Big Trip Planning

[CSCDude]

Originally Posted by eness76

Hello from a long time lurker, and former (and hopefully future) china bike owner. I'm at the preliminary planning stages of a 2 week Adventure Tour most likely for late next summer, if I can get my ducks in a row. I had originally begun planning the trip around the purchase of a KLR650 until I came across the RX3. I have since been doing my best to take in all the great info you all post on this forum and the adventure rider forum, as well as anything else I can find on the net. I became excited about this idea a few months ago in the heat of the summer. Ya see, last summer ('16) was spent planning for an epic(for me) 9 day 4,000mile solo motorcycle camping trip on my Road Star 1700, which ultimately went off even better than planned in Sept of '16.
Anyway after spending much of this past year wondering what to do next, it finally came to me. I was camping with friends at AMA Vintage Days at Mid Ohio just having the time of my life as we were racing vintage motocross there, and it struck me that a big Adventure trip would be a blast, combining off-road with a long road trip. Preliminarily, the loose outline includes riding from central Ohio out to Colorado and enjoying about a week of portions of the CO BDR as well as Monument Valley and some additional off-road action in Utah. As I said until recently I had been planning around a KLR as an area dealer is selling them for a great price. When I stumbled upon the RX3 and started researching, it seems not only did this make great sense from a cost standpoint (I have a wife and 2 kids that obviously take priority over moto stuff), but it also upped the ante from an adventure standpoint as well. An epic trip on 250cc! Although I've had big bikes, I've also had small displacement bikes and really enjoyed them. I'm 6'3" and 200lbs and ride and race that old yz125 (pictured with my son and me) so I'm not really worried about the lack of power that much. When it comes to bikes it doesn't take 100hp to make me smile, as long as I can stay at around 65-70 on the highway bits when I'm loaded for the trip I'm good. i plan to film the trip and shoot lots of stills and document the trip and the bikes performance along the way and hopefully make it a bit more entertaining to watch then the vid above, as that was my first ever effort using the SENA 10c and editing. I'm going to use a DSLR for better quality stills etc, and try and make a nicer video overall. Anyway, a long winded "Hello" and a "thanks" for all the great info on this forum. I'm waiting to hear back from an area affiliate to get my first look at one in person and if all goes according to plan I'll hopefully be documenting prep and several mods along the way.

That's a pretty cool video.

[eness76]

Originally Posted by CSCDude

That's a pretty cool video.

Thanks, Joe! The next one will be much better! I have several ideas and can hardly wait and have begun a loose outline of the trip. One thing I learned from the last trip is planning out every move down to the second is a touch unrealistic and causes undue stress. I'm going to fly by the seat of my pants much more on this next one, which is one reason I'm going to make it a bit longer, so I have more freedom. I'm a draftsman/designer so it's in my nature to have everything laid out. When we go on vacation my wife jokingly asks if I've laid out our plans in AutoCad.

[Jay In Milpitas]

Having spent more than 2 decades I understand planning, precision, scheduling, etc.
And I now avoid it whenever I am able. These days my travels seem to go "Imma head that way until I think it's enough, unless I decide to turn and head to Yonder or Thaddaweigh. At some point I decide to go home, which first requires I learn exactly where the hell I am.

Despite being a member, AAA is not fond of me during my travel moods.