I'm fairly new to the site and the chop world, i am learning and embarking on a big journey all at the same time. You can read about it at heartachesandhangovers.wordpress.com
I also plan to visit these forums often.
I'm all for the idea of people getting dirty and chopping up a perfectly good bike, riding it cross country, and documenting the process to share on the interweb, BUT...
The blog you started TODAY does not have anything on it. There is one photo of your bike and a brief description of what you are planning to do. Do the thing and THEN write the blog. I would love to hear about it after its all said and done, but I've got to be honest. I'll read a great story if its worded right and look at the pretty photos if it ain't, but I'm not a follower of adventure blogs. I hope you and your OL have a fantastic trip and all, but the only things I look at online with a cast of two in them generally end with a money shot. I'm not trying to be a dick, but let's get real...This thread is going to the junk pile and will soon be forgotten.
Unless you do the thing, take lots of pics, and write a thread HERE for all to share.
Good luck on your trip. Ride safe. I'm sure it's going to be a blast.
to each their own. I'm just wanting to document the entire process from the beginning to end. I've been looking through online blogs of people touring the country via two wheels. Seemed like a good idea..
now on to chops and wrenchin....
anyone got any good routes between St Louis MO and Santa Fe NM?
I'm fairly new to the site and the chop world, i am learning and embarking on a big journey all at the same time. You can read about it at heartachesandhangovers.wordpress.com
I also plan to visit these forums often.
This is one of those posts where I wish the author the best of times, and I label this as pure spam and send it to the junk pile.
If you spent any time here you'd find the thread on blogs, review the rule/guidelines regarding spam, and contribute moreso than attempt to draw traffic away from the site. Nothing personal mind you.
1. Triple A with 100 mile towing and motorcycle added
2. Dont be telling people what your doing when your on the road. Its amazing how friendly everyone is and buying you free rounds. But when you wake up 3 days later from the biggest rager of your life with a fat chic and you chic wakes up with 4 fat biker dudes things get weird.
3. Dont hide your money in a rubber tube in a gas tank. Keep a handful of cash and your debit credit card you can transfer funds to online so you dont over spend or lose it, Worse off one them cool dudes buying you drinks actually told the bar keep you were buying and you were drunk enough to say yes at some point.
4. Food for thought... I dont know many guys that have ridden for decades that just go build a bike and take off on the road. You will meet all different kinds. Some you want to meet most you dont. Its usually the small off the beatin path where you find the bad seed.
5. Bad Seeds are way more fun if you know what road your being dragged down lol. You always need to know when to take the turn lane and not keep going down the road with them. Refer to #2
6, If passing through San Diego drop me a email we be happy to show you a good time.
7. I will give you more advice later when I see your really doing it. Otherwise Im wasting time.
no biggie, i came here looking for help actually..
Just so you know this is help in a different way. Doing what you claim you want to do is not so easy. If you can handle a little internet rassing then maybe....
I would say if your new to bikes go to local events and network. Personally when I pack and roll my pals from all over are a 200 mile jump to pull me out of a mess in the 48. Usually I roll alone now a day and just dig my own ass out but if I need them they are there.
Key in on the word network.... Without it your fucked. Worst time and position I ever been in on a bike had nothing to do with my bike. I came down with namonnia or how ever you spell it. Simply started as Broncitus and blew up on me. I went from wide open to bed ridden in 3 days. I was down for 2 weeks and a old buddy from the road took me in. I am still greatful today for his families kindness and that was 1990. I still suffer from namonia and broncitus from that trip so I watch for the signs constantly.
Get saddle time locally. Both alone and with your OL. Ride in shitty weather and see how you like it. If you dont then take a pass on this type of venture. I can tell you 3 things that scare me on the road. Black Ice, Passengers on my bike that arent trusting and bees/wasps.
Yep bees/wasps/bugs that bite suck balls when they get up a sleeve when your going 60 and get mad. Probably funny for passersby to see that crazy biker dancing while. Riding then quickly skidding to a stop and stripping half naked on the side of the road.
Bees, wasps and hornets, oh my! Bees arn't so bad they sting once and they are done, angery wasps, hornets and those god damned yellow jackets are the devil at speed. Any bug can hurt but those fuckers can sting multiple times and bite, yellow jackets do both in excess. Make sure and I mean 100% sure you're not allergic to these things, if you are pack an epi-pen or two (rx only). I found out the hard way that I'd become allergic, I've been stung maybe 100 times in my life with NO reaction, bee stings to the face, ear, down my jacket etc. last time I reacted like 20 hours later.
I did something similar (minus the blog) on my mountain bike back in 2001 illegaly up the Pacific Crest Trail. I had a Bob trailer with all my camping gear and a dog that hauled her own food. It was rough going, and the best advice I have is have a plan B on how to get your ass out of the whole situation. I'd rather deal with a mountain lion stalking me for a couple days then some wigged out insane fuck with a gun for 30 seconds, and that my friend is a very plausable worst case scenario on the middle the ass crack of America some where. Course you'll have plenty of other shit that will be absolutely epic but its the gritty scary asshole puckering decent onto desperation and self loathing that I'm waiting to read about.
When you wake up and its raining and you want to get packed quick, dont overlook packing the tent poles properly cause the tent is hard to set up next time without them....
When you wake up and its raining and you want to get packed quick, dont overlook packing the tent poles properly cause the tent is hard to set up next time without them....
I'm not new to bikes and riding just the chop world online. I really appreciate the comments and help. I'll keep everyone updated on my goings. I'm currently setting the bike up for the trip and planning my route.
I really appreciate everything and would hope to see some of you guys out on the road.
as for crazy wigged out dudes, always have your 9 or 45.
When you get your bike done, practice packing it and riding hard (rough roads, hit bumps, gravel/sand etc) The Ol Lady and I packed up a bike (that I had just built and only had a couple hundred miles on it) and road roughly 550 miles to visit some friends 2 states away. I had never packed that bike before, well I found the weak spot in my sissy bar, that my highway pegs were to high to ride comfortably, that my fuse box was REALLY hard to reach especially when the engine is hot and that my bike gets 110 miles per tank with just me and 95 with the wife and all our gear.
My point is know your bike before you take on a big adventure. Know what you need when you are on the road it sucks when you have a ton of stuff and nothing you need. Here's a great thread Motorcycle Camping, it's very informative thread.
Best of luck!
Oh yeah and install a charger socket (or what ever you call it) one of these...
I got a chrome one with a plug to keep the water out for like $5 at Advance Auto or walmart. I mounted it under my sprung seat on this particular bike, like so......
I gave it it's own inline fuse as well as my charger had it's own fuse in the charger. Not only have I used it MANY times and so have quite a few others. Your phone and/or gps may save your ass!!
Hell yeah man! Fuck it! Swing a dick at this trip and just go where it takes you. Crazy bastards with axes and shit, goofy hippy pukes, rednecks throwin bottles at you...all that shit! Use your common sense, take a few practice trips to work out all the bugs and figure out how to pack right, and just go. I was lucky enough to get in a month long ride and loved every dirty, stink-ass, scary, sketchy, beautiful minute of it. OH YEAH! Keep an eye out for people hitting deers with their cars! Fresh road kill is fantastic over a camp fire! Its illegal, but look up where the "backstrap" is on a critter. Best peice of meat you can get! Look forward to readin about your ride!
Oh yeah and install a charger socket (or what ever you call it) one of these...
I got a chrome one with a plug to keep the water out for like $5 at Advance Auto or walmart. I mounted it under my sprung seat on this particular bike, like so......
I gave it it's own inline fuse as well as my charger had it's own fuse in the charger. Not only have I used it MANY times and so have quite a few others. Your phone and/or gps may save your ass!!
That for charging cell phone? How easy is that to install? Sure beats dragging around a wall charger and using them at bars/diners
I'm fairly new to the site and the chop world, i am learning and embarking on a big journey all at the same time. You can read about it at heartachesandhangovers.wordpress.com
I also plan to visit these forums often.
And best of luck to ya...like mentioned earlier though maybe do some local shit before going cross country...hell I wanna do the edr but definitely not ready, and can't get 2 weeks off work to do so just yet
I can tell you from experience big tanks are a great thing on a serious trip. There plenty roads you wont find a gas stop for 100 miles and if that 100 mile stretch is through mountains and your range is 120 with a tank of gas you wont be making a gas stop.
It blows running out of gas on one these stretches especially when you find out there is no cell service lol.
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