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From: animal@ihlpa.UUCP (D. Starr)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Re: Cross Country Ride Info
Message-ID: <824@ihlpa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-Oct-85 17:17:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpa.824
Posted: Tue Oct  8 17:17:06 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 12-Oct-85 13:46:00 EDT
References: <11100004@uiucuxc>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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> 
>     I am planning a cross country ride this coming spring. Any information
> or advice pertaining to bike size, road selection, lodging, etc. would
> be greatly appreciated.
>     To those in Champaign, Il. area, if you have a bike for sale that might
> meet the above conditions, mail me something.
>                                  -Lonnie (uiucuxc!vanzandt)

(This could go on for hours...)

I'm putting this one on the net in the hopes that we'll get a little
more discussion on the subject, since what works for me may not work for
you.

By cross-country, I assume you mean something like one of the coasts, or
a week in the Rockies or something; at least not just Champaign to 
Dubuque.


BIKE SELECTION-I would say that 500cc is a good dividing line:  it is
certainly possible to cross the country on a smaller bike, but 500 
seems to be the line dividing proving a point from having fun.  Obviously,
the larger bikes will haul more gear than the smaller ones.  I've taken
long trips on 2 different 500's, and concluded that they're quite adequate
(and a lot of fun) if not overloaded.  This means (to me) no passenger,
no hard saddlebags and at most a bar-mounted windshield.  If you're
interested in the fairing and bags route, I think 750 is a better
minimum--850 with passenger.

You should also consider what kind of bike you're taking.  Lean-back
boulevard cruisers (Virago, Shadow, Intruder, etc.) can get hard on the
back if you don't have something to lean on.  Similarly, squat-down
roadracers (Interceptor, Katana, etc.) force you to do a continuous
push-up at most legal speeds.  Anything that doesn't allow you to change
your seating position will get old real fast.  I think the best setup
is moderate handlebars (flattish but not too low) and a flat seat, so
you can lean forward a bit into the wind at speed, lean back against your
sleeping bag for the dull stretches, and sit up straight now and then.
Such bikes are hard to find, what with all the specialization going
on these days.  Suzuki used to have a line of sensible motorcycles
called the "T" (for traditional) series, but they were considered too
bland by the customers and disappeared.  If you can find one as a "non
current" model, it'll probably be a bargain and an excellent choice.
(Of course, the new Harley 883 is also very sensible if you get it with
the [optional] flat seat, but it's also $4K.)

Another thing to stay away from if this is your first long tour is the
big, full dress "gunboat" (Goldwing, Voyager, etc.).  Most of these
machines are just too damn heavy to have any fun on.

ROADS-I seldom use the Interstate system for the very simple reason
that if I'm trying to see the country I want to see more than four
lanes and an endless series of fast food joints.  Believe it or not,
Kansas is actually quite pretty if you take the two-laners.  Similarly,
you can cross Missouri on I-70 and be bored stiff, or take US 50 and
go through hills and curves for the whole distance.  The two-laners
have a few other advantages:

Lodging and food are frequently cheaper.  Facilities along the superslab
are usually new and a good chunk of what you pay goes to the mortgage.
The places along the small roads are usually paid for, run by retired
folks who don't need a lot of money, and are therefore cheaper.

You can ride faster between towns with less risk of a ticket.  (Keep this
one secret!)  Most of the cops are on the interstate, setting up speed
traps to separate the tourists from their money.  I've ridden all day
in Ohio on US 30 without seeing a cop; get on the interstate and saw five
in the first ten miles.

Worried about hostile locals?  You're watching too much TV.  In nine
years and 13 long cross country trips, all I've ever encountered was
hospitality.

A hint for finding good roads:  the fainter the line is on the map, the
better.  The thin gray lines tend to mean less traffic and more hills
and curves than the thick red or black ones.

LODGING-You certainly want to carry the old reliable KOA guide, if for
nothing else as a last resort.  Note that the cheaper KOAs are often
more tent-oriented than the expensive "award winners."  

I know of three motorcycles-only campgrounds:  Songdog Ranch (near L.A.),
Two Wheels Only, (Suches, GA) and Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground
(Cruso, NC).  There will probably be more opening; this is an idea whose
time has come.

In Kansas, you can camp out in most of the highway rest areas on the
state highway system (NOT the interstates).  This is generally not
true in other states.

National Park facilities are always full before you get there.
On the other hand, there are frequently forest service campgrounds
nearby, if you can negotiate a few miles of gravel fire road.

Don't believe what you read about the joy of cooking your own food
in camp.  You will probably not want to do it (remember, you're
on vacation), and you'd need a sidecar to carry all the equipment.

If you're planning to motel it, grab a copy of "Lodgings for Less"
at your local bookstore.  It's a Mobil Travel Guide book listing only
good quality budget motels.  Also keep in mind, motels are cheaper and
often more available if you stay away from the slab.


Well, that's long enough.  What do the rest of you have to say?

			Dan Starr