Cali and back on the CBR's

[loingrader]

i've got a trip planned this spring with my brother brandon, after he graduates and before he starts working in the real world.  thought i would share it with you guys.  There are several places we want to see and things we want to do and this trip should accomplish a few of those things.  i've never been west of wyoming, colorado, arizona.  I will be riding my cbr1100xx (super blackbird) and brandon will be riding his similarly equipped cbr600f4i.  both bikes are set up for sport touring.  helibars, corbin seat, buell (lowered) pegs, ZG touring screen, throttle locks and givi hard luggage.

we're starting in platte, sd.  we will leave at about 8pm.  we will drive 1500 miles and end up just south of seattle, hopefully before 8pm the next day in order to get a certified butt burner ride from the iba (iron butt association) of which we are both members. 

the next morning we will head south.  we will ride along the pacific coast thru washington and oregon and get on the pacific coast highway (highway 1) in california.  we will take highway 1 down almost to san francisco and then head west to yosemite national park.  then southeast thru death valley national park then back north up to highway 50 just east of fallon, nevada (the lonliest road) for a super high speed run to utah.  down to zion national park, across the dam at lake powell, then south into arizona for the grand canyon, monument valley, then into colorado for the four corners, million dollar highway (durango to ridgway), back into utah for arches national park and then back into colorado for some rides thru some 14000 foot mountains, rocky mountain national park, and hopefully the ride up to mount evans on the highest paved road in north america.  on the final day we will hump it back from the colorado foothills just east of denver, back to platte, sd. 

it's going to be about 9 days (friday 8pm to the next sunday night), averaging about 450 miles (10 hours saddle time) per day or 5200 miles total if we take all of the scenic routes.  it's going to be a fast trip without a lot of stopping to smell the roses, but we will see a lot of beautiful country.  i can't wait. 

-bret

[Hank]

Sounds like a great trip!    I did a similar trip about 1000 years ago when I was 19.    We left SD without a clue where we were going.   We decided Glacier Park would be cool. Once we were there, we figured on to the coast.   Hit the coast in WA, went down through OR and into northern Cali.  Rode through the Redwoods.    We headed home through Reno and across the flats of Utah.    We did 4400 in 9 days (only about 3 or 4 days riding for you Bret!!!).    It was a blast, I'll never forget it.   I think I did the entire trip on $300, sleeping on picnic tables in parks and on the beach wherever on the coast.

I've been to the coast a few more times since, and through quite a few of your target areas on bike.  You'll have a blast!  Make sure and take lots of pics and give us a nice report.

[fringefan]

Bret that sounds like one heck of a good time. Make sure your brother wears one of those full leather suits and take some good pics.

[loingrader]

brandon is way too cool to wear a leather suit like mine.  he's all about form over function.  i'm just the opposite. 

you make fun of that suit but if i find myself sliding down the highway at 80mph, i'm going to be awfully glad that i've got it on. 

hank - that sounds like it must have been fun.  i would love to have the luxury of riding where ever i want without thinking about the time factor.  maybe if i'm retired and still alive in 30 years, it will happen then. 

[LittleJacket]

Brett-all I can say is that sounds awesome!  However-If you can do 1500 miles in one day on a motorcycle and live to tell about it-I will personally worship you!  For the last 8 months I have been driving for a living.  It takes me 15 hours of drive time to do 900 miles and to do 1000, only a couple of hours more, I am wooped. That is in a semi, which is slower, but much more comfortable.  To do 1500 on a bike in 24 hrs is not doable in my mind-soooo the boys here at DDSR will need some sort of proof ie log book reciepts etc.   All I can say is good luck and don't over do it!

Your route sounds perfect and I don't have any suggestions to do anything differently.   

[Hank]

Isn't a butt burner 1500 in 36 hrs and a butt-burner gold 1500 in 24?


Paul and I are going to attempt a saddle sore this summer - 1000 in 24..   That's like going to get the mail for Brett 

I know a guy who's done all of them.   He's done so many saddle sores he's lost track, including one on a 1972 Triumph 650.  This year he's says he's going to do a saddle sore on a 50cc Yamaha.   

[LittleJacket]

I can hardly fatham either type of burner!  I'm humbled by those who can do em!

[loingrader]

I can hardly fatham either type of burner!  I'm humbled by those who can do em!

that is because most of your riding time is on a klr.  believe me, a honda blackbird is a FAR cry from a klr.  once you have a comfortable, fast bike with decent range (close to 200mi) all you need is a positive attitude and some good sense.

check out this post.  warchild is the one who turned me on to cbr1100xx's after my fjr tranny went south.  he completed 7 consecutive 1500+ mile days on his honda blackbird.

http://www.cbrxx.com/events-rides-ride-reports/2818-bbg-hell-week-mission-complete.html

i will do the 1500 mile to seattle ride someday.  plans have changed a bit and the seattle/cali/nevada part is out, as much as i am itching to see the pacific and the big redwoods.  due to time constraints, we are going to head south thru yellowstone/tetons, down thru utah and pick up the route there at zion national park.  will cut some miles and days off the trip so it can be done in 5 days now instead of 9.  about 3500-4000 miles total.