400 miles on a Monster

[blue tiger]

This is how my day went.Take my daughter to the optometrist on the back of the monster. My wife comes by after my youngests dentist appt. Switch the kid for a tail bag and it's off to Ft. Wayne (I live in Indianapolis). Since I didn't want to face rush hour in a bad part of town I did about 160 miles through the country. Only had to ask for directions once. Arrived in Ft. Wayne about dark.

I made the trip because a really good friend just bought his first bike (a mid 90'2 BMW R850R) and he's been wanting to show it off. We went for a ride together which was his first time riding at night or with another person. I kept him well in front of me and he did pretty good. He took the MSF course and got his liscence and has been practicing. Then we had dinner and a few drinks. We BS's until about 2 AM and then I set off for home.

Only got lost once getting out of town. For the uninitiated Ft. Wayne is very very confusing and I get lost every time I go there. This was no exception. I finally found the interstate and headed home. I arrived home at about 5 30 am. My wife asked me if I thought I was still 20. I told her I felt every one of my 38 years and went to bed. Slept until 2 this afternoon and then got back on the beast to come to work tonight.

Total for the trip was about 380 miles. My 08 S4RS has the stock seat, bars and rearsets. My ass was a little tired and by the end of the ride those rearsets had never felt higher. I've had the bike since April and just turned over the 4000 mile mark. Every posted speed limit sign was completely ignored. The Monster aint a touring bike but it was freakin' fun !!!

[cbartlett419]

Bravo, my man, when's the next one?

[the_Journeyman]

NIce!  I did 300 miles 2-up in WV and it was seriously fun, even if a bit cramped!

Jm

[LA]

You're a better man than I.

With a tank bag and a sport tail pack it's a "Sport Tourer" at best.  After about 50 mi. it gives me what a good friend refers to as "the monkey butt".  And of course, the seat is sliding you forward all the time to an area where the butt print is much smaller than farther back.  I'm guessing one of the after market seats fixes some of this, but up in the mountains at speed you need to be up on the tank.

The 75 mi. down to Road Atlanta is as far as I've ridden mine without at least getting of long enough to throw down something to drink.  Of course it only takes a little less than 45 min. to do the 75 mi.

LA

[dklay]

I've only got about 1300 miles on my bike so far--- the longest ride thus far has been about 260 miles. Couple of other 150 plus mile days also - all backroads, only about 20 miles highway. When I some good clear fall days that I'm off, I'll be shooting for some REAL long days! No complaints about comfort-- a bit of monkey butt though-- and for the long days, the Eastern Cycle handlebar risers make a HUGE difference.

Sounds like a great day blue tiger!!

[Punx Clever]

I've managed to make upwards of 800 miles on the bike in one day.  That being said, you get creative on how to sit.  That and take LOTS of breaks.

[Beyote]

awesome.

I love those stories.

[Lil Kiki]

i spend my summers in san diego with my parents and this summer i found a good deal on the duc i now have but in august i had to return home to the bay area, so that meant riding the damn thing the 525 miles up here.  i wore padded bike shorts and thankfully my two really good guy friends decided to make the trip with me on their KLR and Suzy cruiser so i was well protected nestled in between their bikes on the 5 north.  but needless to say my butt, arms, and hands were constantly going numb and after arriving well past 3 in the morning i passed out as soon as i hit my bed.  haha, the best part was that my ipod died 250 miles in and so i spent the rest of the trip listening to the droning noise of the wind and myself singing. i feel your pain.

[RBX QB]

Did 500 miles in one day about a month ago... only stopping for gas a couple times.

What did I learn? 300 miles on the Monster is good enough for one day. Makes me want something to tour on, though... but I'm too cheap (broke) to buy a second bike. No way I'm getting rid of the Monster, it's just too damn fun.

What else did I learn? I'm glad my phone is an MP3 player. Luckily, it's good for about 8 or 9 hours before it dies.

[Jarvicious]

I've done about 260 in a day a couple of times (back to visit the rents) but it gets better every time I do it.  I'm fairly new (bought back in April, first bike) so it's the little things like cycling shorts, padded gloves and earplugs that make things a bit nicer every time I hit the road.  Now if they just made highway pegs for the Monster......

And I agree.  The monster isn't built for the long haul, but still worth its weight in gold.  I have a friend who always makes Duc jokes, then I ask him how his wrists are feeling after a couple hundred miles.