500+ mile days.

[simbo]

I've seen it mentioned a few times on this very forum about people doing 500+ mile days on a regular basis, how? Why? What do you see whilst doing them?.. If you do 500 miles maintaining an average of 70mph, it'll take 7 hours riding! Throw in food stops, rest stops and fuel and you're adding at least 2 hours giving a 9 hour riding day, that would also have to be at motorway speeds all day, that would take some doing in itself. Just wondering why? I tend to be out on the bike most weekends, often for 9 or more hours, I very rarely cover more than 300 miles though. Obviously I'm much younger than some of you 'more experienced' riders, so I'm tapping into your knowledge in case I ever need to do a 500 miler.

[BoB21]

On way to alps did 500 two up. Left at 04:30 for early chunnel miss rush hour. Through france mainly A road nip on odd motorway avoid towns.  Just wanted to cover ground Finnish about 6pm.near baden baden. Done lots of 300 a few 400 mile days normally this time of year.get up early avoid traffic, long daylight. Do get your point and dont make habbit of it.

[MikeS]

In 2007 I took a trip to the Isle of Skye on a R1150RT, camping on various  sites on the way. Coming back the bike had a charging problem and wouldn't start at a campsite in Fort Augustus. Breakdown recovered me to a garage in Glencoe, got it started but then I got it into to my head to get home ASAP.
450 miles on the map but took me about 12 hours going through Glasgow, stopping for petrol and a pee etc. Mostly motorway but the worst motorbiking experience I've had since 1987. Sat on a bike for the best part of 10 hours on a motorway,  a bit of a soul destroying experience.


I wouldn't do it for pleasure.

[Levisp]

My last high mileage ride was last year down to the Black Forest in Germany. Left on Thursday to meet friends at the end of their two week trip. Had two days of great riding. Came home on the Sunday. Mileage was around 625 miles if I remember correctly and were around 12 hour days. Why ? Because I didn't have the time to do anything else. Sometimes you just have to do it. However it was easy riding mainly autoroutes and fast single carriage roads. I kept the speed on the autoroutes to the legal 130 kph, that way I found it more relaxing and less tiring. The RT was a pleasure to ride. However it can be rather boring. A few years back a group of us came back from the South of France non autoroute winding our way across rural France. Took three days to get home and was one of the most enjoyable rides I have had. I do like the more rural roads but they are slow. Lovely if you have the time.

[jackronner]

Different mindset going coast-to coast in the U.S.  Especially in the Great Plains - nothing to see anyway, all boring, straight freeway.  It's the bike equivalent of the "fly-over" states.  Ya just wanna get it over with, especially with temps over 100* F; hence routine 600-700 miles plus days.  When I was 50, I gave myself a birthday present of the nation, all wrapped up with a black bow with a dotted white line down the center.  The last day (meant to be the penultimate day) was 980 miles.  Every little Japanese import in Nevada was doing over 100 mph and no cops, so I never got under 110.  Got out of dinner in Reno, NV and was only 200 miles from home so - what the hell?  Besides, after 7,000 miles, my butt was like a rock.  Got the RT for last summer's 10k mile trip from San Fran to Quebec City.  But I've rigged my bars so I can lean back against my load on the back seat, so I think that gives me extra comfort and therefore extra miles per day.  When I rented a bike in France, I had to keep reminding myself to slow down:  the whole length of the country was just the size of Texas!  And, remember, there are no speeding cameras over here.  I HATED that big-brother shit over there.  I had to repair the license plate holder (clear plastic) that was in danger of losing a cracked chunk, and decided to tape a piece of rigid plastic over the first digit of the plate  - didn't get a single ticket in 3k miles!  Got caught in Italy once, but they just made me take it off (easily put back on down the road).  I think they let dumb American tourists get away with what would cost you a fortune.

[PeteM]

I've done that sort of mileage twice, both times on a Triumph Sprint ST1050. Both times were when I have been in great areas with great people but had to get back before the rest of the group so a choice of take two days to get back or spend an extra day with my mates in a fun area and just do the miles the next day.

[Sprintgull]

I do a few each year.  I enter the Round Britain Rally each year and live on the south coast.  So a typical long day would be a quick squirt up the M3 or A34 and then a circuit of whatever area I'm in hoovering up 7 or 8 landmarks, then home again.  On the bike by 7am and back home whenever I get here.  The National Road Rally is another 550-700 miles altogether, starting at lunchtime on Saturday and home in time for breakfast on Sunday (this year's is 6/7 July).

[austin1964]

As long as you stop, take a walk every two hours, are hydrated and your concentration levels are 100% high millage days get you to the places and roads you want to be on.

I watched Teapot One (YouTube Volger) on a new BMW 1250GS come off a night shift and attempt a long ride, the bike broke down and he had to recovered...I think it saved his life.

Tired riding is as bad as drink drug riding!

[hammo]

100-150 mile does me , then a coffee and walk around cannot see the point of doing high mileage unless its an emergency , agree with previous guy tired riding is the same as drink driving , i always say remember that in a bang you will always come off worst !!!!!   

[Lucky]

Like many of us I've endured the 500 miles in a day as a means to get home a day earlier.
For me, the way to survive is frequent stops of 10 minutes taken maybe every hour and a half, enjoying brief drinks and nibbles. The little and often approach helps with the discomfort of old bones and loss of concentration from dehydration, and gives me something to look forward to. It also avoids a big meal sending me to sleep as I digest it.
Of all the times I've done such a thing, the best involved 150 miles bimbling around the Route Des Grandes Alps before heading home after lunch.
For fear of being a bore, it was only made possible with a RDL seat.

[PeteM]

loss if concentration from dehydration

Camelback

[MrCabbage]

https://www.ironbutt.co.uk/w3/


Come and join the Iron Butt Association and do 1,000 miles in a day! If that's your thing

[gogs01]

I tend not to measure days in miles, preferring hours, and my days last month varied between 100 and 470 miles. Obviously on very different roads, with different stops for rest, sightseeing etc.


In years gone by I've done a couple of days in excess of 700 miles, but that's unlikely to happen now unless in case of dire emergency.  I'm pretty sure I could still do it, even with all the speed limits, cameras etc, but I normally plan trips around six to seven riding hours per day, avoiding tolls.  This tends to involve single carriageways, coastal roads and mountain passes rather than tunnels.  Nothing against tunnels (or unlimited autobahn either), but not what I would want to use every day on a two or three week trip.

[Casbar]

Have done 500 - 600 mile days, but that is generally just to get to somewhere to start touring. Not ideal as this necessitates motorway riding or you wouldn't have enough hours in the day with stops.


Generally like 350 max days with non motorway riding, which is a good day and normally gets me to my overnight around beer o'clock which is ideal


Like to stop every couple of hours max for refreshments and the mens room (its an age thing)

[davef1uk]

It’s not the miles or quantity..but quality of the ride and road.


I hate motorway driving, and 500 miles a day, maybe 70% of that is motorway, would bore me. 


I prefer the day to be longer, enjoy the open roads, long sweeping, curvy roads, beautiful scenery, and stop now and then...get off the bike with smiles.