Tripping

[SARGE]

. My days when I am mucking around go like this:

• Get out of bed
• Small breakfast
• Go somewhere
• Have lunch
• Fill up tank
• Go somewhere else
• Fill tank
• Find somewhere to sleep
• Find food
• Sleep.
• Repeat

its the food and sleep hunting that really take it out of you.. anything longer than a week on the road eating shit food out of cardboard boxes and vending machines reaks havoc on your body.

[crashe]

its the food and sleep hunting that really take it out of you.. anything longer than a week on the road eating shit food out of cardboard boxes and vending machines reaks havoc on your body.

Not unless you are used to eating that stuff all the time anyway...lol.

[sAsLEX]

Plus I would also take into account, whether or not the roads were twisties or more straight roads.. on a long trip.
The more twistie they are, the more tired you will get, due to concentration.

often find the opposite, once I get off the policed roads and on to the twisties and pick up the pace the brain pops back out of hibernation and concentrating on lines etc with an upped pace actually keeps me awake alot more and moving around on the bike keeps the muscles alive.

worst bit about long trips out of auckland is the bloody motorway on the way back in, puts you right to sleep unless a bit of splitting is implemented


--round 500 to 600 k if riding for more than a few days, oh and and on your bike will be easier than say a NC30!

[scumdog]

One up? A breakfast of beans on toast, a coffee and on the road.
'Lunch' at Amberley, Tea at Picton.
No smokes and minimal fuel stops.
Of course two-up? Hmmm, her-in-doors has a more tender toush = more stops.

[Zed]

...anything longer than a week on the road eating shit food out of cardboard boxes and vending machines reaks havoc on your body.

Havn't you seen that vid Supersize Me about the guy who submitted himself to soley eating McDonalds for 30 days...interesting results if I recall!

[Dragon28]

Last year I did Picton (Well technically from Wellington, but I slept on the ferry crossing) to Mataura (Just south of Gore) in a day .. and I don't think that I would attempt that again in the near future, by the end of it I was shattered.

I think that somewhere between 600 and 700 should be a good maximum limit, but your mileage might vary.

Always important to remember if you are starting to feel tired, take a break, better off doing a shorter distance and living to tell the tale, rather than the alternative

Keep it safe

[scumdog]

Last year I did Picton (Well technically from Wellington, but I slept on the ferry crossing) to Mataura (Just south of Gore) in a day .. and I don't think that I would attempt that again in the near future, by the end of it I was shattered.

I think that somewhere between 600 and 700 should be a good maximum limit, but your mileage might vary.

Always important to remember if you are starting to feel tired, take a break, better off doing a shorter distance and living to tell the tale, rather than the alternative

Keep it safe

I did that same trip in a newly bought '63 Galaxie of unknown reliability, not the best for a settled stomach!!
Got there in the end.

[Dragon28]

I did that same trip in a newly bought '63 Galaxie of unknown reliability, not the best for a settled stomach!!
Got there in the end.

I get to do the same trip again early in the new year, unfortunately I have to take the cage and not the bike

[oldrider]

So many men (or menesses) so many opinions.
You have got a bike that will deliver you plenty of distance very quickly and no doubt that is why you bought it.
If you are touring you have have to compromise between what you want and what you like or need.
How are you going to look back on your trip when you get home.
I have always been a rip shit and bust artist bashing my balls on distance. Now I am getting older and the fun police are more active I go slower and her on the back is happier and I am really enjoying the little bike.
I now see and experience things that were just a blur before.
Planning helps, find out what and where you are going.
I know planning is boring but some planning pays off.
400/500km a day is far enough day after day etc.
Carry only what you need you can always buy essentials and throw away what you no longer need.
Travel as light as you can and give yourself time on your stops to get the necessaries you want. Hope that helps. Cheers John.
PS: When you get down here the rides are generally longer anyway and be carefull if the ice don't get you the gritt will. Enjoy.

[scumdog]

I get to do the same trip again early in the new year, unfortunately I have to take the cage and not the bike

In those circumstances I would say your biggest crisis would be 'where the food places are at'

The rest is a cruise.
(well when I as young we use to go Balclutha-|Christchurch- Blenhiem-Nelson (sleep 4hrs)- Murchison-Buller-Hokitika-Haast-Wanaka-Dunedin- (Big Daddy had a take-a-ways Burger bar there - no KFC/Mackas then) then home.

THIS WAS A WEEKENDS PISS TRIP!! - (burned off a train heading into Hokitika and the Haast Pass was gravel throught the Makarora!!)

[Ixion]

Apart from the obvious variables of road, climate, fitness, riding position, there are two other very important considerations.

One is, how long is the total ride. If it is only one day you can push a bit harder, knowing that you can recover the next day. But if the ride is to extend over several days then you need to consider that what was OK on day 1 may be tiresome at best by day 4. And pushing too hard turns a pleasant experience into an endurance exercise.

The other thing is, what is the purpose of the ride? If you are (say) riding from Auckland to Wellington, and you need to be there as soon as possible - because you have matters to attend to and have only a limited time of work for instance; or if , say, you are riding down to see family and want to spend as much time as possible with them; then you will push harder.

But if it is a touring ride, to see the country (by far the best sort of motorcycling), then it would be folly to plan too great a distance in a day. Commiting , even only mentally to a long run each day , means that the excursion down that side road to see what that interesting signpost was on about, must be forgone. As must likewise the leisurely luncheon at that very nice cafe. And the interesting conversation with the chance met fellow traveller will needs be abruptly curtailed. A large part of the enjoyment of the ride will thus be lost.

Taking all into account, anything from 200 miles to 400 miles is practical. The former will be a pleasant meander, the latter a purposful jurney in haste.

[scumdog]

Also it hinges around how many are involved, if just me I coud ride over 1000km because the only one to have pressure is ME!!
With C.B. and moi it is a different story - we cut it down to 500km if possible.

[Artifice]

chch -nelson. nelson-wellington. wellington -castle point-wanganui. wanganui-palmey-auckers. auckers-whangarei- russell. each ride is a decent day on a bike. i have also done wellington-napier, napier-east cape-tauranga. tauranga coro loops auckers.
from russell,(thats in the bay of islands) i like to go on day trips to whangarei, or around kaitaia and back(love that gorge), or through the forest and say "Hi" to Tane Mahuta. lots of good roads i expect ill see a few of next week.
its ok to do long days on your first and last day of a holiday (first day your fresh and last day you get to rest up after) but try to keep the mileage down in the middle. I've found on my little sprotsbike(gsxr400) my knees and throttle shoulder get to be agonising if i dont keep the distances down. dont be afraid to stay in a town for a day in the backpackers and just chill out they're good like that. it gives your joints a chance to recover.

oh yeah i read somewhere that it takes the same amount of time to ride the bike across the road from the petrol station and stop at a cafe as it does to stop half a tank later. so it pays to stop at the half a tank stage for you meal break and get a free break in. also if you leave early in the morning you can get the majority of your riding done before noon when traffic starts to get heavier, giving you more time to sight see. now since im blathering on im going to shut up and drink my beer. ttfn.

[ManDownUnder]

It's about as far as you can go (the old drill a hole through the middle of the earth... from Auckland... do the math!)

I did it one time - nearly killed me... in fact I'm not convinced I didn't die.

On a bike however? Depends on you. Why go for "distance"... to me that's just someone trying to do the most/be the biggest/best/etc

all of which translates to machismo BS.

Ride till you want to stop. get off walk around th bike, relax for a but then either carry on, or change your plans.

[SPman]

When I was young and stupid, Haast to Hamilton, with a 7mth pregnant wife on the back of the Ducati - sleeping on the ferry! wanted to get back to Auckland but my aunt in Hamilton hid the keys and made us stop!!
Now - depends. Going to Welly or anywhere by myself, its get there quick mode, touring - well - whats the rush (other than a tasty set of twisties, of course). 100km - 200km - 400km - whatever. Last summer found about 2-300Km was fine, for prolonged casualness!