[GP1152]

Recently I posted a ride report HERE, so I figure I'll start a thread to cover these outings in once place.

This time the outing was shorter and a lot warmer. I left home and headed out to meet up with achung123 (Alex). We planned to make an oyster run down to Marshall Store (referenced above). First we planned to go past there and further north to Tomales. We figured we'd hit Marshall store on the way back, but plans changed a bit.

Heading out towards lucas valley road to meet Alex, I expected a lot of traffic and was pretty intent on taking it easy. There's usually lots-o-cops around there as it is. On a day like today I figured it would be worse. Of course, as soon as we leave our meeting spot just off the highway, a group of R1's tail us. Normally, no problem. But in this case, because it was going to be warm and because of how I figured the day would go, I just wore jeans. I know, I know....ATGATT. Usually the way I do things, but......anyway, sure enough these guys are passing while going into blind turns (with cyclists also coming from the opposite direction), so I say "go ahead. knock yourself out buddy....Be my guest." Alex, in full leathers, entertains them a bit and leads the way. I get caught behind some traffic and then as luck would have it, ride past a cop that's about to pull out into traffic (good thing for the traffic )

Up ahead in Point Reyes we stopped for gas then headed north on hwy-1. Just 3 miles later, traffic comes to a stop. Apparently an accident scene being cleared up ahead ahead of us. We can't see what's going on, but a cop that's leaving the scene stops and says it'll only be another 5 minutes or so. I ask if it was a cyclist and she said, "no, a car on motorcycle collision". Traffic gets back underway and as we make our way past the accident scene I notice it was a Hypermotard Evo SP. Just speculating, but from the skid marks on the road it looked as though he had too much speed going into the turn, overshot it and the oncoming car must have hit him. The bike was in pretty bad shape. We don't know how the rider faired, but hopefully he's ok. Maybe someone on here? If so, maybe someone can let us know here.

Traffic after that was pretty bad. Seeing the long line of cars and how long it would take to get past all of them, we decided just to go ahead and stop at Marshall Store to eat. From there I had to start heading back. Mrs. GP1152 was going to be leaving for work soon and I wanted to get home before she did. It was an absolutely awesome day out, so I encouraged Alex to continue on. I'm sure he'll reply here with tales of less traffic and more great weather. Anyway, had the camera, but only took a few shots. Here you go:
(to be continued.....)

Love this about this place...the bikes right next to your table:

(for reference, from a previous stop there)

A group of these went roaring by:

This loser (me) forgot his wallet last time, so this time lunch was on me:

 

[whoopazz1]

God damn those oysters look good! Nice pix.

 

[achung123]

Good summary GP1152! Surprisingly after we split the traffic going to north was very light. I still passed cars as I go but nowhere close to what we encountered back on Point Reyes Station area. I ended up taking a less popular route (Chileno Valley Rd) going toward Nicasio Reservoir. It was a nice solo ride - open landscape with no traffic. It really reminded me how much I love North Cal. Let's do it again soon!

 

[GP1152]

Good summary GP1152! Surprisingly after we split the traffic going to north was very light. I still passed cars as I go but nowhere close to what we encountered back on Point Reyes Station area. I ended up taking a less popular route (Chileno Valley Rd) going toward Nicasio Reservoir. It was a nice solo ride - open landscape with no traffic. It really reminded me how much I love North Cal. Let's do it again soon!

Great scenery there Alex. Will definitely meet up again soon.


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[GP1152]

I posted a while back about this tire repair/tool kit I take with me when we do some of these trips. The small plastic bag on the left side of the tool roll holds the actual tire plugs and the rest is pretty self explanatory. I've used the tire repair kit a few times, but always here at home (been lucky I guess). I also carry with me this husky air pump you see in the picture below (phone used as size reference). Pretty compact and the hose and power cord are self contained. Both the tool kits and the compressor fit nicely in my backpack.

This is the other (mini) tool kit:

Just the other day the wife's tire had a screw stuck in it and I was able to test the setup again, but this time, used the portable air-pump and plugged it directly to the bike like I would out on the road. I had tested the pump before on the bike just to make sure it would get enough power to run it, but this would give me a good idea as to how long a tire repair would take from beginning to end with the pump.
Both bikes have the SAE battery plug (dongle) for a battery tender so I bought the SAE lighter plug adapter to run things like the air pump. I also have a kensington USB lighter-plug adapter to be able to run the cable into a tank-bag to charge a phone, GPS, etc. Here they are:

After pulling out the screw and plugging the tire, which took all of 2 minutes, I went ahead and plugged in the SAE cord and plugged in the air-pump. The pump worked great and took about 3-1/2 minutes to inflate the tire from completely flat to 34 psi. Not bad. And entire tire repair job in about 6 minutes. Definitely beats having to call and wait for a tow.

 

[GP1152]

A follow up on the small ratchet set I mention in the post above. I found that I was usually using the insert-bits from another set for the SF and just ended up buying this set of bits off eBay. Will work perfectly to take with me on the bike (during a road trip). Check it out. I just bought one:

CTA 8450 11 Piece Metric Hex Bit Set-Made in USA | eBay

 

[GP1152]

Wanted to get this whole rear-set thing done before our upcoming trip. I confirmed with speedychung that they're the same as what he got, but for less $$ ($169.99 with free shipping). Seller on eBay is "1729mily" I figure they're likely the supplier to the people that sell them here in the states.

Anyway, here they are:
(eBay) http://bit.ly/MSVFJbCNC Adjustable Rear Sets Rearsets Ducat

 

[jtalerico]

And you carry a Nikon D7000?! Nice!

Tail bag + bookbag?

 

[GP1152]

And you carry a Nikon D7000?! Nice!

Tail bag + bookbag?

Yeah, will be using the new luggage-locker tailbag, a tank bag and the backpack. There's not much in the backpack. It's not heavy at all and it's pretty low-profile. Here's a post from another thread which gives a good idea of what I pack. Keep in mind (and you can see in the pictures of the bike all packed up) that I don't have a bunch of stuff hanging of the bag. It's all pretty tidy. It's just all packed well.

Having had the luggage locker bag before, I think I'd be able to get just as much in there, if not MORE than my current setup. I won't have to fiddle with any straps AND access to the inside of the bags will be a hundred times easier.
Using my current setup, we went away this past weekend. As you can see in the pictures of the bikes below, this setup consists of my wolf-man tank bag, a kriega US-20 as a tail bag (with all clothes packed in an expandable/compressible eagle-creek packing cube) and a Kriega US-20 backpack (like the one the wife has on her back).
The tank-bag serves as a camera bag and contains:
- Digital SLR camera and a not-so-small (way-too-big) lens
- Extra lens
- a small pouch with all my charger cables, lens pen, etc
- wallet, sunglasses and rain cover.
Kriega US-20 Tailbag contains: (Believe it or not, all of the following gets compressed into that eagle creek packing cube. I still could have fit more in the tail-bag itself):
- 2 pants (jeans and hiking pants)
- 2 dress shirts
- Fleece pullover sweater
- Cotton gym shorts
- underwear
- socks
- belt
- 4 t-shirts (2 white, 2 black)
- 2 long-sleeved t-shirts
-
The backpack holds (all the following with room to spare):
- pair of shoes (merrell hiking shoes, double duty for day/night...even with dress shirts)
- jacket (in black compressed pouch in middle between shoes)
- tool roll (some tools and a tire repair/plug kit)
- Small ratchet/socket kit (pictured below)
- cable lock to lock the 2 bikes to each other at night (in small black Buell pouch)
- Towel and small spray bottle with auto quick detailer to clean visor.
- iPad

Tank bag:

w/smaller lens:

Backpack

Small tool kit:

Everything that is packed into Eagle creek packing cube:

Jacket taken out of it's compression sack (visible in back-pack picture)

 

[GP1152]

Also from another post:

I have the same Wolfman bag. I used it on another bike, but am planning on using it on my new streetfighter.
This site,"MotoJournalism: Packing camera gear on the motorcycle" has the pics and writeup of my setup.
I retrofitted it and use it to carry my camera and lenses (I have the waterproof cover for it also).

 

[mistasam]

Dude, rad shots! I commented on your tank bag pix on flickr a few weeks ago, and ended up buying one myself! Totally didn't expect to find you posting here, or that you're local! I'm hoping to ride from the bay to Alaska sometime soon, so these tips/tricks are really helping

 

[GP1152]

Dude, rad shots! I commented on your tank bag pix on flickr a few weeks ago, and ended up buying one myself! Totally didn't expect to find you posting here, or that you're local! I'm hoping to ride from the bay to Alaska sometime soon, so these tips/tricks are really helping

Thanks a lot. Glad to help was beginning to think nobody was reading this.

Love the tankbag, just hate the straps. That's why I'm going with the bags-connection tankbag with the quick release tank ring. Got the one for my wife's Monster and it works great.

That would be a hell of a ride. Ours is going to end up being about 2,800 miles. Alaska is about that far...ONE WAY though!! lol.
I'll keep you posted on our trip preparations. As I type this the wife is sewing up the first of the 2 ripstop nylon bags that we're going to use on our trip. I couldn't find a bag big enough to be able to put my helmet, boots and jacket in. This is for, for example, when we're off the bikes for a while and don't want to carry all that s#!t around separately. That material folds down to practically nothing. Definitely will use it when on the ferry to Victoria.
So....to be continued.


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[mistasam]

Dude nice! Vancouver Island, eh? The roads there are really fun I'm guessing you'll take Hwy 1 all the way up? I'm working on a route that hits the Lost Coast in Northern Cali and then goes around the Olympic Peninsula in WA. Above Vancouver it seems like all long-distance gas station sprints. I'm considering bringing a thermos-type canister for extra fuel just in case.

How's the rear bag you're using? A backpack style one sounds perfect

And are you camping? I'm tryin to find a small but quick-setup tent. I guess it's kinda silly making a sportbike into a tourer, but this one seems to do everything!

 

[infresig]

Wanted to get this whole rear-set thing done before our upcoming trip. I confirmed with speedychung that they're the same as what he got, but for less $$ ($169.99 with free shipping). Seller on eBay is "1729mily" I figure they're likely the supplier to the people that sell them here in the states.

Anyway, here they are:
(eBay) http://bit.ly/MSVFJbCNC Adjustable Rear Sets Rearsets Ducat

This is a great, very informative post. I would definitely appreciate hearing your thoughts on the ebay rearsets; ease of installation, quality, adjustability, etc. I read Alex's review on his blog, but would welcome any additional thoughts as well.

Adjustable rearsets are on my list, but $700 for a set is hard to justify.

 

[GP1152]

Dude nice! Vancouver Island, eh? The roads there are really fun I'm guessing you'll take Hwy 1 all the way up? I'm working on a route that hits the Lost Coast in Northern Cali and then goes around the Olympic Peninsula in WA. Above Vancouver it seems like all long-distance gas station sprints. I'm considering bringing a thermos-type canister for extra fuel just in case.

How's the rear bag you're using? A backpack style one sounds perfect

And are you camping? I'm tryin to find a small but quick-setup tent. I guess it's kinda silly making a sportbike into a tourer, but this one seems to do everything!

Yeah we were there a few years back and loved it. Back then we were living in Miami, FL and thought it would be awesome to be able to do a trip there on the bikes. When we moved here to the Bay Area that was on our list of places to go. Here's our PROJECTED ROUTE. Taking the coast all the way up as you mention, then through the Cascades towards Spokane and work our way back down.

I try and stay away from routes that take me too far from gas so haven't needed to carry fuel, but be careful what you put that gas in. Check out these MSR fuel bottles. I see a lot of guys on advrider use these. Wolfman (your tank bag) makes THIS HOLSTER that fits most common fuel bottles.

I haven't used the new tail bag (for a trip) just yet on this bike, but I used it on my old MV Agusta Brutale and it works awesome. That's why I really wanted it for this bike. If you're planning on doing any trips, you might want to jump in and get one of those.

As for the backpack, if you're going to do a long trip like that you're going to need one. Check out the Kriega backpacks. I've been through some torrential east coat downpours and everything stayed dry.

No camping, but check these out. Always thought of getting one of these NEMO Air Tents. They use inflatable support beams and pack really small (check out the Moto 1P or the Gogo LE).

Don't really think it's crazy to use these bikes for touring. I don't travel all the time and don't want to get another bike just for that. I'm perfectly fine traveling on the SF. We've done enough longish trips to know what to take and what to leave behind and can pack pretty light.

 

[GP1152]

This is a great, very informative post. I would definitely appreciate hearing your thoughts on the ebay rearsets; ease of installation, quality, adjustability, etc. I read Alex's review on his blog, but would welcome any additional thoughts as well.

Adjustable rearsets are on my list, but $700 for a set is hard to justify.

I agree. Just can't see spending that much money on something that isn't that complicated. I'll let you know how it goes. Ironically enough, I might have Alex help me with the install since he's already done it (have to cheat a bit if I can).

 

[DuckDux]

I went up to spokane last summer. It was a great trip. Scenery was great, some great roads also. Always wanted to set up a trip up to British Columbia, just never seem to get it organized. That and do the alps tour, definitely on my bucket list.

Having to carry an extra bottle/container of fuel just freaks me out for some reason tho.

 

[GP1152]

I went up to spokane last summer. It was a great trip. Scenery was great, some great roads also. Always wanted to set up a trip up to British Columbia, just never seem to get it organized. That and do the alps tour, definitely on my bucket list.

Having to carry an extra bottle/container of fuel just freaks me out for some reason tho.

We're heading that way after Victoria. Our route will take us through the Cascades so it should be nice.....at least that's what google street view says.

Yeah, not crazy about carrying fuel either. Just brings bad images to mind:

 

[proheli]

Was just looking at your route.

Hi.
Have you considered heading over to Crater Lake once you hit Crescent City? Its really the premere destination in southern Oregon. Very beautiful, very pure blue water. With a grand hotel where you can have lunch or dinner at the rim of the volcano.

It's 4 hours from crescent city. And then you could cut back across to coos bay, that's another 4 hours.

There is a gas within 35 miles of the crater/restaurant/lake, and then the rim road 33 miles, so you can do it all on 1 tank of gas.

It's a little off the beaten path but it Is an international destination. Hard to pass up, and definitely worth the effort, if you are going to be so close...

Oh, I know you cant "do it all" in 1 trip, but it just hit me that you're going to spokane, and of course Coeur de Alene Idaho is 1 hour to the east. NOW THAT, is beautiful. Spokane is great, but cda is internationally known for beauty. The mountain river water is actually torquoise/carribean blue.

Anyway, I'm jealous and wish I could come do the whole trip. Oh, and Cannon beach is actually epic when you catch it just right. Be at the rock at sunset... and... and...

 

[GP1152]

Hi.
Have you considered heading over to Crater Lake once you hit Crescent City? Its really the premere destination in southern Oregon. Very beautiful, very pure blue water. With a grand hotel where you can have lunch or dinner at the rim of the volcano.

It's 4 hours from crescent city. And then you could cut back across to coos bay, that's another 4 hours.

There is a gas within 35 miles of the crater/restaurant/lake, and then the rim road 33 miles, so you can do it all on 1 tank of gas.

It's a little off the beaten path but it Is an international destination. Hard to pass up, and definitely worth the effort, if you are going to be so close...

Oh, I know you cant "do it all" in 1 trip, but it just hit me that you're going to spokane, and of course Coeur de Alene Idaho is 1 hour to the east. NOW THAT, is beautiful. Spokane is great, but cda is internationally known for beauty. The mountain river water is actually torquoise/carribean blue.

Anyway, I'm jealous and wish I could come do the whole trip. Oh, and Cannon beach is actually epic when you catch it just right. Be at the rock at sunset... and... and...

We're definitely going to go thru crater lake. Take a look at the link to our projected route (link in post above) and you'll see we're heading there on the way back down south.q

Didn't know about Coeur de Alene in Idaho. Gonna look into that for sure. Thanks for the tip. Cannon beach is great. I was there a few years ago and loved it.


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