Why do you think there are soo many newer used connies for sale

[VirginiaJim]

+1

[PlaynInPeoria]

I wanted to buy a used 2010 nicely farkled and searched on Searchtempest within 400 miles of my home, no luck. Bought a 2012 because it was a heck of a deal.

I averaged 550+ miles a day for 11.5 days on my C10 on a trip last year.  I don't have a trip like that on the agenda this year, so it's hard to say if I could do it.

[maxtog]

I'm checking in at 6'8 with a 38" inseam.. 

Holy mother...  you are like 13 inches taller than me   You are super-tall!

I might as well and go ahead and try the Canyon Cages and highway pegs, like I posted above I'm in this far so why stop now !

You don't have to add Canyon Cages to get highway pegs.  I posted a link earlier which you will now research.....  I have highway pegs NOT mounted to the cages- I think they look pretty bad on the cages, but function can be more important than form.

However, the cages are a VERY good idea.

[PH14]

   Seriously looking at a 3000 mile ride in the near future on the Concours.  Will average 350 miles a day on two lanes for many days in a row.  That will tell me if it is a keeper or not. 

350 mile days? That would tell me nothing other that I could go on a short day ride.

[maxtog]

350 mile days? That would tell me nothing other that I could go on a short day ride.

Could be worse- I can barely manage 200 miles, and that is with a significant rest inbetween.  Need a new body, but I am way out of warranty...

[VirginiaJim]

350 miles is an average jaunt for me.  I have done 600 to 750 miles days.  That wore me out physically as it was done in the summer heat through the upper mid-west to Reno.  I've scaled back a bit to 450 to 500 now but it's not because of the bike...

[ZG]

+1

+2

[kwakrider]

+2

+ 3

[gPink]

6

[Boomer]

Unless you have tried many different bikes you wouldn't understand.  Every bike is different and there is no one perfect bike.  Trying different bikes is fun.

I have and I do.
In the last 12 months I have ridden the K1600GT, R1200GS, new FJR1300, ZZR1400 (1441), a '99 ZZR1100 and a Triumph Tiger Explorer.
On my list for the next 12 months are the new Trophy, new R1200GS, and the Versys 1000.
I am limited to bigger bikes due to my size.

However, I don't have to own the bikes to ride them.
Some are swapped with friends, others were test rides from Dealers.
The only one from that entire list that got me fizzing was the ZZR1400 but after half an hour my wrists were starting to scream "Uncle".
Can I justify $16000 for a toy I can only ride for (admittedly an awe inspiring and exhilarating) 45 mins to 1 hour.
No.

[maxtog]

6

42

[twowheeladdict]

350 mile days? That would tell me nothing other that I could go on a short day ride.

350 miles on two lane roads takes 7 hours.  I don't care for riding in the heat of the afternoon and I like to be at a hotel early enough to not have to make prior reservations, enjoy the pool / hot tub, and have a nice dinner before doing it all over again. 

Sure doing a 350 mile loop back to your home is a short day ride, but doing it for 10 days in a row can wear on you if you don't take proper breaks.

I plan for 350 miles because there might be something I want to stop at during the ride and if there isn't and the weather isn't too hot, I might ride further which is why I don't make reservations.

[twowheeladdict]

350 miles is an average jaunt for me.  I have done 600 to 750 miles days.  That wore me out physically as it was done in the summer heat through the upper mid-west to Reno.  I've scaled back a bit to 450 to 500 now but it's not because of the bike...

Sure, I've done 600 to 800 mile days when riding where there is nothing to see and on the boring interstate, but there is no fun in that.

I have over 100,000 miles ridden in just the past four years and I have learned that if you push for too many miles in a day you don't have time to stop and see the sights. 

[VirginiaJim]

And that's one of the exact reasons I stopped pushing the miles......seeing the sights and scenic highways along the way.  Plus I'm getting too old for that  (pushing miles).  There's just too much to see in this country.

[texrider]

That's how I roll 

Just plan the number of days I can get away with, and the general target region or states, and let the miles come as they will.

I don't ride into dusk if I can avoid it, because of the wildlife getting active and crossing roadways. That and other things tend to keep days under 400 for me.

[PH14]

350 miles on two lane roads takes 7 hours.  I don't care for riding in the heat of the afternoon and I like to be at a hotel early enough to not have to make prior reservations, enjoy the pool / hot tub, and have a nice dinner before doing it all over again. 

Sure doing a 350 mile loop back to your home is a short day ride, but doing it for 10 days in a row can wear on you if you don't take proper breaks.

I plan for 350 miles because there might be something I want to stop at during the ride and if there isn't and the weather isn't too hot, I might ride further which is why I don't make reservations.

The majority of my trips involve 700-860 mile days, and days on end, so I get it. For me 350 miles is a start. I agree though that you have to enjoy the time you have, and if that means stopping and enjoying the sights, that is what you should do. I do the same. I always have my photo gear and stop when I want to. I once rode to the Grand Canyon and each day from Pittsburgh to Arizona were around 700 miles. Once I got to Arizona it took three days to get to the canyon since I was stopping to hike, do photography and generally take in the sights.

My only point was that a series of 350 mile days isn't a really good test of a bike's ability to tour. You can do that on any bike including a scooter. I used to do more than that with my sport bikes. The bike I had before the C14 was an RC51 and I would ride it non-stop to Iowa from here, which is a +800 mile day. A 350 mile day through the twisty back roads of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia was a normal day's ride.

Whatever you ride, and no matter how far you ride it, enjoy it.

[pistole]

- 350 miles of backroads is very different from 350 miles of motorway/expressway miles.

- i am wondering whether some of the mileages mentioned above are simple straight slab miles. If its slab , jeez , lots of people can do hundreds of slab miles , ad nauseum.

.

[twowheeladdict]

- 350 miles of backroads is very different from 350 miles of motorway/expressway miles.

- i am wondering whether some of the mileages mentioned above are simple straight slab miles. If its slab , jeez , lots of people can do hundreds of slab miles , ad nauseum.

.

I agree.  I think PH14 is missing the point that hours in the saddle is the same when riding 350 miles of two lane vs 700 miles of interstate, and hours in the saddle is what determines if the bike is comfortable or not.

[PlaynInPeoria]

I live in the Midwest and my last 2 big trips were out west, so yeah, I hit some long days of slab to get across Il, IA, NE or SD.  Because for the most part, they suck and it's awesome in the mountains. Just one man's opinion.

Also, I did some long days coming home from CA to IL because I missed my bed, animals and gf, not necessarily in that order.

[PH14]

I agree.  I think PH14 is missing the point that hours in the saddle is the same when riding 350 miles of two lane vs 700 miles of interstate, and hours in the saddle is what determines if the bike is comfortable or not.

No, I've done both. I like both. Do what you want and enjoy. I'm just saying 350 miles, either way, 4 lane or 2 lane, 2 lane my preference, isn't necessarily a test of a sport touring bike being a keeper or not. It barely taxes the bike's ability. It is fun though and I say enjoy.