Here we go... 5 1/2 days and 3810 miles later... I'm back! And fkn beat up... with a big smile in my face. LOL
It was an amazing week or hardcore riding. Not in a grind my knees at stupid speed, but just plain riding. Like it suppose to be.
I left on Tuesday night last week and pound a 320 or so miles to warm up after dinner. Then a 800+ miles on Wednesday and finish the ride on Thursday with a 10 hrs ride to Lincoln, NH Right on time for the 50-60 miles of twisties Pizza ride to Laconia... park right on the Main. A tradition
Same place where my Dad use to eat is first bike week slice...
We did around 300 to 350 miles a day. We were on the bike from 9:00 am for breakfast to 6:00 for dinner. All I wear all week is riding gear..lol We were about 20 people. Some of them were riding 2up... so about a dozen of H-D, 1 Goldwing, 1 Bimmer and 1 Rice Rocket (6R) LOL
Some of those guys were hard core H-D fan, but most of them had sports bike in there early days... The fact that I drove 1600+ miles to meet with them made me crazy enough to win some respect and ride with the group. The fact that my Uncle has been with them for almost 20 years help a lot too. Very nice people too. I'm looking forward for next year already...
The 6R ran and scream all those 3800 miles just like magic... The old girl wore me down and were asking for more...lol 2 little brake down only. 1 my GPS cord took a shit on me right before DC and the GPS died right before I meet with Dart, but it was all fix for $10.00 at the gas station. The other one is all my fault! I installed a set of Advance Auto Parts aux. lights and When we were on our way to the Pizza ride I turn them on and forgot to turn them off when we were stuck in traffic in Laconia. (Parade were passing by) So I turn the bike off and it didn't want to start again. Panic mode. There for the first hr and the Rice Rocket won't start... So long story short, after removing the tank on the side of the road and looking fuses and whatever can come to my mine I suggest to park it and let her cool down, I tough it might have trigger a safety sensor... On a ultimate last try pushing the bike away from the road I try to bump start it.... Here was the Viper can screaming out of her lungs!!! So I conclude that I might have kill the battery and didn't have enough juice left when the starter was loaded... So that was it... She ran like a Champ the rest of the time.
So now the big question is... Does the 6R can be a good Touring bike? Well, here's my tough. You all know my basic set up with handlebar, screen, seat... and all the rest. For what the bike is... it's a good bike to Tour. I have 2 complain. 1- I need a real seat. 2- Re-fueling every 120-150 miles get old after a while... need an extra 2-3 gals for those type of ride. Not saying you need a 250-300 miles range... bu if you need it, it's there. That was extreme riding I think... I did see so many Florida license plate over there... and I haven't meet anyone stupid enough who did the ride either...lol I also saw one Yellow 6R in the mountain... I wave and saw it at the last minute... not sure if he saw me? So the ergo was fantastic. The screen combo did an outstanding job. I was afraid that my neck wouldn't go through the torture... but no issue there. I haven't felt my a$$ in 3 days...lol Got to a point where I found a sweet spot that I could deal with the pain, but for the next big ride I need to do something or get a Corbin... I need to look at few option for sure so I can spend 8-12... even 24 hrs on the saddle (I'll get there in a minute...lol)
So you will think that kind of riding was a good opportunity for a Iron Butt Award? Yes it was... but I missed it on the way up by 38 miles... (962 miles in 24 hrs) I stop for the night in GA and meet with Don. Without the DC traffic I would have been ok... but ah well. I had one last try on the way back. I think it did hurt my pride a bit... lol Because I can ride a cage for a long period of time... I'm a freaking machine! LOL My best was 38-40 hrs none stop once. But I did a lot of West Coast/Atlanta, GA with 2-3 hrs nap in a rest area...
So on the way back I top off and loaded the tank bag with the Camel Pack, bunch of snacks and I drop the hammer!!!!!!! I wasn't going to fail a second time!!! So I rode as fast and as hard that I could without killing myself or going to jail... kind of a bit faster than the past of traffic... but it there was a safe spot to fit the 6R... I took it. Stop for fuel and piss only. No restaurant or picture stop! I pop the 1000 miles mark in about 15 hrs with getting a bit of traffic in and out of DC. The GPS told me I lost, or add about 1.5 hrs total to my ride. So when I got there I was.... hum... Let's go for the GOLD!!! I can't believe still that I did it! That was stupid and crazy... not sure witch one fit better but 1500+ miles in 24 hrs with a sports bike with a 3.5 gals tank... I did the Lincoln, NH o West Palm Beach 1538 or so miles in 23 hr and 38 minutes. Good for a Iron Butt Gold Award! No sleep till.... West Palm! LOL
So again... Does the 6R can Tour.... Fuk ya! But for the same reason that the 6R is not the best machine to hit the twisty... it's not the best machine to Tour all week long. Just like I always say... The 6R doesn't shine in any of the category... but for a everyday, do it all bike... It gotta be one of the best. The ride wouldn't have been better other than my ass with a big touring bike... and if you didn't mess around too much with your 6R... not at 50 MPG or so.
In conclusion... Better seat, carry more fuel, Good sets of Aux. lights (really digging those when it's pitch black) and a taller gear to keep the RPM down on long ride. I'm thinking about 17/43 might be my next one... (17/46 now)
Cheers!
I'll trow few pics later on this week... I kind of still fried a bit. I slept about 4 hrs since I got here this morning... taking it easy today
