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[pado]

On long trips how far do you average riding per day comfortably.  I know it depends on the trip length, experience, and conditions but I would like some input please.

[Puzzled]

That is a loaded question as everybody's comfort level is different. For someone who is venturing out for the first time, I'd tell them to take their time and don't push it.

It is 1100 miles from my door to Daytona and I have ridden it several times straight through. I stopped one year and was bored as hell sitting in the room. I find when I travel with a few people I tend to stop more just to BS.

[erniezap]

As Puzzled says, everyone is different.  Riding alone, I've done 1100 miles in a day (Great Falls, Montana to Campbell, CA).  Riding in small groups (2-5 bikes) I've done 900 mile days.  Any group bigger than 5-6 bikes, the mileage goes way down due to stops, different riding styles, etc.  Road conditions make a major difference as well.  Riding the interstates you can cover a lot of miles but is a crappy ride.  Riding the back roads and twisties makes the ride a lot more interesting and fun (you also get to see a lot more), but you cover a lot less miles.

[hdbrad03]

Wife and I usually ride 500-600 miles per day without any issues. Make sure you account for time zones changes. It is great going west but coming back east loosing the hour really makes it hard to travel as far.


 
   
     Brad

[pado]

Thanks ya'll.  I was refering to a 5 or 6 maybe 7 day trip to a destination.  I am aware that there are a lot of variables.

What is everyones comfort zone?

[Twolanerider]

If I'm heading somewhere an easy day's travel follows this routine:

Breakfast/clean bugs with hotel towel/load up/fuel.  Hit the road about 8:00.

Two fuel stops and 275 miles or so and stop for lunch and restroom.  

On road again about 1:00.  Three fuel stops reaches a comfortable dinner time and makes it around a 700 mile day.  

Doing it like that hits a hotel around dark in the summer time.  Makes for an easy unrushed day.  And ready to do it again day after day if time allows.  

You asked about comfortable easy days.  That's my comfortale day.  It takes a tank or so each day just to get in the rhythm of the day.  

A little more is no big deal though.  Leave a little earlier, ride a little longer, eat crackers at fuel stops rather than stopping for day meals and stretching that another two fuel stops and getting a 1000 miles still isn't a bad day.

[Puzzled]

If I know I can't ride it in a day I try to break the trip either equally or by when I'd like to be "there". 10 hours +/- in the saddle is a good days riding for me. Than again there are days I don't make but a few hours and I'm ready to get off of the bike. I've been jogging for about 5 years now and I have found that since I have strengthened my core muscles I can sit in the saddle longer before getting uncomfortable.

[screwup]

Everybody rides differently, however, when we depart usually have the route planned using 2 lane roads with plenty of stops as we figure it is not the destination but the journey and we do the motel bit.  Wife's idea of roughing it is Motel 6 without a hot tub.  

We normally will do about 300 to 350 per day stopping early around 5 to 6PM, need to find a motel.   Leave the motel around 9AM sometimes as late as 10AM.  Depending upon what is encountered in the day, scenary, sites, etcv along the route will determine how far we get.  Have had days only did 60 miles also have had days did 500 plus.  

Trip last year to the California Rally took us 5 days to get to Reno for Street Vibrations, but there is a lot of interesting things one can experience along the way, including in Kansas.  

Figure out what you want to accomplish(see and do) and what are your time constraints are the biggest factors on any trip.  

[ice6900]

when we need to be somewhere, 800miles  in a day alone or two bikes into unknown territory and find a motel,
as others have written more bikes = more stops = lower mileage per day

[2k]

I set my high limit at 700.......500 if I ain't on a schedule. If I have to push any harder than that it ain't fun. Trailer when necessary, for me its the destination......75mph on the super slab is not a trip. If there are 2 of you, you can trailer and drive straight thru, spend much more time with friends & beautiful rides.

[FreestateSE3]

My wife and I have taken several long trips on the bikes.  In addition to what the others have said, we tent-camp, so we are up at daylight, breakdown the campsite, and generally on the road befoe 0800.  In the afternoon, it is best to find a campsite and be setup before dark (don't ask me how I know that particular pearl of wisdom) so we don't ride as long as we would if we were staying in a motel.  With stops for sight-seeing and all, we'll generally cover 400 to 500 miles in a day. One the sightseeing portion of our trip is over, and we're just trying to get home, then 600-650 is not a problem for us "old-folks"  Whatever you do- enjoying the trip is paramount.

[Spiderman]

You have to do some short rides 1st to get a sense of what your average speed will be. That's based on how long you go between stops, how long you stop for etc. My personal recommendation is that you limit your day to no more than 12hrs. That means you need to hit the road by 0700. One thing I do is to not eat when I get up. I have coffee, pack it up and go. Have breakfast at your 1st stop. Also, keep your meals light or you'll be falling asleep in the saddle. I've found that on a coast to coast ride, (5 days continuous) I can average about 63miles/hr riding by myself. In a group, that drops to 56 miles an hour. That's for the whole day, so a 12hr day would be either 750 miles alone or 675 in a group. Either way, that's enough saddle time for anyone if you're going to be riding for 5 or 6 days. On a one or two day ride it's what your body will stand. 1,000 mile day is a hard one unless you're a perfect physical specimen. If you're a COBB like a lot of us, I wouldn't even consider riding that far unless you feel you need to prove something.
What it comes down to is are your riding to get somewhere or riding to see the country ? You can combine both on a motorcycle because of the nature of riding, but there's a point at which it becomes more chore than fun. You need to find that point as well as define your personal limits.

B B

[grandpadoc]

On our last trip cross country we did some 500+ plus days just to blow out some areas and 100-200 days for must see areas. On the long days our lunch stops were short with just a energy drink and a breakfast bar at gas stops. We tried to end up at our motel by 4:00pm to unpack and take a swim or enjoy some regional food with site members along the way. The short days we would get to the destination early to enjoy the area like we did in Memphis and hung out all day at Graceland. Later that evening we met up with a site member and visited Beal St. The next day another short run to Nashville...
Some lessons we learned:  
1. Don't take too much stuff, plan on doing laundry on long trips.
2. Get the best rain gear available and those long rain days won't be much of a problem.
3. A full face helmet is a must have for the elements...rain, wind, hail, snow... we didn't and wished we did almost every day.
4. Don't leave without a good GPS. Its nice to know how much longer it wil take to get to you destination, where the gas stops are, how    to get to the motel or camp ground, and play MP3's. If its not water proof a good ziplock freezer bag will work fine.
5. Keep a good attitude because circumstances and opportunities change daily...its an adventure.

[DOOFUS]

I like 500-600 mile days.  After I did my first IBA SS1K my comfort ad confidence increased quickly.  But ya know, ya just ride what feels good!!  DOOFUS

[Mano]

Like many have said. It depends on the group, the roads and the weather. I think that 10 to 12 hours a day on a bike is enough. Especially if you have a good group you want to sit back and  a bit because thats part of the ride too.......having a good time.