49 state quest-2014

First topic message reminder :

Just returned from adding IN/MO/KS/Iowa/IL/NB

1700 miles-50mpg, exactly 10 mpg less than my 400 Burgman, same type use.

Mistakes: did not take my feather jacket as liner for my Darien Lite jacket, 30 degrees two mornings. Did not take/wear my Stone Lake leather bibs-they would have worked for whole trip. Wore my 40-50 winter gloves for whole trip, should have taken my 30 degree gloves. Had to wear Joe Rocket rain pants to keep warm. As US SilverWing comes with no electric plug in---my electric bib of no use. Heated grips would have been nice. Just wore all of the clothes I had with me under the jacket.

Events: pulled over in Const. Zone in St Louis---engine off but bike rolled forward off side stand----trailer bikers do not stop to help as well as HD weekend "rider?" Finally car guy stopped and helped me get the heavy pig up. Black Fingernail polish will cover plastic showing. Banged my head,broke face shield at mounting brackets---rode home with open face with helmet not designed to be used this way---just put Givi Adjustable screen up a little,looking over , comfortable on ride home.

As I am on second new SilverWing, the thing has serious high wind problems/following truck air waves---solution don't go so fast---the engine is faster than chassis, period.
Ridden at nice scooter pace=ok.

Do to uncomfortable handling, I had removed Givi box and carrier---taking off about 15 lbs of dead weight above and behind rear axle---$8.97 Plastic box from Home Depot helped a little. Carried only one Ortleib bag-10-15 lbs this time. My Conclusion: at highway speed not good bike to put beginner or unskilled rider on.

No bike trouble---needs bath and fresh oil.

Saw one scooter....on trailer.

Trip for me would have been better on Helix---love the built in trunk!! And they didn't seem to be bothered by load----I have 175,000 Helix miles------Further the SilverWing is not bike I would take on world tour---one of my 4 Helix did Baja California and Central America ok, dog liked it too.

Meldrew wrote:

I can't understand this obsession with clocking miles up

Not really an obsession. We decided to go to Alaska to see my wife's sister. Got three choices; Take the Dodge Cummins, get on an airplane and fly there, or take the bikes. We took the bikes. It's a beautiful ride.

My question---6300 miles in 9 days....means back to back 700 mile days...on sometime questionable roads and weather conditions?

john grinsel wrote:

My question---6300 miles in 9 days....means back to back 700 mile days...on sometime questionable roads and weather conditions?

On the way up we did 1330 miles on day one, 990 miles on day two. Averaged about 400 miles a day for the last two days.

On the way back we did 600 miles the first two days before my wife had a flat front tire 20 miles NW of Fort Nelson. Then we made 400 miles on day three, 600 miles on day four and a little over 1,000 miles on day 5.

The alcan is actually not a "questionable" road. It's in better shape than most of the roads in the US, and in far better shape than any of the freeways in the US. Weather conditions - we've ridden in way worse.