long ride for the GZ?
 

Just Curious for those that have made long (4 hours or more) rides on the GZ250. Does the little engine hold up well? Does it have a tendency to overheat any? Does it get bogged down a little on hills? I am thinking of riding it to OKC from Memphis to visit my fam, but not sure if it can handle the hills and 480 mile (one way) trip. Let me know what you vets of the GZ250 think. :??: Appreciate all input given.

Re: long ride for the GZ?
 

400 miles in one day is the longest trip I have made on my GZ. Done it numerous times. Usually 8-10 hours of riding. Bike was always fine, I would be a bit uncomfortable towards the end of the day, but then I am old and worn out anyway. Hills were no problem for me, just gear down. No over heating problems at all. Start early and take breaks and you should do fine. I am planning a few trips in the 800 mile one way range, and am hoping to do that in 2 days each way. The GZ is not an Iron Butt Bike (1000 miles/day), but is reliable.

Re: long ride for the GZ?
 

:plus1: To all of that.

"Little" hills are no problem, even with a 16T front, if there is nobody on your tail and you don't mind your speed dropping a bit. If it drops below 55, then you hit 4th.

I may be older and more worn out than Softie but I limit myself to ~ 300 miles, 6 hours a day, again because of the rider and not the bike.

And one more time for effect: The bike can be a problem mechanically if you are stock and INSIST on running it WOT/WFO/balls-out at speeds above 65 mph for long periods (very high RPMs). The little beast is NOT well suited for use on the Interstates.......but is OK there if the flow is 65 or less or the traffic is light.

Re: long ride for the GZ?
 

Assuming your bike is in excellent working condition, you will likely give out before the GZ. Patrick Henry rode his bike 10,000 miles (to Alaska and back, from OK I think.) Clser to home, Busyweb rode his over 400 miles several times with no problems - one ride was through the Mojave.

Re: long ride for the GZ?
 

It is true that you will "poop out" before the bike does (assuming it's in good running condition)

I did a 500 mile trip (each way) from Myrtle Beach to Ft Lauderdale on I-95 at constant 65 mph.

And I'm about to go back! HA! But this time I'm taking state roads (55-60mph hooray) to catch some scenery..

Re: long ride for the GZ?
 

So, got an aftermarket or custom seat yet? :)

Re: long ride for the GZ?
 

It's the seat that gets me after a long ride...

Re: long ride for the GZ?
 

I think that anybody who does NOT have a problem with the stock seat must have a lot of "natural" padding. :shocked: :popcorn:

Re: long ride for the GZ?
 

A lot of natural padding could be the problem. Too much weight for the el cheapo seat foam to cope with. Also for that pain and burning on a longer ride I will suggest filling your undies with talcum powder. A sheepskin will also improve matters for some riders. It is mostly a trial and error thing to find what works best for you. Don't wear anything with seams that you have to sit on, they can be very uncomfy and spoil an otherwise great ride.

Re: long ride for the GZ?
 

Yes that could be part of the problem but the complaints are so universal that I doubt that is all of it. I think the bulk of the problem is due to uneven weight distribution, caused partly by the seat itself and partly by the posture that the bars and controls puts you in.

Those who have solved the problem have added padding and flattened it out to distribute some of the weight forward, off of the tailbone area.