Opnions Please:

[Zoom Zoom]

I, and some traveling companions are going out west this summer. Our trip will be in excess of 5000 miles. Glacier National Park, Beartooth Highway, etc. I've done some of that before. I am torn between taking the EV or the LeMans. From a functional standpoint, I can take the 40's, (HB bags), off the EV and have all the necessary space I would need for such a trip. My big concern is tire wear. The rubber I put on the EV easily goes the distance and much more. Any recomendations on rubber that I could count on for say 7000 miles, giving me a buffer? ('03 LM with wider rear tire.) Thanks.

 

Zoom Zoom,

John Henry

[Steve G.]

I, and some traveling companions are going out west this summer. Our trip will be in excess of 5000 miles. Glacier National Park, Beartooth Highway, etc. I've done some of that before. I am torn between taking the EV or the LeMans. From a functional standpoint, I can take the 40's, (HB bags), off the EV and have all the necessary space I would need for such a trip. My big concern is tire wear. The rubber I put on the EV easily goes the distance and much more. Any recomendations on rubber that I could count on for say 7000 miles, giving me a buffer? ('03 LM with wider rear tire.) Thanks.

 

Zoom Zoom,

John Henry

80033[/snapback]

I get 10,000 kms on my rear 020, 14 on the front. They way you ride has more to do with tire life than you might think. If one is a point & shoot rider, [one who takes corners with, umm, caution, but rolls it on once straight] you clearly will wear out the middle of the tire quickly. Straight road cruising over 85mph long distances will do it too.

Take a tire repair kit. Low cost, small to pack, will get you home or at least to the next shop. A no brainer.

Take a camelback, and gatorade. Dehydration is sneaky.

I was through the Beartooth and Glacier last summer. Incredible. Too much traffic in Glacier, but that's the way national parks are in the summer.

Ciao, Steve G.

[jrt]

hydration is important, as is temperature regulation- a long sleeve light cotton workshirt will keep you cooler than a short sleeve t-shirt. Also take a bandana to soak and keep you cool around your neck. Sunburn can also be an issue, so be prepared to deal with it.

Take bike shorts, cause that many hours in the saddle will give you saddlesores.

aspirin

credit card

 

find a point (a dealer) about 2-3000 miles in your trip where you can do some maintenance if required.

If you are a member of MGNOC, take the contact directory.

[motorfiveo]

I, and some traveling companions are going out west this summer. Our trip will be in excess of 5000 miles. Glacier National Park, Beartooth Highway, etc. I've done some of that before. I am torn between taking the EV or the LeMans. From a functional standpoint, I can take the 40's, (HB bags), off the EV and have all the necessary space I would need for such a trip. My big concern is tire wear. The rubber I put on the EV easily goes the distance and much more. Any recomendations on rubber that I could count on for say 7000 miles, giving me a buffer? ('03 LM with wider rear tire.) Thanks.

 

Zoom Zoom,

John Henry

80033[/snapback]

I run Avon AV45st's on my K1200GT. I rode from Tx to Cali a couple of months ago and racked up about 4,500 miles on them. They currently have about 5,000 miles and still have another 2500-3500miles left in them.

If your looking for mileage only, go with a Metzler marathons like the Goldwingers use.

[richard100t]

Make sure your aaa membership is paid up lol. Take your Visa/MC & a camcorder for the memories. I'm a little jealous here, there needs to be a "jealous" green faced emoticon for me lol. I'm surprised you would opt for the Lemans over the Cali on such a long trip. To each his own I say.

[Guest leo in saint louis]

Dunlop Tour Elite III

http://www.tiresunlimited.com/ALL%20TIRES/...op_EliteIII.htm

 

And I've bought several tires from Tires Unlimited and have been very satisfied. I have a friend with a tire machine so I don't mind not buying from a dealer.

 

leo in saint louis

[Bill Hagan]

Make sure your aaa membership is paid up lol. Take your Visa/MC & a camcorder for the memories. I'm a little jealous here, there needs to be a "jealous" green faced emoticon for me lol. I'm surprised you would opt for the Lemans over the Cali on such a long trip. To each his own I say.

80098[/snapback]

 

I, too, am jealous, as my longest trip has been (actually, several) in the 2K range. Most have been on the EV, as Kathi won't ride the Ballabio more than down the block.

 

Rode the Ballabio out to SW Missouri (with a run to Kansas and Oklahoma to say we did it) in May '04. Hope to repeat that trip this May. If the shims from Anthony and Aaron get here in time, I'm inclined to take it as, from my perspective riding solo, even with luggage, I find the Ballabio at least as comfortable as the EV, and, actually, a bit better for long hauls.

 

Mostly a spine issue (NPI), as no matter how I try to remember, I tend to slouch on the EV, while the Ballabio encourages better back position. YMMV, of course.

 

The real determiner on the May trip will be the others who come along, as just now I have "tentatives" from a ST1300, 03 EV, 04 EV, Duc MS 650 ... and a HD RK!

 

Have a grand time, zoom zoom.

Bill

[coz1100]

I have metzler ME80 on my V-star. Thier suppost to be a high milege tire and they will be on for my Around America trip. 10000-15000 miles in 30 day. The current pair have 4700 miles on them and are still going strong.

[antonio carroccio]

definitely the Pilot Road. I did 16k km with this tyres under my V11.

[Zoom Zoom]

Make sure your aaa membership is paid up lol. Take your Visa/MC & a camcorder for the memories. I'm a little jealous here, there needs to be a "jealous" green faced emoticon for me lol. I'm surprised you would opt for the Lemans over the Cali on such a long trip. To each his own I say.

80098[/snapback]

 

Well, actually, I have traveled part of this trip before. The second half of the trip will pick up where my buddy crashed between Idaho and Jackson, Wy. The remainder of us missed a lot due to the events and state of mind. (He's fine, the bike was repaired.) I have traveled out West a couple of times before, and am fully aware or dehydration. There is also another sickness, I can't recall the name, that has to do with drastic elevation changes, specifically in the up direction. The reason I consider the LeMans is because I am fully aware of the roads we will be getting to and, I gotta tell ya, when I pull on the happy cable on the LM, It just begs for more. I really don't know for sure what I may do, but I have been thinking about it a lot. When Frank Wedge parted out his LM, I acquired the custom peg lowering kit a friend of his made. I am pretty certain I could make the ergos work. But alas, the EV gobbles up the miles pretty good. Man, decesions, decesions.

 

Thanks for the suggestions on the tires. I have a while to get this figured out.

 

Zoom Zoom,

John Henry

[Orson]

Any recomendations on rubber that I could count on for say 7000 miles, giving me a buffer?

80033[/snapback]

I had a Pirelli Diablo rear tire last summer.

 

I put on 6,200 miles / 10,000 kilometers on it, all of them touring miles.

 

The cord was showing by the time I got to a shop for a new one.

 

This was a Pirelli Diablo bought in Italy and I wouldn't know if they differ from Pirellis available in the U.S.