inevitably someone in a vehicle will pass you going very fast. If you want, you can pull in a few hundred yards behind that vehicle and pace the driver until he gets ticketed. The great thing about the ST1300 is the compression braking. Let off the throttle and the bike will slow quickly - plus it gets 48-50 miles per gallon.

A high percentage of motorcycle accidents occur when a car traveling in the opposite direction turns left in front of the motorcycle or otherwise violates the motorcycle riders right of way. That is why I do not ride a motorcycle locally in urban environments.

For me, it's a combination....the ability to go to places far away, at a low cost, PLUS the added attraction of seeing/experiencing/smelling much more than when in a car. In trying to explain it to one of my non-riding friends, I explained that the difference between driving through somewhere, and riding through is like the difference between seeing something on TV, and BEING there.

We don't do excessively long days...we average 275 miles/day on a multi-day ride, and stop every hour or so. I don't push the pace, since my wife is with me, and she tires long before I do. We stop early in evenings to enjoy a nice dinner, and a walk to unkink our muscles, as well as having time to discuss the days ride. Our one rule is we have to go a different route than we return on, which makes for some interesting logistics.

I find there are 2 kinds of people: those who enjoy or are intent on being at a destination, and those who enjoy the journey getting there regardless where "there" is.
I am the kind that enjoys the journey. I even enjoy the journey in the cage, though it is MUCH better on the bike. The sounds, sights, smells all add to the experience in ways not possible in a cage (even with the top down or windows open). My wife prefers to just get there. If she could use a Star Trek transporter to skip the journey between point A and point B and just suddenly show up at her destination then she would definitely do that every time. That is one reason I ride solo now.
Since I still have a job I don't get as much time to enjoy riding as I'd like. At least I can enjoy the commute to and from work on the bike and often take the long way home just to escape the beltway and to enjoy it longer.
One question to ask yourself: did you enjoy riding a bike more for the same trip vs riding in a cage when you did ride?
Then, as suggested earlier, start with shorter trips through the country side just for fun and see how you like that. Then go for longer trips. If you start feeling that you wish you could keep going then you're hooked. If you feel that it really doesn't matter where you are headed as long as you get to ride there on the bike, Then you're REALLY hooked. At that point you start thinking in terms of just taking roads at random (as someone else mentioned about here) with no particular destination. The ride sometimes becomes more important than getting anywhere in particular.

Wow some interesting responses. Some good ones too. Some share some of my same thoughts, but not all.

LD riding can mean different things to different people. When mentioning LD riding some people envision 800-1000 interstate miles of grueling riding on a bone hard seat in the hot sun while racing to meet a deadline. Others envision 300 miles leisurely sightseeing several days in a row with their wife or buddies at a leisurely pace.

I have done both.

The appeal you asked about is what YOU enjoy, but you have to try it to know.

Personally I prefer 4-5 day trips, 3-400 mile days, riding either by myself or with 1-2 friends. No interstates, prefer the back roads scenery, mom and pop eateries, a hot shower, a cold beer after I am off the bike for the day, and a soft bed each night. I enjoy meeting new people, bikes are great for this. The problem for me is lack of free time. If I had more time I would be off on LD bike trips all the time. Right now I only have time for 1-2 decent trips per year.

I do not find the appeal to riding locally in town/traffic. Seems like more hassle ( traffic, gearing up) than it is worth. I generally don't ride the bike unless I can ride 200+ miles.


I am not sure what the attendance rate at STOC events have to do with the appeal of LD riding? One does not require the other. But both can be fun.

I hope you enjoy your try at LD riding... whatever version you pick. It opened up a whole new adventurous world for me. Many of my non-riding friends don't get it.



Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Long Distance Riding = More time riding.

More Time Riding = More challenges and enjoyment.

If I want to get somewhere very quickly, I'll fly. If I want to get somewhere comfortably, I'll drive. If I want to maximize my enjoyment, I'll ride.

If you really like riding then then the appeal is doing lots of it. Riding is a whole different sensation than driving and I find it far more enjoyable when practical.

For me it's more about the journey than the destination. The destination is merely an excuse for the ride. (Like an excuse is really needed lol) Ride for awhile and stop when you need to stretch eat or rest. Then ride some more. A schedule is nice but get there when you get there is what I like. That's a good day for me.

Your experience is your experience. As you've alluded a motorcycle doesn't make the destination any closer. It just changes the way you experience getting there. If you don't find riding vastly more pleasurable than driving you may very well suffer the Am I There Yet syndrome.

I've only made a couple of long distance trips but they were enough to tell me if they weren't on a motorcycle they'd be in a plane.

Sportznut said:

..The appeal you asked about is what YOU enjoy, but you have to try it to know.....
I am not sure what the attendance rate at STOC events have to do with the appeal of LD riding? ......

Click to expand...

Regular SToc event attenders tend to ride distances to get there; the only local attender is usually (but not always) the host. Although you don't have to be a SToc event attender to enjoy LD riding, you pretty much have to enjoy LD riding to attend SToc events. SToc events are the best reason I've found for an excuse to ride. My experience is: local riders may show up at an event but they tend to not return .

As always the case with generalizations, there may be exceptions ........

Sportznut said:

I am not sure what the attendance rate at STOC events have to do with the appeal of LD riding?

Click to expand...

I can see that those that attend STOC events probably ride long distances. My opinion is that STOC event attendees are less than 1 percent of all long distance motorcycle riders. Long distance defined as more than 250 miles per riding day.

For a general idea of long distance rider counts take a look at the attendance of the annual Moonshine Lunch Run event (1,000+ riders), the Sturgis motorcycle rally (739,000 riders), Daytona Bike week (500,000 riders), Bikes, Blues, and BBQ charity rally (400,000 riders).

TPadden said:

Regular SToc event attenders tend to ride distances to get there; the only local attender is usually (but not always) the host. Although you don't have to be a SToc event attender to enjoy LD riding, you pretty much have to enjoy LD riding to attend SToc events. SToc events are the best reason I've found for an excuse to ride. My experience is: local riders may show up at an event but they tend to not return .

As always the case with generalizations, there may be exceptions ........

Click to expand...

When doing LD riding over a few days it's nice (for me anyway) to have a special destination or event in mind and the STOC gatherings fit the bill. Relative to the number of ST-Owners members only a small percentage attend STOC events and you tend to see the same people attending gatherings in the same general area throughout the riding season. The usual 80/20 rule of thumb, or in this case 95+/5- rule. All good, each to his own.

RCS said:

..... Long distance defined as more than 250 miles per riding day.

For a general idea of long distance rider counts take a look at the attendance of the annual Moonshine Lunch Run event (1,000+ riders), the Sturgis motorcycle rally (739,000 riders), Daytona Bike week (500,000 riders), Bikes, Blues, and BBQ charity rally (400,000 riders).

Click to expand...

Even in Florida 250 miles is barely a day ride, hardly long distance : and the attendance counts you mention are primarily trailer events (Moonshine being the exception but even there most riders are local day riders) ....... so I guess everything's relative. I am not a LD Rider, I'm a rider who likes to take overnight motorcycle trips.....

TPadden said:

My experience is: local riders may show up at an event but they tend to not return

Click to expand...

That may say more about the STOC'ers than the local riders.

RCS said:

I can see that those that attend STOC events probably ride long distances. My opinion is that STOC event attendees are less than 1 percent of all long distance motorcycle riders. Long distance defined as more than 250 miles per riding day.

Click to expand...

+1

I got hooked on long distance riding with my 1970 Honda CB750. Prior to that bikes were not all that reliable or comfortable. Of the bikes I owned: European bikes (BSA, Triumph) required too much tinkering and frequent service. Japanese bikes (CB77, CB450) were gas powered vibrators that just weren't comfortable for long periods, even though they were capable of running reliably for long periods.
My 750 was smooth, fuel efficient, reliable and only required chain adjustment about every 300 miles. The first bike I ever felt comfortable taking off across country on...so I did...several times.
Been hooked ever since.

Oldbikefixr said:

My 750 was smooth, fuel efficient, reliable and only required chain adjustment about every 300 miles. The first bike I ever felt comfortable taking off across country on...so I did...several times.
Been hooked ever since.

Click to expand...

You adjusted the chain every 300 miles? Not my definition of reliable.

ST Gui said:

That may say more about the STOC'ers than the local riders.

Click to expand...

It may, because they usually get a confused look in reply whenever they ask: "What's on the schedule?"