If you had to, how far could you ride in one stint?

[bad Chad]

Hey it's winter up here, so that's why.

Pick your favorite long legged friend,  stop as often as needed , until you can ride no more for the day.   One day is all I'm asking for.   Like most, I'm guessing,  I think it would be a major struggle but i think I could rack up 750 miles if I absolutely had to.   After that I need some zzzs.  How about you?

[guzzisteve]

A full day to frigid Oswego, 850 or so mi.   Long enough for me.

[ChuckH]

Most of my rides are single, only me.  Frankly, I don't have any friends who want to ride these kind of trips any longer.  I used to schedule trips at 600 miles/day but now as my age elevates -- now 84 -- I find it is easier to set things up for only 500 mile days.  I guess that's a penalty for getting older.

Enjoy those longer days as long as you can guys.  They don't last forever.

[twowings]

I did 826 miles from Datil, NM to Tulsa, OK in one trip on all two-lane roads, stopping just for gas and snacks...that would be close to my limit unless I made time for sit-down meals and coffee...

[Aaron D.]

I've done 750, not so bad so on interstate I could imagine doing 1,000.

But I try not to do things like that anymore.

[pebra]

The longest ride I've had in one day is 700 km, most of that in heavy traffic on the Autobahn. Had to heed another rider I was travelling with. Riding alone I think I might have been able to do a few hundred km more.
In perfect conditions on perfect roads, who knows?

I find that what I call fast riding, say 130 - 160 kph, is really draining, even in little traffic. Going a bit slower I could probably keep going for a bit longer. Hard to say which would be the longest distance!
If I had to, I think I could have done 1000 km in a day.

[oldbike54]

 What I am capable of now , or what I was capable of at 50 ? In my forties 800 plus miles a day was a diddle , now that would be 3 days . Like Peter Egan said , anything over 400 is just so you can brag and no one is impressed by how far you can ride in one day 

 Dusty

[Luap McKeever]

I don't know how many miles I trekked this one time. I just know I rode from 4AM until 9PM, only stopping for gas, and a 30 minute lunch. I know I ran 80 most of the time. I was riding from El Mirage, AZ headed home. I had to stop outside of Tulsa at some roadside rest area.  Pitched a tent and slept all night without moving until a trooper woke me up at 6AM.  Best guess is right at 1100 miles. I wanted to make it home in one swoop, but when it came to the point that I couldn't remember where I just was, I knew I had to settle down for the night.

I will never do it again. Ever. Even on my the EV with Corbin seat and being 35 at the time, I swear I can still feel it to this day.

At almost 48 now and having broken my back twice since I was 35, my daily limit is 600 miles, or 10 hours...whichever comes first.

[Green1000S]

910 miles on Quota with knobbies.
Lancaster-NC-Lancaster
Had to buy a 1952 Vintage John Deere for my buddy. 

700 miles on Stelvio NTX
Portland- North Sydney (NS)
Had to catch a ferry.

I'm 58 and really do not want to ride shorter distances anymore. Maybe I am a bit "unique" in that manner?
(and thats propably why I ride alone...)

[Darren Williams]

Several years ago I did a non planned run from Durango to OKC, two lane roads mostly non direct route. This was on a Stelvio. Really pretty easy on that stable 600 lbs beast for 800 miles. My FJR probably easier. Some lighter bike, much more taxing, especially at higher speeds. For long runs, weight is a friend, IMHO. Next and maybe more important is regular calories and fluids throughout the ride. For me snacks all through the day with many short rest stops is better than long stops where you eat a bunch. I know others that are the opposite and prefer just a couple of the long stops.

Like Kirby told me, just keep yourself in the saddle.  He still does some long days back to back.

[MotoChuck250]

Have done 700-750mi. from Colo. to KC Mo. in one day on a 1970 Ambassador just chugging along.  Could have gone farther but I was getting tired and had a place to stay for the night in KC.

The old loop frames were pretty good old mileage eaters.  On average I could stay in the saddle for as long as the fuel in the tank lasted.

[Bucky]

At age 66 my long days are whatever I feel like doing....I rarely do over 400 miles these days. Mostly because I avoid Interstates and take the road less traveled.
Like Dusty said, 20 years ago an 800 mile day was no big deal, but you paid for them physically.
I have done a couple 1000 mile days, and they weren't that much fun.

If I had to.....I could still punch out a 6-800 mile day.
But somebody better be dying for me to do that.
I have no desire to drone on and on all day.
YMMV

[John A]

I imagine there is a Texas Turnip rancher chuckling over this. It was common for him to ride from Dallas to Minneapolis in one sitting . I'm a lightweight and could only manage about 900miles, like from St Joeseph to Shreveport . Might have hit 1000 in a day when I was young and not keeping track. Now I can manage a couple hundred before it hurts too bad. Wonder what it'll be like in ten years!

[rocker59]

I have ridden three certified IBA Saddlesore 1000s.

1100 and change on the first one, NW Arkansas to SE Utah in 2005.

1000 and change in the 2009 Colorado Classic 1000.

1000 and change in the 2015 Colorado Classic 1000.

In addition to those, I've ridden many 500-1000 mile days while going to and from Guzzi events and while just wandering.

If the bike fits, and if you're comfortable, 400-500 miles can be a nice day. 

[rodekyll]

I imagine there is a Texas Turnip rancher chuckling over this. It was common for him to ride from Dallas to Minneapolis in one sitting . I'm a lightweight and could only manage about 900miles, like from St Joeseph to Shreveport . Might have hit 1000 in a day when I was young and not keeping track. Now I can manage a couple hundred before it hurts too bad. Wonder what it'll be like in ten years!

It's a matter of motivation.  Tex was motivated.   

I've done 1200 in a panic when the ferry ticket was prepaid in Skagway and I was on the wrong side of Canada.  I've got documented iron butt rides because I was going that way anyway, and I've often arrived at someone's house from 800 miles out (after dark  ) a couple hours late, but still in the same sitting.

My real distance riding though didn't happen that way.  I don't see the advantage of distance running at high speeds.  It's not economical, and it's more fatiguing, more dangerous, and less enjoyable.  The Iron butt guys call me a flower sniffer, but I think I retain more impressions of the regions I travel through when I'm doing a pace that allows me to safely take in the scenery.  So to make time and still enjoy the marigolds, I'd get into a rhythm of rolling and resting with regular naps of 45 minutes to an hour and I'd roll coast to coast on gas station coffee and greasy spoon salad bars.  The trick is to know your limitations for saddle time and alertness and have the plan and discipline to pace yourself accordingly.  Oh -- and don't get too adventurous with new foods.

[oldbike54]

 It's gonna take a really small pony to "ranch" turnips 

 Dusty

[rodekyll]

It's gonna take a really small pony to "ranch" turnips 

 Dusty

Tex will be the first to tell you his pony meets your expectations.   

[pehayes]

When young, I once rode home to Fremont, CA from the National Rally in Sylvan Grove, KS using mainly US-50 in two sittings.  Lodged briefly at night in Green River, UT.  Google says that would be 773 and 885 back to back days for a total of 1658.

Several years ago I attended a lecture by a guy that holds a whole bunch of long distance records.  Rides as a professional.  Prudhoe Bay to Key West in 84 hours or such.  Did Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia only to discover the park was closed for the afternoon.  Camped overnight until they opened the gate, hit the ocean for a u-turn and back to Prudhoe Bay so he holds that round-trip record.

During the Q and A I asked him which of his records was the least likely to ever be broken?  Which one was he assured to take to his grave?

Hid did 1,400 miles in 24 hours.  Huh?  That's good, but no so much that it would be a record.  His reply?  "Yes, but I never left the city limits of San Francisco."  Found a loop with the fewest number of traffic lights and just went roundy-round while the clock went roundy-round.

Nuts.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[bad Chad]

Boys, know body cares what you used to do.  if i did I would have asked a different question.

[ohiorider]

Today, at 74, almost 75, maybe 500-600 miles on a good day.  Of course, as others have said, it depends on how well the bike fits me, and the type of roads I'm riding.  Add to that, do I want to ride after the sun goes down?  Probably not.  My 1200 Sport, with stock saddle, maybe 400 miles.  With the Corbin installed, add another couple hundred to that.

And as someone else commented, perhaps the question is or should be ..... how many hours can any of us sit in the saddle vs how far any of us could ride?

Bob

[Lannis]

And as someone else commented, perhaps the question is or should be ..... how many hours can any of us sit in the saddle?

Bob

And another perhaps ... in 46 years riding and 1/2 million miles or so, the words "had to" and "riding" have never intersected.    I don't "have to" do anything on a bike I don't want to, which means sleeping rough occasionally rather than make myself miserable and unsafe on the seat of a bike!

Lannis

[LowRyter]

I did 525 miles of back roads in Ark & Okla in full gear and triple digit temps. 

I learned that riding should be more fun than endurance.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Boys, know body cares what you used to do.  if i did I would have asked a different question.

OK,  Chad. . I *think * I could still do an iron butt,  but have no inclination to try. 

[oldbike54]

OK,  Chad. . I *think * I could still do an iron butt,  but have no inclination to try. 

 Oh hell , I "think" I could still do 1,200 miles in a day , but Chad is getting all specific on us now 

 Dusty

[fotoguzzi]

623 miles, Sturgis to home in a hurry, 90+ MPH (95 Cal 1100Ie), won't do that again.. too much wind, one tank full only lasted 90 miles into an East wind.

[Mr Revhead]

Ha! I have an EV. So an hour and a half is enough in the seat for me. Ouch.
Also we don't have large multilane high-speed motorways so 500ks in a day is a good effort

[mjptexas]

I’ve done 1,000 miles in a day, but it wasn’t a a lot of fun.

I can do 500 - 600 miles without a lot of problems. Done that four times this year.

[wirespokes]

Two years ago I had 3.5 days to make eastern Pennsylvania from Portland Oregon - 3,000 miles. I'd wanted to take back roads, but quickly realized if I was going to make it there on time, the slab was the only solution. I never was tired or hungry and never went much over the limit. But I did pitch camp when it got dark and left at first light. Had enough food in the saddle bags to snack all the way there, stopped and snacked at rest stops. It did help I had a 9 gallon tank, so wasn't stopping all the time for gas.

On the back roads - 350-400 miles is a good day.

Many years ago I rode from Los Angeles to Portland Oregon just before Christmas. Took three days. That was a really cold and miserable trip worrying about black ice and snow. Woke up the next morning to snow everywhere. Realized I rode because it's fun and that wasn't. I'll put up with miserable conditions if I have to, but no sense putting myself in danger - I don't need to prove I'm tough and can do it, so why?

[ITSec]

Furthest in one day ever was 1520 miles or so in 23.5 hours (one of many IronButt rides on the Norge). I blew the record keeping of the receipts, so you won't find this listed in the IBA page. Furthest in three days was also on the Norge, covering 3620 miles in 70 hours and 20 minutes while stopping at most major sites from the space program's heyday in the sixties.

Furthest in one day this year was 1268 miles (San Antonio, TX to Las Vegas, NV, Stelvio), which was the follow up to a slightly shorter 1263 mile ride from Las Vegas to Allen TX a couple days before. I spent the time between attending the IronButt Association meeting and the McKeever family gathering.

Furthest in one day this past month (Dec 3rd) was 1157 miles (Shawnee, OK to Las Vegas, NV, Stelvio) on my way back from the Eldridge Children's Home Toy Run in Alabama. I managed a stop to see family in Pass Christian MS on the way out.

Furthest to pick up a new (to me) motorcycle was 1804 miles. The pace was slowed a bit by weather, including snow, slush and ice in the Colorado and Utah mountain passes, so it took me about 56 hours instead of the hoped-for 36-40 hours. It did give me a chance to get to know the Stelvio.

Furthest in one day this year on the Norge was about 1040 miles. It'll get a bit of a rest from these duties while I refresh it; 137,000 miles so far. The Stelvio had 14,200 on it when I bought it on Sept. 22nd, and it had 27,800 on Dec 22nd - not a bad start.

[EldoMike]

I'm guessing JB is snickering at this thread also...