Pretty Much My First Big Boy Long Trip Ever

[DRB146_imp]

So, as some of may have seen in the past few days, I am new to the forum. I have a 2013 CB1100 that I got last year, private sale. I dropped it shortly after buying it, it got fixed, and I would argue that in the past two weeks, I have ridden more than I have in the five years I have been riding at all. I've done Waterbury, CT to Cape Cod, MA (~185 miles) on a 400cc engine a few times, and my tush has never forgiven me for that. I actually thought about it today as I was riding, and I am still very much a novice if we're going with the 4 tier system (Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced). Plowing ahead...

The old lady was working like usual, and I was bored and had nothing to do, so I decided to take the bike for a longer ride. I WD40'ed the chain, filled up the tank, and I was off. I knew what route I wanted to take, but didn't really plan all that much beforehand, so I didn't really think just how many miles it would be.

Trip Details:

- South Shore, MA -> Rt. 2 to Shelburne Falls, MA -> Amherst, MA/Quabbin Reservoir -> Back to South Shore, MA (Link: https://www.motorcycleroads.com/motorcyc...loop?s=70)
- Trip Distance: 258.04 miles
- Start Time: Somewhere around 1230 hrs, 8/15/21
- End Time: Somewhere around 2000 hrs, 8/15/21
- Actual Ride Time: Clocked at 5 hours and 49 minutes, via Rever app

I usually find a route on motorcycleroads.com ("MR"), download the GPX file, and then open it up in the Rever app. I really like the Rever app, both sites really, but it has seemed recently like it is more difficult to load routes properly via phone on the Rever app - I mean, if I'm knowingly going to go on a long route, I will actually take the time to plot it out on the computer, but since this was in essence a 'get up and go' type day, it just seemed to be a hassle. It was an established route on MR, but it wound up turning into 5 logged entries for 1 actual trip on the Rever app. Whatever - it was just annoying.

The route itself is gorgeous. Best parts are MA 112 and MA 116 - straight farmland countryside and S curves through forested backroads. Even Rt. 2 was pretty scenic for a state highway. The heat has been unbearable the past two days (I was literally dripping sweat just sitting at my kitchen table), and when I took the dog for a walk this morning, I immediately noticed the heat had broken, and that put me in a great mood. I believe this route has the highest rating on MR for Massachusetts routes, and for good reason.

Achievements:
- Got two compliments on the bike - One guy asked me at a stoplight if I had bought it yesterday from some dealership in Foxboro. I said no, and he said he swore that was the one he sat on yesterday. Said it looked great. The other guy was also riding a bike (a Kawasaki) and I met him at the Quabbin Reservoir overlook. He was probably early 60's, and couldn't stop raving about the look of the CB11. We wound up talking for a while. Cool dude.
- Hit a new PR on speed. Had the whole "eyes tearing up but wind blowing the tears back" feeling. Absolutely incredible.
- I had never tried the "Holy poop, my battery crapped out and I need to get this thing going - go down a hill in neutral and pop it into second gear" method, but figured the heck with it, I'm gonna try when the conditions are good - and I did it!

Improvements Needed:
- Definitely felt myself getting tired, physically and (as a result) mentally. The back leg of the trip I was actually getting fairly chilly, and I was just wanting to get home by that time, and was not focusing as much on the road itself.
- I've really been trying to improve my turns lately. Writing that makes me cringe, but I think it's honestly from still getting used to the bike (I barely rode it last year, and for all intents and purposes the only bike I really rode before this was the CB400). I managed to get way more comfortable with increased speed on the straightaways, and back road turns were a breeze, but as I was getting tired and losing focus, I had a tendency to slow down quite a bit (and p'od a lot of drivers as a result). Hopefully none of you were affected... lol

Nonetheless, a very fun day's ride. I saw somebody else post about the Iron Butt Association, and I remember hearing about it before and wanted to try it. Definitely need to get a few more rides in before I take a swing at that.

Any feedback is welcome - good, bad, or ugly.
Pics:

[tod.branko_imp]

Congratulations on your achievement! Long solo rides can be very relaxing. It's also quite normal to get tired on a 200+ mile trip, especially if it's your first time and you haven't got the necessary specific fitness. Keep riding and things will get better.

As for cornering improvement, I can tell you what works for me. Every time I get a new bike I spend some time on an empty parking lot with the new bike and work my way through riding fundamentals - stop and go, figure 8s, slaloms, swerving, emergency braking. I find that it builds up confidence as it allows me to understand the limits of my bike and how it's going to behave in a specific situation.

I'm not trying to self-promote but if you are wondering what that looks like - practicing on your own, here is a short video I made a few seasons ago talking about staying alive on a bike while endlessly turning slaloms on my old Tiger 1050.

https://youtu.be/fVf4I8oRZ-Y

And as usually I think every post should have a pic, me slowly narrowing the U-turn radius while breaking in a new set of tires (also on the Tiger)

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

[Tev62]

Before you blame yourself completely for your slow turns, I guess due to a little lack of confidence, make sure your bike tyre pressures are spot on and that you have increased the rear preload on the CB if you are a heavier guy than the average Japanese man. This bike can be made to corner very nicely and without effort with the right setup.

[sourdough44_imp]

I have a low cost ‘Iron Rider’ bad on my rear rack. It’s about the size of a smaller gym bag, good for errands, easily holds a jacket too.

That sounds like a long ride. I always tell people, riding a motorcycle takes a fair bit more alertness than driving a car. Much of that is safety awareness.

Slow turns are better than to fast. The other week I was coming down our winding driveway, not expecting anyone. Hidden by trees here comes the garbage truck. As I braked the front tire slid on some pine needles. I kept things upright but for a such benign start it was an annoyingly close call.

[emptysea]

Sounds like a good, long, day. Happy to talk to you anytime about longer distance rides, though there are folks here far more expert than I on the subject.

Never thought about practicing a bump-start when my battery is fully charged. That's a brilliant idea. I've never started my own bike that way although I've pushed a friend's bike at least twice to get him started (mentioned in one or more of my Seat Time reports).

I won't give you any tips on cornering as I'm not that good at it myself and because I suspect you will be getting plenty of help without me.

[Gone in 60]

Good on you for the bump start. When I know that one of my bikes' batteries are getting weak, and perhaps I have on order that I'm waiting for (or not, if I'm just lazy), I try to park anywhere where I can have an easy roll going forward to bump if I need to. Top of a gentle rise makes it really easy.

Confidence will increase with seat time, and with practice in a secluded place somewhere will help.

Sounds like a fun ride! I'd love to find the time to ride anywhere but work. But at least I'm riding.

[DRB146_imp]

Before you blame yourself completely for your slow turns, I guess due to a little lack of confidence, make sure your bike tyre pressures are spot on and that you have increased the rear preload on the CB if you are a heavier guy than the average Japanese man. This bike can be made to corner very nicely and without effort with the right setup.

Heavy? No.
Heavier than the average Japanese man? Yeah, probably...

Congratulations on your achievement! Long solo rides can be very relaxing. It's also quite normal to get tired on a 200+ mile trip, especially if it's your first time and you haven't got the necessary specific fitness. Keep riding and things will get better.

As for cornering improvement, I can tell you what works for me. Every time I get a new bike I spend some time on an empty parking lot with the new bike and work my way through riding fundamentals - stop and go, figure 8s, slaloms, swerving, emergency braking. I find that it builds up confidence as it allows me to understand the limits of my bike and how it's going to behave in a specific situation.

I'm not trying to self-promote but if you are wondering what that looks like - practicing on your own, here is a short video I made a few seasons ago talking about staying alive on a bike while endlessly turning slaloms on my old Tiger 1050.

https://youtu.be/fVf4I8oRZ-Y

And as usually I think every post should have a pic, me slowly narrowing the U-turn radius while breaking in a new set of tires (also on the Tiger)

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

I liked the video! Reminded me a lot of the MSF course material that I hadn't thought about for some time.

[misterprofessionality]

Long rides can be a blessing a curse. There's a lot of best practices that many old hats can give you that'll really improve the experience though. As far as building confidence in turns goes: One of the best tips i can give is to find a twisty road near you (if you have one) and take it at your own pace. then when you get to the end of it make a U turn and go back down it. Take the bike home and park it. Go out the next day and do the same thing, on the same road. You will find that every few days your pace has increased, without you even meaning to. you'll be leaning farther, braking later, exiting more smoothly, ect. every turn will get easier, because you'll be very familiar with the specific geometry of that one road. How does this help you on other roads? confidence. you'll come away from it with a much stronger understanding of how stable your bike is on the side of its tires, and you'll be surprised how much other turns in faraway places feel just like that road back home. Muscle memory is like that. cut 1000 tomatoes and by #900 you'll be perfectly dicing 5 of them in the time it took you to do 1 at the beginning. the human body is hard wired to efficiently reproduce physical actions, so reptition is the best way to build fundamentals.

Second tip: pay strong attention too foot position and where your weight is supported. There's a million youtube videos on this so i'll spare you a lecture, but it really pays off when you're cornering a bigger bike.

So, since you're a big boy now, you can make it to Caldwell OH for the rally in september right?

[KiowaEagle_imp]

Long rides can be a blessing a curse. There's a lot of best practices that many old hats can give you that'll really improve the experience though. As far as building confidence in turns goes: One of the best tips i can give is to find a twisty road near you (if you have one) and take it at your own pace. then when you get to the end of it make a U turn and go back down it. Take the bike home and park it. Go out the next day and do the same thing, on the same road. You will find that every few days your pace has increased, without you even meaning to. you'll be leaning farther, braking later, exiting more smoothly, ect. every turn will get easier, because you'll be very familiar with the specific geometry of that one road. How does this help you on other roads? confidence. you'll come away from it with a much stronger understanding of how stable your bike is on the side of its tires, and you'll be surprised how much other turns in faraway places feel just like that road back home. Muscle memory is like that. cut 1000 tomatoes and by #900 you'll be perfectly dicing 5 of them in the time it took you to do 1 at the beginning. the human body is hard wired to efficiently reproduce physical actions, so reptition is the best way to build fundamentals.

Second tip: pay strong attention too foot position and where your weight is supported. There's a million youtube videos on this so i'll spare you a lecture, but it really pays off when you're cornering a bigger bike.

So, since you're a big boy now, you can make it to Caldwell OH for the rally in september right?

You can ride out there with Suhawk305 and I

[Stichill_imp]

Enjoyed your report!

The key to taking long solo rides, for me at least, is to rest every hour to hour-and-a-half. Also, you mentioned watering eyes with speed. If you're not wearing a helmet with a face shield and ear plugs, the wind and noise will bring on fatigue much sooner.

As for tipping in and taking curves with confidence, try to learn about and implement what is called a "late apex" turn. Essentially you want to brake hard on entry before tipping in, then stay on the brakes lightly while you steer outside on a curve for good visibility through the turn. Don't look down near the painted line or near the front of your bike. Lift your head up and assertively turn your head to look ahead through the turn. When you can see the exit open up, push on that inside bar and give 'er the beans to power around the turn.

I highly recommend Keith Code's [url=https://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-II-Keith-Code/dp/0965045072]video and/or [url=https://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Vol-High-Performance-Motorcycle/dp/0965045021]book Twist of the Wrist II. He introduces the idea of "survival instincts" that surprisingly can cause you to crash your motorcycle. One example is "target fixation" where your attention locks onto a threat. You have to consciously force yourself to look away and focus on where you want to go...otherwise you will ride straight into the threat you meant to avoid.