Coast to Coast to Coast - 7,000 Miles

I haven't made it all the way to the coast. I might make that last run if I'm bored for a day, but I've been fairly busy with doing things at my parent's house.

I selected the "Avoid tolls" option on the phone, so day 5 was a lot of nice back roads through New York state and a quick jaunt on US-9 to take me through Vermont. Compared to the 750 or 830-mile days for the first four, 330 was easy. I just should have dragged myself out of bed earlier so I wasn't arriving in the dead of night.

It's time for an oil change and mid-trip inspection, so I'm running down to Seacoast Sport Cycle tomorrow and hopefully getting a demo bike for the day.

I made it, finally. After a few days of family reunion, it's time to go back.
Day 1: Franklin, NH to Cincinnati, OH
Day 2: Cincinnati, OH to the S.S. Badger in Michigan. Stopping on the way to have lunch with a friend
Day 3: 1,100 miles from Manitowoc, WI (S.S. Badger port in Wisconsin) to Sheridan, WY. Stopping in Sturgis, SD for no reason other than because I can and want to
Day 4: Sheridan, WY to Butte, MT
Day 5: Butte, MT to home in Tacoma, WA

All planned, it'll be 3,400 miles plus a ferry ride at the end of day 2. I'm using the "avoid highways" toggle on google maps to stay away from the black top this time.

I know I said I'd do a gear review and such. If it hasn't been family, it's been sleep this last week. I'll have a few days to decompress at the end and I'll try to pick up the bits then.

And I finally take the time to sit down and type all this out...I'm working on this a few weeks after the fact so details might be scarce. Might as well start with a video!

Boulder River Rd - Ducati Hyperstrada Off Road - YouTube

Return Day 1: Franklin, New Hampshire to Cleveland, Ohio
I rolled out the same way I rolled in on US-9 through NH and Vermont. They must have recently re-paved this road as it was beautifully smooth. The run through the mountains is scenic, but I've got to make it to OH and I left a wee bit late. Trying to avoid tolls, I hit I-88 to I-86 through southern New York.

Around Elmira I'm cruising when I see a dark shape in the road. People are going around it and I'm thinking "Must be a busted semi tire in the road." Then it starts moving. Turns out that the dark shape is a dog. I didn't even consider it, I just pulled over ASAP. I probably spent 30 minutes jogging after this suicidal dog to keep it from getting hit when it was running towards oncoming cars and trucks. With the help of another person we eventually spooked it off the highway and caught it when it tried to escape through wire fence with gaps too narrow for its body. I'm glad the other person was there to take the dog, because I wasn't going to be riding while holding the pup and I didn't have anything to make a harness/leash to keep it safely on the bike. I'm guessing it was a shelter escapee because there weren't any personalized tags.

I took the time during the lunch stop before this escapade to throw the rain liners into the jacket and pants. I needed them as I got drenched by a thunder storm rolling through the area. Even when the air temperature is warm, wind chill and rain kick that down to very very cold. Eventually I had to stop for gas. The station attendant was nice enough to give me a free cup of hot cocoa when I went inside. I took the time to pull the rain liners and replace them with my dry cold liners since the storm was now behind me.

At one point the highway just stops and you have to exit. I didn't catch the GPS fast enough and didn't want to stop so I wound up on a decently nice back road through NW Pennsylvania. I pulled into my stop not too long after sun down. Something about riding makes the priority list go Shower-Clean Clothes-Food and it's always nice to have someone prepare the last for you.

Return Day 2: Cleveland, OH to Ludington, Michigan
This is my short day. Because I'm taking a ferry across Lake Michigan, I can only go so far. It gives me the chance to get a hold of an internet friend and arrange a meeting in-person for my lunch break. When you play games or chat via Forums you don't really think about actually meeting the person on the other end. The two of you know each other by just your nicknames so it's a bit weird when you introduce yourself with your real name.

But the shock this day actually happened less than an hour after departing. Cruising through downtown Cleveland I'm slotted in behind a work truck. It may have been the perfect gust of wind, but out of nowhere a full sheet of tin roofing gets flipped out of the truck's bed and goes airborne. I kicked off the throttle lock, watched the sheet move towards me, and swerved right to avoid it. I took a peek back to see if it had hit someone else, but I didn't see anything or hear anything so I kept going. The truck took the next exit, and I can only hope that they went back to get the debris off the road and take responsibility if it hit someone.

After lunch I had plenty of time to make the final leg to Ludington. I had so much time, I considered taking the Pere Marquette State Trail that parallels the road I was following. But I only knew about the trail 3/4ths of the way through, and many of these trails are for non-motorized use only. So I stuck to the roads and kept trucking.

I hit the ferry and caught the 8pm departure. Along with my HS, there was a Yamaha cruiser and three Harleys including one with a trailer. We all had good spots to park on the ferry and tie down our bikes to grating underneath. This leg is a bit busier than the 1AM one I caught on the way out, and the crew was a bit more directive on when we were allowed on and where we had to park. I managed to snag a pool recliner on the bow like I did on the way out. The crowds that were there got to see me pull my riding gear off and swap in my rain and cold liners. They hid inside before too long and I managed to catch a nap while listening to music. I unloaded in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and found a hotel for the rest of the night.

Return Day 3: Manitowoc, WI to Sheridan, Wyoming
1,200 miles (1,900 km) in one go. The US has a big touring rally called the Iron Butt where riders have to ride 10,000 miles in 10 days and hit different checkpoints along the way. In order to qualify for this you have to show proof that you can ride 1,000 miles in one day. Although I don't plan on participating in the Iron Butt, this was a chance for me to push my limits nad prove I could ride for that long. At the same time, it proved the comfort of the Hyperstrada and just how far you can go with it. I'm 6'3" (1.9m) and the only issue I had was with my legs being bent under me without moving for long periods. This was alleviated by taking longer breaks during gas stops and standing on the pegs when traffic slowed through construction areas.

I hit I-90 fairly soon in Wisconsin and followed it for the rest of the day. As the day continued I kept seeing more and more and more and more and more and more motorcycles headed the other direction. If I had to guess, 5% were sport bikes, 5% were adventure/touring bikes, 5% were goldwings, 10% were various cruisers, and 75% were Harleys of various models. The farther west I went, the more bikes going the opposite way. After a while I stopped bothering to wave at oncoming riders unless they waved first.

The reason for the increased MCycle traffic was the annual Sturgis Rally. Towards the evening I rolled through, and it was amazing to see motorcycles outnumber cars on US roads. At the same time, I'm sure every single South Dakota State Trooper was on patrol in that area. I had one that was casing me on my ride through town. I saw him pull onto the highway so I slowed down to the speed limit. He found a nice spot just behind me, and stayed there when I kept slowing down to 10 under. Certain that he was watching me, I kept to the speed limit and he eventually got bored and went to find someone else to bother.

Return Day 4: Sheridan, Wyoming to Basin, Montana
Since I demolished the miles on Day 3, Day 4 was easy. For the first time I woke up without the alarm clock, threw my gear on, and went to a cafe in the area to have breakfast without worrying about time. I left the hotel before the check out time and followed I-90 the rest of the way into Montana. I was a decently calm day, just riding at a decent speed with a slight headwind keeping me around 50mpg at 85-90mph.

Return Day 5: Basin, MT to Tacoma, Washington
I spent the night with the same relatives that I stayed with on the way out. They actually took their RV to the family reunion in NH, leaving the afternoon after me. I beat them by 2 days because they took their time and stopped at all the stops. On the way back, they left in the evening for a direct shot back while I took off the morning after. Because they could swap drivers they made it back much faster than I could have.

On the way out, my cousin directed me towards a dirt road leaving Basin that would take the same amount of time as the highway, but cut out 1/2 the distance. You can see my video at the top for what that road was like. Although the HS is capable off road, I don't want to do that again until I have dirt tires, crash bars, and a $2K dirt bike I can drop without worrying about repair costs.

From there I followed US-12 through Clearwater National Forest. It's an absolutely amazing road, though it's quite busy. As I kept going west, the air kept getting thicker with smoke from forest fires. For the rest of the leg through Idaho and Eastern Washington I could smell the smoke and see the haze in the air. As the sun crept upwards so did the temperature. Although it wasn't as hot as North Dakota on the way out, going slower meant less wind so it felt hotter. I eventually stopped and pulled of everything short of socks, shorts, and my riding boots/pants/jacket/helmet. The river was right there, but I would have had to drag out my towel to dry off and stuff it with my wet shorts into one of the paniers.

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I still need to make the rest of the leg to the Pacific Ocean. I'll get the oompf to do it at some point and I'll take plenty of photos/video on the way. I've got an interesting idea for mounting the GoPro to the bottom of my paniers to get a video of the twisties on US-101.

Again, I said I'd do a gear review of everything I rode with, but it's getting late and I need to try and keep my sleep schedule within normal business hours. I'll post something up if I find the time and energy again.

It's taken me long enough to get back to the forums and this thread...I blame work, work, work, and um....work.

carib821: cotton shorts to prevent butt-burn, cotton t-shirts, a long sleeve cotton shirt or polyester "long underwear" upper when it was cold, and just the stock HS seat. My riding pants and jacket review is at the bottom.

The Reviews!
Kuryakyn Universal Econo Throttle Assist (The godsend that makes the trip possible)
I remember hearing throttle locks described as "Death Switches" by one or two people. If you're not careful and don't remember to flip it off when emergency stopping or swerving or whatever, it can make a bad situation worse.
The Kuryakyn comes with a few parts that are supposed to be universal. Unfortunately, it's not universal enough for the HS. The bike's start/stop switch has a specific position on the bars, and you can't stretch across that with the stock parts. I wound up visiting the local hardware store with a crescent wrench in hand and found longer bolts, nuts, washers, etc. to get the support bar attached to the lock band. Once I got it set up and loctite'd the nuts everything was solid for the whole trip. You can adjust the tension so you can force the throttle open or closed and it'll stay there. Lock/unlock is just a flip of the thumb.

New (not any more) Michelin Pilot Road 4's
After nearly 7,000 miles of highway, they survived. I was never worried about them losing traction in the rain or on paint lines. Even running in a straight line for so long, the center area only shows a mild amount of flattening. Riding off-road is not recommended, but still possible. If you saw my video, I lost traction on the front wheel in a turn and my handlebars decided to go right. I fixed it without thinking and kept the bike upright. They survived a few bumps I thought would put a hole in them or cause them to jump the rims.

Bellevue Ducati Givi Monokey Mounts
Givi Trekker Paniers
The mounts are solid, but I'm not fond of the bare-metal finish. If I cared a bit more I'd pull them off and have them colored a matte black.
The cases are excellent. I used the right side with the lid locked as a clam-shell for my jacket liners, towel, and shoes while the left opened just on the top for my tablet, Nikon camera, tie-down straps, and extra gloves. They're 100% waterproof. That means no water in, but no water out either. Wet things stayed wet when I threw them in the case. As well, the top latch holds water, and opening the case dumps that small amount of water inside. The cases are A: Locked closed, B: Locked open (there's latches on the sides to keep it closed that don't require a key), and C: Locked to the bike. I didn't have to worry if I wasn't taking the cases into the hotel with me.
If you plan to have a passenger, they will not be able to put their feet fully on the pax pegs with these cases. The best I could get was just my heels.

AltRider Tail rack & Kickstand plate
The tail rack is how I mounted the Rotopax fuel can. I'd have to remove the mount with wrenches to use the rack without the can. Solid metal, so I don't worry about bending or breaking. I never saw any cracks or stress damage from having the fuel plus a dry-bag sitting the luggage rack. The only gripe I have is that the rack extends so far back it's hard to see the brake lights from a semi or large truck that's close to your tail.
The kickstand plate was nice, but I couldn't tell how well it was working unless it broke.

EvoTech Radiator & cylinder guard
This is also a part that I can't tell how good it's working until it breaks. It hasn't broken yet, so I can only assume it's doing its job of keeping rocks out of the radiator and the cylinder dent-free.

Speedymoto Axle & Frame Sliders
Thankfully, I didn't have to use these this trip. On the mid-way stop I had the dealer install the frame sliders. Despite pictures showing them as poking super far out from the frame, they're not obvious in person unless you're looking from the top down. This also means they're too narrow to rest your calves on if your legs need a stretch. I'd like a pair of fold-up highway pegs if I do this ride again.

1.75USgal (6.6 liter) Rotopax Fuel can
More of an emergency measure, I only had to use it twice this trip. The first time when I missed all the gas stops on the way out day 1 and decided to keep trucking instead of turning back. And the second when I pushed past a Wyoming gas station thinking I was in range of the next one when the signs gave me a big "Nope." 1.75 gallons (6.6 liters) is plenty in a pinch, and always got me to the next station with plenty of room to spare. I never ran the tank to the fuel light after emptying the can, so I don't know what kind of range it added to the standard 150 miles per tank.
The mount is bolted to the top of the AltRider luggage rack. I've got the locking mount, so that's +1 key to know that the can is safe from disappearing in the night.

First Aid Kit
Worth mentioning even though I haven't used it yet. The kit I bought came in a water-resistant hard-shell case. It has all the basics you might need, but I'm thinking about adding a tourniquet and some quik-clot since I'm familiar with their uses and want them in case of dire emergencies. I use carabiners to hook the case handle to the Luggage plate to keep the kit on the passenger seat. The contents are in plastic zip bags or don't care about water so I keep it on the bike at all times. You can see the kit in my picture of my fuel can.

Kriega 30L Drybag
The first piece of "soft" gear, this was my first chance to test this bag besides taking it home with an empty backpack as filler.
With the shoes in the paniers, I had enough room to pack clothes for 5 days of riding (socks, underwear, t-shirts, & modesty shorts if I had to pull my pants off on the side of the road) and 3 days of hanging out afterward (non-riding light jacket, pants, etc.) before having to do laundry.
The bag comes with 4 straps that first connect to hard points on the bike. I had them on the DB Givi mounts up front and the luggage rack on the back sides. Those straps connect to metal hooks. Those metal hooks then go to plastic quick-release buckles on the bag and you cinch the whole thing down to keep it from moving. The whole setup was solid enough that I would lean back onto the bag while rolling and it wouldn't move. The opening folds over 2-3 times and buckles to the side of the bag to keep it waterproof, with one more strap going over the end that works to keep it closed but makes for a good carry handle. If you want to add more room (like I'm planning), the Kriega 20L, 10L, and 5L US bags all use the same buckle and hook system to latch onto each other. Place the largest bag on the bike first, then hook and cinch the smaller bags to the base bag's sides. You get extra bike straps from the extra bags that let you move the bags from bike to bike, and they all connect the same way so you leave the bike straps on and just swap bags.

Wolfman Timberwolf Tank bag
The HS doesn't have much room for a tank bag. This is as big as I'd go, and the bars squish the side pockets at full right/left steering lock. The bag isn't waterproof, but it will keep your stuff dry from the stray raindrop if you get hit by a freak rain storm while riding at speed. The clear map pocket is attached to the top via velcro, and I'm fairly certain it will hold an iPad, without case, securely in place. I can't test this because my work iPad is locked in a hard case. I just used paper maps, and standard A5/Letter paper will need to be folded over a bit to fit. If you have gloves with conductive thread in the tips you can use your touch-pad devices while they're in the map pouch.
The main pocket fit all the loose bits I had like a bottle of soda, charging cables for the electronics, GoPro camera, and so on. It's close enough to the powerlet socket on the bike's side that I ran a charging cable to a water-tight adapter I put on the side of the bag that split to another powerlet and cigarette lighter socket inside the bag. The side pockets held a small water bottle, my balaclava, and the brake disk lock. If the side pockets are too wide, they can be removed from the bag.

Scorpion Evo 1100
This is the helmet I rode with for the first half. I picked it over my Icon Variant because it had the flip down sun visor and better air circulation. It's super plush and comfy after 5 years of being owned, but knocking it off the bike 4 times in the first day gave me a really good incentive to replace it. The bluetooth mic/speakers from my Sena fit really well, but I think I had a problem with wind getting in the bottom and washing out my voice. Being an older helmet, it's also heavier. I think my neck hated me so much because the extra few grams of weight made a huge difference. I've never been in a situation where I needed the helmet, so I can't judge it on protective potential.

Shoei Neotec
One of the expensive bits of my stop at the dealer in NH. I got a $100 discount by trading in my Scorp, and the shop guys even swapped over the bluetooth bits for free. Compared to the Scorp the padding is a lot less plushy. The cheek pads are a bit too stiff and it feels like the helmet was made for a flat face/round head while my face is angled and head narrow. I had a few pressure points that grew uncomfortable, but weren't too aggravating. This was my first 3/4 or modular helmet, so it was weird having the mouth open to oncoming bugs and rocks. I wouldn't ride everywhere with it open, but it was nice for when I'm doing street riding and want a bit more fresh air. The jaw piece is locked in with metal clamps (compared to plastic ones of older generations and other manufacturers?) and flips up with the red latch on the chin. To close you can nod your head sharply or just use your hand to lower it. With the jaw/visor open it doesn't catch too much wind at highway speeds, but I certainly noticed it. Because of the modular layout I had to move the mic from in front of my mouth to next to my eye. I've had no problems in quality with it there.

Sena SMH-10
I originally had a Chatterbox on my old-old Scorpion. When I got my Icon Variant I wanted a second bluetooth adapter so I wound up grabbing the SMH-10 dual pack. You install an adapter onto the left side of the helmet, and the BT Box clamps into the adapter so you can move it around between different helmets with adapters on them. The speakers and mic plug into the adapter, with an option between static mic that sticks onto the inside of the helmet or a boom mic that is attached to the outside with double-sided tape. I haven't tested the range yet, but I was getting a connection to my phone despite the phone being on the bike outside and the helmet inside the gas station bathroom with me. It's supposed to have a universal bluetooth link that works with any other bluetooth headset, but I couldn't get it connected the one time I tried with another rider. I mostly use mine to listen to music while commuting (and on this trip), and it comes through loud and clear. If you get wind noise it drowns out the middle frequency ranges in the music. Your choice in helmets affects your sound quality. Sena puts out firmware updates regularly, one of which added the universal connection and another that turned on mic feedback so you could hear your mic quality while talking to someone via intercom or phone headset (the same as how you can hear yourself talking on the phone normally).

Sidi Canyon Boots
Labeled as touring boots, they're classy enough to wear out to the bar or club in a nice pair of pants. Mine have been scuffed and nicked at the toe, so I'm thinking about getting a new nice pair to wear while going riding in town and a different brand/style of boots to wear while going distance. The Canyons are super comfy (like I walked 2 miles in them to the clubs and back and my feet were fine comfy) and seem fairly supportive of your ankle. Mine kept me from rolling my ankle when I had to do an instant right turn while running down a hill. The soles get good grip on pavement, but tended to slide around when I managed to get candy gunk on them during a gas stop. All around a very nice boot, and stylish at the same time.

AlpineStars GoreTex Gloves
I don't think they make this model of gloves anymore. I've owned these since 2009/10 and they've kept my hands warm while riding during this trip, while snowboarding, while working on cargo airplanes during the Alaskan Winter, and just chilling around town this last winter in Washington. They're definitely waterproof and sturdy enough for manual labor. Unfortunately, the inner liner can be a pain to keep in place if your hands get sweaty while wearing them and you need to take them off.

Icon Compound Long Gloves
I brought these for when it got too warm for the AStars. They're a leather/fabric mix that is very flexible right off the shelf. Perforations and mesh keep them decently cool during warm weather, but they are not water proof and not insulated so I won't wear them during the winter. The stitching is fine and I didn't notice any pressure points on my fingers. I wore them through a rain storm and it was only thanks to the heated grips that my hands weren't freezing and falling off.

Rev'It! Sand 2 Jacket/Pants
"Jack of all trades, master of none," describes this jacket/pant combo perfectly in the weather. The shells are synthetic fabrics with reflective stripes on the calves, thigh pockets, chest, shoulders, and back. CE2 armor is standard in the knees, elbows, and shoulders while foam lines your hips and back. I think Rev'It! is a European brand, so the jacket and pants are a slim European cut. I've got more of my height in my legs, so the pants tend to ride high when I get on or off the bike, but sit fine when I'm walking around or after I've adjusted while riding. The ergonomics of the HS mean that the sleeves have plenty of room and the elbow armor doesn't interfere at all. The pants are a bit snug, so you can't fit much in the hip or thigh pockets. I keep my wallet on the left thigh, phone in the left hip, right hip is keys, and right thigh is spare battery for the phone. The jacket pockets make up for it, where I would keep my balaclava, sunglasses, or whatever else didn't fit in the pants. A "Rabbit" pouch at the small of your back is big enough to fit the rain liners for the jacket and pants, but poofs out like a bunny's tail when you put anything in there. There's a pouch on the back for a camelback water bladder, but I found it snugged the jacket too much and I don't need water while riding that badly that I can't stop to take a drink from a bottle.
There's vents at the thigh pockets, seat of the pants, two on the chest, and two on the back. While riding in 100+ degree Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) weather I would up in naught but socks and shorts to try to stay cool. I couldn't notice the air flow if it was there.
Both halves come with two liners. I call the first a rain liner. It's goretex, water and wind-proof, and zips to the inside of the jacket/pants with snaps at the cuffs. The jacket rain liner can zip to the pants shell to create a nearly waterproof suit. I say nearly, because water still seeped in at the fly during a storm and I had a nice wet spot on my shorts. The second is a cold liner. You can either zip the cold liner to the inside of the rain liner or directly to the shell. The cuffs again have a snap to keep the sleeves in place. Adding both sets of liners takes 10-20 minutes, making it annoying having to stop at the side of a road before a storm and be hot for a few miles or stop when you hit the storm and get wet putting the liners in. If you're just looking for water-proofing that's easy to don I'd find an over-suit or the likes. As well, with both liners in you remove a lot of the wiggle room in the jacket/pants. I tend to carry my clothes in the dry bag or side cases and change at work in the morning. I change back into my gear before heading home.
Although the rain liner will keep you dry, unless you live in a place like Hawaii (where rain is in short bursts and the sun keeps you warm) wind chill will cool the rain soaking the shell while water will slowly soak into the goretex liner. If you're expecting a storm I'd recommend wearing both the rain and cold liners until you're back in sunny, dry, air. If you do live somewhere warm like Hawaii and wearing the rain liner is impractical for various reasons (too short a commute in heavy traffic with too warm weather) the shell alone is water resistant enough to survive a random squall while you find a dry spot to swap the liners in or wait out the rain.
I've got such a big opinion of the rain because that's mostly what I hit this trip. I had the periods in North Dakota on the way out and SE Washington on the way back that really show that the jacket isn't quite warm-weather gear while wearing it for a short bit during the last WA winter showed that it wasn't very good past freezing temperatures without electrically-heated vest and gloves. The HS grip heaters help, but they don't quite keep the chill out.
Like I said, it's good for wearing when you can't gear up for specific weather, but it's beaten out by more specialized summer-weight, winter-weight, or rain-proof suits.
As a final point, the synthetic material it's made out of WILL NOT withstand the heat from the exhaust pipe on the side of the HS. Keep your right leg on the peg or wide to the side when stopped to prevent burning a hole in the pants. I know this from first-hand experience.