07-18-2014, 02:06 PM
(07-17-2014, 10:10 PM)The ferret_imp Wrote: Ok ride report is up
http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3506
offroad..have a fun safe trip. Great place to ride.
Trailering has it's pluses and minuses. Do you need a dedicated tourer? Only if you like to spend a lot of time touring. Bikes like ST's and FJRs eat up long distance miles without wearing out the rider and do a yeoman's job in the curvy places, but aren't nearly as much fun as a lightweight bike in the twisties. But the lightweight nakeds will wear you our riding long miles on boring interstates to get to the good stuff. I don't know.... it's a tough decision. I have done it both ways and like doing it both ways, but in the end I prefer riding to towing. Anyone who says riding a light weight naked long distance doesn't wear you out, has never ridden 500 miles a day for 11 straight days. I have ridden my 13 CB to West Virginia and it was no problem (and will ride my 14 to central Kentucky for a week of riding in September). A 300 mile day on each end of a week long trip with local riding in between, is easily doable but for much more, like a solo tour out west, I want a dedicated sport tourer. I towed my Bonneville to Utah in 2003 and then toured all the National Parks in Utah and AZ (Bryce Canyon, Arches, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Canyon De Chelly, Zion Natl Park etc) and that was a great decision. Riding from Ohio to Utah on the Bonnie with my wife on back would have worn us both out...and then would have still needed to ride it back home. I towed my ST to Montana in 2012, then left my trailer at a buddy house and toured Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming, then towed it back home. It was nearly 4000 miles round trip just to my buddy's house, so we elected to tow. Good decision IMO. My wife and I rode the ST to Bar Harbor Maine, 2 weeks 3400 miles and much preferred riding rather than towing on that occasion. Just depends.
Yep, it will wear you down no doubt on standards at high speeds with no wind screen. But, I just like them. Let me know when and where you are coming through Ky cause I would love to meet up with you if possible. ST is a heck of a bike for eating up miles no doubt.