florida to riviera de loup and back

[st. augustine]

Just returned yesterday from a 2 week trip. My daughter with her Monster 750 and me on the Scura, drove down to Orlando, got on the auto train to get a couple of days ahead of the weather since we were leaving late. Ended up around DC around 5 in the evening on October 19th, then rode to Gettysburg. Spent the night then ended up in Watertown NY the next night. Then on to Montreal with temps around 1 degree C. Montreal is an awesome town. Also note I saw at least 100 bikers between Montreal and Quebec City (those guys have spirit), then rode on to Riviera de Loup before the night. Then came the pain....2 days of pure rain through Maine (didn't see a single rider in Maine). We pulled over a lot for hot tea and to run our hands under hot water at the gas stations but made it to Manhatten. Did I forget to mention the wishbone connected to the swing arm on the duc snapped off at the northern most milepost on Highway 1? We rode all the way in to NYC where the guys at Aprilla New York did a bang up job fixing up the duc (stop by and see them some time, those guys definately have passion for their work!). By then the weather was looking favorable so headed off to DC, did the site seeing, then headed over to the Far Blue Mountains (skyline drive). Experienced that at freezing conditions (elevation unknown but cold enough to make Montreal seem mild, there was snow everywhere). By then, we were getting ready to head home, so hit the interstates in North, South Carolina, and Georgia and played cat and mouse with cars running around 90 mph. Strange thing?....didn't see any smokeys! It was like a playground. Total miles 3190.

[Bbennett]

Wow - that is impressive. How did you carry your gear ...pls share any wisdom in that department gained from the trip. How did the mileage / tank capacity of the Duck compare to the Guzzi?

[rocketeer]

Just returned yesterday from a 2 week trip. 

 

I was in that area this summer on a trip from Thunder Bay, Ontario to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The east coast was just beautiful and the ride from New Brunswick back into Quebec and Riviere Du Loup area you mentioned was awesome. It`s one ride I look foreward to doing again. The last time I rode to Florida was in `79 and I`m lookin` to do that one again.

[st. augustine]

In answer to the question on the luggage, here it is...

At first I bought the Givi T431 Arrow saddel bags but they just didn't hang right when the bags are extended outwards. I have the Ti exhausts and I just couldn't get them to hang right without touching the pipes. It turns out the pipes don't get hot so it might be a mute point.

 

My daughter liked the Cortech bags so she bought the following:

http://www.sporttour.com/luggage/cortech/tail-bag_sport.htm for the tail bag

http://www.sporttour.com/luggage/cortech/s..._bags_sport.htm for the saddle bags. She bought the Icon magnetic tank bag which I think is a real nice bag/backpack. I have the MG tank bag but 3 seperate zipper handles broke during the trip. I ended up weaving some dental floss for handles but have sense braided some fine nylon rope for zipper pullers (like you see on mountain gear). I tried to get an Icon bag at AprillaNewYork, but found out the tank isn't metal (they took the bag back, no charge).

 

End the end, i traded Cortech for the Givi and we were both real happy. One thing though, the Givi rain covers didn't fit as well as the Cortechs and they actually left some inner cover residue on the givi bags (from flapping in the wind). It can probably wash off, but can't be brushed off. Cortech covers managed 85 mph in the rain real nice. We keep all our gear in the bags inside plastice trash bags for another layer of protection.

 

I'll try to post a picture later, once I figure how to reduce the picture file size to something reasonable to post, along with some comments on our outer gear and helmets.

 

SA

[st. augustine]

Sorry, forgot to mention, our tank miles end up being about the same. We tend to gas up around 130 miles no matter what. My bike always seems to take about 2 to 3 /10ths more gallons than hers does anywhere from 100 to 145 miles between fill ups. It turns out to be the length of ride we both perfer to stretch the legs and talk to each other (we don't have com sets).