"Is that small bike stable on the interstate?

[vintage53]

It happened.......... 

Was getting fuel, and a conversation began.     ( Started by a rider of that Big American Twin )

What is it? , Is that small bike stable on the Interstate?     

I was riding my V11 Coppa.

[sign216]

Oh Lord.  Someone who never heard of Pirseg?  Never read Aerostich's "Lightweight Unsupported Travel."

But the main point; the V11 isn't even a small bike.

[Gliderjohn]

I had more interstate miles than I want to admit to on my GS400. Worked fine 90% of the time.
GliderJohn

[Perazzimx14]

I would have told him its as stable as a Harley on a trailer on the way to Daytona.

[Perazzimx14]

Oh Lord.  Someone who never heard of Pirseg?  Never read Aerostich's "Lightweight Unsupported Travel."

But the main point; the V11 isn't even a small bike.

In all fairness I have no idea one Harley from the next and they are omnipresent. I get the "Big Arn" guy not knowing about an obscure eye-talian.

[MotoG5]

My first "Big Road Bike" was a BMW R60US. Rode it two up for thousands of miles in the US and Canada two up and loaded with camping gear. Had bags,faring and luggage rack. And it was stable too!

[Perazzimx14]

My first "Big Road Bike" was a BMW R60US. Rode it two up for thousands of miles in the US and Canada two up and loaded with camping gear. Had bags,faring and luggage rack. And it was stable too!

But in al fairness to this speeds traveled were substantially slower than today. Even 30 years ago when traveling to apprenticeship classes the interstate was 55mph and if you were doing 60/65 you were going fast and you did 70 you were setting the pace. FF 30 years and the exact same road now if you are not running 75/80 you are getting run down.

Earlier this year below Jacksonville FL on I-95 near triple digits (at night) were not uncommon to keep up with the flow. 

[Caffeineo]

The group I ride with are mostly on Indians and HD and then there I am on the Bobber Sport.  Here in Idaho we have 80 MPH speed limit on the freeway. I can easily cruise at 80+ and it seems very stable to me. Have not ridden in a serious crosswind so I do not know what that is like.....but going fast down the slab is just fine on the little bike. 

[Guzzistajohn]

I really don't have a problem with this 400 lb monster 

[JJ]

I have often said, any motorcycle engine that has to be flogged on any of our interstates has to have the ability to "cruise" comfortably at 70-75mph, without killing the motor or the rider.   

Strong cross winds would be the only big concern on a lighter bike.

I can think of several smaller motorcycles that I owned that were just fine on the open interstate highway: Yamaha RD400, Kawasaki 500 H1 triple, BMW R80RT, Yamaha TX500A (twin), Yamaha 750 / 850 triple, Norton 850 Commando Interstate MK III, Laverda SF2 750 twin.

[kballowe]

The best "interstate" bike I ever owned was a big, fat, Honda VTX1800N. 

You can ride anything on the interstate, but my experience is that ya get beat-up less, and there's more comfort on the fat, heavy bikes.

[sign216]

I would have told him its as stable as a Harley on a trailer on the way to Daytona.

Well put.

[MotoG5]

But in al fairness to this speeds traveled were substantially slower than today. Even 30 years ago when traveling to apprenticeship classes the interstate was 55mph and if you were doing 60/65 you were going fast and you did 70 you were setting the pace. FF 30 years and the exact same road now if you are not running 75/80 you are getting run down.

Earlier this year below Jacksonville FL on I-95 near triple digits (at night) were not uncommon to keep up with the flow.

True enough. As I see it the stability of most bikes at the top speed they are capable of will be acceptable. Now the question of how comfortable or safe when used on Interstate roads is really a matter of how the rider feels about it. What ever the individual is comfortable with can be used as long as it will meet the minimum speed for that road. How smart or safe that is as I said is up the individual to determine. For the last few years I have come to avoid crowded Interstates as much as possible. I will do it when I have no other option but I find the congestion, heavy truck traffic and texting drivers to be more work than fun. 

[JJ]

The best "interstate" bike I ever owned was a big, fat, Honda VTX1800N. 

You can ride anything on the interstate, but my experience is that ya get beat-up less, and there's more comfort on the fat, heavy bikes.

I present to you..."Moby Dick"...my 2014 Victory Vision.....aka, The Great White Whale....871 pounds....45-47 MPG....25 inches seat height....and in 6th gear at 80 mph...it is the ultimate cruiser!




famous poem about grief

[kballowe]

I present to you..."Moby Dick"...my 2014 Victory Vision.....aka, The Great White Whale....871 pounds....45-47 MPG....25 inches seat height....and in 6th gear at 80 mph...it is the ultimate cruiser!




famous poem about grief

Ha !  Those are great, aren't they ?  Haven't owned a Vision but have owned a couple of Gl1800 Goldwings. 
 

[Perazzimx14]

True enough. As I see it the stability of most bikes at the top speed they are capable of will be acceptable. Now the question of how comfortable or safe when used on Interstate roads is really a matter of how the rider feels about it. What ever the individual is comfortable with can be used as long as it will meet the minimum speed for that road. How smart or safe that is as I said is up the individual to determine. For the last few years I have come to avoid crowded Interstates as much as possible. I will do it when I have no other option but I find the congestion, heavy truck traffic and texting drivers to be more work than fun.

We too also try and avoid the busy roads but sometimes they are a necessary evil. The other thing is I'm not retired and I don't have unlimited PTO at work. Sometimes big days at the beginning or end of a trip are needed so I have more time at the destination. Having a bike and desire that you can comfortably grind out a 800 or 1000+ mile a day really opens up what you can see and do.

[twowheeladdict]

I would have told him its as stable as a Harley on a trailer on the way to Daytona.

I used to have that same attitude.  Then I grew up and learned that riding on the interstate to get somewhere because you have limited vacation time isn't really riding.  Oh, and I do recall you hauling a bike or two in the back of your truck.  Mmm.  Just in case you forgot, you posted it here.  https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=111035.msg1761529#msg1761529

There is no shame in hauling bikes to where the riding is good.  I still manage to get in thousands of miles a year, but now all my riding is on enjoyable roads to ride. 

Hauling also allows me to bring multiple bikes to cover more riding opportunities. 









The trailer also serves as my garage while staying in hotels for work. 







And then in 2020 I found myself with more time on my hands since work travel got canceled and turned my trailer into a rustic toy hauler camper.









Sometimes I load one of my 300 lb bikes on the rack behind my truck to take with me to enjoy at my destination.





So, since you yourself have hauled bike, I guess you were just trying to be funny.  But, your not. 

[Perazzimx14]

I used to have that same attitude.  Then I grew up and learned that riding on the interstate to get somewhere because you have limited vacation time isn't really riding.  Oh, and I do recall you hauling a bike or two in the back of your truck.  Mmm.  Just in case you forgot, you posted it here.  https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=111035.msg1761529#msg1761529

There is no shame in hauling bikes to where the riding is good.  I still manage to get in thousands of miles a year, but now all my riding is on enjoyable roads to ride. 

Hauling also allows me to bring multiple bikes to cover more riding opportunities. 









The trailer also serves as my garage while staying in hotels for work. 







And then in 2020 I found myself with more time on my hands since work travel got canceled and turned my trailer into a rustic toy hauler camper.









Sometimes I load one of my 300 lb bikes on the rack behind my truck to take with me to enjoy at my destination.





So, since you yourself have hauled bike, I guess you were just trying to be funny.  But, your not.

No shit I've hauled bikes in the bed of a truck and on trailers. I've never said I haven't or wouldn't. How else am I going to get them home. I mean the last bike I bought was 300 miles away I surely wasn't going to walk there and then ride the bike home. I've bought bike that weren't running and pushing them home wasn't an option. What I historically haven't done is haul bikes to riding destinations and I do not plan.

To me riding a motorcycle on the interstate the TOTD or anywhere in between is riding. Being in a car or truck towing a motorcycle is not riding to me. But I guess we all define "riding" differently.

[JJ]

I have been thinking about getting one of these KENDON stand-up MC trailers...

[steven c]

 I find riding my KLX250s with a small windshield at 70 to be like riding on jello.. better without the windshield .

[Chuck in Indiana]

The AeroLario will run all day on the interstates if she has to. Stable, too. They had a wind tunnel and knew how to use it back in the day,.

[kballowe]

To the OP - did you ever think that maybe that guy was simply trying to make conversation ?
Maybe he had a genuine interest in your bike, and how it handles on the interstate.

[kballowe]

The only time that I see more than one Moto Guzzi is at a rally.

But, it appears that they also get trailered, from time to time





Personally, we trailered our 2014 Yamaha VStar 1300 the 1200 miles out to Yellowstone in 2019. 

[Guzzistajohn]

The only time that I see more than one Moto Guzzi is at a rally.

But, it appears that they also get trailered, from time to time





Personally, we trailered our 2014 Yamaha VStar 1300 the 1200 miles out to Yellowstone in 2019. 

Hey Kev, do you get any trailer buffeting that way??

[vintagehoarder]

I would have told him its as stable as a Harley on a trailer on the way to Daytona.

Haaa!!

[twowheeladdict]

No shit I've hauled bikes in the bed of a truck and on trailers. I've never said I haven't or wouldn't. How else am I going to get them home. I mean the last bike I bought was 300 miles away I surely wasn't going to walk there and then ride the bike home. I've bought bike that weren't running and pushing them home wasn't an option. What I historically haven't done is haul bikes to riding destinations and I do not plan.

To me riding a motorcycle on the interstate the TOTD or anywhere in between is riding. Being in a car or truck towing a motorcycle is not riding to me. But I guess we all define "riding" differently.

Nice way to back out of that one Perazzimx14.   

Who said hauling a motorcycle was riding?  Only you.  Go ahead and wear out those tires getting to where the riding is fun.  Your choice.  But don't rag on me for my choice.  OK?

[TheHungarian]

 

[MotoG5]

I have been thinking about getting one of these KENDON stand-up MC trailers...

I owned one for 20 years. Loved it. Just recently sold it to my grandson who has accumulated a small fleet of bikes. Its still in good condition and ready for another generation of family riders.

[dirtiegirtie]

Something tells me there is more than what is on this thread?
 

     
               

Oh well. I guess I to shall...
    

[kballowe]

Something tells me there is more than what is on this thread?
 

     
               

Oh well. I guess I to shall...
    

There is.

We are waiting for your five cents worth.