Atlanta to Nashville

[BillInGA]

This past Sunday I completed Test Ride 2 in preparation for my trip from Atlanta to Denver later this summer.

My planned route was to take US-41 from Kennesaw, GA (NW of Atlanta) to Kingston Springs, TN, just past Nashville. I started shortly after sunrise at 7 am.

We had rain all day Saturday that ended around 4 am, so the roads were damp with the temperature in the low 60's. I was dressed for the weather, so cold was not a problem. The biggest issue I had for the first hour or so was my visor fogging and mist from lingering foggy patches.

The ride to Chattanooga held no suprises and I'm getting familiar with this portion of the route. Heading out of Chattanooga took me up Lookout Mountain overlooking Nickajack Lake - beautiful scenery. By then the sun was fully up; the roads were drying nicely and it was starting to warm up. My first leg ended with a fuel stop in Jasper, TN after crossing over Nickajack Lake.

More nice scenery heading north out of Jasper. My plan was to take US-41 all the way to Nashville. However, I missed a turn in Monteagle and ended up on US-41A (alternate?). Instead of paralleling I-24 just north of the interstate, US-41A took me well west of I-24 around the west side of Arnold AFB through Tullahoma and Shelbyville. More great scenery and probably less congested than going through Murfreesboro and Smyrna.

By the time I was 15 miles outside of Nashville it became obvious that I wasn't going to make any headway on the surface streets. So I hopped on I-24 into Nashville and picked up I-40 heading west for about 10 miles out of town. I turned around about 10 miles short of Kingston Springs, considering my alternate course had already added about 40 miles to my route.

I got back on the freeway and took it back through Nashville down to Murfreesboro, about 30 miles outside of Nashville. From there I got on to US-41 proper. As I approached Monteagle I went up some nice twisty roads into town. I was sorry I had missed these on the outbound leg.

I rode US-41 back to Chattanooga. By that time I didn't feel like going through all the small towns along US-41 on the way back home, so I jumped on I-75 and rode it all the way back to Kennesaw.

Total miles: 540
Total time (including stops): 12 hrs 40 min

I need to wrap this up, but I'll post more comments later regarding route selection, performance, mileage and wind.

[Easy Rider]

As I approached Monteagle I went up some nice twisty roads into town. I was sorry I had missed these on the outbound leg.

Because of that little stretch, there is very little traffic on 41 proper along there, which is nice.
I took A-41 on purpose last trip and got stuck behind trucks a couple of times. Being behind a LOG truck is nerve wracking; I finally stopped for a bit and let him go.

I'm getting ready for my trip the end of May; got a second bike "bag" yesterday.
Hoping to eyeball some new riders around your area on the way through......although the last GZ rider I met in Atlanta promptly disappeared from the forum right after that !!?? :roll:

[zenbutcher]

Bill: I took that ride from Chattanooga to Nashville on Easter weekend. I, too, had a little mix-up on the route. I had just bought a new GPS for the trip and somehow I messed it up. It ended up taking me through McMinnville. When I came back, I took my original intended route. It was nice to go 2 different ways, however.

This was my first trip of over 100 miles and I loved it. My butt did get a little sore from that crappy GZ seat, but I made due with a couple of stops to rest. I can't imagine taking the GZ to Denver without a seat mod.

Keep us posted! I love hearing about people's rides.

Oh, one last thing... if you get up this way again, try out that old bridge that runs parallel to I24 crossing Nickajack - it's a rush! I forget the highway and bridge name, but I'll post a pic.

As it turns out, all of those pics are from my facebook page. If you're interested, you can scroll through the album and see some pics of my GZ.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=199760&id=1732918131

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=199761&id=1732918131

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=199800&id=1732918131

[zenbutcher]

hmm.. pics didn't post... oh well.

[alantf]

As I approached Monteagle I went up some nice twisty roads into town.

By a strange coincidence, I was listening to Johnny Cash's "Monteagle Mountain" on my headphones, while I was reading this. It seems to be the same place, because he mentions I-24 between Nashville & Chatanooga. If the song is anything to go by, I don't think I'd like to ride there :cry:
It seems to be a place with a lot of runaway trucks - hence the runaway ramp - & quite dangerous. :??:

[zenbutcher]

LOL @ alan... At first, I though you meant because of the reputation of the "good ole boys" up there on the mountain. Yes, there are some huge runaway truck ramps there! But, I'd be more afraid of breaking down in the wrong person's yard, not the trucks ;)

[BillInGA]

Bill: I took that ride from Chattanooga to Nashville on Easter weekend. I, too, had a little mix-up on the route. I had just bought a new GPS for the trip and somehow I messed it up. It ended up taking me through McMinnville. When I came back, I took my original intended route. It was nice to go 2 different ways, however.

This was my first trip of over 100 miles and I loved it. My butt did get a little sore from that crappy GZ seat, but I made due with a couple of stops to rest. I can't imagine taking the GZ to Denver without a seat mod.

Keep us posted! I love hearing about people's rides.

Oh, one last thing... if you get up this way again, try out that old bridge that runs parallel to I24 crossing Nickajack - it's a rush! I forget the highway and bridge name, but I'll post a pic.

As it turns out, all of those pics are from my facebook page. If you're interested, you can scroll through the album and see some pics of my GZ.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=199760&id=1732918131

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=199761&id=1732918131

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=199800&id=1732918131

As it happens I did cross Nickajack on the old bridge - it's US-41. It parallels the I-24 bridge probably less than a half mile away.

[BillInGA]

[By a strange coincidence, I was listening to Johnny Cash's "Monteagle Mountain" on my headphones, while I was reading this. It seems to be the same place, because he mentions I-24 between Nashville & Chatanooga. If the song is anything to go by, I don't think I'd like to ride there :cry:
It seems to be a place with a lot of runaway trucks - hence the runaway ramp - & quite dangerous. :??:

I've don't remember seeing any runaway truck ramps, but then I was going uphill. Still, it didn't seem that bad to me. I've seen much steeper grades in the Rockies in Colorado and New Mexico.

[BillInGA]

Hoping to eyeball some new riders around your area on the way through......although the last GZ rider I met in Atlanta promptly disappeared from the forum right after that !!?? :roll:

<SarcasticHumor> Scaring off forum members online AND in person! :poke2: </SarcasticHumor>

Seriously, though, I'd be happy to meet up while you're passing through. Maybe burkbuilds and I can escort you from Rossville to Kennesaw. :rawk:

[alanmcorcoran]

540 miles in 12 hours on a GZ is very impressive. Good luck on your trip to Denver. I've been mulling an Orange County to Chicago run, but, other than the novelty aspect of it and the beautiful scenery on I-70, I'm not sure I would actually enjoy that much time on the bike. I did close to 100 miles yesterday just locally, and with wind and traffic - it's a bit exhausting. And I have a much bigger bike with a better seat. The OC to CH is almost exactly 2000 miles each way.

You can go back to your original post, edit, delete the bad links, and try to reload your photo's. Use the small "add an image link to Postimage.org. It should work.

[burkbuilds]

Most of the runaway truck ramps are on I-24 coming off of Monteagle Mountain. I've never run that stretch on a motorcycle, but I've probably done it 50+ times in an automobile over the years, and yes that is the stretch Johnny Cash is singing about in the song. I've come over that mountain in the dark with fog so thick you could hardly see much past the hood of the car, but once you top over, there's no place to stop until you hit the bottom so you just hang on and pray that you will make it. One of the things you pray for is that nobody stopped in front of you either, because if they did, you will probably collide with them, and then somebody else will collide with you and, well you get the picture, so just keep going.

Hey, most of us "red necks" are pretty friendly despite the reputation we got in the "Deliverance" movie. I did have a guy that worked for me once that said he wasn't prejudiced against anyone . . . except Yankees.

[BillInGA]

Okay, here is your opportunity to say "I told you so" again. I guess sometimes I just have to see for myself. Anyway, here goes: Although I really like the 16T front sprocket for driving around town, I think I will change back to the 15T for the long trip. The terrain I was riding on was mostly rolling hills and it was a particularly windy day. I didn't see a weather report during the ride, but I would estimate the winds at least 15 gusting to 25 mph.

The combination of terrain and wind often made it impossible to hold 5th gear going up hills, and sometimes even on the flats. When the wind blows, it really sucks. It is entirely possible that I will see some headwinds possibly up to the 20 mph range, especially on the trip west. So I think the 15T may serve me better in those situations and I'll accept the trade-offs from going back to it.

Performance on the freeways was a mixed bag. Sometimes I was relegated to doing 55 in 4th gear and other times I could maintain 72 going uphill. Wind was a determining factor, but so was traffic. I typically maintain at least 2 seconds separation from the vehicle in front of me (about 200 ft at 70 mph). Even at that distance, vehicles from semis down large pickups blocked enough wind that I could maintain speed going uphill.

Both riding on the freeway and into a 20 mph headwind on a state highway required a bit of effort. The next day my forearms were a little sore from hanging on to the handlebars. And speaking of sore, there's a spot in the middle of my upper back that was burning after about 3 or 4 hours. I've since done some research and apparently it's not terribly uncommon. I've also found some exercises to strengthen the muscles in that region and help alleviate the pain.

I bought some Skull Candy Ink'd earphones for both noise attenuation and to listen to music on my iPhone. I'm happy to report that they performed well on both counts.

As for my seat, well let's just say I was ready to be off the bike at the end of the day. I have a pair of bike shorts, but I elected not to wear them on this ride. I wanted to have a baseline to compare against future changes. I think almost anything you could do would improve the level of comfort (or, rather, decrease the level of discomfort) of the seat. I'm sure a gel pad, at the very least is in my future.

Fuel economy varied between 56 and 62 mpg. I'm not terribly thrilled by it, but I'm sure the wind had a large impact on this as well.

[JWR]

If you search Ride Reports, you will see my trip of Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive.
The Blue Ridge is 45mph, Skyline is 35mph.
The whole trip was just over 1400 miles. We did it in 3 1/2 days at a very relaxed pace.
We had over 400 mile of fog and rain, which got us below the speed limit at times.

The GZ did a great job on that trip.

Have fun.

[music man]

I bought some Skull Candy Ink'd earphones for both noise attenuation and to listen to music on my iPhone. I'm happy to report that they performed well on both counts.


I have been using those exclusively on my bike since I started riding a few years ago, and they are great, and cheap.

I honestly don't know how people ride on long trips without listening to anything but the wind and the sound of an engine for hours on end, that would drive me insane, but hell I don't even go to the store down the road from my house and back without listening to music on my bike. :rawk: :smallrawk:

[Easy Rider]

Maybe burkbuilds and I can escort you from Rossville to Kennesaw. :rawk:

As long as there aren't any back woods, dead end roads involved in the "escort" !! :shocked:
:biggrin:

P.S. My mother was born in Florida and my great-great grandfather was an original settler in Georgia (Cobb county). Does that take away some points from my "yankee" score ???

:crackup

[Easy Rider]

The next day my forearms were a little sore from hanging on to the handlebars. And speaking of sore, there's a spot in the middle of my upper back that was burning after about 3 or 4 hours.

This sounds a LOT like you don't have a windshield. If not, you REALLY need one. Without it, you are having to hold yourself on the bike in a 60 MPH wind and it's not surprising that your forearms and back are sore. A small to medium size shield can actually increase your gas mileage a bit because it will have less total wind resistance than your head and body.

If you DO have a decent windshield than you seriously need to relax a bit !! :roll:

[Water Warrior 2]

Rider's backrest.

[Easy Rider]

Rider's backrest.

Interesting that you should say that.
I now find that attaching all 3 of my pieces of luggage to my sissy bar automatically gives me a back rest in just about the right position.
IIRC, doing the same thing on the GZ pushed me forward too much.

[BillInGA]

P.S. My mother was born in Florida and my great-great grandfather was an original settler in Georgia (Cobb county). Does that take away some points from my "yankee" score ???

:crackup

Well, having grown up in Southern California and West Texas I don't consider my either a Yankee or a Southerner. I'm a Westerner. So, I don't get caught up in the whole Blue/Gray thing.

[BillInGA]

The next day my forearms were a little sore from hanging on to the handlebars. And speaking of sore, there's a spot in the middle of my upper back that was burning after about 3 or 4 hours.

This sounds a LOT like you don't have a windshield. If not, you REALLY need one. Without it, you are having to hold yourself on the bike in a 60 MPH wind and it's not surprising that your forearms and back are sore. A small to medium size shield can actually increase your gas mileage a bit because it will have less total wind resistance than your head and body.

If you DO have a decent windshield than you seriously need to relax a bit !! :roll:

You're are correct - no windshield. I ordered my windshield last week, but it didn't arrive in time for my ride to Nashville. I ordered the Slip Streamer SS-28 Sport Fairing. It is somewhat similar to the Plexistar 2 and your Memphis Shades Santa Cruz. Although I think mine is a bit shorter. You can see it in my latest Tag-O-Rama posts.

My windshield arrived on Monday and I've been riding with it all week. I agree that it makes a significant difference. The biggest difference is that I can cover the brake and clutch at highway / freeway speeds instead of using my entire hand to hang on. It's a much more relaxed riding position. Another bonus is that it makes riding in cold weather much more comfortable, cutting down on the blast of cold air hitting me in the chest.

[BillInGA]

Rider's backrest.

I will be fabricating a luggage rack / back rest to take to place of the back seat for the trip. I don't have the final configuration yet, but I'll either have a backrest as part of the structure or use my luggage as a backrest.

[BillInGA]

I bought some Skull Candy Ink'd earphones for both noise attenuation and to listen to music on my iPhone. I'm happy to report that they performed well on both counts.


I have been using those exclusively on my bike since I started riding a few years ago, and they are great, and cheap.

I honestly don't know how people ride on long trips without listening to anything but the wind and the sound of an engine for hours on end, that would drive me insane, but hell I don't even go to the store down the road from my house and back without listening to music on my bike. :rawk: :smallrawk:

I would use earplugs / headphones more often, but since my typical ride to work or around town is less than 10 minutes I just don't bother with them. Longer trips are an entirely different issue. More than 20 minutes and I need earplugs at the very least.

[burkbuilds]

Maybe burkbuilds and I can escort you from Rossville to Kennesaw. :rawk:

As long as there aren't any back woods, dead end roads involved in the "escort" !! :shocked:
:biggrin:

P.S. My mother was born in Florida and my great-great grandfather was an original settler in Georgia (Cobb county). Does that take away some points from my "yankee" score ???

:crackup

My wife's family is descended from "Damn yankees", that is, yankees who moved south and stayed here. So, I guess you'll be okay Easy! I grew up here and have lived here my entire life and it is often amazing to me how worked up some people around here get over a war that ended 150 years ago, but some of them still hold a grudge. Some of my older relatives still refer to the US Civil war as the "war of Northern aggression"! Maybe that should tell us something about why the US is not more popular in countries we've gone into to "liberate" the population. Nobody likes an outside country occupying "their" land, even when they lost the war. That seems to be the attitude of a few folks here in the south, they still see the Federal government as an "occupying force" in "our" country.

Anyway, Easy, give me a shout when you are heading through and maybe we can meet somewhere for a meal together.

[zenbutcher]

Rider's backrest.

I will be fabricating a luggage rack / back rest to take to place of the back seat for the trip. I don't have the final configuration yet, but I'll either have a backrest as part of the structure or use my luggage as a backrest.


Will you pleeeaaaase post some pictures of what you come up with? I want to do something like this myself, but have no experience in metal fabricating. Maybe I'd even buy one from you if you want to make two.

[Easy Rider]

Another bonus is that it makes riding in cold weather much more comfortable, cutting down on the blast of cold air hitting me in the chest.

As time goes along, you will no doubt notice that it also cuts down on OTHER things hitting you in the chest. Last week the lead rider on a short ride we took missed a flying turkey by only a few feet. I've bounced birds off my shield before but never anything THAT big.
:cry:

[Easy Rider]

Rider's backrest.

I will be fabricating a luggage rack / back rest

I think there are some plans on here for building one.
That might be a good place to start.

[BillInGA]

Rider's backrest.

I will be fabricating a luggage rack / back rest to take to place of the back seat for the trip. I don't have the final configuration yet, but I'll either have a backrest as part of the structure or use my luggage as a backrest.


Will you pleeeaaaase post some pictures of what you come up with? I want to do something like this myself, but have no experience in metal fabricating. Maybe I'd even buy one from you if you want to make two.

Take a look at the How-To section for some ideas. That's what I'm basing my plans on. But, yes, I'll post my own version as well.

[BillInGA]

As time goes along, you will no doubt notice that it also cuts down on OTHER things hitting you in the chest. Last week the lead rider on a short ride we took missed a flying turkey by only a few feet. I've bounced birds off my shield before but never anything THAT big.
:cry:

I'm pretty sure I had a mid-air with a small bird on US-41 south of Murfreesboro. It was a direct crosswind at about 20 mph (the wind, that is. I was doing about 55). I saw something small, dark and fast come at me in my peripheral vision. It bounced off my chest with barely a thud and then disappeared.

[Water Warrior 2]

Rider's backrest.

I will be fabricating a luggage rack / back rest to take to place of the back seat for the trip. I don't have the final configuration yet, but I'll either have a backrest as part of the structure or use my luggage as a backrest.


Will you pleeeaaaase post some pictures of what you come up with? I want to do something like this myself, but have no experience in metal fabricating. Maybe I'd even buy one from you if you want to make two.
This is what I did to Lynda's GZ for a backrest. She had no intention of riding 2 up.

[BillInGA]

This is what I did to Lynda's GZ for a backrest. She had no intention of riding 2 up.

What did you use for the base?

[Water Warrior 2]

This is what I did to Lynda's GZ for a backrest. She had no intention of riding 2 up.

What did you use for the base?
I removed the pillion seat. Used a pizza box lid for a template to determine size and dimensions to match the 2 front and 1 rear bolts on the bike. Took the box lid to a metal shop and said how much ? $20 later there was a platform to mount the trunk. The trunk mounting plate was bolted to the metal platform. Really quite easy and the plate was properly bent at the rear to line up with the bolt hole. That was a Kappa 28 liter case I used. Emgo makes a fairly decent one for less money but I don't know the size off hand. I'm thinking larger though, so that would be good.
Lynda was happy to have a backrest on a 5000km. trip 2 years ago. At the time I had to resort to piling stuff behind me. Got a backrest for Xmas.

[Water Warrior 2]

more pics of backrest

[BillInGA]

Nicely done.

[Water Warrior 2]

Nicely done.
Thank you. Lynda cut her long distance teeth with this bike. The trunk/backrest was a successful farkle with little real work involved. The saddle bags had extra bags stacked on top during our trip with no adverse handling in all kinds of weather. If the bike had 5 more horsepower we would still have it here. Lynda wanted something with a little more reserve power just in case. A 800 V-twin does that nicely. lol.

[BusyWeb]

more pics of backrest

Wow, if I still have gz, I would do like that.
Very nice setup for gz.

[Water Warrior 2]

Doh, just realized I didn't really answer Bill's question. The base is 1/8 inch flat steel. Spray bombed black after mounting holes were drilled and tested for fit etc. Need coffee.

[zenbutcher]

I love that color, WW.

[Water Warrior 2]

The color really made the bike look special. When Lynda first saw the bike she really wanted it so of course the negotiations were on after I had a test ride(Lynda had never ridded at that time). I rode the bike home the next day. Was about 2.5 hours to get home and a pleasant ride overall. I found the bike quite comfy but it naturally lacked the Vstrom power that I was used to having.

[waya]

The next day my forearms were a little sore from hanging on to the handlebars. And speaking of sore, there's a spot in the middle of my upper back that was burning after about 3 or 4 hours.

This sounds a LOT like you don't have a windshield. If not, you REALLY need one. Without it, you are having to hold yourself on the bike in a 60 MPH wind and it's not surprising that your forearms and back are sore. A small to medium size shield can actually increase your gas mileage a bit because it will have less total wind resistance than your head and body.

If you DO have a decent windshield than you seriously need to relax a bit !! :roll:



Well that explains that sensation I have from my ride yesterday.

[alantf]

This sounds a LOT like you don't have a windshield. If not, you REALLY need one. Without it, you are having to hold yourself on the bike in a 60 MPH wind and it's not surprising that your forearms and back are sore. A small to medium size shield can actually increase your gas mileage a bit because it will have less total wind resistance than your head and body.

If you DO have a decent windshield than you seriously need to relax a bit !! :roll:

Firstly, easy rider was banned from the forum. One (just ONE!) of the reasons was that if you didn't agree that everything he said was gospel, or if you didn't agree that his was the only correct way to do anything, you must be wrong.

Secondly, some people (me included :whistle: ) HATE windshields. In all my riding years I've never found one that I could adjust EXACTLY to my needs. That's not to say that you shouldn't fit one. If you want one, then fine.

What I'm trying to say is that I've never had the symptoms you describe. It may be simply that, at this early stage in your riding career, you're not relaxed enough. Just "flow with it", and perhaps you may not need the windshield. :2tup:

[JWR]

Secondly, some people (me included :whistle: ) HATE windshields. In all my riding years I've never found one that I could adjust EXACTLY to my needs. That's not to say that you shouldn't fit one. If you want one, then fine.

What I'm trying to say is that I've never had the symptoms you describe. It may be simply that, at this early stage in your riding career, you're not relaxed enough. Just "flow with it", and perhaps you may not need the windshield. :2tup:



I will not ride without a shield.
I don't like the pressure and debris from the road and bugs.

The difference between your riding and mine.


I can leave the house and do a 175 mile ride without a stoplight and very few stop signs.
No rest from high speed wind.

Speeds tend to be much higher here in the States.
More distance between towns...people in a hurry.


55mph two lane and 60 or 65 4 lane. Interstate 70 and up.
Very few actually drive the limit...most are 5=10 over.



If you rarely go over 45 that's one thing but that doesn't work here.
Not many 45 mph roads where I live...I would get run over, so more speed.

YMMV

[alantf]

Secondly, some people (me included :whistle: ) HATE windshields. In all my riding years I've never found one that I could adjust EXACTLY to my needs. That's not to say that you shouldn't fit one. If you want one, then fine.

What I'm trying to say is that I've never had the symptoms you describe. It may be simply that, at this early stage in your riding career, you're not relaxed enough. Just "flow with it", and perhaps you may not need the windshield. :2tup:



I will not ride without a shield.
The difference between your riding and mine.

I can leave the house and do a 175 mile ride without a stoplight and very few stop signs.
Speeds tend to be much higher here in the States.
55mph two lane and 60 or 65 4 lane. Interstate 70 and up.

If you rarely go over 45 that's one thing but that doesn't work here.

YMMV

Please don't turn into another ER!!!!!

I was just giving another point of view. If you re-read it, you'll see that I also said that if he wanted to fit a screen, then fine. :)

[waya]

I think you might be reading to much into his statement. :)

He was just stating what works for himself and why.

[JWR]

What are talking about alantf ???

[alantf]

What are talking about alantf ???

It just seemed, from what you wrote, that as a screen worked for you, and your riding style, that this was the ONLY way forward, and that anybody who didn't live in America couldn't possibly know anything about the differences (as they appeared to you) in styles of riding. It certainly appeared to me that you were taking the ER stance, that yours was the only way. I reiterate that I stated quite clearly that the fitting of a windshield was entirely up to him. As a new rider, on a learner bike, others have mentioned that he might like to hold back on the add ons, until he had decided to upgrade or not in the near future. I was merely giving another point of view, that has worked for me for many years, whilst still giving him the option to fit or not to fit a windshield. Your reply was calculated to shoot me down in flames & reinforce your own rigidly held view.

[waya]

What are talking about alantf ???

It just seemed, from what you wrote, that as a screen worked for you, and your riding style, that this was the ONLY way forward, and that anybody who didn't live in America couldn't possibly know anything about the differences (as they appeared to you) in styles of riding. It certainly appeared to me that you were taking the ER stance, that yours was the only way. I reiterate that I stated quite clearly that the fitting of a windshield was entirely up to him. As a new rider, on a learner bike, others have mentioned that he might like to hold back on the add ons, until he had decided to upgrade or not in the near future. I was merely giving another point of view, that has worked for me for many years, whilst still giving him the option to fit or not to fit a windshield. Your reply was calculated to shoot me down in flames & reinforce your own rigidly held view.

As a participant in this conversation, that is *not* what I got. He very clearly emphasized that it was *his* point of view based on *his* riding conditions and expectations.

[Water Warrior 2]

Waya, next time you go out for a longer ride you might want to bungee a small duffle bag on the pillion seat to act as a backrest/back support. You may be surprised at the difference in comfort and realize how hard you are working while just sitting on a moving bike.

[waya]

Waya, next time you go out for a longer ride you might want to bungee a small duffle bag on the pillion seat to act as a backrest/back support. You may be surprised at the difference in comfort and realize how hard you are working while just sitting on a moving bike.


Hrmmm will have to keep that in mind, now that I have saddle bag supports on it, I have figured out they make good bungee posts. :)

[JWR]

Your reply was calculated to shoot me down in flames & reinforce your own rigidly held view.What are talking about alantf ???




Hey alan, let me ask you a real simple question...

Other than going to work, what is the distance and average speed of a good Sunday(or any other day) ride for you.
Just an average.

Do you know what YMMV means???
Your Mileage May Vary...(what works for me may not work for you).

[BillInGA]

I rode for more that four years before I finally got windshield for the GZ. The lack of a windshield was never a problem around town. Although it required more effort on my longer weekend rides. I never really got used to it, but it wasn't bad enough to keep me from riding.

It wasn't until I was contemplating spending long hours on the bike for multiple days that I came to the conclusion that I needed a windshield. As others have pointed out, each person has different levels of tolerance and comfort requirements. On my trip I saw plenty of riders sans windshield and plenty with. I honestly can't say whether there were more with or without - I just wasn't paying attention to windshields.

Personally, I prefer a windshield under the following conditions:
- Riding longer than an hour or so at greater than 45 mph
- When it's below about 50 degrees (F)

Around town when it's warm I'm fine without the windshield, it's just too much trouble to take it off and put it back on. Now, my Vulcan's windshield has quick-release fittings, even so I'm still too lazy to mess with it.

[JWR]

I have 2 windscreens for the Vulcan now.

I have to cut one down very low for summer, and build some lowers for the taller screen.
Neither one will work without lowers, wind buffering is bad.

I have 3 trips planned this year that will average over 600 miles for the week-end, so a screen is a must for me.

[blaine]

Neither one will work without lowers, wind buffering is bad.


I have a National Cycle STREET SHIELD EX on my 454.I have no problems with wind buffering.The only thing I don't like about it is the height.I have to look through it,rather than over it.Maybe that's why I don't get any buffering?
:) :cool:

http://s2.postimage.org/roy2gt44/eb43af4efcc9ac833e1db031713f.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)

[alantf]

Hi JWR,

Just before this pissing match goes too far :) I think you're missing the point slightly. While your 500cc will be great for 175 mile rides at 75 MPH, waya has a GZ250. This is the same bike that I've ridden for the past 4 years. It's a great town/backroads bike, but I doubt that either he or I would even attempt a 175 mile ride at 75 MPH on the geezer. That's why I (and several other people) have said that he MAY not need it.

Let's call it quits. :2tup:

[JWR]

Yeah, whatever:


:crazy:




The first thing you ought to do when you find yourself in a hole is quit digging. . . .

Your Mileage May Vary...(what works for me may not work for you).

[alantf]

O.K. YOU carry on the pissing match. I quit.

[JWR]

O.K. YOU carry on the pissing match. I quit.


I thought that was Easy's famous line... :??:
:poorbaby:


:lol: :lol:

[JWR]

Lighten up Francis.

:2tup: