SuzukiSavage.com - Suggestions/possibility for a road trip

bradyGOAT

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Suggestions/possibility for a road trip
07/06/17 at 09:28:18

Hey folks, I've been thinking of taking a road trip of the following loop (simplified): Boston, Appalachians (WV area), Austin TX, Albuquerque, Denver, Chicago, Boston. I guesstimate it's about 100 hours of riding, based on google saying it's 78 on highway. I have about 20 days to do it, so 5 hours of riding a day.

I've read the savage isnt the most comfortable/practical thing to take on long trips, but in my rides around new england I've never felt much discomfort (I'm not the biggest dude). My main concerns are mechanical. I have an 05 with 9k miles on it, 1000mile old tires. Say the trip rings in at about 6k miles.

Am I crazy? What are some common issues that long trips like this could cause? This would be mid August. Thanks!!

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stewmills Serious Thumper Offline Imagination is more important than knowledge Posts: 2641 Auburn, AL Gender:	Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Reply #1 - 07/06/17 at 09:33:28 Get a 25 tooth kawasaki front pulley if Dave has any for sale. WELL worth it, especially for a trip like this. Makes it a totally different bike at cruising speeds.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Reply #2 - 07/06/17 at 09:35:44 You'll be flirting with the danger zone on the cam chain. Slap a Versy on. Run the valves. Get a Raptor petcock. Carry a spare headlight.
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bradyGOAT

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Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip
Reply #3 - 07/06/17 at 13:24:45

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 07/06/17 at 09:35:44:

You'll be flirting with the danger zone on the cam chain.
Slap a Versy on. Run the valves. Get a Raptor petcock.
Carry a spare headlight.

I appreciate the responses. I've already mentioned to Dave I'm interested in the pulley. Raptor petcock already installed Cool

. I'll talk to Versy as well.

What do you mean by "run the valves"? I'm fairly new to shade tree mechanic business

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Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip
Reply #4 - 07/06/17 at 14:20:48

bradyGOAT wrote on 07/06/17 at 13:24:45:

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 07/06/17 at 09:35:44:

You'll be flirting with the danger zone on the cam chain.
Slap a Versy on. Run the valves. Get a Raptor petcock.
Carry a spare headlight.

I appreciate the responses. I've already mentioned to Dave I'm interested in the pulley. Raptor petcock already installed Cool

. I'll talk to Versy as well.

What do you mean by "run the valves"? I'm fairly new to shade tree mechanic business

My guess would be adjust the valves, there's a how-to in the tech section.

JOG has his own lingo... even though he's never used that term before.

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SALB Serious Thumper Offline FSO Posts: 668 Whittier, AK Gender:	Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Reply #5 - 07/06/17 at 14:32:38 My guess would be adjust the valves, there's a how-to in the tech section. JOG has his own lingo... even though he's never used that term before. Diesel mechanic lingo for adjusting the valves (and injectors on some engines) is "run the overhead"
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Reply #6 - 07/06/17 at 14:34:34 Our shop said run the valves.
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old.indian

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Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip
Reply #7 - 07/06/17 at 15:25:23

Do all the mechanical work 1st. Stay on back roads where possible. Keep to 60 MPH or below, and an eye on your oil level. The Raptor doesn't give a lot of "reserve", so pay attention to how long it's been since your last fill up. Expect the weather to change, take rain gear and watch for wind gust west of the big muddy. AAA is a nice thing to have on a motorcycle or an old car (like the original '37 coupe I had).

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Reply #8 - 07/06/17 at 15:49:35 Don't go dumping a fancy ultraslick oil in it. If you can get some roadside assistance coverage, that'd be good. Flats on tubed tires SUUUUX,,
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batman Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 3806 osceola new york Gender:	Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Reply #9 - 07/06/17 at 20:06:24 First aid kit ,with a couple of tubes of super glue(seals deep gashes quickly,the ER doc's will hate you, but you won't bleed to death on the way there).
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piedmontbuckeye Senior Member Offline Go Bucks! Posts: 496 Easley, SC Gender:	Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Reply #10 - 07/08/17 at 07:47:47 Get another motorcycle. The Savage has to be one of the worst road bikes I have ever ridden - esp. on 300+ mile trips! Designed to look at, not ride!
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LANCER Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Savage Beast Performance Parts Posts: 10668 Oklahoma Gender:	Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Reply #11 - 07/08/17 at 07:57:39 A "medical gel pad" under your butt can make a world of difference.
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old.indian

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Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip
Reply #12 - 07/08/17 at 08:22:09

piedmontbuckeye wrote on 07/08/17 at 07:47:47:

Get another motorcycle. The Savage has to be one of the worst road bikes I have ever ridden - esp. on 300+ mile trips!

Designed to look at, not ride!

I respectfully disagree.....Windshield. longer shocks, 4"forward controls, and a seat pad works just fine for this 75 year old on my 350-450 mile days.

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Lectron carb, modified head, stage 3 cam, Wiseco piston, header and Dyna, Varsi's cam chain adjuster, head plug and drilled rotor, Tkat, 12" shocks and 17/43 chain conversion.EdL's 4"FCs

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hotrod Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 326 NC Gender:	Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Reply #13 - 07/08/17 at 13:45:33 About once a year I ride from NC to upstate NY---600 miles, on a Harley Sportster. No windshield . 66 years old. I hope to do this on the Savage one day. The big problem is how to pack gear on the thing. A larger tank would be nice. The bike does the work. I just sit on it.
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piedmontbuckeye

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Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip
Reply #14 - 07/08/17 at 16:47:56

hotrod wrote on 07/08/17 at 13:45:33:

About once a year I ride from NC to upstate NY---600 miles, on a Harley Sportster. No windshield . 66 years old. I hope to do this on the Savage one day. The big problem is how to pack gear on the thing. A larger tank would be nice. The bike does the work. I just sit on it.

While I don't consider the Sportster a great road bike either, I would bet it is far better than the Savage. Smaller motor, lighter weight, and shorter wheelbase make the Savage a not-so-good trip bike.

I do, however, like it for shorter trips - up to North Carolina - ride the mountains, Parkway and back home. Around 150 to 200 miles round trip. But that last 50 miles is pure agony!

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