Planning my first road trip. Your advice will be appreciated.

[Thorby]

I'm thinking about taking my first road trip this Saturday.  First, let me give you some background.  I have been riding since July 2011 when I got my '76 CB750.  All that time I have done a daily 20 min. urban highway commute and even managed to stay afloat one night of icy road conditions (was creepy as hell when I hit an ice patch, though).  My longest nonstop ride was on the loop around town for like 40 minutes.

The trip I'm planning will be 124 miles each way with a 50 mph limit on that road.  My bike is bare bones (no saddlebags, etc) so the payload will be just my passenger and I and we are each 140 lbs.    Temperature is expected to start at 55 F when I leave at 6:00 am or so and the high will be 90 F.  

From what I read around here 50 mph is nothing to you guys lol.  But for safety's sake, what should I be aware of for this first road trip?  My rear tire is new and my front tire is not terribly dried up.  I'll take a can of seal-a-flat in case I get a flat.  My chain will be lubed.  What am I missing as far as mechanical checks?  Any tips on tire pressure?

Thanks guys.  I look forward to your wisdom.

[Re-run]

Forget the fix-a-flat, won't do you any good. We use inner tubes and that stuff just wont do it.
If you are worried about flats, bring a couple small tire spoons, or in a bind, a couple wide blade screwdrivers(just dont pinch the tube), a new tube or a patch kit.
After that, I wouldn't bother with anything else. You are not that far away from home.
Your onboard toolkit is all you should need otherwise.

[TOOLS1]

If your really worried, get AAA.
TOOLS

[Thorby]

Yeah yeah I'm the type who wears a full face helmet when riding so there.

[Piute]

          Enjoy your ride ,
       have you ever ridden on the back of a bike for any distance,
   It is a pain in the azz, Do all you can to get your passenger comfortable as possible may need to stop more to stretch out. Have fun..

[shinyribs]

Nothing wrong with a full face.I wouldn't wear anything but one. If your bike has proven reliable so far (sounds like it has) I would not worry too much. Like you said-check the chain,tire pressure maybe the oil level.Just the basics. I carry a few things in my book bag. Dykes,adj wrench,screwdrivers and elec tape. I am nor worried so much about a mechanical failure as I am an electrical one. Mechanical items rarely fail all at once.Electrical items do.

The temperature swings are hard to deal without somewhere to stow something.In the 60's you will need a jacket and some gloves.Possibly something to around your neck depending on how sensitive you or your rider are to cold.When that comes off you will have to put it somewhere. If your rider doesn't mind wearing a back pack it gives you more options. Otherwise you will have to bring along something to tie your clothes to the bike with.Everything rolled up tightly and bungeed to the forks,resting on the front fender,should stay no problem.

A soft rag is good to have.I caught a giant bug to the visor one day and it was a mess.Couldn't see out the right side at all.

A spare fuel filter may be a good idea.Or maybe a fresh on before you take off.

125 miles will seem like an eternity on the way away from your home.On the way back it will seem like minutes

Thorby,you commented on my high speed antics earlier...the thought of riding a passenger absolutely terrifies me. Just goes to show,we all have our own limits.I'll stretch it out over 100mph with out blinking an eye...but riding two up? Never gonna happen buddy.

Be careful and have fun.

[Thorby]

Thanks guys. Good advice. Except for the AAA thing, that just makes me wonder whether the forum is to share knowledge or just sell things. Hmmm....

[shinyribs]

Both! In all sreiousness though,these bikes are dead nuts reliable. You should cover the basics,but I wouldn't let it bother you too much. Just enjoy your nice relaxing ride you have coming up.A true simple pleasure.

[TOOLS1]

Everyone else seems to like my advice. Also I am an advocate of doing it yourself, but on the road is not the place to be doing it. I have road service/assistance, and have been very glad to have it a few times. If, you run out of gas in the middle of nowhere, what are, you going to do? Are, you going to pack spare gas? What if something breaks that can't be fixed with duct tape, and bailing wire? It used to be if, you broke down someone would stop, and help, you. However those days are long gone now. People will drive right by, you while talking/texting on their cell phones, and not even notice, you there. And if they did notice, you, they would think, you had a cell phone, and had called, for help already. My roadside assistance costs $5.00 a month, and is well worth it.
TOOLS  

[sgtslag]

Things to have on your trip:

Scarf to keep your necks warm, safe from the sun, and windburn;

Riding Gloves, preferably leather (around $30/pair), to protect your hands from bug and rock impacts, as well as weather;

Riding Jacket, preferably armored (around $70, www.leatherup.com), with a zip-out liner, and zippered vents for cooling when it gets warm;

Tank bag to hold your gear, safely, securely, and in the best location for balance (around $60-$80, attaches by magnetic straps).

If you never took the Motorcycle Safety Training class, schedule it.  You will learn a very great deal, which can save your life, the life of your passenger, and possibly others.    Seriously, it is worth your time, effort, and your hard-earned money.  Tank bags hold a small amount of stuff, but they keep it in front of you, they offer a map pocket on top, and they hold gear in one of the best balance locations, within the suspension triangle.

Optional gear, highly recommended:  rain gear (around $20 per suit); leather chaps (fantastic protection should you low-side, around $70 per pair); LED flashlight (stow it in your OEM toolkit, never ride without it ); Lemon Pledge, and a microfiber towel (cleans all plastics, visors, mirrors, seats, everything, without scratching); tire pressure gauge, old fashioned pen type (least expensive, one of the most accurate); florescent vests for you and your passenger (around $5-$30 each, construction worker type), for improved visibility, rain, or shine.

As to tire pressure, go with what the manual says.  It is likely around 38 PSI, front, and 38-42 PSI in back (higher for two up, with luggage.  Tire pressure is one of the most critical riding concerns, and the most commonly overlooked safety item.  Perform a safety check, before each ride:  visually inspect the tires for cracks, other issues; test each of the lights, and each of the brakelight switches; test the headlight; check the oil level.  A thorough safety check only takes five minutes, and it is worthwhile, if you, and your passenger are worth the investment.  

Some things to consider investing in, would be a brakelight modulator (JC Whitney sells an excellent unit for around $30, flashes five times, then on until you release the brake), and possibly a headlight modulator (varies in price from around $40-$120), which are legal in all 50 states, by Federal law; extremely helpful in assisting car drivers in noticing your presence on the road...  Ride safe!  Cheers!

[Piute]

                                                                   

                                         Was wating to see what great info U had srg.
                      Like to add or say ponchos are .99cents but must have tape or bungeeee,
                                pull over and don't ride in it if you don't have to any-how
                                                       Tires press.YES

[Thorby]

The trip went very well.

Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SkLS0sxVYpg

[sgtslag]

Glad to hear it went well!  This is just the beginning, though.  There are more miles, and more smiles, than you can cover in 10 lifetimes...    Cheers!

[shinyribs]

Good video! I'm glad everything went well. I'm assuming no mechanical issues. For your first road trip 300 miles is quite a haul. How did it feel riding two up? Have you ridden with a passenger before. My girlfriend seriously wants to ride. My bike is a one seater,so its either get Crys her own bike ( that thought scares me) or build one we can both ride on.But like I said,the thought of two up terrifies me.

Hope you had fun! Hope you get to do it again soon and often.

[Thorby]

shinyribs no mechanical issues.  My brother makes the bike very wobbly, even after several rides he just doesn't get the point of sitting still.  This won't affect you much at 40 mph and up but at lower speeds all that wobbling can drive one crazy.  Save you yourself some trouble by reading this: http://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/Passenger_Tip_Sheet.pdf

Also you can explain to your passenger some basic riding rules:
1) Don't try to balance the bike, even during curves.  Just sit still or slowly lean to where you can see.
2) At a stop, don't put your feet on the ground until asked to.
3) I will feel and have to steer through every movement you make so try not to move too much.
    If you have to move, do it when I am going over 40 mph on a straight.
4) Pay attention (be an alert passenger), otherwise you will hit my helmet with yours during an emergency or   unexpected stop or
    We could have an accident as your body lands on my back unnecessarily.

It was really cool riding with my brother but he sure reminded me of these ground rules. :)  If your passenger follows these and you have some common sense yourself, there's really no need to shy away from having a passenger.

[shinyribs]

LOL.I could see him in the video in the mirrors peering around. I figured you could probably feel that.
Thanks for the tips,they all make sense to me.

Also,I think its pretty cool you and your brother can get out and ride together like that. I rode on the back of my Dads bike a couple times several years ago.My buddies laughed at the idea,but who cares. Of course I bet we did look funny going down the road.Two big guys on a bike. I'm 230  6'2".Pops is 260  6'3".A sissy bar is very nice to have for a passenger.I rode once with him w/out the bar and a few more times with it. I felt much more secure with it.

[TOOLS1]

I won't get into a car with my brother. Sure would not get on a bike with him. Although I once won the prize, for the ugliest ol lady at a bar once; when a friend's bike broke down, and he rode bitch behind me. However nowadays most of my riding is two up. Can't keep Toolbabe off the bike.
TOOLS

[Thorby]

Hard core bikers will say back riding is only for ladies but... whatever.  My cousin took me on a really cool 4 hour (or so) tour on his Honda ST1300.  My brother admitted he was really dang scared when we started the trip but it turned into a really fun ride as he grew confident.

Now that I think of it.. did you notice what shape the road was in?  We rode in a lawless, nasty part of the dessert.  If we had gotten mugged or stranded a lady wouldn't actually contribute anything helpful (sorry ladies, but I'm picturing my wife here).

[shinyribs]

LOL. Well,if it all "went down" at least you got a full face helmet on! I have found that the "hard core bikers" that talk trash like that are the ones who put the absolute least amount of miles on a bike of anyone. Bikes are fun,who cares about anything else. You guys are more hardcore than me.Riding two up and all.