taking a trip on the xx your advice requested

monsieurnet

I am planning a trip in may to usa, 10 days of motorcycling.
about 5-6000 kilomters.
Montreal to North Carolina/ South Carolina / virginia
deals gap, blue ridge parkway etc etc.
we are trying to take mostly secondary highways and plan for sweepers/ twisties etc.
I am not an accomplished rider, more of a newbie, I am travelling with an fjr and a 2006 katana both riders have more experience than me, they are not crazy but do ride fast in the curves, I figure with the xx I should be able to keep up, or not be too far behind.

I purchased the xx with 40,000 k, in very good shape, never dropped, or accidented, and the previous owner took good care of it.

some advice requested as to what I should do before going on the trip.

I put in the 6mm shim.
I have changed the oil and filter.
I purchased new sprocket and chain, and mirror extenders from riderxx
I am going to install throttle meister cruise control
I put on new front brake pads, rear are still ok
changed plugs and air filter
I may adjust the valves if necessary.
I intend to change the fork oil, amsoil synthetic 5 wt or 10wt?
windscreen - double bubble windscreen or stock. I have both.
new tires - michelin road 2 or diablo stradas? we intend to ride rain or shine.
vfr bars? genmar risers? or will I be ok with the free 1/2" on the stocks.


I have received excellent advice from this forum so I appreciate your input.
If there is anything I am missing let me know.

I am 5'10 weigh about 215, (depending on my twinkie consumption)

YO-XX

Bonjour Monsieurnet,

I am going for a trip through France and Spain in May with my XX. Also aprox. 5 or 6000 km. The goal is a visit to my sister who lives in Malaga, southern Spain.

Be sure to take the following items with you:

- camchain tensioner (cct) (Mine deseased at 46000 km. also on a trip in the middle of nowhere..cost me a day to find a cct)
- regulator/rectifier (mine deseased at 40000 km.)
- set to repair a puncture.
- little spray-can of chain lube.
- spare fuses( a 10A and a 20A will do. Check the fusebox. You can put spares there)
- check your insurance papers or take a insurance for transport of the XX if something happens that cannot be repaired on short notice.

Here in The Netherlands we have insurances which will provide you also with a rental car without charge in this sort of scenario.(except the gas of course)

And for the tyres...Mount Metzeler Roadtec Z6. Superb in dry and rainy weather and a stiffer carcas than the Michelin Road 2. Driving them for years..

Also check your battery. The XX has a maintenance free with a lifetime (if taken good care of) of 5 years. batterys go flat without any warning... Buy a Yuasa maintenance free (MF) YTX12-BS, this battery is the original which Honda puts in the XX.

So if you didn't change your battery in the time of your ownership you cannot determine if the battery is old. Mostly you can find the production date on the battery.

And most important...Drive your own speed. As you say, you are not a accomplished driver and you are going to ride with experienced drivers. Do not try to keep up with them if they are going too fast for you. Lots of crashes occure by trying to keep up. They have to adjust to your speed. Make some agreements about that.

Here a picture of my trip

Have fun and drive safe.

Attached Thumbnails

   

X1rider

VFR bars were the best purchase I made.
See my post to rdkng88 for pix of the VFR bars.
I have to disagree with YO-XX on the tires. I tried the Z6s and found them vague and they didn't last long.
PR2s for me! They inspire confidence and make the 560 lb. XX ride and handle like a lighter bike.

Toynut

You might want to consider a Givi touring screen as I (and many others), have found it to be very effective at reducing rider fatigue on longer trips. Depending on the your intended daily mileage, you might also want to consider peg lowering brackets offered for sale on this site to reduce knee cramps. Since you are riding with a group, consider sharing important items: first aid kits (don't forget Handi Wipes, latex gloves and aspirin), tire repair kits, emergency tool and maintenance kits( providing everyone has essential items/tools for their bike), To avoid reduncies in packing. An inexpensive gas siphon, small roll of duct tape, small lightweight jumper cables, could also be invaluable. The fjr is a tough bike to access the battery with conventional jumper cables, but, a Jastek plug powerport or SAE cable connector can be easily installed on all three bikes to get the job done (you can use them to plug in a battery tender during storage periods, too).

BTW, while you are changing your fork oil, change your brake/clutch fluid, too. Those circuits will be getting a workout on this trip.


One more thing...............Bring a spare set of keys!

__________________
Al
________________________________________
Momma always said "the best things in life are free"! OK,sure.............
Then again, Momma never rode a motorcycle, either!

monsieurnet

thanks for the advice.
the PO put in a heavy duty battery in the xx.
we will share first aid kit, I have a cct with me,
I don't think I will go for lowering pegs, I have the double bubble so I don't think I will buy a givi touring screen.
good idea to change the fork oil, brake and clutch fluid.

still not sure about the tires.

TigreST

You and your co-riders most likely have a route mapped out already, but I'd like to suggest one road that I've enjoyed more then once for the transit ride to the Smokies. If you exit Canada via Buffalo NY. you can hook up with the U.S. Route 219 South. In the Northern climbs it provides some easy going and will in short order take you off the Super Slab and get you into the senic side of the trip. The farther south you get the twistier it gets. It would be excellent practice and let you get a feel for the XX in the twisties. Like any of the secondary roads, in a general sense, it may not be about "making good time" but more about "having a good time". The road and riding is varied all along this route and it will take you far enough into the South at which point you can pick your own way to go.

Look for the start of #219 South of Buffalo NY and then follow it all the way to Rich Creek, Virginia. It's not all twisty and there seemed to me to be enough highway riding to help break things up and give you a rest. Three of us from Sarnia will be headed out at the front end of June, and most likely the 219 will come into play again. Although I have pin pointed only one road it's a safe bet to say that none of the riding down south is all that bad, far from it in fact. The Blueridge Parkway and the Cherahola Skyway are both great roads. "The Dragon" will test you like nothing else, speeds for the first timer will be very slow if your riding within your comfort zone. It will not be hard to get out of your comfort zone even at low speeds on "The Dragon" as you don't know the road or how sharp the turns are (they are sharp!). You'll be amazed that they could actually build such a twisty piece of tarmac. You'll be happy to have just completed a slow pass on it the first time out. Don't try to break any records!

I agree 150% about "going at your own pace". As Dirty Harry once said, "A mans got to know his limitations!" Cooking along over the speed limit is all well and good until you get busted and feel a pain in the wallet. Better that then a pain on your ass after an unplanned get-off. Your going to love it down south.
A credit card at fuel stops can help speed the process along and give you day by day "account" of where your were when you get home. If your in full leathers (a good idea) the card is easyer then fumbling with cash. Most/many of the gas stations have the gas pump mounted card reader slots so you may never have to go inside to deal with the counter girl/guy. Save your cash for the end of the days ride,..for something to wash the bugs off your teeth. Enjoy the ride!

Tony

__________________
"Stemmata quid faciunt."

XXFirefighter

I did 6604 miles in 10 days went to South Carolina, Then NYC and back to Cali... needed chain lube for the XX. Also drain the antifreeze and add water wetter and distilled water. The antifreeze mixture will overheat. I had liek 50lbs of tools with me.. didn't use a 1. The K1200S did just as well, didn't overheat though.

monsieurnet

Thanks firefighter.
I can't drain the antifreeze as I intend to go in may.
up here it is still cold (yes even below zero c)

thanks all of you for the good advice.
mnet

TigreST

I notice that the carbed XX's and the FI XX differ in the operating heat range by a large margin,..at least the two I've compared. My 98 bike does not run anywhere near as hot as a fellow boardmembers bike does on the normal summer days here in Southwestern Ontario. Most likely this is due to the changes made in the cooling and induction inlet trunking between the model years, or at least in part. The front cowl inlets on the 97 and 98's were for cooling, directing air straight to the oil cooler. On later FI Birds these became ramair inlets for the induction throttlebodys. Cooling is something of an issue on the FI Birds, but I don't worry near as much with my carbed XX,..it's stays well below the temperature red line, and doesn't get to close to it even on the hottest days here while at cruise speeds and normal city riding.

Tony

__________________
"Stemmata quid faciunt."

X1rider

Synthetic oil helps a unit run a bit cooler, so does Engine Ice.
Whatever mods you make, kit you add, etc. set it all up and do local test rides on roads you know. Sucks making a mod and then heading out for a long ride only to realize the mod needed tweaking.

CanadianBird

Don't forget rain gear, cell phone, check your Blue Cross or whatever you are using for medical coverage!!!!!!!!!!! If shit happens in the US of A it can be expensive. Check what coverage your credit cards offer, your employer offers, or buy extra coverage!! I've ridden from Vancouver to Toronto through the States and I travel into Wash, Oregon, etc every year. My Bird is "as new" and I have her serviced every June and as needed. I take tire repair and I don't bother with cct, regulator, extra battery etc. Take chain lube, I like Motul. Check which states allow radar and if you have it, take it. I don't suggest you ride at night. HID are an excellent mod. Be prepared for hot weather and perhaps everything in between. I don't suggest a black helmut or black gear as it sucks up a lot of heat. I have a full Givi set up and I suggest a bike cover if you are moteling it. Out of site, out of mind. When the weather gets hot be sure to hydrate well. I also drink Gator aid to replace electrolites. Don't forget a disc lock and or a cable lock. All this being said if I don't travel with my wife I'm alone. My preference. I've toured 120,000 kms since '02 and "touch wood" I've never had a problem. I'm running Avons, no concerns. I use quick dry t's etc as they wash and dry very quickly. They also wick moisture away from the body. Under Armour, Nike, and the like. Happy trails to you. Cheers

monsieurnet

Thanks CB
I have insurance so far covered and will make sure to extend it thru my trip period.
I am doing full servicing on the bird, I bought the cct so will bring it along, same for the tire repair kit, first aid etc.
I manufacture clothing, so I am trying to make a new special carbon fiber silver fiber lined undersuit.
this will wick away moisture, quick drying, keeps cool, and no odour,
good stuff, I used a helmet liner made from this material in the summer and it is great. (that was my prototype)
I will probably take the Joe Rocket super ego jacket, and maybe some textile pants with bohn armor pants underneath.
this covers me for almost all conditions except rain.

I am pretty much covered for rain gear. not really completely waterproof except for the boots and gloves, rest is water resistant/ wind proof.
might spring for a gore tex jacket/ shell

I want to thank tony the 219 looks great
I know this sounds stupid but is the riding on rte 6 near towanda any good?
I am going from the 30 at hancock to the 144 at galeton, or the 219
we heard the 144 is awesome
any ideas??
mnet

PJNXX

Sounds like a good ride you have planned there. Personally, I only carry a tire repair kit on a long trip (actually on any trip as I keep it under my seat).

On the way back to Canada do you plan to hit Americade (Lake George, NY) which runs from June 2-7?

__________________
-Paul

monsieurnet

we are planning this trip from may 10-19 approx.

Re Americade, if any members of this board are going, I will probably go with my motorcycle association, we are planning to all come down from Montreal and attend.

For sure we will be at Laconia.

I will bring my honda tool kit, tire repair and air pump, chain wax, credit card,
a few other things.
I plan to have all my mods done way before, I agree would be lousy to do a mod and then find out that it is not so good on a long trip.

thanks again
Mnet

Aurora

Hookers at every stop.

PJNXX

Cool! I went last year and I will be going again this year. As the time approaches, we can start a thread about this.

__________________
-Paul

monsieurnet

Hookers at every stop? Cool
I guess I will have to increase my budget.
add condoms to the list.

charlesfleur

Hey MOnsieurnet, in Quebec we have SAAQ, you know when you pay the 660$ for your plates this year, from what I've read on there site, you are supposed to be covered for any incidends on public roads, and I beleive it is world wide! You my wanna check it out on the SAAQ site.

Here's the link; The Insurance Policy for All Quebecers | Accident Victim | SAAQ

And I'll be at the Americade, and Laconia too. So let me know what you guys have in plan.

Cheers.

__________________
......Alright... let's do this.....

monsieurnet

in theory saaq covers the insurance, but not all,
same for medicare.

problem is to get it.
till then you have to cover with blue cross or your own funds.

Charles if you are not busy why not come to one of the meetings of the AMM.
we meet every wed. near downtown.
but yes 660 is alot to plate an 11 year old motorcycle.

but at least I feel better than those who have to pay 660 to plate a 1988 750vfr or a 1992 gixxer
Mnet

charlesfleur

Just tell me time and place, and I'll be there, be nice to other bikers! I'll PM you my number.

__________________
......Alright... let's do this.....

CanadianBird

Passport? Uncle Sam is worried about terrorists from Canada so have the necessary documentation if you don't have a current passport.

DragonXX

Well you silly Canucks will profile yourselves with names like .. Ontario .. Quebec and Manitoba .... And with those silly lumberjack outfits

On "what to take on a ride ?" ..... Some friends !
All my favourite memories of bike journeys have always included a group ride.
Good Luck and have a great adventure

__________________
" 'Birds of a feather, flock together "

Quote of the month: "When the pupil is ready to learn, a teacher will appear." - Zen Proverb

monsieurnet

Canadian Bird shhhhhhh!
the US feds are monitoring forums and blogs on the web looking for Canadian terrorists. You are alerting them for no reason. No wonder I keep getting pulled over on the XX when I cross the border.

to Dragonxx , yes silly province