Pony express ride

[Huzo]

Whenever I suggest a ride of relatively large proportion, I get the same type of response.
The comments can be along the lines of…
“It’s too far for me these days, but I’d have done it a few years ago…”
Or
“The cost of accomodation is crippling lately and I’m over the camping thing…”
Or
“I’d love to, but who’s going to cover my fuel costs……(not kidding..)
Or….Or….etc.
Now here’s the thing.
Just about any trip of reasonable magnitude, usually comes with a concurrent story and these are always well received by the members.
So what about this for an idea.
You start with a bike, a Guzzi would draw the eye but anything will do. The first guy heads off into the great unknown for a predetermined distance, maybe 200 miles a day for say, 4 days or whatever. The destination is to the home of the next guy who gives the first guy a nights rest and then he goes home.
Guy number two then heads off on the same bike and repeats the process.
Now this can be pre determined or open ended as far as time or distance is concerned, but the next guy has indicated he’ll take over. Now y’all could pre plan this and have the trip (more or less) plotted from the start, but in any case, the bike could do a circumnavigation of your country and each member would have their own tale to tell.
As for the obvious question of “who supplies the bike..” ?
Dunno, but I know who would here in Australia.
Anyway guys…
Pull this one to bits without getting it deleted.

[PJPR01]

How does guy #1 get home 800 miles away (4 days of 200 miles / day) if he gives the bike he rode in on to guy #2?

 

[Huzo]

How does guy #1 get home 800 miles away (4 days of 200 miles / day) if he gives the bike he rode in on to guy #2?

 

Train, plane, boat, bus, hitch, truck…..
It’s all part of the adventure, if it’s seen as a task or a burden then it’s pointless. But one bike that does a massive trip, with all the hijinx that is contained within, will be a great thread.
Imagine the stories, breakdowns (mechanical or maniacal), and the interaction between members to problem solve issues.
I’m encouraged by stories of guys who have broken down on a ride and the goodwill/ resource management of WG members always comes to the fore.
So many older guys around here with time and opportunity on their hands that could become involved.

[Scout63]

I think it’s a wonderful idea. The cost of a good used bike would be minimal if spread over the number of riders.  Maybe a manufacturer would throw in a bike for advertising, especially if the course were a loop around the country. No one loses a lot of work time, especially if the legs were shortened to a day each. The only sticky part is how to get the riders home again. Way to go Huzo.

[PJPR01]

I see....well, doesn't pique my interest.  What exactly is the appeal of buying a bike you want to just pass on to the next person and potentially cause them to have to deal with a mechanical breakdown along the way because it's a throw away bike? 

No need to respond...I just don't see the appeal, but others might!

It doesn't seem like your own 2 bikes, V85 or Norge would qualify either as bikes you would just "give away" and not get back or do you have something else you wouldn't mind just handing off and not seeing again. 

[Huzo]

I see....well, doesn't pique my interest.  What exactly is the appeal of buying a bike you want to just pass on to the next person and potentially cause them to have to deal with a mechanical breakdown along the way because it's a throw away bike? 

No need to respond...I just don't see the appeal, but others might!

It doesn't seem like your own 2 bikes, V85 or Norge would qualify either as bikes you would just "give away" and not get back or do you have something else you wouldn't mind just handing off and not seeing again.

Tell you what Paul.
If 7 WG’ers from the ‘States came here and each one went from one capital city to the next, I would loan my V85 for the fun.
I would come along for the entire ride, so if something happened they would not have to make “the call”.
I’ll bet that when enough people read this thread, someone will say…
“I’ll make my……Honda Deauville or Yamaha Seca…etc available.
I know I would.
Just NOT the Norge.

[PJPR01]

Tell you what Paul.
If 7 WG’ers from the ‘States came here and each one went from one capital city to the next, I would loan my V85 for the fun.
I would come along for the entire ride, so if something happened they would not have to make “the call”.
I’ll bet that when enough people read this thread, someone will say…
“I’ll make my……Honda Deauville or Yamaha Seca…etc available.
I know I would.
Just NOT the Norge.

DEFINITELY not the Norge!!  :)

[Huzo]

DEFINITELY not the Norge!!  :)

Ummm…….No.
But y’all see, a ride like this is just prime for a small bike like…ummmmm…..
This one !


It’s just so damn achievable.
I cannot conceive of why you would not just do it.

[Sprouty115]

... The only sticky part is how to get the riders home again.

You may have forgotten about registration and insurance? 

[Huzo]

You may have forgotten about registration and insurance?

What part of that have I missed ?

[chuck peterson]

A similar idea was used many moons ago, that now I wish I had joined in on..

Someone started a Bacon Slicer flywheel, handed hand to hand, across the US until it made it to the national rally (?) I believe

Late 90’s, early 2000? Anyone remember?

[twowheeladdict]

Yah, No. 

I've already seen everything to see within 800 miles from home. 


It would be better to have a network of motorcycle enthusiasts willing to lend a couch and a shower so a traveler can travel the country on a budget. 


What I did to save on costs in 2021 was convert the back of my pickup truck into a camper, load my KLX300SM on a rack behind the truck and drive to a State Park a full days drive away, camp and ride, then move on to another State Park a days drive away and repeat.  Worked my way from Tennessee up to New England and then back home via a different route. 

I was able to camp in comfort, didn't have to deal with riding in the rain, and didn't have to ride on the interstates to get to the good riding areas.  I also got to explore roads I would have never ridden if the entire trip was done on a motorcycle. 

[Sprouty115]

What part of that have I missed ?

The part where when I hand off a bike, that is registered and insured by me, to someone else and then they have an accident or it gets stolen and my insurance has the liability.  Could possibly be handled with a non-owner policy, but I'm not sure how the logistics of that would work with 3, 4, or 5 riders? 

Not to mention the issue I might have if I'm riding your bike and get pulled over for god knows what and I need to explain why I'm riding a bike registered to someone else from a different state - not illegal, but certainly won't make your life easier at that moment.

I'm honestly not trying to rain on your parade, but I'm just saying that this would all be great, right up to the point where someone owes money for something that happened and then it will all go downhill pretty quickly.

 

[Tkelly]

If you go to the MoKan rally mid September,it is just outside St Joe Missouri.You could ride west to the Rocky Mountains on the actual pony express route.then swing south for warmer weather.

[jrt]

A similar idea was used many moons ago, that now I wish I had joined in on..

Someone started a Bacon Slicer flywheel, handed hand to hand, across the US until it made it to the national rally (?) I believe

Late 90’s, early 2000? Anyone remember?

Yeah, I remember that-  it was entertaining to hear about the journey. 

[Tkelly]

If it was my bike I would insure it and give permission to everyone on the trip to ride it.If there was an accident they would be covered on their own policy or on mine.

[RinkRat II]

A similar idea was used many moons ago, that now I wish I had joined in on..

Someone started a Bacon Slicer flywheel, handed hand to hand, across the US until it made it to the national rally (?) I believe

Late 90’s, early 2000? Anyone remember?

       

       



      2008 Florida to Georgia group. Frank Dugo, Dale Senn and Russ(don't know his last name).


        Paul B

[Sprouty115]

If it was my bike I would insure it and give permission to everyone on the trip to ride it.If there was an accident they would be covered on their own policy or on mine.

And if they get into an accident on your bike and harm someone and it exceeds the limits of your policy who do you think will be responsible for that?  Like I said this is all fine until something goes sideways.

[Tkelly]

The guy who caused the accident would be the one responsible in Wisconsin and probably anywhere in the US.

[Sprouty115]

The guy who caused the accident would be the one responsible in Wisconsin and probably anywhere in the US.

Not according to this, and most other sites I found in my 15-second search.
https://www.mwl-law.com/wisconsin-court-of-appeals-confirms-omnibus-coverage-follows-vehicle-not-driver/

[Tkelly]

Interesting,but has nothing to do with my point.The case you refer to involved parents  negligently allowing an underage unlicensed driver to drive a truck which crashed,injuring another driver.The injured party argued that the policy limits should be tripled because there were 3 insured defendants.The court ruled that only one policy limit applies because that is what the policy provides.If I allow a licensed rider to borrow my bike and he crashed,without negligence on my part,the injured party could recover the policy limits and any excess from the rider.Maybe 15 second of research is enough in these days of AI ,but when I practiced law we spent a little more time before reaching an opinion.

[Sprouty115]

Interesting,but has nothing to do with my point.The case you refer to involved parents  negligently allowing an underage unlicensed driver to drive a truck which crashed,injuring another driver.The injured party argued that the policy limits should be tripled because there were 3 insured defendants.The court ruled that only one policy limit applies because that is what the policy provides.If I allow a licensed rider to borrow my bike and he crashed,without negligence on my part,the injured party could recover the policy limits and any excess from the rider.Maybe 15 second of research is enough in these days of AI ,but when I practiced law we spent a little more time before reaching an opinion.

"When I practiced law..."  Lol,  I'm done.

[kballowe]

Instead of the same bike, each participant uses their own bike.

Even the Pony Express riders changed horses.

[twowheeladdict]

Instead of the same bike, each participant uses their own bike.

Even the Pony Express riders changed horses.

So then you could pass on an artifact to cross the country like the Olympic torch.  And also document the ride with photos and video. 

My head just went to doing this with the ashes of a lost brother who never realized his dream of seeing the west coast. 

[kballowe]

So then you could pass on an artifact to cross the country like the Olympic torch.  And also document the ride with photos and video. 

My head just went to doing this with the ashes of a lost brother who never realized his dream of seeing the west coast.

We have done exactly that, on more than one occasion.

[Huzo]

Instead of the same bike, each participant uses their own bike.

Even the Pony Express riders changed horses.

That’s a better idea.

[SIR REAL ED]

Anyway guys…
Pull this one to bits without getting it deleted.

 

Nobody throws down a challenge like you Bro!

Yer gonna do just fine in Merika!

 

[Sprouty115]

That’s a better idea.

Yup, solves all the issues I raised. 

[Huzo]

It’s early days yet.
But, where does it start/end and who’s in ?

[Tom]

Modification.....ho w's about a 50cc moped?  Going any distance would make more challenging and probably funny.