Prep for touring (LA to Seattle)

Well hello there.
I'm mostly a lurker of this forum, but I've just passed up 40k miles on my 07 FZ6 and I feel I've earned my stripes around town, it's time to take it to the next level.

I'm hoping to make a trip from Los Angeles to Seattle around early August. My bike is mostly stock. All I've done so far is the FZ1 bar, dual headlight mod and a stebel nautilus horn that currently has a wiring issue, so I've got a lot of work ahead of me. I want to ride up either the 1 or the 101, I have friends both in the bay area and in humboldt county, so I may make this a 3 day trip so I can take my time, get rest and see some sights, spend 3-4 days up there visiting my mom and a good friend, then 2 days back.

I'm open to opinions and suggestions, but I think I've got a good start on things I need to get. Eventually I want to make this a really sweet touring machine, but to make my goal I just need to make it comfortable enough to make a 2400 mile round trip without wanting to kill myself.

Seat - To kick this project off, I'm starting with the most important item: the seat. I've found a shop in town that does custom seats. For $205 I've requested the most comfortable seat that will ever grace an FZ6...I'll get it back in a few days.

Comm - Next, I'm getting a Scala G4, splitting a pair with a friend. After that the rest is comparatively much cheaper. Here's what I'm thinking

Baggage - I'm going with weatherproof soft bags as theyre much cheaper than hard cases. I love hard cases but won't have the budget yet. Motopak looked pretty good .:: Welcome to motopakluggage.com - Premium sportbike and cruiser luggage bags ::.

Windshield - A must. I'm thinking ceebailey, those roboshields are much too pricey for me.

Cruise control - Must-have for sure. Throttlemeister.

Camera - GoPro Hero. I'll probably get the 720p version, much cheaper and I won't have to worry about running out of space.

Crash bars - not critical but would be nice. Givi looked like the best.

Other - I have a great backpack, but I'd like just the bag and straw from a camelback, so I can add it to my backpack. I'd also like some kind of rail to eventually mount GPS, a radar detector and a phone. I can make do without for my first trip though. A 12v plug for my accessories shouldn't be a big deal as long as its waterproof.

Lastly, are there any suspension mods I can look for in the future? such as front fork/rear shock? I know there are options out there, I just don't really know what fits and all the sources I've found are more geared to racing vs touring.

oh yeah, and since this thread is worthless without pics

Hey, 40k around LA, that's great, you definately have earned your stripes.

I have included a link from my travels last summer, very similiar to the one you will be taking. Check out the pictures. Starts at post # 42 thru 110 from LA to Seattle. That was just a portion of my 6,000 mile roadtrip.

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-general-discussion/32879-welcome-vegas-krid-lone.html

I could have not done this trip without a Throttlemeister. My frame sliders also helped as I used them to stretch out my legs resting on the sliders, kind of like a lazy boy recliner.

I also carried my heated vest, that was a life saver. There is no such thing as summer along the northern coast of California, Oregon and Washington. It was chilly! Heated gear is the only way to go in the cold.

i love my scala g4.
pairs with my iphone easily.
it takes voice commands like "next track".
good sound from the speakers.
oh and it's waterproof! i've had it in a lot of rain.

Awesome! thanks to both of you for your thoughts! 40k was actually pretty easy for me to hit with my commute from sunland to torrance...75 miles round trip a day, I'm used to long and difficult rides, this should be a breeze. With the right equipment there's no reason I can't make this trip at least as easily as i'd be able to in a car.

I hadn't really considered heated gear because it's so rarely hot, and I don't usually get very cold even in the cold...but heated glove inserts would surely do me a lot of good. I was a little afraid that the iphone wouldn't do voice commands, can you make phone calls with that? not that I really care to. I hate talking on the phone. I also want to get a sirius radio to mount to my bike. I have one already, but it's not waterproof.

I'll check out your link right now, I had a hard time finding anyone that's done the LA to Seattle route on the forum, but I talked to a lot of people that did the trip up the 1. They say I should plan 3 days just to do that, but I think the 101 will be just fine, and google maps says taking the 101 will only cost me about 3 hours over taking the 5...so it seems like a no brainer.

A friend of mine may join me for part of the ride, would be nice because flying solo can get scary if anything bad happens.

I'm planning on a trip to San Diego from Stockton. Can't decide whether or not I want to take my fz6 or just hop on the train...I'll need a guitar also, but I'm just going to "rent" one from amazon. So the stock screen would be bad then I guess? I also don't have any luggage besides a backpack and a tankbag, but I've managed to use a bungee net and a brief case successfully.

As far as tools go, anything else worth taking? WD-40 can be had anywhere and is just useless space, but appropriate lube should be taken.

Lucifer Caitiff said:

Awesome! thanks to both of you for your thoughts! 40k was actually pretty easy for me to hit with my commute from sunland to torrance...75 miles round trip a day, I'm used to long and difficult rides, this should be a breeze. With the right equipment there's no reason I can't make this trip at least as easily as i'd be able to in a car.

I hadn't really considered heated gear because it's so rarely hot, and I don't usually get very cold even in the cold...but heated glove inserts would surely do me a lot of good. I was a little afraid that the iphone wouldn't do voice commands, can you make phone calls with that? not that I really care to. I hate talking on the phone. I also want to get a sirius radio to mount to my bike. I have one already, but it's not waterproof.

I'll check out your link right now, I had a hard time finding anyone that's done the LA to Seattle route on the forum, but I talked to a lot of people that did the trip up the 1. They say I should plan 3 days just to do that, but I think the 101 will be just fine, and google maps says taking the 101 will only cost me about 3 hours over taking the 5...so it seems like a no brainer.

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You absolutely can't do this trip without stopping for a bred bowl of Clam shouder at the Fisherman Wharf in Monterey Bay!

sohail said:

I'm planning on a trip to San Diego from Stockton. Can't decide whether or not I want to take my fz6 or just hop on the train...I'll need a guitar also, but I'm just going to "rent" one from amazon. So the stock screen would be bad then I guess? I also don't have any luggage besides a backpack and a tankbag, but I've managed to use a bungee net and a brief case successfully.

As far as tools go, anything else worth taking? WD-40 can be had anywhere and is just useless space, but appropriate lube should be taken.

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waaaa? wd40 to lube your chain?
use dupont teflon multi-use lubricant. goes on wet, dries out to a wax. wont attract dirt.


all those questions about stock screen, seat, etc.....can be answered by experience. go on some long rides and see what you need.
go on small trips to prepare for a big one.

Yeah, that's what I meant, carry the teflon lube, but leave the wd-40 at home! Ahh, I don't think I have the appropriate gear, might as well take the train.

I think I'll go when I get a better helmet and jacket.

If you decide to go the 101 route, when you hit Washington you'll find some of the best windy roads on the 101. That is if you take it farther north than Aberdeen. I kinda question that if you take 101 vs I-5 you only loose 3 hrs, I-5 in WA from north of Vancouver is 70 mph till you hit Centralia then it drops to 60 past it and it is back to 70 till you hit Tumwater, just before Olympia. Then it is 60 the rest of the way to Seattle. 101 is a lot slower with nice twisties and beautiful scenery to boot. There are a few places on the coast of Oregon that are must see's, like the sea lion caves. In New Port, OR, you have to stop at Moe's for some of the best chowder around.

Are planning on taking 101 the whole way? If you take 101 all way through WA you will end up taking almost a whole day to make the trip from the Astoria Bridge in that crosses the Columbia River to the end of 101 at Olympia. Or are you going to cut across from Aberdeen to Olympia to I-5. The roads north of Aberdeen to Forks are roads that people from all over the world take their sport cars to have fun on the twisting roads. Just a thought.

I may cut across to the 5 once I leave california. My mom has done the drive many times, she says that from norcal to her place at lake stevens WA is only about 6 hours. Twisties are fun, but living in socal I'm no stranger to windy roads....too much twisty will just wear me out on a ride like that.

thanks for the advice on the sights to see! I'll have to start making a map or something. I'm thinking I should stop in the bay area, hang out with friends. Not sure what to do in the bay area but I already know what I want to do in Arcata....thats a really cool town. On the way up Id like to stop at the loleta cheese factory, I then in Arcata I want smug's pizza, then do some maintenance to my bike at my friends shop. The next morning I want to eat at the samoa cookhouse and walk around arcata square for a little bit before heading up again. Maybe along the way I'll stop at some of the beaches up there for pictures.

Update: I got my seat! It's really comfortable, though I think it will get better once my ass and seat better acquainted. I really like the style too, very subtle.

Hey! Good to hear from you again. Im the guy that lived in Tujunga. I hope you have a good trip, just dont push too hard, stay safe!
Joe

right on! yeah good to hear from you too!

Today I was looking at the camelbak bag
CamelBak® - Antidote™ Reservoir 50 oz

I could get this and stick it in my regular backpack. Cheap and effective. I will probably get the throttlemeister on Monday when I get paid, depending on how finances go, I may get the camelbak bag too, unless anyone has any better suggestions.

Lucifer Caitiff said:

right on! yeah good to hear from you too!

Today I was looking at the camelbak bag
CamelBak® - Antidote™ Reservoir 50 oz

I could get this and stick it in my regular backpack. Cheap and effective. I will probably get the throttlemeister on Monday when I get paid, depending on how finances go, I may get the camelbak bag too, unless anyone has any better suggestions.

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The new Antidote bags are great with the quick disconnect hose. You can unhook the hose and open the bag and hang upside down for drying out to keep things fresh. You might want to check an REI store for a CamelBak that's got a little storage plus hydration. They make quite a few bags...

Thanks, I may take a trip to REI, it would be nice to have something to put the camelbak in so I can take it out of my backpack. Maybe I'll get a small pack and just stick it inside. My backpack is a swiss army, and it's really good....no reason to outright replace it just for the sake of carrying water.

Update on my seat. On saturday I rode about 210 miles just getting where i needed to go, then another 90 on Sunday. I have absolutely no fatigue. My stock seat I would have felt like a 10 dollar whore after a friday night. The difference was astounding. Apparently the guy that made the seat is known all over the world for his seats. I'm very glad I didn't buy a corbin or TS, because I know this is better, and the price certainly couldn't have been beaten, AND he's a local guy in my town.

Looking at the throttlemeister this week as my next purchase. Need to talk to my friend to see what kind of price he can get me.

Lucifer Caitiff said:

Thanks, I may take a trip to REI, it would be nice to have something to put the camelbak in so I can take it out of my backpack. Maybe I'll get a small pack and just stick it inside. My backpack is a swiss army, and it's really good....no reason to outright replace it just for the sake of carrying water.

Update on my seat. On saturday I rode about 210 miles just getting where i needed to go, then another 90 on Sunday. I have absolutely no fatigue. My stock seat I would have felt like a 10 dollar whore after a friday night. The difference was astounding. Apparently the guy that made the seat is known all over the world for his seats. I'm very glad I didn't buy a corbin or TS, because I know this is better, and the price certainly couldn't have been beaten, AND he's a local guy in my town.

Looking at the throttlemeister this week as my next purchase. Need to talk to my friend to see what kind of price he can get me.

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If your on a budget my friend bought this he said it was good except kinda a pain in the ass to disengage throttle control order

Bates121 said:

If your on a budget my friend bought this he said it was good except kinda a pain in the ass to disengage throttle control order

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No, if you are on a tight budget and cannot afford a Throttlemeister, get yourself a cramp buster. You can pick one up at Cycle Gear for under $10. Don't know what they are? Try a search as there are several threads on this subject.

honestly if you can plot out some sort of locations for gas, that would be helpful. even just a glance on a map. for a trip like that I would go down your list and see whats really important to you and whats not..

I'd loose the windscreen and go for a hard set of luggage.. way nice when you can just get off the bike and lock them up

I wouldnt even consider wearing any backpack, put a camel back in a small tank bag

I'd forget cruise control (but thats just me, a cramp buster works great too)

do you have a full gear setup (with some type of armored pants)???

I would do an oil change before leaving, and definitly get some sort of tire kit Slime Power Sport Smart Spair Kit - Street Bike - Motorcycle Superstore
I would also let a good amount of people know where you are going to be.. never a bad idea to get someone some sort of planed out route of where you are going to be.. and check in accourdingly with them..

dunno if your into an ipod, but I rarely ride without mine and it doubles as ear protection when its off.. :thumbup:

oh and a plug for grip puppies.. they make distance riding easier on the hands...

+1 A lot of good ideas. If you want some company on the trip throught Oregon let me know the approximate days and see if we can hook up. :rockon:

LERecords said:

honestly if you can plot out some sort of locations for gas, that would be helpful. even just a glance on a map. for a trip like that I would go down your list and see whats really important to you and whats not..

I'd loose the windscreen and go for a hard set of luggage.. way nice when you can just get off the bike and lock them up

I wouldnt even consider wearing any backpack, put a camel back in a small tank bag

I'd forget cruise control (but thats just me, a cramp buster works great too)

do you have a full gear setup (with some type of armored pants)???

I would do an oil change before leaving, and definitly get some sort of tire kit Slime Power Sport Smart Spair Kit - Street Bike - Motorcycle Superstore
I would also let a good amount of people know where you are going to be.. never a bad idea to get someone some sort of planed out route of where you are going to be.. and check in accourdingly with them..

dunno if your into an ipod, but I rarely ride without mine and it doubles as ear protection when its off.. :thumbup:

oh and a plug for grip puppies.. they make distance riding easier on the hands...

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Windscreen would be better for my neck. I've had problems with it ever since my crash. If I can reduce the amount of strain from constantly being pushed around by the wind, my life would be much more pleasant. Also anything to reduce noise is worth it in my book. The throttlemeister is also worth it to me because I broke my right wrist when I was 19. I'm also already running BMW grips, they're pretty comfortable.

I have almost full gear. Instead of armor pants, I have knox knee and shin guards. They're comfortable over or under my pantaloons. Not ideal, but sufficient

I was thinking about a tank bag, for a different reason, but your idea makes it even more worth doing. It would be nice to be able to lean forward and rest my back. A tank bag would be really nice for that. If I can stick the camel pack in there, would be even better. I can just bungee my backpack down behind me or something.

Hard cases would be nice, but I don't really want to spend $500 when I can get the storage for $120. I'm saving a lot of money right now by staying at friends places during my trip. No hotels in the ghetto for me.

Tire repair kit is on my list. I just plugged a screw hole with a kit at my mechanics shop and it worked perfectly, I'm going to have him order me one just like it.

I have my iphone, i hate it, but oh well. I'll be getting a scala g4 to plug in and listen to music and take phone calls, etc.. I also want to try mounting my sirius radio somewhere, so I can listen to howard stern while I ride. It has an FM transmitter so the scala would pick it up hassle-free

Planning the route and checking in is a great idea, I'll be keeping my roommate at home in and my mom in seattle up to date on where I am and stuff. I know the route well enough through arcata, but its definitely a good idea to note gas stations between arcata and seattle. An oil change and general checkup is a no-brainer, but suppose it is worth mentioning just to be sure. I'm also going to take a can of chain lube so I can do a quick clean/lube at my friends shop in arcata.

BTW I don't actually wear pantaloons, I just felt like using that word

mxgolf said:

+1 A lot of good ideas. If you want some company on the trip throught Oregon let me know the approximate days and see if we can hook up. :rockon:

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sounds good. I'm shooting for early august, nothing's chiseled in stone as of yet though.

well.. if you want a cramp buster i could send you mine to try out.. i honestly dont use it at all (bought thinking i would use it all the time), but its yours if you want to try it out and see if it can save you a few bucks on a throtlemeister.. shoot me a pm with your address if you want it..

otherwise for a few more idea's

-http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Hand-Tools-Hex-Keys/h_d1/N-5yc1vZas0v/R-100646786/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I have one of these, absolutly love it.. alot easier to grab only than what comes in the tool kit.

-a 12-volt accessory plug - dunno if you have one or really have a need for one, but they are very handy..

-if you have a harbor freight or something similar to it around you, a bungie "net" is also very handy..

-http://www.ems.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=3903228&sr=1&origkw=techwick

This stuff is great too.. I love the techwick boxers and t-shirt for warmer days.. great under clothing