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Ride Prep


BamaRider

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I'm 4 weeks out from a long ride to Montana (about 5k round trip). Routes have been downloaded from Basecamp into Garmin Navigator with the Motorrad logo. Yes, its overpriced but talks to the RT like no one else can, so what do you do?

 

I ride 25k miles a year, and ride year round, so I'm always in riding shape. But a cross country ride is a different animal and must be treated with respect. I'm no longer the 44 year old fire department captain making his first cross country ride to California in 2001. I'll be 63 when I depart in mid August, and certain concessions have been made. Stringing together consecutive 750 mile days are no longer possible, and even if they were, I wouldn't do it. How much fun would that be? In the last month I've been riding 4-5 days a week, 2-300 miles a time. I do those miles on the ST and FJR, only taking the RT out every 2-3 weeks to save the tires for this tour to Glacier. The choice of bike doesn't matter in the prep, time in the saddle does.

 

I love riding as much as ever, and look forward to being in the wind on my new RT. A few years ago I decided I needed to return to some of the places I failed to do justice to the first time. In that light, I'll be in the Glacier area 3 nights.

Edited by BamaRider
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Looks like a good one Guy, also looking forward to your ride report. I'll be hitting the road next month as well. Will likely do a shortened version of your Southwest Tour 2017. Safe travels.

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To quote Yoda, "Envious I am, yes."

 

Man, enjoy that ride. Keep us posted and take all the pictures you can. Remember, you will not be able to go back and get the picture later (the lighting or shadows will change). Carpe Diem - I wish I had the ability to do what you are about to undertake. Not until i retire, but right now not possible.

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I just returned from Glacier. We were there too early for the Road to the Sun to be open. We stayed on the East side and had to traverse the Blackfeet reservation roads (in an SUV). They were pretty sketchy in an SUV, so be careful. The regular (state of Montana) roads were fine.

 

During the trip I took with my family, I saw so many motorcycles. Which made me miss the little bike I had but didn't ride that much. So now I'm the proud owner of a R1150R. Perhaps I'll get out on those roads again one day (on two wheels this time!)

 

Have a great time!

Edited by R65_Steve
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I just returned from Glacier. We were there too early for the Road to the Sun to be open. We stayed on the East side and had to traverse the Blackfeet reservation roads (in an SUV). They were pretty sketchy in an SUV, so be careful. The regular (state of Montana) roads were fine.

 

During the trip I took with my family, I saw so many motorcycles. Which made me miss the little bike I had but didn't ride that much. So now I'm the proud owner of a R1150R. Perhaps I'll get out on those roads again one day (on two wheels this time!)

 

Have a great time!

 

Yes, a long and sad story of highway maintenance conflicts between the Blackfoot Nation and Montana State and federal governments. The short section of US 89 and MT 49 from St Mary to East Glacier has been in continuous disrepair as long as I can remember. And I first drove it in 1979 :(

 

There are a number of short (100-300ft long) sections of the road that are always unpaved, and the warning signs frequently get blown down by wind or knocked over by trailers. There are also a lot of tourists not paying attention and oversized (for the road design) vehicles. One year (I think 2009) there were 3 motorcycle fatalities on that road, all single vehicle.

 

I usually use MT 464 from Babb to Browning when headed south to avoid the hassle of US 89.

 

Mike Cassidy

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