Hello Everyone

Me and my wife are planning on riding from Bay Area, CA to a town called Halfway in east Oregon (have friends there we going to visit) about 900 miles google maps estimates about 14hrs.

We have never done a motorcycle road trip and with our new bike the chance is here.

We are super excited and looking forward to the trip on the week of July 10th. Looking for tips, dos and donts as we are completely clueless about motorcycle road trip

Current plan is to cut the trip in 2 days 450 miles a day, I'm yet dont know what is the best approach to calculating fuel so a trip planner will be handy marking spots to gas up.

I'm ordering a luggage rack from HD holds about 30lbs I think this will be enough and add a hiking bag on top of that.

One concern is heat as we will be going trough the Nevada desert is this something worth worrying about?

Anyways thanks for all the info I have learned from this forum.

The bike is 17 SGS

Cheers

 

First off, you will not be going through Nevada unless you need or want a uglier ride. The fastest and more scenic route is I-5 to Weed, US97 to Bend to Burns on US 26, Burns, up to John Day on US 395 (alternatively, you can go from Bend to John Day direct but it has some slower sections) to Baker City on OR 7. Halfway is due east of Baker City. Even this route is a 2 day'er (Bay Area to Klamath Falls, K Falls to Halfway).

There is plenty of gas on either route since they are all on major hiways. Stay below 70 mph (and out of 6 gear) and I would guess about 38-40 mpg. It is all up to your setup and your speed. I did a VERY LONG stretch across Nevada desert where it was 170 miles to the next gas station. I rode at 60 mph and did amazingly better then I normally do at 75 mph.

Other than that, I do not know what you need to know. I do long solo rides up and down the west coast and there is nothing "new" to long rides so long as you butts can take it.

 

Hi, just out of curiosity, since I don't know, have you been to Halfway before? One reason that I ask is because I know exactly where you are talking about and have been there several times.. Getting gas won't be a problem. In E. Oregon from Pendleton to LaGrande to Baker City to Halfway, the towns are close together enough that you won't have to worry about gas because the towns are, give or take, about 50 miles apart from each other. Unless you have a time restraint, not sure if I'd allow only 2 days for the trip because there's a lot of beautiful country to see there but it's your call. If you have any more questions about E. Oregon, feel free to ask.

 

I'm with DBLASS on this one. I wouldn't want to be riding up through the Nevada desert either. I'd recommend taking I5 north and then start heading East.

 

Yes I been to halfway before a few times visiting a friend, really nice area that is one of the reason we chose as destination

Ride from Bay Area, CA to Halfway, OR, we want to take 2 days but we going to stay in halfway for 3 to 4 days then hit the road back home, once we set camp in my friend place we will be riding all around that area including a night in Boise Idaho.

 

Thank you for the suggestion I'm going to look on the map today with the wife but I think you are right nothing to see in desert.

 

Never ride on the bottom half of a gas tank. Drink lots and lots of water. Eat a good breakfast.

As to the desert.... I have the opposite view. I love it. I just did 4 days in the Idaho, Nevada and California deserts. Including Death Valley. I find beauty in solice and desert valleys with snow capped mountains. There are pictures in "Journeys " .... but here is one...

 

I am slightly reconsidering my first suggestion. SPRINGER is right in that there a lots to see up here. I would take US26 from Bend to Prineville to John Day to Baker. You have plenty of time to do this route in 2 days. I have gone from the Bay Area to Klamath Falls on just about every road there is ( like the Feather River to Susanville and/or McCloud) all in one day. K Falls to Baker City is also only about 6+hours, assuming you don't stop a lot but.if you're here, see what you can.

 

Way too much to see country wise to waste it on I-5 or the Nevada desert, OP get a good map and give yourself another day for sightseeing you won't regret it.

 

Arkansas boy here not knowing anything about your details. When we take float trips with newbies and kids on their first run, we keep it short. Even if the excitement level is way up, often the reality and hours of 'are we there yet' kind of leaves an impression of 'that was long' and not wanting more.

You guys may do 400 mile days often? I would start with an easy trip. Shakedown cruise. Figure what you don't need and what you forgot?

stretch breaks somewhere in every hour. A quick minute or two goes a long way to get legs unkinked, back straight... Once you get stiff and hurting, the ride gets long.

Short answer.... don't make your first one you don't love. You may be old hands at 9 hour ride days?