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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | I have officially made my first 800+ mile trip on my Vision in one day. It sorta goes like this.
Thursday evening I drive Yukon XL with enclosed trailer with Vision inside it, tied down just so it wouldn't get restless and feel like it wanted to move on its own. I leave Memphis area around 6pm arrive in Oklahoma City, Ok around 4am. Sleep till around 9am, get up, unload Vision and wash a car then my Bike. Nobody wants to ride a dirty bike. Got it mostly cleaned up did a few other yes ma'ams and went to bed Friday night around 10:30pm. I know, I know, pretty tiring so far and so many miles. I did find out however if you put a gallong Meguiar's Car wash in your trunk and it comes open, it will pour out right inside of your trunk, soaking everything with car wash gooey liquid. Oh, I can't express the joy that came to mind knowing that I get to wash out the inside of my trunk.
Wake up at 6:30am looking for a 7am departure. Go outside to pack and it is lightly raining. Go back inside, feel like I could use a cup of hot water brown bean and see what the weather is looking like. Scattered showers, feel like I could use a second cup of beans and then get my rain gear on. Back out of the driveway around 7;45am headed south out of OKC to East Texas. Right at 391 miles, should have been a few less, but I got L*3st5, not really just took another road. 100 miles south of OKC the rain clears but still cool and cloudy. First stop, I add in some Victory carbon deposit cleaner based on a recommendation from the dealer as an attempt to fix my hard starts in the morning. Pour in approximately half and get going. I'm getting around 37 to 38 mpg right at 75mph. Couple of thumbs up and a few waves.
At the next stop, is probably the most memorable of the entire trip, other than the run to the rest room. Thank goodness. It was so bad that everytime I blinked, I squirted water right out my tear ducts. It was a nice cooling spray! Anyway, I get back to the bike and I'm getting situated and I look over to my left, there is a small boy about 8-10 years old. He is just staring at the bike, he doesn't even see me looking at him. His father was on the other side of small pickup filling up and is watching his boy just mesmerized by this bike. It had to be for that kid like his transformer toy had just come to life in front of him. I waved at the boy, it took him a moment to see me and he is only 4 feet from me. He kinda waved and then went back to staring at the bike. The father was grinning and giggling. I cranked it up and the boy just started smiling, I gave a big grin and wave to the boy and told them to have a good one. That kid just followed me with his eyes till I couldn't see him no more. I was just pondering to myself, I wonder if that's what I looked like a year ago or just yesterday.
The ride is just perfect, perfect temp, smell, view, just greatness. I make about 150 miles or so between stops. The longest tank was around 230 miles, I put in 5.6 gallons, not the lowest I've been but good enough for me. I add the other half of the bottle of carbon cleaner, fill up and away I go. Had another fella that was in a small SUV, comment on the bike but then started to tell me about his "so much damn fun to ride Harley, cause it's just so damn loud"! He said maybe he will get around to "MY" kind of bike but he wasn't old enough yet. Said he was near 70. Gave him my well wishes and continued on. Pulling into East Texas around 2:30pm. Not great time, but a fun ride so far.
Hang with the family for about three hours then head out again. Going North on FM 10 pull into town hoping to stop at my favorite BBQ joint only to find out they are only open M-F, OH the TRAVESTY, and I was starving. Head out of there disgruntled and no food. Headed to Texarkana on HwY 59 going North through Marshall, it appears a Trike convention let out, then more, and more, there are frieking goldwings Everywhere. Not just trikes but primarily all goldwings for quite a few miles, in restaurants, gas stations, south bound side of hwy, my lane, etc. I ain't never seen so many. 90% or more are happy to wave and be out and about. Managed to get through there without stirring the wasp nest up. But it was a little unnerving, thinking I might get bumrushed by 60 year old men and their motorcycle mama's all dressed up in their gear. Pretty bikes all lit up.
Made it through that and got behind a couple of Harleys rolling 85, I thought it was a wee bit fast, but it seemed traffic was also rolling pretty good so I stayed with them for a while. After about 10 minutes of following and hearing the lead chicks Harley softail going Potato, potato, potato, on and offf the throttle, I'm thinking this is starting to impede on my music selection. Luckily they turned off and i piped back down to 75mph. I don't know how you guys do it, listening to some open exhaust pipe for miles. That just hurts the head thinking about it. I like a nice solid rumble, but I think for me personally, anything over the S1/L2 would just not even be an option for ME.
A little after 8pm the sun has totally settled and the temps are getting a little cooler, push my air dams out and immediately feel the temp go up by almost 10 degrees warmer. With the lower wind deflectors on and pushed out, they actually help trap the heat and circulate it around your body and noodle. Pretty nice on a brisk night. It gets to around 9pm before I start bundling up in the mid 50's.
Pretty much the rest is night driving and rolling in around 2am only to get back up at 6am to go to work. Hop on the bike and it fires right up even after being outside all morning with a little rain on it. It don't normally sit outside and it don't normally fire right up. HMMMM!
Feel pretty today, no real soreness, a little tight in the shoulders and back, but nothing unmanageable. I think my butt is more sore from sitting for so long. I had just a little bit of tingling sleepy butt, but it seems most of the stops help to get ride of that sensation. I really enjoyed the ride and was anxious to continue on without wishing for a car. Enjoyed the long ride immensely even with no BBQ and getting in very late. Ohh, I was tired! | |
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Cruiser
Posts: 97
Brighton, Colorado | Sounds like a great ride! Don't worry about the "60 year old Goldwing riders". I'm 60, traded in my goldwing for the Vision. We're not scary. Goldwing riders pretty much feel like anybody that's not riding a goldwing, hates them. They're more inclined to stay away. For sure, you don't have to worry if you see a bunch of wings in front of the dairy queen.
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Cruiser
Posts: 203
Rapid City, SD | Nice story. I also pulled some long days recently. I went to Daytona for Bike week. First day took me 700+ miles. My previous long days were under 200 miles on my Jackpot. It was certainly a long day but a great experience that I would love to repeat. 4700 miles round trip. Not to shabby. | |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | great to hear the adventures of little chicken man from the volunteer state. I'm just a wondering if there was a little thumb in the tires from 'er sittin' so long? Ain't nothing like alittle wind in the fake pony tale off the durag through the rolling hills of north east Texas. Thanks for sharing. | |
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Cruiser
Posts: 64
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas | Thanks for the write up, you said you felt pretty today, well good for you !! http://www.vision-riders.com/bb/images/emoticons/bleh.gif Just kidding, thanks again, Alan | |
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Cruiser
Posts: 64
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas | Sorry I screwed up the emoticon smurf face. Alan | |
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First 800+ mile trip