Some of you may remember that I mentioned long ago of a plan to buy a RV and tour the complete IMSA circuit after I retired... well I retired last year, was looking into an RV, and even with a 30k down payment, financing the rest would of been 500 bucks a month for 15 years... we could afford that but after much thought didn't want to waste that money... so... fast forward to today... researching motorcycle cross country cruising... I could pay cash for a 30k cruising motorcycle like the Honda Goldwing... and the thought is to go to each race, sleeping under the stars or in cheap hotel rooms across America...

anyone have a cruising MC, or ever done anything similar... just researching now... pros and cons?

thank in advance.

The Goldwing is an awesome, although soulless, cruiser.
It has everything you want, and rides like sitting on a sofa at home.
I hated it. Probably the best built of all in this list, and tons of options!

I rode a Royal Star Tour Deluxe for 5 years, and it was an exceptional motorcycle. The same bike with the fairing is the Venture. It competes with the Goldwing. Yamaha has all but abandoned this motorcycle, and not changed it except for color in 10 years. It is carbureted, so not long for this world with new requirements.

Victory is dead. They are out of business. Enough said.

Suzuki has the Boulevard, not in same level as Honda/Yamaha
Kawasaki has the Vulcan. Not much on them, I never see them.

Indian (made by Polaris) is doing really well. Also why Polaris killed off Victory.
My neighbor just upgraded from Softail Heritage to the 2015 Indian Roadmaster. The Roadmaster is their biggest bike.
Droolworthy. I *wanted* one but got my HD for half the price...

Harley has the Roadglide or the Electraglide. I now ride the Electra glide Ultra.
The balance and comfort on the bike is better than what I have had before. Really like it, and doing 400+ miles in a day is no big deal. With Harley you can truly change the bike out to whatever you want it to be. Right down to the 17 choices for license plate nuts. HA!

I did a few 400 mile+ trips with my buddy (he has Streetglide)
We loved staying in the cheap motels and finding the local diners.
*I* would go on longer trips if I had the time and buddies to go with.

Start small. Go to 1, 2 and 12 on your list.

DON'T get a YAM FJR1300

It's a fine bike but I find it uncomfortable after about 300miles

Don't get a Ural either if you enjoy massive amounts of comfort and maintenance-free reliability.! But it's the funnest thing you can ride on 3 wheels.

I've never done a long trip by motorcycle, but as a veteran of many long trips by car, I have to say that its a young man's game unless you really enjoy being on the road.

Another option would be a tow vehicle with a trailer that holds your motorcycle and camping gear.

I'd be very hesitant to do any long stretches with motorcycles on freeways. We had 6 friends who were into bikes so my wife and I bought a motorocycle. Over the next 4 years all 6 friends died because of accidents caused by other motorists. Wife wont even let me drive the motorcycle around the block anymore.

I have driven to more than half of the 50 states in the US, all on road trips growing up, and I must say I don't like it.

Destinations are great, but the journey SUCKS.

This is why I tend to take trips inside Florida almost exclusively, unless it's a cruise and I leave from the port which is 30 mins from my house. Either way, no airports, and no extended driving.



The Jedi Master

I've seen plenty of otherwise tough guys turn into little whiny babies after a day of this. I can happily do 500 mile days on a sportbike, but I have friends on all manner of rolling couches that just can't do it, usually due to lack of core muscle conditioning, and poor (read: inefficient) technique. Consider motorcycling similarly to an exercise, and do it regularly with proper form and big miles will come easy. I prefer to stay off interstates and take state and county roads, just for the better scenery, and low douche factor. A large segment of bike accidents are adult buyers in the first 6 months of ownership of their first bike.

In 2000 did a 6 week tour (12,000mi) of western Canada and northwest USA on a FXST. I was 53. Stayed at campgrounds and lesser motels. No regrets even if there was snow one day in the Rockies. Stayed off the 4+ laners as much as possible.

The journey was great as met all kinds of interesting people.

An old friend of mine and I have been talking about getting some dual sport or ADV bikes. A real highway monster like the Honda would be pretty cool too, but I want something I could pick up if I had to and can take offroad.

I wouldn't cruise for months... more like a week or 2 to a race weekend, then back home to recoup till the next... thx for the info.

Btw, really great idea for a series of trips! For an extra trip, Barber Motorsports in Birmingham is supposed to have a hell of a motorcycle/racing museum.

I've owned 7 bikes over the past 28 years, ridden probably 50 or 60 different types of bikes, and did nearly 10,000 miles around the US once with my (then) girlfriend on a 1989 Honda CBR600 (in 1989).

That was pretty harsh, but we were 18, and obviously travelling very light.

We were definitely envying the Gold Wing people on more than a few occasions - especially with rain, they'd be DRY.

If I were going to ride duo extensively throughout the US at my age now, carrying anything beyond a small backpack, I'd do it with a Gold Wing or not at all.

But if it were just myself and a backpack I'd still do it on a GSXR too!

My mother's cousin did this, while he was working (he was a police sergeant) he bought a boat, when he retired he sold the boat and bought a mobile home and a small motorbike for him and his wife, the mobile home had a garage in the rear of it for the bike.

After a few years of that his wife learned to ride a bike and now the mobile home was too small for his n hers bikes so a different mobile home with a covered trailer for her 750 Harley and his 1000cc+ Harley. Now they go touring all over Europe using the mobile home as a base and touring out from there on the bikes.
They are both in their late 70s and are still touring and riding.

The west coast circuits will be a 2 week trip minimum unless you do lots of miles per day.

And that's if nothing goes wrong. Even on a Gold Wing riding nothing but superslab (interstates), in pleasant weather, no winds, about 600 miles a day is the realistic max (overall, it's "easy" to exceed that the first couple days, but once you're out there a while.....).

I used to "race" Greyhound buses all over the interstates, they keep right up with you despite going way slower.

Your average speed is DRASTICALLY cut down the second you stop, and on a motorcycle (I don't care what kind) you have to stop a lot more than you would in a car. You have to get off and stretch - if you try to "bull your way through it" you'll just cover less miles that day (with the exception of the first or second day).

I'd be curious to see the actual schedule of said events on that map.

There's a ton of ways to go about something like that - depending on intervals and finances it could make sense to literally plan a "side trip" between destinations for a few weeks rather than going back home, etc....

I will say right now that going to California twice on that route probably isn't a fun choice, unless you can do something else along both trips...

Thinking further though - if the goal is the race circuit and "getting out and seeing America while doing that" - I'd go with four wheels.

When using a motorcycle to "get out there" you really want to centralize the plan around the RIDING if you want it to be any fun.

But if the schedule can realistically match with realistic riding, well then wow you've got yourself one epic motorcycle adventure!

What you expect from the bike will determine your enjoyment. If you want a couch for the road, you can not beat a Goldwing. The Goldwind is also built in the US.

Sorry but 30+ years as a mechanic says anything designed in the states is over priced POS. Unless you trade it in every 5 years or so. I can not recommend any product associated with Polaris. I make almost as much from any of there machines as I do a Honda CRF. and Polaris has higher priced replacement parts then the so called expensive KTM brand. ') HD stands for Hundred Dollars per part.

Track #9 is fun to race but poor to spectate. It is 4 miles long. You can not see most of it as a spectator.
Track #5 is a crap track in a crap city (live there, been to the event and the island). Try a club-man race at Grattan instead.

With motorcycles - agreed.

USA flat out SUCKS with motorcycles. I'm an American.

I used to race bicycles (about 24 years of effort) and used to ride motorcycles. Even built a hardtail with suicide shift and only rear brake. It was fun/scary. I love two wheel riding and still ride my bicycles some of which are pretty spectacular! Other motorists are trying to kill you whether intentional or not...period! Take the money and buy a nice sports car like a used Miata or Porsche. If you want real adventure get an MGA or other similar vehicle! I love mine but want to get a Series 1 XKE coupe. Still saving money!

Consider the purchase of an antique airplane! Get your private pilot's license and go VFR. You aren't in a hurry, right? You can get an Aeronca Champ for under $30K and you will always get your money back if you want to change.