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Getting ready for first true long ride

4K views 41 replies 16 participants last post by  theRide 
#1 ·
So I am getting plans together to go visit my sisters down at Haines city, Florida for Thanksgiving week, its about 13 hours and 850 miles from St.Mary's county, MD, to there. I am getting a few things done on the bike before I leave just to make sure I don't end up on the side of I-95 wishing I had not been so careless.

The things high on the list are thus:
-Changed lower cowl lights to LED's, which saves around 22W of power, BTW, very nice bulbs, I brought up the subject a month or so ago on the General forum for the link to them.
-Change timing belts, I have it stripped down and ready to go, I have the Gates T275 belts, just need to find the torque values of the tensioners and pulse generators.... anyone know?
-Change out OEM grips for Kuryakyn ISO Prems with wrist rest
-Install DIY bluetooth audio upgrade
-pump up front suspension to 5 Lbs.
-Install LED spot lights and trim lights->:)>:)

I just did the carb synch that is said to be due every 25k (ish) miles, and it was right on spec!

anything I missed that should be done before I leave besides the usual tire pressure, oil, general maintenance?

oh, here is a pic of the LED's in the lower cowl, sorry for the glare.
 

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#2 ·
I would not put any air in the front, especially if you have Progressive springs. It really doesn't help and just makes it ride rougher. Have the bike on center stand with no weight on the front and open Schrader valve and equalize pressure. That should be the best ride.

19ft lbs. dry on the tensioner bolt. I don't have my manual anymore but i Googled and it came up with a thread on here with the value. Google is your friend.

Take your time on adjusting the belts. Sucks to have them a hair too tight and get a whine at 2500rpm's AFTER warm up. Also sucks to have them slapping around when cold if they are too loose. This engine really expands from cold to hot or seems to.

That is the same distance i travel to my daughters in Gainesville. Always rode it in 2 days. Around 600 miles is our limit in one day. Ready to get in the shower at the hotel and then go out to eat by then. It took us about 15 hrs or so for 830-850miles because i drove the speed limit most of the time.

Check the driveshaft boot.

Watch those cagers and be safe.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the torque specs, and advise Indiana! I plan on traveling it in two days for both ways. The boot is good, I inspected it 2k ago when I changed the tire. I have changed GL1200 belts in the past, so hopefully it goes smoother, and I have expert help this round too!
 
#4 ·
May 9th birthday same as mine but you were born much later. Don't you know you are way too young to ride a Goldwing? My son at 36 still thinks they are an old man's bike. LOL

I wish i would have found out sooner than 2005 about how nice a Goldwing is compared to my 750 Honda... First was an 83 GL1100, then an 88 and now '12.
 
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#6 ·
Couple of points to mention on the trip. I have made the Thanksgiving week trip down there several times staying in Daytona and heading back from Orlando. Going down wasn't too bad weather wise but traffic was another story. Heading home everytime has also been an adventure. If you leave on Sunday, you should leave early. I would actually recommend leaving Saturday if you could. I usually take I-75 but think I-95 would be similar. I would leave early afternoon and end up in bumper to bumper traffic. The first time it was that way all the way to Atlanta when I finally ended up stopping for the night around midnite. The next time, I had pretty much the same traffic but made Atlanta just a bit sooner. However then I got caught in even heavier traffic for a football game. It is one of the most heavily travelled days of the year. And the first time, after getting up early (5:00 a.m.) at motel, I was greeted to a heavy rain storm. The rain continued on and off but mostly on all the way to Illinois where it turned to snow flurries. That continued all the way home. Only got about an inch deep but stayed in the tracks in right lane of other vehicles on the road. Another time, only a little rain but temps dropped down into the mid 30's and running 65-75mph down the Interstate got a bit chilly. I'm glad I had my Gerbing heated clothes.

So IMHO, leave early to head home and be prepared for any and all types of weather.
 
#7 ·
You're right Mike.
Even a few weeks later , I drove my cage one year over Christmas and it was horrible both ways. Bumper to bumper and idiot drivers.
 
#9 ·
I just did 900 miles from Ohio to OK. My last entry, where I recap and reconsider my decisions, is here. granted, some of my conditions were different (first time back on a bike in 5 years), but some of the comments will apply.

Read the Iron Butt 28 tips for some great advice, even if you're not trying to do this as an Iron Butt ride.

Make sure all of your new stuff works right before you head out on the long trip.

+1 on the grips and wrist rest.

Good luck and ride safe.
 
#11 ·
thanks guys for the tips. I am getting everything ready in advance so I can ride it till then and work out the kinks, any problems, etc.

I plan on leaving either thursday night or friday morning at 5AM, and the latest I would leave would be Saturday, but I have done I-95 and I personally like interstates, so to each his own.
@Indiana, wow, too young? I had my first GL at 18! rode bicycles and dirtbikes well before then too.
 
#12 ·
My travel kit includes spare cold waters, freeze half full Qt plastic bottles at a 45 degree angle (leave cap slighty loose during freezing)
top them off in the morning and have ice cold water ready all day.

A tire plug kit/good inflator to stave off Murphy, assortment of music, snack-protein bars and eyedrops.

Consider the new model Airhawk Cruiser R seat pad ~$100
and everyone knows to carry raingear, forget it and guaranteed downpours for hours!
 
#13 ·
long ride

The challenge for me on rides like you describe is being prepared to deal with visibility in the rain. Can you look over your windshield without tilting your head back too much? Is your face shield gonna fog up inside if you close it tight? Stuff like that will happen all of the sudden and you gotta deal with it as you ride.
I guess some riders have tall windshields and are comfortable with looking through it even in the rain.
I'm ok with light or even moderate rain, and I don't mind if my gloves and boots get soaked, but I get nervous when I can't see well, especially in highway traffic.
I'm just saying (what you already know) that it's important to think through how your helmet/glasses/face shield/windshield setup is gonna perform if you get caught in a downpour out there on the open road.
 
#15 ·
I forgot to put: Wax the windscreen on both sides- and your helmet visor too, cuts down on fogging.
Synthetic car wax is ok on plastics, or old school carnuba car wax works too.
I have some hi-tech no-fog spray, wax on/wax off type- also works to clean smartphone screen.

If you do get caught in the rain, close the windscreen vent,,,I didnt the first time, now I know better~
Some tape over the helmet intake air vents is smart if rain is expected, or cold temps.
 
#18 ·
Thanks guys, lots of good input here! I have ridden in the rain, so I pretty much know the ins/outs. I am going to be in my full suit, which is both lined and waterproof, so no worry there! the windshield does have a tendency to drip rain over the edge and stay there, so more polishing is in my future.

My main worry is that my hip and shoulder injuries will act up (MC/martial arts injuries), as they have after some of my longer rides.
 
#19 ·
Do you have some forward foot pegs to allow you to stretch your legs out a bit?

on my '94SE, IIRC, I had some "highway" pegs mounted to the crash bars.

on my current 1800 I am now using Mick-O-Pegs and find they are wonderful. they are also available for the 1500.... a bit pricey at ~$320 ish, but once you have them, you soon forget the price.
 
#20 ·
Another suggestion if you have rain rolling up and over the windsheild is either a strip of door molding or clear 1/4 gas line cut down one side clipped over the upper edge of the windsheild and lightly hot glued in place on each end .. for the guys running a tulsa tall sheild this is basically a must but it helps big time on all in super heavy rain because they tend to spill over right in your face . Its a cheap and easy fix that works wonders for me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
 
#22 ·
Another suggestion if you have rain rolling up and over the windsheild is either a strip of door molding or clear 1/4 gas line cut down one side clipped over the upper edge of the windsheild and lightly hot glued in place on each end .. for the guys running a tulsa tall sheild this is basically a must but it helps big time on all in super heavy rain because they tend to spill over right in your face


Yes Sireeeee ..... it works! I carry a piece in each of my GL's just for such occasions. 1/4" rubber gas line grips well as long as you don't mind the black. The clear stuff works good as well, just not quite as grippy .... but that doesn't matter if you use the hot glue.
 
#23 ·
Ive been meaning to do some aero testing of plastic tubing on top of the Tulsa.
Had thought it might kick air up an extra inch and over top of helmet, and redirect water off the sides,
similar to the effect of the `reverse curve` type shield.
Its the one clear day of the week forecast for today, looks like a scrounge of the garage and the exacto knife just became the pre-ride plan :)

650 miles to Portland Or. plus extra fun miles returning via coastline = likely to encounter rain~

Additional gear suggestion: maybe not for Florida, but others riding into the darkness- a good set of boot `rain covers` also keeps out the cooler air of evening.
Warm feet keep your whole body toasty!
Mine are from Tourmaster- they velcro up the back and have a cutout for boot heel to have contact with the road-- for traction at stoplights.
Your choice of socks is very important, cotton gets sweaty/soggy and cold fast.
Heat Holder brand are the warmest and plushest I've ever owned :)

Im sure its been mentioned before- a sleeping bag or daypack will work as a backrest.
if you dont normally ride with one = you are in for a treat!

Tip: At rest stops, take the load off your spine by laying on a bench or table.
That `backrest` sleeping bag can make it reasonably comfortable for 15 minutes!
 
#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
Tom it certainly works on mine its currently off right now but i put it all the way around my shield and mines awkward to say the least in the way its shaped ..only reason it is off right is because i flaked the glue off on one end while wiping down the windshield other day and could not handle it flopping around



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
 

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#26 ·
boot covers-check
highway pegs-check
rubber tubing,-will have!

I am not so worried about the weather down there as much as up here, it is shaping up to be a colder winter in my opinion.
 
#27 ·
lip stuff, and sunblock. A neck gaiter or face-mask depending on type of helmet, weather, windscreen etc.

A few bits of tape should hold the tubing on for a trip.

Cant beat heated pants liners and heated jacket or vest.
Make you own with help from youtube, radio shack and walmart for some thermals you sew a wire on,
or watch Craigslist for retiring riders letting gear go for cheap.

Heated gloves if its really cold~ Hot chocolate in the drink holder, tunes and cruise control.
Definitely luving the Wing lifestlye! Many lighted parades are calling this year~
 
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