Long distance on a naked?

[nixter]

I'm planning a 3 day trip (6 return) from Vancouver to northern Cali this June. Am I crazy to do this on a naked FZ6? My other option is to buy something like an older Honda VFR just for the trip and sell it afterwards.

 

[Erci]

Depends.. do you plan on going 75mph (or faster) for hours at a time?

Personally, I'd rather ride a full naked bike over stock FZ6S at anything below 80.. far less buffeting and noise. Cold weather being the exception.. zero wind protection ads up to body heat loss much quicker (but then again there's heated gear).

VFR will require a good bit of tucking to not get noise and buffeting.. that can be more tiring than riding a naked sitting upright.

Ideally, I'd prefer a FZ6 with a tall touring screen for such a trip.

 

[nixter]

Thanks. I have no desire to put the fairing back on just for this trip though. It was a pain going naked. I've been looking into 3rd party wind screens that will attach to the forks but they are rare and I'm not even sure there's any that will work with the FZ6

 

[Humperdinkel]

I ride naked & clothed in all sorts of weather & really don't see naked riding as an issue !!! If you dont like the sound/feel of the wind rushing around you , take the cage That's one of the the best things about a riding a bike IMO :rockon:


6 of us rode to Tassie & back 2 years ago & for the wife & I it was 6000k's in 10 days & we were all naked & none of us would have changed a thing :thumbup:

 

[Ssky0078]

A forum member on the Fz1-forum site is planning a 3,000 mile trip on his Honda 919 (naked/standard). He said he likes the naked even for touring, but I don't think he's a speed demon. His name is Dustin and he is also from Vancouver. You guys could be naked buddies, LOL

I can go for about 300 miles a day on my naked Fz1. The wind does make you get tired a little sooner, but it's a good reason to get off the bike, eat, drink and stretch.

 

[nixter]

Glad to hear that it probably wont be too bad. I'm not planning to be a speed demon. We're taking the scenic coastal route.

 

[Daniel_Aus]

I recently did 1000 kms over 3 days on my naken FZ6N. It was awesome!!

I've done similar trips on faired bikes and don't see much difference. In fact, the FZ6 was far more comfortable (because the faired bikes I refer to were more aggressive riding positions).

Just do it. :thumbup:

 

[SweaterDude]

my longest is close to 500mi in a day, but i have the faired FZ with Yamaha touring screen (+2ish inches) and the buffeting is definitely the most tiring bit, followed by those silly FZ6 Handlebars (next on the list of things to change).

but i still have the stock screen and plan on cutting it down to the stalks, for a change. we'll see...

 

[4drfocus]

I've done 500+ miles @ 85mph in one day on a naked FZ6 w/ R6 clip-ons & straight pipes, just stop once in a while for some body stretches and snacks, if you have stock exhaust bring earphones, if you have aftermarket exhaust bring earplugs, a camelback is nice in the summer, fill it up with ice and water, keeps your back cool for hours!

 

[Nolift911]

I did a coast to coast trip - over 8000 miles total in a month - 400-600 a day sometimes.

Not bad at all - the key for me with the long distance was the frame sliders and hooking up your legs on them when your butt starts to hurt. I would fill the tank and then ride till it is empty. I thought it was prety comfortable.

Its a motorcycle - there is buffeting. Following big rigs at 80-90mph...there is nothing that will prevent it.

Riding position is fine - wind not an issue. Except crossing Kansas with 40-50mph crosswinds...just need to lean into it :BLAA:

 

[PurpleZJ]

I did a coast to coast trip - over 8000 miles total in a month - 400-600 a day sometimes.

Not bad at all - the key for me with the long distance was the frame sliders and hooking up your legs on them when your butt starts to hurt. I would fill the tank and then ride till it is empty. I thought it was prety comfortable.

Its a motorcycle - there is buffeting. Following big rigs at 80-90mph...there is nothing that will prevent it.

Riding position is fine - wind not an issue. Except crossing Kansas with 40-50mph crosswinds...just need to lean into it :BLAA:

funny you say that about kansas, my first trip on I70 from manhattan to topeka I was going straight, yet with the crosswinds I was leaned over, that was the weirdest feeling for me. but now I'm used to it.

 

[Nolift911]

funny you say that about kansas, my first trip on I70 from manhattan to topeka I was going straight, yet with the crosswinds I was leaned over, that was the weirdest feeling for me. but now I'm used to it.

Very strange - all I kept thinking was surely nobody has been swept off the road or the bike on a sunny day in Kansas?

My bars were turned into the wind and I was way leaned over - if the wind had suddenly stopped I would have driven right off the rode and into a ditch.

That and the streets of San Fransisco - some of the those hills...? Really had to get used to starts on those.

But the bike performed flawlessly - one oil change in LA and a chain lube/adjustment for routine maint and that was it before headed back to VA