when you get tired, pull over and take a nap.  Your life is not worth "making time"

drink water or juice or gatorade, not soda or energy drinks.  

wear earpulgs.  you will be significantly less tired, and you won't have nearly the headache you otherwise would.  Trust me, it's true.

there are about 12 different ways to ride a savage.  learn them.

make sure you know how far you can go on reserve gas.

make sure you have cash, 'cause it sucks when the credit card company cancells your card in the middle of a trip b/c they think it's been stolen.

look tougher than you are, but remember, neither your wallet nor your bike are worth your life

pass tractor trailers as fast as possible, or slow down and let them pass you quickly.  Be espescially careful if it is windy (cross wind)

bring a rain suit. and helmet.  rain hurts if you're doin' over 30. buit 40 in the rain hurts as much as 80.

bring something, anything, to read when you take a break.  I read a menu 10 times once 'cause I wanted to look at something that wasn't moving.

Check your oil level.  If you need to add oil, put the fill cap on the ground, not on the bike.  This way, when you forget to put it back on, it'll prolly still be there, and not on the side of the road where you won't find it.

I've done 1100 miles on a stock savage in 22 hours.  I've also done denver to seattle to chicago to boston in 7 days, with 5 nights of sleep.  fun? kinda, but you swear you'll never do it again.  until you do.  No better on a V* 1100.  your hands and feet will hurt, not to mention your butt.

I don't post much, but I'm in Pittsburgh. If you're looking for someone that knows the local scene, or what have you, drop me a line.

regular

on the hump between the rider & pass seat (I like this one a lot)

like a sport bike, leaned forward, feet on pass pegs

similar to above, but not leaned forward (sitting on your junk... okay for a little bit)

feet on pass pegs, butt on rider's seat (don't do this in traffic)

feet on rider pegs, butt on rider's seat

one foot on rider peg, other on pass peg, but on pass seat (don't do this in traffic)

regular, but either foot on a pass peg

roll your hips way up, nearly sit on the tank

on rider's seat, feet up on turn sigs

that makes 10

sittin' on the hump is actually very good...

Hey guys, apologies for the communication lapse but it turns out that if your relatives find out you live in florida, prepare yourself for a family reunion.  Actually its not if, but when.

Its a blast planning this trip, and i'm hoping to time it with my sister's graduation in early august.  For those of you who are curious, im heading up to pittsburgh because that's where im from, and thats where my parents live.  Assuming the bike and rider make it there in one piece, i'll most likely sell the bike (an unpleasant thought) to afford a plane ticket to israel to visit my girlfriend and her parents.  Trading one lady in my life for another so to speak....but if you saw her you would see she's worth it.

Anyway the packing arrangement is going to be as follows...magnetic tank bag, soft tour master saddle bags(which will hold a 1+ fuel container in each) two cylindrical shaped army waterproof laundry bags laying horizontally on top of the saddlebags, a duffle bag across the passenger seat and on top of the two laundry bags, then a pvc waterproof army medical supplies backpack secured to a sissy bar extention and on top of the suzuki tiny luggage rack they make for the bike.  Thats pretty much it.  All the heavy stuff will be mostly as low as possible in the laundry bags and/ or centered in the duffle.  And i'll be packing as light as possible with respect to clothing...leaving room for the hammock, some spare line, a larger tool kit, some MRE's, a book or two, spare parts, etc...  

I'll probably head up the west coast of florida and into georiga, following the campgrounds that extend into the georiga mountains and into the blue ridge mountain area of tennessee and north carolina.  I'd like to ride the tail of the dragon at deals gap.  

I really like Trippah's idea of contacting suzuki and inquiring about striking a deal exchanging photos and true stories for technical support.  If suzuki has a newsletter or similar publication and would be interested in publicizing a 1500 mile+ trip through the US on a savage, I think I could link the idea with a similar one involving interviewing savage owners along the way.  Describing and recounting expierences had with the savage, the crazy situations that you find yourselves in, the passing on of golden knowldege from life on the road...wow, what an amazing amount of PR for suzuki.  Not to mention for all those involved.  So i'll contact them and pitch it, and if they're interested i'd love to get in touch with those of you who would be willing to participate.  I'll let you know.  

Also wanted to say thank you to K1200LTryder  for the offer...my plan was to go early august, but real early, like the 3rd or so.  Not so sure when sturgis is or how long it takes to get there but i'll let you know.  

This is shaping up nicely.  Hope all is well with all of you, and thanks again for the advice.  I'll need all I can get!  

Josh
PS. and as far as rain gear is concerned, i've found nothing better or cheaper than frogg toggs road toad suit.  it's great.  

Think you could rig one of these on a Savage??

http://www.magsbags.com/grandtouringbag.html

Or you might consider a Rev-Pack:

http://www.revpack.com/motorcycle/products/TourPack.htm


I've used their Tour Pack for years -- it'll hold two sleeping bags, a tent, two thermarest pads, raingear and a whole lot of odds and ends!  Plus the website says they're having a special on the Big Mama U-pack.