Experienced Tourers - How Many Miles Per Day?

[ST2 Loon]

for you experianced tourers, what is a good average to aim for per day
so you still enjoy it like.

[smokingboots]

Hi

It depends a lot on the type of roads you're on, what you're riding, the weather, etc etc.

Touring through France on the twisty roads in the Alps 300 miles in day was enough as we rarely got above 50mph. On the motorways I've managed more than 800 in a very long, very tiring day and I really wouldn't recommend it (the last hour was hell and we couldn't find anywhere to stay; got home at 1:00am having started at 8:00 the previous day).

I assume you've got an ST2 which I guess is reasonably comfy. You'll know what's comfortable with respect to time on the bike in one go. We usually aim not to be on the bike more than 8 hours in a day. Much more than that and it gets beyond being fun (for us anyway). If you assume 8 hours max and then base your average speed on the types of road you're going to be on you should be able to work out a realistic distance.

Based on the CBR600 we've got, I also try not to go more than an hour at a time before stopping for fuel and a bit of a stretch. More is easily manageable but regular, short stops mean you can carry on for longer overall without aching.

Finally; a tip I got whilst studying biology at uni; don't have a big meal immediately before riding long distance in the winter. The blood stream is directed more towards the digestive system meaning the extremities like your hands and feet get colder!

Cheers

Andy

[jamesguschi]

Well I have never gone on some mind bending touring trips before but this year I am off to Newcastle, Rotherdam, Switzerland and then to Hamburg. Setting of on the 4th July for the Ferry accross the Border. There is only one thing though it is not with the Duke ( pity ) I am off with all the Guys from Perth's Fair City Harley Rider ' S and I will be taking my Fat Boy instead. We call ourselfs the abbrievated title of the F u C H R' S, pronounced the same as you do with the Falkland Islands. In other words FuCHR'S sounds bad but what the the hell not quite as bad as the F*CK word.
Not very sure how many miles we will be doing a day but it looks a lot on the map finally ending up at Hamburg for a very big festival indeed.
The photo's my mate brought back from the Alps were out of this world. Just imagine Julie Andrews coming over the hills at the start of the Sound of Music and you will know what I mean. Scenery unimaginable until you see it, my Mate said. Loads and loads of photo's will be taken I will keep the photo's of all the Harleys to a minimum when I post them.
It is just a pity I could not have a blast down the roads with my beloved Duke ( Life is a bitch then you die ) Maybe next year.

[Rob B]

With 10's of thousands of miles of international touring under our seats, we have found that planning any faster than 45 mph means you'll be using Mways. OK in short doses, but not what our holidays are about.

you've also got to consider that the ride is part of the holiday, so making it a marathon, is OK if you're heading for an event, say a round of the World Supers or such.

how lond are you staying at each location; if it's just one night, then you might want to be at your hotel allow some time to see the place before settling down for a beer and dinner. Say by 3pm or so.

We know have a target day of 200 to 220 miles. Doesn't seem very far but it's easy to get right across France and Italy in a week. Up and onn the bike by 8:30, 90 mins/70miles to first coffee, than another 90 mins/70 miles to petrol and lunch. Remember a lot of French/Spanish, provincial petrol stations still close for a long lunch. Back on the road for another 90 to 120 mins will normally see us to our destination by 3pm.

This is really relaxing touring, but for us, makes for a great holiday. We still stick in the odd day when we travel all the way across the north of Italy in one go, but that sort of thing is more the exception now.

Oh yes, in the middle of summer, mid 30's celcius, you'll be really cooking by 10am. Even 200 miles will knacker you right out.

This year we are off to France twice, and seperate trips to Corsica and Yekaterinburg too.

Have a great summer.

Rgds,

Rob

[David.Hicks]

Originally Posted by jamesguschi

I will be taking my Fat Boy instead

[cooleronthecoast]

It is a bit of a subjective question, depends on your own stamina and the comfort of the bike you are riding. Also if you are riding with other friends, their endurance might be more or less than your own. So I suppose the answer to your question is how long is a piece of string If you are planning a route around a holiday window of say 7 or 14 days I would always be a bit conservative with distances between stops overnight. 300 miles is enough IMO because half of the fun of a touring holiday for me is taking time out to enjoy the views and perhaps stopping off to explore a certain pretty little town or village that you have stumbled on unexpectedly. Leave plenty of make up time if you like in your schedule to check out the things you haven't allowed for in your plan. One other thing which is just a personal ad on really, but if you are travelling in hot climes, I always used to get up early and do my riding before the sun got too high in the sky and then when I got to my destination I had the rest of the day to enjoy a cold drink (or 3) meal and perhaps a swim in the sea cos it's always that bit cooler on the coast.

[Bambam]

Originally Posted by Rob B

...t planning any faster than 45 mph means you'll be using Mways. OK in short doses, but not what our holidays are about.

We know have a target day of 200 to 220 miles. Doesn't seem very far but it's easy to get right across France and Italy in a week.

Those figures match our 14-day trip around Europe last October, Rob B. We found that 200-220 was typical, and 300 felt like we'd had a good day out.

As cotc says, though, it's horses for courses. Mileage may vary indeed 8)

[Frenchy]

Last 3 years on Euro trips we have averaged about 325 per day, but we did use the motorways (a bit). As we wanted to get to certain check points we nipped on the the motorways here and there if we needed to make up a bit of time or get a few extra miles under our belts. I would also agree though on the days where we avoided motorways 225-275 was the ave.

[Segart]

Our Spanish tour is coming up and we have given ourselves 5 and a half days to cover 1500 non motorway miles on country roads. If it starts to feel like hard work we will shorten our route. I reckon we have probably given ourselves just a little too much to do. We might cover the last few hundred miles on some fast A roads.

The trick is to be flexible and make sure that your slowest and least experienced rider is comfortable.

There is some good advice above. Another tip is to give yourself some spare time. If the weather turns nasty don't feel pressured to get on the road because you have a mileage target. Your itinerary should allow you to take a day off without spoiling your tour.
Cheers
Rick

[Gizmo]

try and plan routes that allow you the option of hopping back on to a motorway should you need to to make a hotel you previously booked. Depending upon roads and terrain anything from 200 - 600 a day is possible but probably not enjoyable Riding by myself or with 1 other bike I'd be looking at 400 ish but thats a big day out, 2 up or in a group 250 ish. My GF passed her test last summer and within a month was touring, 250 miles per day, no motorways, lots of coffee stops and it was easily do-able.

[ST2 Loon]

thanks folks
lots of good advice
i did a bit of a trial run sunday did about 450 miles in 9hrs great day out but i wouldn't wanted to do it again today so i'm thinking 350 ish
i'll post details in a new thread

[Johnny]

Did a nice 8 day tour to the Blackforest and around the Ardennes. (mixed roads) Some days we did 180 others we did 350. I would not want to do more than 350 in a day. Especially towards the end of the trip. Last day going home We did 373 mostly motorway And that for me is tops

ST4S
Old seat (both me and the bike)

[matchlessman]

Having done 600 ish miles in a day on a number of National Rallies on my 1958 Matchless, I would agree that it's sensible to keep the miles down below 300 if you're doing it day after day. But once your bum gets bedded in you can up it. Also did the Beaujolais run two up some years ago when it was over 300 miles in cold foggy November weather. Hard work, but well worth it. I have a desire to do Lands End to John 'O Groats in a day on said Matchless. Might do it on the Multi first as a warm up.
As others have said the trick is keep it steady, and fairly regular stops.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by matchlessman

Having done 600 ish miles in a day on a number of National Rallies on my 1958 Matchless, I would agree that it's sensible to keep the miles down below 300 if you're doing it day after day. But once your bum gets bedded in you can up it. Also did the Beaujolais run two up some years ago when it was over 300 miles in cold foggy November weather. Hard work, but well worth it. I have a desire to do Lands End to John 'O Groats in a day on said Matchless. Might do it on the Multi first as a warm up.
As others have said the trick is keep it steady, and fairly regular stops.

Now that sounds like a good idea. Perhaps we could get a few of us together to do it??

[nogaromill999]

A group of us used to blat down to the Bol d'Or when it was at Le Castellet. Day one would be Cherbourg to Limoges, about 350 miles, and in crap weather that is as much as we could physically manage.....in fact we stopped 50km short at Lussac les Chateaux.....so 350 miles is manageable in good weather.....HAVE done 996 miles in a day, but would never recommend it........