Advice request: Biker's equipment from head to toe for a (old) principiante in H'town Texas (Yee Haa?)

[docc]

Otherwise, p6x, maybe you need a "double" to do the actual riding. Celebrities rely on this.

Who is that rider in the background?!? And should p6x send docc in to do the dirty work?

[docc]

19 minutes ago, docc said:

 And should p6x send docc in to do the dirty work?

Have AeroStich. Will Travel.

 

[PJPR01]

1 hour ago, docc said:

Okay, okay - that is all fun, but riding an unknown V11 from Florida to Texas in January is serious stuff.

Wear what you want (I would not go without my Roadcrafter and Alpinestar boots), but take a pocketful of High Current OMRON relays and make certain the battery has been properly conditioned (or ship one ahead with a correct charger).

 

...and a pocketful of Advils as well as preventative (take them before you start to hurt), and plenty of hydration.  Personally, I would avoid I-10 as much as possible and go on parallel highways.  

First thing I'd look at would be the tires too, and check their pressure AND age (so maybe bring a small plug kit and mini air compressor that hooks up to a cigarette lighter with you as well), and possibly a mini Lithium jump starter.  

[docc]

Not sure where p6x's V11 is coming from in Florida, but if I get this gig I promise to ride his LeMans back to Texas properly and in style  . . .

 

[PJPR01]

Well...in that case, we shall have to throw a welcome party Docc and have a proper escort at the Texas / Louisiana line!  

My suggestion wasn't to prescribe anything specific, other than some OTC pain killers as I sure as hell can imagine the kink in the neck after a few hundred miles on an unfamiliar bike in a new riding position...

Anyway...by all means disregard the suggestion if it causes any harm, just speaking from experience here...  

[LowRyter]

I personally wouldn't ride due to Covid.  And I wouldn't ride in Jan regardless.  I probably wouldn't do a fly and ride unless I was very certain the bike was going to make it.  Instead, I'd rent a bike trailer from UHaul which I've done on several occasions.   

Hopefully this bike has luggage.  Make sure you have lots of layers of clothing and wet weather bike gear.  At least a couple of different pairs of gloves.  Bring some fuses and relays, some tools and a tire repair kit and compressor.   If the tires are old, get them changed out before you travel.  I'm not sure if this bike has 170 or 180 rear.  If it's a 170 you may need to special order it.  I'd also get a throttle lock so you can rest your right wrist for a minute or two before it hurts constantly.

I-10 has FL panhandle, Gulf Coast and New Orleans on the way.  Normally I would enjoy that if the weather was nice and I wasn't afraid of getting sick.

I suppose I haven't hidden my feelings but since the topic was brought up......

So far as distance riding it, I find my 30 inch inseam to get a little cramped.  I've ridden my Sport as far as N Carolina hills from OKC, and to Austin for a few trips and Arkansas for maybe more.  So all of these were 350-450 mile days.  Typically take a Tylenol or Advil before you go.  Don't drink more that one cup of coffee.  Hydrate properly.  Eat light but often.  Get off the bike and rest, particularly if your legs, back or wrists get cramped.  Fatigue is the enemy, rest or stop.

[p6x]

12 hours ago, Kane said:

Here ya go:

 

The bike is real, but the rider is probably a stand in.

 

The ride starts Place Vendôme, where all the famous jewelers have a shop, follows to La Concorde via rue des Tuileries.

Riding in Paris on a bike used to be one of the best ride you could ever experience in a life time. Especially early in the morning when few cars were present.

And she is wearing Alcantara, which does not sag as leather does.

I concur that she is not the one riding the bike. If my memory serves me right, squeezing the clutch required a strong hand on the older Ducatis.

 

 

[p6x]

12 hours ago, docc said:

Pretty sure all those dudes in black at the stop light were on Guzzis . . . 

 

Looks like Ducati Monster to me...

[p6x]

12 hours ago, docc said:

Okay, okay - that is all fun, but riding an unknown V11 from Florida to Texas in January is serious stuff.

Wear what you want (I would not go without my Roadcrafter and Alpinestar boots), but take a pocketful of High Current OMRON relays and make certain the battery has been properly conditioned (or ship one ahead with a correct charger).

There are times the V11 clip-ons have challenged my wrists and elbows. Other times, the rear-sets have cramped my pelvis and knees. Hydrate and take an electrolyte supplement. Stop every hour or so. Watch the limited fuel range of the V11.

This was a consignment sale. I have asked the dealer to check the exact maintenance status with the previous owner, which I hope I will get to speak to once I get there. I asked for that information initially, but never got a clear answer.

I am planning to have the bike inspected in Houston by MPH once its get here.

I will make sure the bike is in perfect working order before I decide to ride it back.

Fuel autonomy will be one of my initial concern. I will stop often and check how much fuel I have used to work out an average consumption.

Hopefully, I will be able to quickly determine if I will be able to ride it back. It is not going to take much time to find out if the position will be difficult to sustain for several hours.

[p6x]

12 hours ago, docc said:

Otherwise, p6x, maybe you need a "double" to do the actual riding. Celebrities rely on this.

Who is that rider in the background?!? And should p6x send docc in to do the dirty work?

Foreground is Keira Knightley finding her marks on the bike before the shoot. Background is possibly the girl that will really ride the bike?

Looking at the fixture, most of the shots involving Keira had the bike in tow?

 

[p6x]

11 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

...and a pocketful of Advils as well as preventative (take them before you start to hurt), and plenty of hydration.  Personally, I would avoid I-10 as much as possible and go on parallel highways.  

First thing I'd look at would be the tires too, and check their pressure AND age (so maybe bring a small plug kit and mini air compressor that hooks up to a cigarette lighter with you as well), and possibly a mini Lithium jump starter.  

I asked the guy I dealt with to verify the bike's status with the previous owner. And I told him about my intention to ride the bike back to Houston.

They fixed a fuel leak at the petcock, said he. Otherwise, he said the bike was good to go...

[p6x]

1 hour ago, LowRyter said:

I personally wouldn't ride due to Covid.  And I wouldn't ride in Jan regardless.  I probably wouldn't do a fly and ride unless I was very certain the bike was going to make it.  Instead, I'd rent a bike trailer from UHaul which I've done on several occasions.   

Hopefully this bike has luggage.  Make sure you have lots of layers of clothing and wet weather bike gear.  At least a couple of different pairs of gloves.  Bring some fuses and relays, some tools and a tire repair kit and compressor.   If the tires are old, get them changed out before you travel.  I'm not sure if this bike has 170 or 180 rear.  If it's a 170 you may need to special order it.  I'd also get a throttle lock so you can rest your right wrist for a minute or two before it hurts constantly.

I-10 has FL panhandle, Gulf Coast and New Orleans on the way.  Normally I would enjoy that if the weather was nice and I wasn't afraid of getting sick.

I suppose I haven't hidden my feelings but since the topic was brought up......

So far as distance riding it, I find my 30 inch inseam to get a little cramped.  I've ridden my Sport as far as N Carolina hills from OKC, and to Austin for a few trips and Arkansas for maybe more.  So all of these were 350-450 mile days.  Typically take a Tylenol or Advil before you go.  Don't drink more that one cup of coffee.  Hydrate properly.  Eat light but often.  Get off the bike and rest, particularly if your legs, back or wrists get cramped.  Fatigue is the enemy, rest or stop.

Thanks for the concern.

I will only take my decision to ride back once I have got a taste of the Le Mans.

I have looked at the UHaul option, but I do not have a car to tow it. And getting both does not make sense economically. If I can't ride it, I will get it shipped.

I will look into the throttle lock, but this is something I have never used before. I usually don't incorporate accessories I am not familiar with. No need to make it more complicated.

As for Covid-19, yes, this is a risk. I have escaped it so far, I take the risk seriously.

The biggest hazard remains my spouse. I have not "clearly" mentioned that I purchased a bike. Covid-19 is nothing compared to her wrath.
 

Quote

 

Fuse in lega leggera a 3 razze cave (posteriore con parastrappi incorporato) con cerchi nelle misure:

ANTERIORE

3,50x17 MT H2

POSTERIORE

5,50x17 MT H2

PNEUMATICI

ANTERIORE :

120/70 ZR 17 BRIDGESTONE BT020

120/70 ZR 17 C MICHELIN PILOT SPORT

POSTERIORE :

180/55 ZR 17 BRIDGESTONE BT020

180/55 ZR 17 L MICHELIN PILOT SPORT

 

 

[LowRyter]

I have several throttle locks, the simplest, easiest to use and most reliable is the "clothespin style", one like this:

https://www.wleodv.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=69377

 

It take all of about 30 seconds to install.  Slip it over the throttle grip, make sure there is adequate tension, and then when you're riding, just slide it with your thumb on to the brake lever.  (Just make sure you don't accidently slip it behind the brake lever.)

I have a plastic one similar to this one.  I also have an aluminum one from China that I never bothered to install.   I have some more expensive ones that are more complex and never seem to work because they are always out of adjustment.  

These are $10-20 and sacrificial when they lose tension, although I'm using the same one a bought a couple of years ago.

[Tomchri]

Doesn’t matter what bike you ride something called pain will hit you., it’s nice to get off, stretch, and   after 50 ~ 100m, and go again.    Sleepy roads up Florida and making a left turn west.  If you’re excited about this, just do it .   Have a good friend picking up old bikes and cars cheap, never checks anything, but gets  home.  Pocket spare parts will do it.

Have a fun trip.

Cheers tom.

[footgoose]

1 hour ago, Tomchri said:

Doesn’t matter what bike you ride something called pain will hit you., it’s nice to get off, stretch, and   after 50 ~ 100m, and go again.    Sleepy roads up Florida and making a left turn west.  If you’re excited about this, just do it .   Have a good friend picking up old bikes and cars cheap, never checks anything, but gets  home.  Pocket spare parts will do it.

Have a fun trip.

Cheers tom.

yup. called 'adventure'