Stella 4T 350 mile ride

Maximus53 · Post by **Maximus53** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:32 am

Has anyone taken their 4T for a long ride? I am thinking of driving from Chicago to St. Louis and am wondering if this is smart to do, and what i should be sure to carry with besides replacement cables, spare tire, necessary tools, and rain gear?

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:08 pm

Max,

I see no reason not to use your machine for that ride.
It'll be harder on you than it, heh, heh.

Take as much of old 66 South of Joliet and stop and see as many of the roadside history spots as possible.......photos for memories of course.

The majority of the ride is steady speed so from a stress standpoint this is far easier on the various cables and whatnot than city driving.......you are in 4th gear most of the time with minimal shifting.

Enjoy the ride and don't fret over the machine......it was meant to travel.

Have fun,
Rob

Oh yeah, your original question......although not as far I have made several runs to Champaign and back.
Not as comfy as my Gold Wing, but, because I two lane it, much more fun.

Maximus53 · Post by **Maximus53** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:23 pm

Taking this trip didnt happen last summer, but I plan to do it this summer. I noticed there are several of you from St. Louis on this forum, is there a decent (non-hwy) bridge across the mississippi river near St. Louis?

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 9:38 pm

Hey Max.... Ring me up when you are coming... The McKinley Bridge has a 40 mph speed limit.... Just north of the main riverfront bridges..
The 30 Days Gang will give you an escort....

Ps... Your Stella will maintain highway speeds on the interstate highways. . You just have to have the hair.... I do it quite a bit when I don't want to dick around getting from here to there in timely fashion..
Good luck on your trip.

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 10:19 pm

I've taken my 2T for a 2000 miles round trip doing 450 miles a day. If the 2t can take it I am sure the 4t will be just fine.

Most important things for me where an airhawk seat to keep my legs from going to sleep and my ass from hurting, a crampbuster to hold the throttle open (got one halfway and what a difference it made!) a windshield to diminish body fatigue from airblast and some good earplugs.

Also wearing full armor really helped with fatigue due to reduced windblast and lowered perspiration at speed.

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 10:55 pm

I hear ya, Lokky, on the ear. plugs...... Must have and a windshield helps too.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 2:42 am

Yep, the McKinley Bridge connects IL-3 at Venice / Granite City area to North St. Louis. I've taken this bridge several times. If you're coming down US-67, you can come through Alton, IL and across the Clark Bridge (new suspension bridge) into north St. Louis County. You can stay on 67 and get pretty much anywhere you need to go in the STL area. I've done this bridge on the Buddy buncha times, too.

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Sun Apr 07, 2013 10:15 pm

jimmbomb wrote:I hear ya, Lokky, on the ear. plugs...... Must have and a windshield helps too.

to be honest the mid windshield made the noise worse for me... it really helped relieve wind pressure on my chest but it directed it all onto my ears (ymmv it's all down to how tall one is).

Maximus53 · Post by **Maximus53** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 5:53 pm

Thanks for all the advice!

jimmbomb wrote: Ps... Your Stella will maintain highway speeds on the interstate highways. . You just have to have the hair.... I do it quite a bit when I don't want to dick around getting from here to there in timely fashion..
Good luck on your trip.

Isn't it a bit unnerving to be cruising at 50-55 and be constantly passed by people doing 80? I've ridden a number of the rural county highways and even there i feel like I am holding up traffic.

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 7:01 pm

Maximus53 wrote:Thanks for all the advice!

jimmbomb wrote: Ps... Your Stella will maintain highway speeds on the interstate highways. . You just have to have the hair.... I do it quite a bit when I don't want to dick around getting from here to there in timely fashion..
Good luck on your trip.
Isn't it a bit unnerving to be cruising at 50-55 and be constantly passed by people doing 80? I've ridden a number of the rural county highways and even there i feel like I am holding up traffic.

I do it all the time, but with my kit I can hold 60mph GPS, still get passed by everyone.

It doesn't bother me but people tell me I am crazy for doing it and they are probably right.

It's a different kind of ride and not for everyone, the bike gets pushed around by the wind a lot at those speeds and eventually you come to love when a large truck passes you as you can push the bike even faster if you get ever so close to the truck.

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:39 am

I recently did two 7.5 hour days on the 4T. Get a seat pad.