long ride tips

[stoinkythepig]

I am by no means an expert on the subject but I thought I'd share some stuff that makes long days in the saddle easier to handle.

Avoid any clothing that has seams on your butt. This means no jeans, no boxer briefs, no briefs. Boxers and riding pants are a great combo (or boxers, sweat pants and riding over-pants). Never needed Gold Bond powder.

Stay hydrated. I put a big Camelback bladder in my tank bag and sip every few minutes. Makes a HUGE difference for me.

Prophylactic use of Ibuprofen. Start taking some before the ride and pop a couple at every stop. Awesome stuff.

Stand on your pegs and stretch out when it's safe to do so and long before you get aches. Once every 10 miles or so has never hurt me. I won't do it if there are police about though, I can imagine what they'd think I was doing...

please add more tips

[HBerry]

Thanks for the info. I plan to do my first extended trip this weekend, to Maine and back.

[slingblade]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
Stand on your pegs and stretch out when it's safe to do so and long before you get aches. Once every 10 miles or so has never hurt me. I won't do it if there are police about though, I can imagine what they'd think I was doing...

please add more tips

I do the same, reguardless of who is around. "I'm just airing out the swampass officer"

I am definatly no expert, but the 'preventative' streaching is definatly the best. Clutch wrist isn't sore? doesnt' matter, streach it.

I got a throttle rocker, but my hand is unnaturally wide so I cant really use the palm safely, so I have it kind of turned 'down'. I can move my hand and actuate it with my thumb. Makes for great streaching of the throttle hand, and I can do it safely and have access to the brakes

[benVFR]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
Prophylactic use of Ibuprofen. Start taking some before the ride and pop a couple at every stop. Awesome stuff.

Heheh.. this was called "Masters Vitamins" by one of the guys in my bicycling club.

How do you safely get the camelbak mouthpiece inside your helmet without stopping? I've wanted to try that but haven't really figured out how to do it.

[TheIglu]

You bigger guys ever have problems with the handlebars being too small in diameter?

My pointer and middle finger hit the bottom of my palm while riding, so I kinda have to just let them flop around and hold on with just the two smaller fingers.

Do they make larger handgrips? Sure would keep my freakishly large hands and fingers from crampin up.

I stand up no matter what speed or place I'm riding. Keeps other drivers on their toes when they see you go by at 85 standing straight up lettin the junk air out.


Another tip: Move around on your seat. Move up more, then back for a while, then up again, etc. Nothing hurts more than sitting in one place on your seat for 8+ hours.

Stay fluid. The stiffer I am, the more I hurt. The looser you are on a bike, the smoother you typically ride and the safer you are.

[Nikon]

Originally posted by TheIglu
Do they make larger handgrips? Sure would keep my freakishly large hands and fingers from crampin up.

I know there is going to be something to be said about this but one of the first things that I changed on the Rex was the grips. I am a big guy (no, really, I am) and my hands were gettin really wrecked during rides - stiff and sore. I threw on some Harley (go ahead - heard it before) grips - big foam ones. HUGE freakin difference. The only thing that I have noticed with them is that after how long that I have had them I have worn the left one out a bit from the clutch and how I pull on it (with the outside of my hand so the left side of my palm puts a lot of pressure on the grip). FOr the 6 bucks they cost it was WELL worth it and if I have to replace them every couple of years - no biggie.

Even though I am a noob, I have made a couple of long trips to Maine, southern NH, MA and some LONG trips around VT (400+ mi with the Triumph guys). I am also a big guy with a stock seat so things can get a bit uncomfortable for me. I haven't tried the camelback yet but will soon.

Couple of things that I find make the ride more enjoyable.
1. Red Bull in the middle of it and before - I dont drink coffee.
2. Gum.
3. Music - I found that you should stay away from things like Slayer though - that tends to turn out bad
4. From a maintenance standpoint - since I am a bigger guy I ride with a higher pressure on longer rides and I still get a big damn flatspot.
5. take everything out of your pockets.
6. Bandana on head - helps keep the head cool by keeping your helmet dry - I also have a shaved head so putting a helmet on is like velcro.
7. Stretch out.......A quick stop on the side of the road to jump a couple of times works wonders too and you don't even have to turn off the bike..
8. ENJOY THE SCENERY.......
9. REALIZE HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO BE TAKING THAT RIDE. I think about how fortunate I am to have a bike and be able to make a long ride and it puts a huge smile on my face and I feel like I am on top of the world.

[hohum]

Originally posted by Nikon

9. REALIZE HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO BE TAKING THAT RIDE. I think about how fortunate I am to have a bike and be able to make a long ride and it puts a huge smile on my face and I feel like I am on top of the world.

Dude, thats the most important part! Here's to that

As much as some here call me a squid for it, I still think that music is key for really long rides, really breaks up the monotony... No thats the wrong word, but after 5 or 6 hours of droning motor at same RPM its about as close as I can think...

Cheers,
Chris

[Nikon]

Originally posted by hohum
Dude, thats the most important part! Here's to that

As much as some here call me a squid for it, I still think that music is key for really long rides, really breaks up the monotony... No thats the wrong word, but after 5 or 6 hours of droning motor at same RPM its about as close as I can think...

Cheers,
Chris

I did it for the first time last week when riding to Maine - I don't think that i will ever go back - for long rides alone of course.

[02SuperHawkRdr]

I recently purchased some of the LD Comfort riding underwear per Randy's recommendation. They are freaking great. Did my first SS1000 in them recently. Should have my IBA stuff coming in any day now...

[RandyO]

Originally posted by TheIglu
You bigger guys ever have problems with the handlebars being too small in diameter?

My pointer and middle finger hit the bottom of my palm while riding, so I kinda have to just let them flop around and hold on with just the two smaller fingers.

Do they make larger handgrips? Sure would keep my freakishly large hands and fingers from crampin up.

I stand up no matter what speed or place I'm riding. Keeps other drivers on their toes when they see you go by at 85 standing straight up lettin the junk air out.


Another tip: Move around on your seat. Move up more, then back for a while, then up again, etc. Nothing hurts more than sitting in one place on your seat for 8+ hours.

Stay fluid. The stiffer I am, the more I hurt. The looser you are on a bike, the smoother you typically ride and the safer you are.

I grip handlebars with open palms.

if it hurts to sit for 8 hours, you are wearing wrong underwear.

this does not sound right.... I mean the open palms & wrong underwear

MY TIP.... don't pace yourself too fast, you are more tired after a saddlesore 1000 if you complete it in 14 hours than if you slow down to 75 and do it in 19 hours

[lefty954]

earplugs.....

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by hohum
Dude, thats the most important part! Here's to that

As much as some here call me a squid for it, I still think that music is key for really long rides, really breaks up the monotony... No thats the wrong word, but after 5 or 6 hours of droning motor at same RPM its about as close as I can think...

Cheers,
Chris

Man, you are on the wrong roads... My longest rides typically have me ripping up and down the RPM band through the gears (and braking more than I probably should). Never felt the need for music on a bike, though I sing quite a bit.

How do you safely get the camelbak mouthpiece inside your helmet without stopping? I've wanted to try that but haven't really figured out how to do it.

Up through the bottom of the helmet, not through the visor opening. It's a tight squeeze around my chin. Some chin/helmet combos may not allow this I suspect.

[hohum]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
Man, you are on the wrong roads... My longest rides typically have me ripping up and down the RPM band through the gears (and braking more than I probably should). Never felt the need for music on a bike, though I sing quite a bit.

Heh, I am mostly speeking of the slab here... Sometimes when you have a good distance to cover (say 800+ miles) and you have limited time to do it (say one day) you can't really be shredding the twisties the whole distance, like it or not its either hit the slab, or don't get where you are going on time. Given that if the weather is not dangerous I'd much rather be on the bike, and its either slab it or don't get there when you are supposed to, I take the bike and I take the tunes...

Never done any long distance travel on the bike on a schedule? Its this type of travel that music REALLY helps on...

Cheers,
Chris

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by hohum
Heh, I am mostly speeking of the slab here... Sometimes when you have a good distance to cover (say 800+ miles) and you have limited time to do it (say one day) you can't really be shredding the twisties the whole distance, like it or not its either hit the slab, or don't get where you are going on time. Given that if the weather is not dangerous I'd much rather be on the bike, and its either slab it or don't get there when you are supposed to, I take the bike and I take the tunes...

Never done any long distance travel on the bike on a schedule? Its this type of travel that music REALLY helps on...

Cheers,
Chris

No, never have. My longest trips have all been on back roads and not really all that long in the whole scheme of things. I avoid the slab like the plague and have only done one overnight bike trip and that was in 1987...

I meant to put a in there, It was meant to be a light comment, not serious.

[hohum]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
No, never have. My longest trips have all been on back roads and not really all that long in the whole scheme of things. I avoid the slab like the plague and have only done one overnight bike trip and that was in 1987...

I meant to put a in there, It was meant to be a light comment, not serious.

One overnight bike trip? *GASP*

Now that is something that needs be remedied

Cheers,
Chris

[hohum]

Oh yeah, and to bring this thread back on track, flexoral is great stuff to have in the bags for your wrists for the REALLY long trips (days of travel on the bike, flexoral is a must!)

Cheers,
Chris

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by hohum
One overnight bike trip? *GASP*

Now that is something that needs be remedied

Cheers,
Chris

One of these days I'll do some overnight bike trips. I spent the better part of 4 years living in hotels, customer sites and airports all over the world and am quite happy to sleep at home every night now, thankyouverymuch...

That said, I just remembered an overnight bike ride last year to a friend's lake house we frequent in Maine. Wife took the kids and dogs in the family truckster and I went up the scenic route on my bike later in the morning. The family truckster was packed with cabinets I had built for the lake house which didn't leave any room for me (oh darn, route 153 is such a bore).