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TRAVEL Hints and Tips Post your TIPS to travellers - all the interesting little tidbits you learned on the road about packing, where to get stuff, and how to cope with problems. Please make sure the subject describes the tip clearly!
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  #1  
Old 12 Jul 2007
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Question How Long You Should Go in a Day ?



Hi everybody,

I asked what to do in the thread of Back Pain/Back Ache.

For a healthy long tour how long and how many hours should we ride normally on the bike?

Ok I know the answer is depend on the bike, the route, road, weather, etc.
I am asking this question for normal conditions with a normal endura bike which can go up to 150 kms/h without problem.

Speaking loudly it seems 400 kms a day / 5 hours seems normal and we can deal with.
800 kms / 10 hours can be managed one day only but not everyday I think?

What is your normal driving distances and hours please, I am a bit confused . . .

All the best
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  #2  
Old 12 Jul 2007
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Dear Earthling

The latest info (yesterday, in Motorcycle News, UK) is that bikers are subject to Deep Vein Thrombosis as much as air passengers.

Maximum 2 hrs before a rest and exercise. If you feel like stretching your legs on the bike, the advice now is -STOP!- and do it right with exercise.

Factor this info in to whatever distances you want to travel.

But remember what Ted Simon rightly said , "The interruptions ARE the journey".

Last edited by Caminando; 12 Jul 2007 at 10:27.
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  #3  
Old 12 Jul 2007
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What's 'Normal' anyway?

Hey Samy,

I'm not sure if you have asked your question so that you can plan a certain amount of time on the road... but like you said, there are so many factors which affect your riding and the miles that you cover.

Trying to calculate a distance per hour riding time is only applicable on good tar roads (and straight ones at that!).

I have had some 2 hour days when I have felt absolutely shattered, or have had to stop because of weather conditions (very begrudgingly I have to say). But then, another day was 11 hours in the saddle in order to get to a pre-arranged place to stay.

Ride for yourself.
If you suffer from back pain, listen to your body and go easy on yourself. No point in having to be horizontal for weeks because you wanted to spend too much time pushing on.

Have regular breaks (or irregular ones if you suddenly feel you need a rest), and spend less time trying to calculate when it's okay to stop.

I had one day in southern Spain which I fondly remember as being a lovely day. I decided it was a photo day. I took lots of great shots, and probably travelled about 150miles the whole day. But it was great!

The more flexible you can be (not physically ) about your riding, the easier it is to absorb the days when you don't get as far as you thought you might, and recover from the days when you cover more miles than expected.
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Old 12 Jul 2007
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Its going to depend a lot on factors such as type of bike, back roads or motorways, summer or winter, rain or sun, whether you are tired or not, and whether you are en route or sightseeing in your destination area.

For me my rule of thumb for route planning in Europe has been around 500 miles / day for a large bike on fast roads in summer and 300 miles / day for a middle size (5-600cc) bike on ok roads in winter.
These are not hard and fast distances that must be done every day but just "how long will it take me to get to x" thoughts. For example UK to southern Spain is a four day trip if I want to get there without detours / sightseeing and without arriving so tired that I need another day to recover.
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Old 12 Jul 2007
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How long is peice of string

Two weeks ago.. when from kendel to the ferry to Orkney Ils (415 miles). in one go. the weather was fine, I was feeling good and all was grand.. a week later on the trip back same road the same 45miles from John O grotes took me two hours and i was shattered...poor weather, poor me, poor viability,, Yes some times you have to push on.. and be uncomfortable.. but dont if you dont have too... rest when you WANT to not when you NEED to.


sorry completely useless answer, in europe/ AUS/ USA/Canada I try and not do more then 300 miles in a day . I find if i do this or more I see little and I might as well be in a car or plane..(I like to keep it under 200). off piste i never plan on much at all.. <30miles and you may make more.. plan for more you will be luck to not fall short.

"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day,
rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'amour
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Last edited by Xander; 12 Jul 2007 at 17:05.
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  #6  
Old 15 Jul 2007
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A few months back I did 567.2 miles from Toyes in France to Dijon then back to London on a speed triple. I wouldn't recommend it though!

It depends what bike you are on, and how use to riding distance etc you are. Personally, on a long trip I would aim for between 2-300 miles a day maximum depending on speed/roads/terrain.

Dan
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  #7  
Old 15 Jul 2007
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Ride until you get there....and where ever you are..
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Last edited by mollydog; 26 Mar 2009 at 05:19.
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  #8  
Old 15 Jul 2007
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do an Iron Butt Ride

I did 1047 miles in just under 16 hours - just to do it - and get the license plate frame from the Iron Butt Association. No reason to do it again, but I know I can if necessary. Butt this is an American thing - America has the roads to do these kinds of rides on.

I regularly did 500+ mile days during my vacation trips, up to 700+ miles on occasion - usually 3 or 4 days in a row before I needed a shorter day.

It's all about keeping moving, not stopping very long, so it just depends on how you want to ride. If you want pictures, you stop. You don't take pictures, you have a big gas tank, a large bladder, you don't stop.

Riding through Central and South America, a typical day is between...well, there is no typical day, but I seldom do over 350 miles on the longest (infrequent) days.

Mileage per day is a personal thing. For anyone to say to someone else how much another person should ride in a day is silly*.

*I chose silly as not to be offensive.
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  #9  
Old 16 Jul 2007
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Wink Diplomacy and stupidity

[QUOTE=mollydog;143497]Samy, fill out yer' profile...otherwise you look alot like a Spammer jerking us around with stupid questions. Now you wouldn't do that, would you?

Normal? WTF? What is normal? Who cares how far you go? Do you have some goal in mind? Are you running some kind of race or just some Wanker asking pointless questions? Give specifics and maybe someone can answer.

Ride until you get there....and where ever you are...there you are!

And fill out yer profile...



Hi Patrick,

You look as you are very experienced when we look at how many answer you have given to threads. I see your nick everywehere, that's nice. You are very social and good sorce/helper for the HUBB. Your style doesn't look diplomatic as you describe my questions silly and me a spammer. Can everybody know and specialize in any category like each other? You spend more time on and with the bike and I don't. You must show more respect to someone who doesn't know well like you at a subject IMHO. I just read a newcomer asked where he can find spare parts on the net for his KLE! I thought to answer for a while, is this a spare part shop? Given up later, someone may be at help. Why bother a newcomer!

I start riding 6,5 years later after having a terrible accident in Aug 2000. My bike is heavier than before. R 80 GS instead of F650. I made a ride for 700 + kms last week in 8 hours (3 hours break) and felt like I am going to die. I thoght something wrong with me. The reason if this silly questions was this.

Anyhow sorry for taking your precious time as a ignorantand silly beginner and spammer Lord and diplomat.

I will think not twice but more before asking a question which can be accepted as silly !

To other riders and bike friendly people: sorry for having a conversation like that. May be Grant and moderators make a list as which questions are regarded as silly and should not asked and which shows professionalism and diplomacy and should be applauded.

Also which parts of profile should definitely filled out?
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Old 16 Jul 2007
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You keep posting the questions YOU want to ask, not what some rude ignoramus thinks you should ask The old saying of 'if you have nothing nice to say,STFU' applies here . Regarding your question, it's not 'silly' but more like 'how long is a piece of string', you say 700kms is too much for you, I suggest you try less kms
A couple of weeks ago, me and my brother in law did over 800 miles in 2 days, with a nights camping thrown in, that was a bit too much for me (and my old arthritic bones), but there were time constraints and it had to be done
As far as your profile, you fill in what parts you want, but I (personally) like to know what part of the world (just a rough idea) folks I reply to are from (it can have a bearing on the answers given), but it is not compulsory


Trophymick
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  #11  
Old 16 Jul 2007
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What can you, what should you do?

I have had to do too many long days in the past, my worst being 2,000 miles in four days. One 500 mile day is usually too many, but four in a row is excessive. After that trip I resolved to limit myself to 350 miles/day as my personal limit, then I had to go to Utrecht (400 miles from my home, including getting lost) so my resolution didn't last.

I have found that I can do longer days in France & Germany, where the roads are more open than in the UK (I suspect a combination of fewer people per square kilometer and more road Km per person). The fact is still that you see less if all you do is ride. If you plan low mileage days you lose less when you stop to follow an interesting looking road, or if you stay an extra day. I'd rather have to make up a 350 mile day than miss something interesting, but if I had to make up 500 miles I might think differently.
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Old 16 Jul 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Samy View Post

Also which parts of profile should definitely filled out?
When you pull up someone else's profile, what do you look for, what do you like to know about the other person?

You should be willing to share the same about yourself.

You should definitely fill out your location - 'earth' doesn't cut it. I like to know if someone is asking questions from the states vs. europe or another place in the world. It definitely helps to know that - to answer specific to their local - or to shut up because I can't answer in regards to their local.
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Last edited by quastdog; 16 Jul 2007 at 14:58.
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  #13  
Old 16 Jul 2007
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Ride as long as you care to ride and take the breaks that are necessary. If you don't do that, you may not be riding that long.

Its your ride, so enjoy it.

HTH
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Old 17 Jul 2007
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thank you

Thank you all guys. I felt so tired after my long ride made in 8 hours plus 3 hrs rest. Just wanted to know what is other people's limit and experiences.

Thank all for answering with positive approach especially to trophymick. Everybody can't do best and ask the correct questions all the time. And this place is not said as it is for professional and talented riders.

Sometimes we must listen and answer the kids too I think.

Sometimes personally I just smile when someone asks a "simple" question. I shouldn't forget it is simple to me because I know it. When you don't know something, though it is simple indeed, it is not easy and simple.

I bought a large format camera years ago. I didn't know how to load the film and asked how to do it yo a "senior photographer" in our city. He answered: "give it up, it is very complicated". What I did? I tried to load the film by myself with the guidance of a friend on the phone. It costed me more than one package of the film. But I succeed it. Senior photographer still says it is unnacessary to buy a large format camera, it is useless. Only seniors should use it. I answer everyones questions and try to teach or be of in help.

Thank you all...
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Old 17 Jul 2007
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And...

And forgotten to say, I will fill out the where am I from line of my profile today...
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