First big Ride - Suggestions, comments, things to expect?

Klurejr

Klurejr

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*This is for my V-Star 1300 Touring, not my FZ*

Besides changing the oil, checking all the fluids and my brakes. Any suggestions of things to prep for or to bring for a longish road trip?

Me n some friends are planning to cover a few thousand miles over July 4th weekend, From San Diego across most of the Sierra Nevada Passes, possibly as far north as Tahoe.

I normally just commute, so if anything starts to look worn I am able to quickly address it.

Tires look good and should be fine for the trip.

The bike has 14k on it, do I need to worry about the Drive Belt?

I have a 2007 Vstar 1300 Touring, so I will be filling the Saddles and bringing a rear bag. I am borrowing a friends Backpacking Sleeping back, Packs down super small, and a small pillow that compresses for back packing. I figure packing this thing up with backpacking type equipment might be the best route - We plan to camp each night. I figure on a few pairs of socks n underwear, perhaps a second pair of jeans in case the first get too dirty? It is only 2 nights of Camping as I think we will have a place to stay the first night.

just looking for some general comments from those who have done trips like this before.

Thanks!
 
If you have the owner's manual, it'll give you suggested service intervals, including the drive belt. Have a look through it and see if there's anything important coming up. Honestly though, I don't think you'll need to do a thing.

I would definitely recommend you pack a flat repair kit like a Stop 'n Go kit with a tire pump or co2 canisters. Other than that, I seriously doubt you will need anything else for the bike. Another must have is a first aid kit for you and anyone else you might come across out there.

Have a great trip! Looking forward to a trip report
 
The Bike should be fine. The drive belt will last at least until 100,000. You are coming up on a valve clearance check and repacking bearings at 16,000 but you're fine for now.

Bring rain gear if you're traveling in areas where it could rain. I also like to bring a pair of light shoes/sandals to let my boots and feet breath after a long day of riding. A flashlight and knife for camping. If you're not used to long riding then some ibuprofen. Someone in the group should have some basic tools, including metric hex bits and sockets.

Have a great time!.
 
Don't Overthink It

You're not doing months on it. Like Dustin said, a tire plug kit and a pump of some sort, a bicycle one works (even the mini ones) fine except to seat a bead, for that CO2.

I use hiking pants with zip off legs, jeans weigh too much and don't pack small enough. Take Duct tape and a few zip ties. You can buy anything that you forget, stores are rarely far away.

I use surfing shoes, for after the riding boots come off. They are light, dry fast and pack small, but suck for rocky ground.

Have fun, ride safe.
 
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Oldschool said:
I use hiking pants with zip off legs, jeans weigh too much and don't pack small enough..
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Fantastic idea. I wear jeans underneath my Roadcrafter and it is not so nice on road trips. I've got a great pair of hiking pants that unzip into shorts, they would be much better than jeans!

I wore the same pair of jeans for 10 days on this last road trip, bad idea. We were packed to the brim for two people and I wasn't thinking when I chose to bring jeans.
 
you'll find you use less than you imagine. when i did a 3 week trip cross country i ended up only using 1/4 of the clothes i packed. if you got em, just pack a spare set of your clothes and gloves, if they get wet, once you're out of the rain, switching to a dry pair is a mighty nice feeling
 
Take a pen or screwdriver and wrap duck and electrical tape around it
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Then tape some zip ties to it
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The others just about covered it all I think. And they're right about not bringing too much. This is only a weekend trip you said, so you should be able to get by with very little. Jeans were kinda given the thumbs down, but that's what I always wear - not always the coolest thing under riding pants, but it's what I wear.

Here's what I take:

Obviously your riding gear
Rain gear - no matter the forecast
Warm things to layer up for cool nights or high altitude - I have had good success with Cycle Gear's Freeze Out thermals
Basic tools
Two flat repair kits - the CO2 & plugs type that was mentioned above and one with a small pump that runs off the bikes battery via the SAE trickle charger connection
Air pressure gauge for the tires
The afore mentioned duct tape - mine is reflective silver - and assorted zip ties. That electrical tape seems like a good idea too.
Spare bungee cords
Spare fuses
Small ziplock bags for cell phones, batteries, cameras etc. - freezer type bags are more stout
Chargers for all of your electronics and spare batteries
Since I mentioned it, all your electronics - Don't Forget The Camera!
GoPro mounts and accessories
Clothes - you should be able to get by with one t-shirt, underwear, and pair of socks per day plus an extra set of pants (jeans or whatever you decide to bring). Shorts, swim trunks, and sandals as appropriate for you destination.
Sandals/shower shoes always go with me - I don't like standing barefoot in public showers.
Towel - you gotta dry off after you bathe
Toiletries - whatever you need for daily maintenance
Prescription medications - I don't have any, but I always carry Aleve and Benadryl
Sunscreen
Tent and the ground tarp that goes under it, sleeping bag, lightweight self-inflating hiking type sleeping pad
Small flashlight
Paper maps if you need that sort of thing
Cash
Yours is belt driven, but for chain drive - chain cleaner, lube, gloves, and cheap disposable towels
Bike cover - I always cover the bike at night while camping - rain, dew, prying eyes, etc.
Kickstand pad - you may not have a nice stable driveway to park on


That seems like a lot, lol, and it still feels like I've left something out. Really that's not a lot of stuff though, most of it is small. What really adds bulk to your kit is the extra clothes. You'll have to pick one pair of boots - either the ones that flow air, or the ones that keep out water. Anyway, I hope this helps. Have a fun safe trip!

Edit: Most of my trips last a week or more, and on those trips, three or four days worth of clothes is still good enough. Just do laundry one afternoon or evening and you're all topped up with fresh clean clothes again!

We Want Pictures!
 
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There has been quite a few thundershowers over the Sierra's already this year, be ready moisture just in case. Plenty of heat at the lower elevations.

Also if you are going to ride the Sonora Pass (hwy 108) do it west to east, much better IMHO. Another fun road is Hwy 120 from Lee Vining EAST to Benton Hot springs and back to hwy 395 via the Benton cut off road near the hot springs.

I always pack a small spray (4 oz )spray bottle with water and a cut up cotton t shirt to clean bugs from my visor.
 
OneSizeFitsAll said:
There has been quite a few thundershowers over the Sierra's already this year, be ready moisture just in case. Plenty of heat at the lower elevations.

Also if you are going to ride the Sonora Pass (hwy 108) do it west to east, much better IMHO. Another fun road is Hwy 120 from Lee Vining EAST to Benton Hot springs and back to hwy 395 via the Benton cut off road near the hot springs.

I always pack a small spray (4 oz )spray bottle with water and a cut up cotton t shirt to clean bugs from my visor.
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Thanks for the tip on Sonora pass!

Hellgate said:
How does your tail bone do on it? Serious question as cruisers put your butt to sleep.
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Really good, I just installed a back rest and did a 200 mile trip on Saturday afternoon with my wife pillion to visit my Grandparents in the Desert.

I think I need to "bend" the bracket back a hair so my butt can move further back in the seat, but other than that it was very comfortable.

20150612_2024151_zpsjs4uc2yr.jpg


Had not one car in front or behind me for about 40 miles when we left the desert and headed up the mountain pass, was glorious!

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Dustin said:
I always wondered what it's like to ride a cruiser on a nice winding road. Some day I'll rent one and take it somewhere fun :)
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It was comfortable and relaxing.

Funny thing is, as big and heavy as the bike is it wants to lean and really get into the turns, I kept scraping the pads on the bottom of my footrest's and had to figure out what the max lean angle should be, hence I had to slow down a bit more than I am used to for some of the turns. The FZ is much more fun on the twisties and will still be my bike of choice for solo day rides into the mountains.
 
Klurejr said:
It was comfortable and relaxing.

Funny thing is, as big and heavy as the bike is it wants to lean and really get into the turns, I kept scraping the pads on the bottom of my footrest's and had to figure out what the max lean angle should be, hence I had to slow down a bit more than I am used to for some of the turns. The FZ is much more fun on the twisties and will still be my bike of choice for solo day rides into the mountains.
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I love the yammi cruisers even there little 650 vtar has a big streched out frame for bigger people. And you have to look cloae to tell the difference between the 1300 a d the Raider !!



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Got most everything packed up last night, heading out tonight.

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Ride report with pics n vids when I get back. Thanks again for all the great suggestions!
 
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