Fellas just wondering about viability of getting an inexpensive bike for occasional 300mi journeys,-no cities, mostly open road . I'd make this run 2-3 times a month , leave friday return sunday. Main purpose is to cut down on car/fuel costs. My only- experience with bikes is dirt bikes ages ago, and was considering getting a bike for casual use anyway. What are the realities of a bike ride like this? Expert level only? Do you need more rest time than the time it takes to refuel? Thanks for any comments.

Four hours on a bike is nothing if you like to ride and have a reasonably suitable bike.

I’d get a V-STROM. If your idea doesn’t pan out somebody will buy it the day you put a sign on it.

You’re planning on riding a bike 600-900 miles each month?

😂

I am assuming you mean a motorcycle.

You used the word inexpensive. That means different things to different people. If you'll have an approximate figure on that, you'll get better targeted feedback.

"What are the realities of a bike ride like this? Expert level only?"

Man, these questions are pretty vague too. Knocking out 300 miles on a motorcycle over the course of a weekend is easy. It takes no expertise.

I have ridden everything from scooters to dual sports to adventure bikes to sport tourers and full dressed touring bikes all across the country. Give a little bit more to go on and I'll try to give you some useful feedback.

Not sure what you plan on spending but unless you buy a VERY inexpensive used bike you will never come out ahead as far as gas costs go. Add in safety gear like helmet, jacket, gloves, etc and you may even spend more. And you will be leaving the bike sit when these trips involve bad weather.
I rode for over 45 years before quitting. Some trips were riding to Alaska. One minor wreck can cost you dearly. You can be the safest and best rider in the world but if another driver decides to rear end you its game over.

Just about any Harley over a sportster will do it. Sportster will too but small tank - lots of stopping. I used to do 500 mile days on the Dyna, Road King and Road Glide with ease.

I'd look at Yamaha FJ09 whichg is more of a sport tourer.

Just about any motorcycle will do what you're asking - sit on them, be comfortable, biggest thing. 300 mile weekends are not all that hard/taxing on a bike or rider in decent shape.

My next bike will most likely be a gently used dual sport. Something along the lines of a klr650.

A sport touring bike is a PIA after 5 to 6 hours of riding. So as Teal stated, try before you buy. What feels comfortable for 5 minutes can become a killer after 3 hours of riding.

That's a very ignorant comment. I rode this one from Mississippi to Oregon in 2010. Many 500+ mile days. It was very comfortable.

It's not going to save you anything on fuel costs. You can buy a lot of gas for the car for what a bike costs. You're buying it for the fun of riding it and nothing more.

Borrow or rent a bike and try it first. It's not for everyone.......

Tires/chains/sprockets etc. etc. , long short of it a motorcycle won't save you money.

I can only speak of sportbikes, NEVER seen one make it to 10K miles on a set of tires. Dual sport riders report the same level of tire wear.

A guy on TW200 website tracked his cost comparing his toyota truck 2wd 4cyl. vs. new TW200, The truck won hands-down, far more economical and far more comfortable/enjoyable, especially after the ''I got a new bike'' feeling wore off.

How often will you need the car because of weather?

You shouldn't drink Cap't. Morgan and ride, >you might spill your drink.

OK, so you may be on overnight trips (2-3 days). Find a good, used road bike - and something with bags; doesn't have to be big/heavy, but have enough storage (or rack for a big bag) to bring stuff with ya..

Unless you're under 30, I'd just suggest staying away from the sport/tour styles. Find a dealer and sit on a few - comfort is everything on longer trips.. Insurance is cheaper for bikes than for cars.. Many bikes get well over 40 mpg, so if your regular vehicle is a pickup, you will save on gas.


Agreed... But again, that can depend on the size/weight etc., of the rider and what's necessary for comfort.. Longest ride I've done was 933 miles in one day and I wasn't all that tired... But that sure as hell wasn't on some sport/tour bike.. It was on an HD Ultra Classic.

YMMV.

Thanks fellas Im In Australia, some impressive rides mentioned above. Weather will be tropical to dry arid, no winter here, but heavy rain sometimes. Fuel costs are a big deal here. So are used car and ongoing costs. Hence looking at riding a bike( sorry motorbike ) Good to know the ride idistance tself is easily doable, thats a start. I will look at taking a few rides as suggested , Im in my 40's btw.

Lastly to the rcamuglia crying at my comments, yes I drive about 1000 miles a month at the moment. As part of my business.

I'd want a dual sport or adventure bike if I were down under. I like the upright riding position they afford and the ability to go offroad is nice as well.

If your determined to go the bike route take a hard look at the Kawasaki KLR 650. 50+ mpg is easy unless you are running faster than 75mph. Tons of after market support for parts. Easy to work on, and very comfortable riding position.

Get an electric one so you can get range anxiety and recharge 3 times on the way there and 3 mire times on the way back......

VStroms make great all-arounders. The first generation had serious wind buffeting issues though.

Gateway, close to home

Any of these get 50+MPG and are reasonably comfortable. I'd stop for gas once on a 300 mile trip.

Fuel mileage will be better on a dual sport for the most part. Panniers are pretty essential, having the ability to carry some items makes it more versatile.
Look up itchy boots, she has been all over the world, mostly on small displacement bikes.

Not true. Many Sportsters have adequate tanks. My 2006 had a 4.5-gallon tank.

Don't buy anything with tube tires. You can thank me later.

BOOM!

V-Strom is good. Kawasaki makes a 650 and a 900 Cruiser. I have been looking at them for next year.

kwg

Cool!!!! Were you able to roll any coal on bicyclists clogging the roadways??

If you buy one, make sure the seat is comfortable. A good rain suit is great to have as well. How fast will you be riding?

^^^This!^^^

If you find you enjoy riding 300mi is no problem. If not you turn into one of the campfire "experts" who opine on anything they have not done. I started riding in 1967 on a R60 BMW have many days of 500+ on everything from Kawasaki 2stroke triples to Goldwing and Harley touring bikes. My mother rode until she was 80. Owned every thing from Honda Silver Wing twin to Goldwing to BMW K1. Her all time favorite long distance bike was her 500 Interceptor. Mostly its finding something you like and are comfortable on. I found 600 to 1000 mile days easier on a bike than in a car. Get some good training and enjoy.
Pavementends

I love Gateway. It used to be somewhat affordable. Not anymore. The Auto Museum there is top notch. The highway that runs through there is a great animal viewing ride. I have seen herds of elk, deer, bighorns and bear.

Exactly!

Rode many 300+ mile days on an 06 Kawasaki Concours and never had a problem with comfort. My buddies riding cruisers, on the other hand, had a lot of lower back pain on long rides.

I'm sure there are a lot of riders with more experience than I, but I've had a bit. I've ridden significant distances on everything from 250 dual sports to Gold Wings. I've ridden 10 hours on a KLR 650 and, I can tell you, it ain't ideal. An old CX 500 wasn't half bad. A KZ750 was also decent. A Kawasaki Concours was excellent, as was a Honda ST1100. A BMW R100GS was wonderful on a gravel road and decent on long trips. A GL1100 Gold Wing (naked model) was the best long distance bike I ever had. A ZX-14 Kawasaki was not too uncomfortable, but it was a little cramped and a bit scary.
Currently, I ride a 650 V-Strom with a taller seat and it is an excellent bike. Good mileage (50+) and adequate power. Now, at 73 and with a bony ass, nothing is super comfy after five or six hours; even my truck gets a little old. Filling up every 200 miles gives me just the break I need.
Modern day O-ring chains are easily good for 20,000 miles or better, with minimal maintenance. Tires vary depending on conditions and how you ride.
A seat which feels a little firm in the showroom is better than one that feels soft and cushy. I'll second the good rain gear. You won't have to deal with cold weather but being wet sux! GD

Uber

Low cost, great reputation for reliability, versatile- KLR 650. I put in three 1,000 mile days on mine during the 42,000 miles and two years I rode it. No mechanical problems at all.

Downside are chain drive and tube-type tires.

Paul’s suggestion of some sort of dual sport/adventure bike is a good one.

Be aware that operating costs (helmet, riding gear, saddlebags and/or panniers, chains, tires etc) are going to be more than you prob’ly think.

Ride your bicycle through an automated car wash a couple of times on the way to work before you buy in completely.

I have ridden many thousands of road miles. A 300 mile day is about 6 hours on the bike. With gas stops, hydration, meals, etc. you will average around 50 miles an hour. So you should still have time to stop and smell the roses, so to speak.

I find Harleys are the best for casual riding like this and I’ve owned many bike styles. As has been intimated, it’s not a cheap hobby.

And I think the KLR is a fine bike if you are traveling logging roads but is too slow and the seat too soft for long distance use. They are surprisingly good off-road. The BMW was vastly better on gravel, at high speeds especially. The V-Strom is so much better than the KLR on pavement that there is no comparison possible. GD

158XTP, the advice about trying before buying is the best here. I've had 12 motorcycles from little to 1,000 cc's, though not an actual full dresser road bike, but I drove a big Harley for a week during the Sturgis, SD rally. Sure a big one is nicer out on the road, but honesty I had more fun on my bikes staying closer to town and a smaller sport bike was better there. In Australia you have a lot of sand and vast stretches once you get away from the coast. I didn't like being sand blasted, hitting bugs, long duration sun exposure or the windchill factor of highway riding. You have those big red kangaroos and smaller wallabies that could make a collision fatal. I saw lots of cars over there with "roo bars", so hitting animals like our deer and turkeys here must be a real possibility. I blew a rear tire once out on the highway and it was real exciting. In the outback, what would you do with a breakdown? It's not like you can take many repair parts on a bike. Then there are the inattentive people out on the road with you. Even with a big bike, you are still small compared to a car and guaranteed people won't see you and turn into you or pull out in front of you. A big road bike won't get way better gas mileage than a small car and with a car you can take passengers and stuff. The fun factor aside for a while, I sure wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis.