Road Trip Tips?!

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 3:01 am

A group of friends and I are planning on taking many road trips in the future on our scooters (starting off small then working up to a few cross country trips once we gain more experience). Anyone got any advice, personal experiences to share, tips on packing the Buddy (storage options), or any other things to consider?

I've just come across this site: ROAD TRIP AMERICA
Looks pretty helpful but haven't had the chance to check it out yet.

Thanks for any help you can

PS
~Keys your blog definitely inspires!

Post by **ericalm** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:21 am

There are actually several sites out there that have non-freeway routes around and across much of the country. I've seen a couple posted on ModernVespa; I'll try to hunt 'em down.

Post by **ericalm** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 5:54 pm

Here are some good resources. I'm sure there's a LOT more info and advice out there. I have yet to take a long trip on my scoot.

Scooter Touring thread on MV which begins with a number of suggestions from MB moderator and Cannonball vet. MV is a good resource in general; a lot of riders there have taken long trips.

Motorcycle Trip Checklist

Mad Maps: http://www.madmaps.com/
Map 24: http://www.us.map24.com/

State Motorcycle Laws

Other things to consider off the top of my head:

GPS. There are a lot riders over on ModernVespa who use it, so you can search and find a lot of threads on their gear & how to mount it to a scoot.
AAA RV/MC coverage
For interstate or long-range travel, carry a list of all the Buddy dealerhips and other scooter shops along your route.
Invest in some really good riding apparel/gear.
Free internet/wi-fi hotspots (if you're bringing a laptop) along the way.

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:19 pm

Be sure and start with some shorter, local day trips to get a feeling of what sort of things you need to carry with you, and also just to build up some stamina and check that the comfort level is there for you.

To Eric's excellent list, I would also add the number for Genuine roadside assistance.

Kevin K · Post by **Kevin K** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:44 pm

OK, not actually a road trip planning site per se....
But a fun site to find interesting places to go to on your trip. http://www.roadsideamerica.com/
Enjoy!
-K

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:30 am

Thanks a lot! The links and advice are extremely helpful

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:58 am

anyone figured out a practically way to take spare tire along with you on a trip (while also having room for your other road trip supplies and gear) or do you just stick with a tire repair kit until you can find your way to a local shop?

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:38 am

What I've done is get a tubeless tire repair kit at Wally-World as well as one of those CO2 cartridge inflater deals with 3 cartridges. Takes up hardly any room in your front glove pouch and (speaking from experience), it works!

--Keys

jgalar · Post by **jgalar** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:44 am

Buy a tubless tire plug kit and a small pump.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:49 am

Keys wrote:What I've done is get a tubeless tire repair kit at Wally-World as well as one of those CO2 cartridge inflater deals with 3 cartridges. Takes up hardly any room in your front glove pouch and (speaking from experience), it works!

Can you just continue riding with a repair or do you need to take it slow until you can get a replacement ASAP?

Also... Wally World?

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:40 am

Hi Corsair,

Eric has done a good job of pointing you to different resources. Also, I really like his list of necessities. That Scooter Touring thread on ModernVespa has got a lot of good info in it, though the guy who wrote the original post (me) is certainly long-winded, huh?

Seriously, that post was geared toward moving a fairly large group of scooters (eg a Cannonball) across the entire country, so some of that is overkill for a couple scooters on a shorter trip.

I see that you found Road Trip America. For route planning information, also take a look at Road Trip USA which was the book Robert and I used for the inspiration for the Cannonball 2006 route. The entire book is online and it has some great route ideas.

I like AAA RV Plus. I had to use them on Cannonball 06 before the ride ever got started and they cheerfully arrived and saved my bacon. The RV Plus level membership is mandatory for them to tow a motorbike. It's a little more expensive, but it's their rule.

I like the idea of the tubeless patch kit/CO2 cartridge for fixing flats, but as I pointed out in the scooter touring thread, I saw a tubeless patch blow on I-40 on Cannonball 04, which was not a good thing. I guess the lesson learned is that it's not a terrific idea to push a patched tire too hard. Buddys should be a little easier on the patch as they're not as heavy or fast as the Vespa GT200L which I saw blow it's patched tire.

The GPS is a great idea on backroads adventures. I tried to get one for Cannonball 06 but I bought the wrong one and didn't realize it until the ever last minute, so I didn't get to use it and don't have any experience except the painful one of learning that the Garmin Nuvi won't download routes plotted in the Garmin route-making software. (The Nuvi also isn't waterproof, so it was a poor choice. My bad.)

The folks over on ModernVespa have posted several great threads (with pix) on how to mount a GPS to the mirror stalk of a scooter. It involves some slightly spendy hardware called a RAM mount. The RAM stuff is like tinkertoys for mounting a GPS to a motorbike.

Backroads touring on a Buddy actually sounds like great fun, but you'll have to travel light, living-out-of-a-knapsack light, or you'll need a sag wagon to haul your gear. Oh, yeah, that reminds me. I would get a luggage rack and a topcase to put your gear in. You don't want to wear a pack with your gear in it all day, that's no fun. A couple folks on here have had welds on their Buddy luggage racks fail. This thread has details on what to do to shore one up which I would highly recommend doing before I bolted a topbox to it and lit out for the parts.

Have fun. Take lots of pix and make notes. Post the story with lots of pix when you get back.

P.S. I would suggest blogging via a laptop, but laptops are heavy and I'm not sure where to carry one along with all your other gear on a Buddy. I sure wouldn't want that extra weight on the Buddy's luggage rack, even if the rack had been welded up with extra supports. Peter Moore, who wrote Vroom with a View, told me that he made all the notes for the book in those little flip notebooks you see at Walgreen's for $0.49. They're light, cheap, and highly portable.

I promised my family I wouldn't make long posts like this any more, so now I'm going to shut up and return you to your regularly scheduled progamming.

Good Luck!

buddy · Post by **buddy** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:33 am

Corsair wrote:anyone figured out a practically way to take spare tire along with you on a trip (while also having room for your other road trip supplies and gear) or do you just stick with a tire repair kit until you can find your way to a local shop?

I am SO GLAD you asked!

That is a picture of legendary Walter Muma in 1978. I just read several of his web pages last night. What an amazing story. He travelled 11,500 miles in 3 months on that moped. Average speed: 25-30 mph! He outlines step by step how he did it.

I'm sure that's not exactly what you meant when you were asking where to keep a spare tire, but I couldn't resist the oppurtunity to share a peice of Walter's story (and use that cool pic).

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:39 am

jrsjr thanks for the reply and all the helpful advise! I'll definitely be upgrading my AAA.

Lojical1 and I, along with a couple of our friends, have been planning on taking a few scooter tours for sometime now. After reading PJ's 2006 R.A.M.B.L,E I'm more motivated than ever! The photography and stories were beyond amazing (seriously, everyone should take a look at the site).

We'll certainly be taking everyone's advise and starting off slow, taking day trips throughout Michigan. One of our first trips will be traveling Michigan Ave. [US-12] from Detroit to Chicago, where we'll be meeting up with our friends. From there we'll head up to Milwaukee, since none of us have ever been there before. We'll see if that turns into looping Lake Michigan

After we gain more experience and build up our endurance there are a few cross-country trips we've been planning out. There's a lot of country out there to explore (can't wait to share that with everyone!).

Thanks again for everyone's help and support. Looking forward to riding with you all someday!

[EDIT]
Can anyone recommend some places to see along route 12 (MI or IN) or any other good places to travel in Michigan?

paige · Post by **paige** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:41 pm

Unfortunately for us California riders, AAA Plus RV coverage with motorbike coverage is only available to AAA members with AAA insurance coverage on their vehicle. We cannot add it on. Spent some time with the reps at my local office hashing all of this out.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:52 pm

paige wrote:Unfortunately for us California riders, AAA Plus RV coverage with motorbike coverage is only available to AAA members with AAA insurance coverage on their vehicle. We cannot add it on. Spent some time with the reps at my local office hashing all of this out.

I have a regular ol' AAA auto membership and was able to add RV/MC.

I had no problem adding it; think I did it via the CA AAA web site.

BlueMark · Post by **BlueMark** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:12 pm

A great source for scenic backroads travel routes is Adventure Cycling - which are designed for bicycle touring. A few routes may include sections of bicycle only trails (rail trails etc) but most would be ideal for scooter travel.

Many mapping programs such as DeLorme's Street Atlas USA can be configured to create routes that exclude highways and limited access roads, and will also label services and attractions along the way.

-Mark

pjchmiel · Post by **pjchmiel** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:57 pm

Corsair wrote:jrsjr After reading PJ's 2006 R.A.M.B.L,E I'm more motivated than ever! The photography and stories were beyond amazing (seriously, everyone should take a look at the site).

We'll certainly be taking everyone's advise and starting off slow, taking day trips throughout Michigan. One of our first trips will be traveling Michigan Ave. [US-12] from Detroit to Chicago, where we'll be meeting up with our friends.

[EDIT]
Can anyone recommend some places to see along route 12 (MI or IN) or any other good places to travel in Michigan?

Thanks for the kinds words about my trip/site, I need to finish those journal entries!

I've ridden on US 12 from Niles, MI to Chicago before, it's a decent ride. In SW MI it's fairly nondescript, a little hilly, just your typical southern MI small towns. For 20 miles or so in Indiana (Mich. City to just outside of Gary) it's actually quite scenic and beautiful along the IN Dunes Lakeshore, with very little traffic (everyone is on the interstate running parallel a few miles south). Lots of cool old motels and fireworks stands near the state line. You could also stop by the Houses of Tomorrow from the '33 (I think) World's Fair in Beverly Shores, IN. Going through Gary might be a little hair-raising but I've done it dozens of times and never had a problem. Once in Chicago you might get lost trying to follow the signs to 41 (South Shore Drive and later Lake Shore Drive) from where it meets 12/20 around 95th St., just keep your eyes peeled!

Best of luck, happy scootering.
PJ

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:18 am

Oh Eric the Calm One,

Indeed, you can ride on it. I rode for a week back and forth to work (5 miles one way) and then over to Prescott (50 miles, give or take) over a curvy mountain road (at as high a speed as my scooter would go...) on Saturday. I took a spare tire with me and had it swapped out at a scooter dealership there in Prescott. Ditched the old one. The salesman/mechanic (an old friend of mine and club mate) said he has gone for months on a properly plugged tire because he couldn't afford a new one. Say he had no problems.

As for Wally World...I think I prefer yours...

--Keys

pjchmiel · Post by **pjchmiel** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:26 am

jrsjr wrote: P.S. I would suggest blogging via a laptop, but laptops are heavy and I'm not sure where to carry one along with all your other gear on a Buddy. I sure wouldn't want that extra weight on the Buddy's luggage rack, even if the rack had been welded up with extra supports. Peter Moore, who wrote Vroom with a View, told me that he made all the notes for the book in those little flip notebooks you see at Walgreen's for $0.49. They're light, cheap, and highly portable.

My biggest regret about my trip is that my laptop conked out at the last minute, so I didn't bring it and I couldn't blog/update easily from the road...I had to rely on "cyber cafes" (almost nonexistent now thanks to wireless internet) and people's home computers, FAR from predictable or ideal. Mind you, my trip was 10 weeks—if it was 10 days it would be more manageable. I was writing notes in little pocket notebooks and lost two of the three I started with on the trip! Priceless stuff like people's contact info, quotes, gas stops/mileage, anecdotes, etc...gone forever, disappeared somewhere near Acadia park in Maine. Total bummer. So be careful if that's the system you rely on; still not sure how I lost mine!

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:20 am

pjchmiel wrote:... I was writing notes in little pocket notebooks and lost two of the three I started with on the trip! Priceless stuff like people's contact info, quotes, gas stops/mileage, anecdotes, etc...gone forever, disappeared somewhere near Acadia park in Maine. Total bummer. So be careful if that's the system you rely on; still not sure how I lost mine!

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Sorry to hear that happened, but it reminds me of something I meant to say before. The last Cannonball really taught me a lesson about traveling light. One thing I learned was, if you don't need it (or you're done with it), stop at the next UPS or USPS and mail it home.

Sorry about your notebooks. I guess it wouldn't have been any less painful to lose your laptop, though.