With the Volt hitched up, and the trailer all nice and working I was wondering what people do when their rides are far off (let's say 2-3hrs away) and you don't want to take the 401 to the area.
Where do you typically stop, launch the bikes, and then return to them? Walmart parking lots? abandoned lots? I assume Walmart would be the best spot, but hotels / motels may allow you for a small fee as I'm sure they'd prefer you to spend the night in order to accommodate free parking.
Just ride. The 40x highways are boring whether you're in a car or on a bike -- might as well be on a the bike -- less boring with your face in the wind.
Another option is to take a little extra time on the non-freeway roads.
Despite what other riders have said, I know I would do the same if I had the option to trailer for some of the longer day trips to the Calabogie or Frontenac region
Not everyone enjoys slabbing the 400 series highways, nor is their bike suitable for it over a certain distance (lack of CC's, lack of wind protection, mind numbingly boring etc)
I would look into gas stations with large overflow parking areas and ask for permission, provincial parks and pay for a day permit, or an OnRoute location
I'd rather do 2 or 3 hours of boring motorways with the bike in my van than ride that distance. I find straight-line riding for more than half an hour to be excruciating. It's worth whatever small effort it takes to load and unload the bike twice, and park the van somewhere for the day.
Where are good jumping-off points? On weekends, commercial plazas. Ideally, not zero traffic (you don't want to be the only vehicle parked there looking abandoned), but not busy to the point of you being parked there but not working there or being a customer there being a problem for someone.
They do look great. The best antidote to a fever for the 883/1200 is to actually ride one. 60 -70 minutes on one and you're cured for life, better than your 4th or 5th covid booster. Be practical when you're doing your test ride, bring along a couple of gallons of paint that need a good mixing before use.
Lots of reasons to trailer. It's not fun to have to replace DOT race tires and knobbies so often because you've toasted them on the straight-line superslab for 1000 kms there and 1000 kms back. And sometimes you've not got a lot of vacation time, so doubling your transit time by taking the back roads is not an option.
Also, if your oil changes are measured in hours and not 1000s of kms, trailering is a better option, as well as being able to carry a lot more gear and equipment if you're going for an extended period of time. Camping, cooking supplies, tools and spare parts, etc. might be a tight fit on a supersport/dirtbike. Doable, but throwing all that stuff in the back seat or the bed of a pickup truck makes a lot more sense to me on a longer trip.
If trailering with other riders, it also means you can take shifts driving and get to your destination a lot faster, rather than having to take lots of breaks. We trailered for over 2000 kms through the snow and ice to California at the end of January in just under two days and were comfortable the entire way, and rested up for the ride instead of having to take a day off to recover.
They do look great. The best antidote to a fever for the 883/1200 is to actually ride one. 60 -70 minutes on one and you're cured for life, better than your 4th or 5th covid booster. Be practical when you're doing your test ride, bring along a couple of gallons of paint that need a good mixing before use.
This is why I'm hesitant to buy one...may end up hating one and then appreciate my 500X much more. I'll see into renting one, I recall HD rents out bikes. Or they used to pre-COVID.
You have to be a little careful of empty parking lots on the weekends.
Some are being used for motorcycle training.
Nothing like a car with a trailer "obstacle" blocking part of the lot to make the students' day.
Of course it can also add some realism to the braking in a straight line or swerving exercises (just kidding, don't do it).
But considering the hilarity that would come from me trying to load and unload is surely worth it!
One of the worst parts of day long rides is being stuck in traffic on the way home on the 4XX highways. Trailering it would make it a much more palatable experience.
One of the worst parts of day long rides is being stuck in traffic on the way home on the 4XX highways. Trailering it would make it a much more palatable experience.
But considering the hilarity that would come from me trying to load and unload is surely worth it!
One of the worst parts of day long rides is being stuck in traffic on the way home on the 4XX highways. Trailering it would make it a much more palatable experience.
For example:
-maybe you have a ton of stuff and/or a family to bring along
-maybe you don't feel like dealing with traffic for the first 1.5 hours, or on the way home, when you just wanna get home
-maybe you don't want to take chances with weather or deal with 30+ degrees
-maybe you have a new trailer you'd like to put to use
You could move out of Toronto... For me (innisfil) the good roads are only an hour away instead of 3. I'd move even further if I didn't need to work in the GTA.
For example:
-maybe you have a ton of stuff and/or a family to bring along
-maybe you don't feel like dealing with traffic for the first 1.5 hours, or on the way home, when you just wanna get home
-maybe you don't want to take chances with weather or deal with 30+ degrees
-maybe you have a new trailer you'd like to put to use
I was in Bradford for a long time. I was just up there riding around on the weekend, the growth is NUTS.
You don't have to justify anything to anyone. You're actually riding your bike instead of spending all day posting about motorcycles on the Internet. It's all good.
You don't have to justify anything to anyone. You're actually riding your bike instead of spending all day posting about motorcycles on the Internet. It's all good.
My trick is, every simple trip i have to do that doesnt require major haulage is done with the motorcycle. And then you add an extra scenic 5km on top. Nobody's gonna know. How are they gonna know?
My trick is, every simple trip i have to do that doesnt require major haulage is done with the motorcycle. And then you add an extra scenic 5km on top. Nobody's gonna know. How are they gonna know?
I could commute to work on the bike...but I've done the 401 from Mississauga to Yonge...and going to Scarborough will ruin the joy of riding to me (it did already the first time).
I refuse to commute on the bike. The 401 is lovingly called the 'Soul Crusher' in my mind.
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