Tip #4: Exercise. Most older drivers are simply not in great physical shape and it makes riding long kilometers/miles much harder. Go to the gym...lift weights...start attending yoga classes...run if you are able.
@@kanuklastman3436 Getting some exercise throughout a long ride not only keeps away aches and pains, but helps prevent things like blood clots in the legs. The same is true when on long airline flights.
Exactly. Even if ride enduro bike with hard seat and knobbies, I stop every 40 km just 5 min. Can do it all day. Stop often just short time makes riding all day long piece of cake😊
I'd add get a quiet helmet and earplugs if you don't have them yet. It's not only about hearing protection, but loud noise for extended periods of time is exhausting, and after an entire day of riding you will definitely notice the difference.
That's the beauty of travelling alone. The schedule is your schedule. If you need to change it, you change it, with no-one else to consider. Early starts are definitely the way to go. Providing there are no mishaps by early afternoon your day is done, and time for a beer🍺. Ride safe Pavlin👍
Yes !!! But stop the stress omg I have to ride 500km today just chill out enjoy the ride and if u have a tent and gas cooker u can sleep anywhere 😴 its not push push ! Enjoy
Yep, an early start with a full tank is really good. Went how from a trip in Sweden. Started 5am and 750km and a ferry later, I was home at 3pm. And not even tired! Another great thing about an early start is the beauty. See the birth of a new day, sunrise, temp. rise, fog over the lakes...yep, that's beautiful!
totally agree. Another benefit of an early start is if you have to go through a city or built up area, maybe from your hotel, you can enjoy the city sights without the traffic and still make good time without the frustrations. GL
@@richardhretczak536 some of us like the early start on quiet roads, and an early finish with time for a relaxing afternoon, not feeling rushed for tea or a few beers, but it's whatever works for you. GL
Everything you say about early to bed and early start I discovered a few years ago. The problem with traveling in a group is the evenings, just one more beer, followed by just one more beer.
Yeah, too many guys that like to drink on trips. I avoid these types. They ruin the schedule and when hangover are like zombies on bikes. Accident waiting to happen.
Another lifetime ago I spent four years patrolling the African bush, mostly with a bunch of other similarly motivated guys. I trained myself to operate under extreme sleep deprivation - 18-30 hours non stop. Sometimes, day or night, I sat under a tree and just lost 10 minutes in a sort of semi unconsciousness. 20 was a luxury. I could go for days like that. I thrived in that environment. But back at base, most of the guys would drink tons of South African Castle beer and get blitzed. I did that too, but it always knocked the edge off my game next time we went out. It’s much harder to walk through thick bush with gear and a weapon, scanning, start stop, start stop, looking for spoor, listening, anticipating a contract any second, 24/7, than riding a bike, even off road. And you can’t fall asleep like in a car, except maybe with earplugs and heated clothing.
you just need to have the guts to say ok guys I am heading to bed at 9 when they want to have drinks until late night. I know its hard but once you did it once and once they realized that riding half asleep for 7 hours is not enjoyable its not too bad anymore and suddenly the evenings will be much calmer
In Poland when I ride 80-90 km/h (even on smaller roads) every driver feels like he MUST overtake me... If they see a motorcycle go within speed limits they all need to show me they are faster. :D
great advice for old man like me 70yrs who in mid sept will ride motorcycle around the outside of Australia..maybe 18000 or 20000km..I ride 700 when I bought motorcycle and whoaaaaaa is like 13hrs on sore arse for sure..but was ok next day..I dont see why people want to ride more than 500km in one day.. I am early riser and early bed and drive slow, so thats good..motivation is in the doing of it..last ride perhaps..did want to do Russia but pension only good so far...anyway,,thanks for the tips...always watch your video's
Very good points. My key is alawys to try and take a short brake EVERY 100km even in the beginning of the day because it will help you later in the ride a LOT. If you do 300km without brake you will start to feel the last 200km much more even if you start taking brakes after that. It doesn't need to be a 100 as we are all different. Decide on a number and stick to that number even if you don't feel like stopping. Take 5 minutes off the bike and it's gonna add up during the day to make you feel more refreshed and therefore also make the ride more safe. Safe rides!
Pavlin, Your observations and the resulting suggestions help keep those of us on this side of the video focused on the essential elements of travel. As always, thanks for the video and stay safe.
Fantastic! What beautiful country. Thanks for the tips. Also, if you are flying on the highway, you miss seeing the country you are in. It is a trip/ adventure not a track day.
Everyone should find their comfort and efficiency on long journeys. Regular stops help to increase the total mileage and above all the pleasure of the trip.
While I certainty agree with an early start, I prefer to wait for sunrise as I worry about deer and other animals which are numerous on many country roads where I live. I typically fuel up before I call it a day and always have a beer to celebrate my day’s journey.
Thank you very much Pablin!! that's is the way to travel on a Motorcycle!! your are the most honest RU-vidr to tell us how can enjoyable is riding a motorcycle. You deserve more likes and suscribes
An early start gives one a lot of latitude during the day. I like to have my distance down by 2pm at the latest. If I need to go farther i have time to take a break and relax. Have the bike ready to roll first light. Burn a tank of fuel or two before breakfast or lunch. Steady rolling man. Set a comfortable pace and stay on it. Carry a little snack food and drink. Less time putting on gear and off. Tomorrow is another day. Be rested and ready for it. Plan your trip as to traffic road conditions especially when you are fresh. Rest, no caffine.
I totally agreed with your suggestion. Riding slow is not really right. I do it moderate speed. It could bring you the kilometer. I normally start at 7 am. And end it at 4 pm. That is the best no rush and don't wear you out.😂
To me the seat or the cushioning on the seat is the most important thing on a motorcycle after the riding posture. A butt sore is the biggest hurdle in long distance motorcycling.
great points. on my two month trip last year, I started with that approach but after two weeks I found myself getting up early, having a coffee as I packed up, riding for a few hours until I came to somewhere interesting, then having a really good look around, a good lunch, a long break, then back on the road to 7pm or so where I would have an evening meal, often just a simple one bought from a supermarket, then ride on close to sunset if it was open terrain, (to dangerous in wooded terrain with deer strike). I was frequently still setting up camp as the sun went down. When I got further south and the temperatures rose, I stayed in air-conditioned motels, I would leave them at first light and was at the next motel by 3pm because the heat was unbearable. Though one day in Arizona I did over 800km, in temperatures over 40 degrees it almost killed me,
I learnt this from you before Pavlin It works perfectly for having a clear mind, clear plan for the next day You are my go to Guy when it comes to motorcycle travel Respect
Hi pavlin, great adventure you do, the distance you do is the double distance i ride in one year. your words in my mind when i can ride more in the future when i can taake mor time to explore europe and may be more. Stay safe and healthy. 👍
That is right 👍 my friends. There are 'friends' and there are 'friends'. One thing lead to the other and problems are on the road or the way home when alcohol is mixed with two wheels. This is why I like to travel solo, and not because of the friends but because I want to establish and stay in my route. All I want is wake up early in the morning, pack my stuff, and set my compass to the place no man has gone before and zip a nice cup of coffee ☕ and some sweets by a breathtaking secret place. Lets ride my friends and safely have all the fun and memories.😊👍🤙🌍
I totally agree. One day hard ride, for me, means two days short or average days riding and this doesn't even take into account bad weather which has its own issues.
for what it's worth my own tips are, i have a home made inflatable cushion to sit on, so now i have no numb bum at all and it feels great. i use athletic wrist supports, & am about to experiment with handlebar risers which i believe will get me a tad more comfier, i take a break to stretch my legs and have a drink every 90 mins or so, and i totally agree with the early start philosophy, but for me that's about 6am on the road, not 4am lol. it feels great to get a good mileage under your belt before lunch knowing you can just pootle at whatever speed you want for the rest of the day. thanks for the vid. GL
I'd say route choice can also have a notable impact too, with smaller road being slower bigger roads being faster for me, but just something to factor in. Personally I'd plan a day by hours of riding rather than distance, but there are times where you have to flip that to be able to get somewhere for a certain date for example.
My Tenere xt660 z from 2010 has been with me on my travels ever since (mostly Scandinavia with a good proportion of gravel or dirt roads). Without problems - and if there were any, the cause was the driver. My experience: take your time. In particular, avoid German autobahns (I come from the country (city of Cologne). In 2 days you can easily be in Travemünde and cross over to Sweden. After that it's only 80-110 km anyway - unless you risk a drastic fine. So: relax and enjoy the adventure!
Simple and efficient tactics that will make our riding trips more pleasant and without pain. One thing I think you've forgot to mention is that all of this is possible mostly by traveling alone 👍 But you've covered this topic in your other videos. Greetings 🙏
motivation, early to bed, early start, 20 min max breaks, and keep speed down. you also said max distance 500 km. Of course these are probably just averages over the trip. Great video once again. Be interesting to see the difference in accident rates as the mileage per day increases?
*thanks for video really helpful on long rides, cruising at 90-120 kmph gives good mileage, eagerly awaiting the Epic Magadan Ride videos kindly please keep it raw with less music to enjoy full beauty of Russian side with your inspiring talk on the go*
I brought a manual cruise control that clumps to the throttle grip, Easy to use, It's but not prefect but makes a great difference to comfort of riding on highways. Only $8.50 (Australian) online from China. Well made.
I took a trip from where I live in Michigan down to where my dad lives in Texas. It’s about 1300 miles, or a little more than 2000 K. I got uncomfortable from time to time, but I never got tired. I put down 900 miles the first day and finished it up on the second.
I try to do the longest ride of the day first, then stop for a good break of 15 minutes or more. Once back on the bike, i try to take at least a 5 minute stop every hour after that. This means actually getting off the bike, drink something, walk a little and do some stretches. Restarting i always find my enthusiasm and body are refreshed 😊
Great video. I have notice the speed difference very much. Riding for about 7h in Germany where the roads are 100km/h was much, much more tiring for me than 8h in other countries with limits of about 80-90km/h. Having regular breaks is so important as well. Just have a break every hour. If your ass starts hurting, you are too late and will keep it the rest of the day, it will only get worse. The 500km limit seems very fair, and I do agree its about the limit of what you should be doing (except perhaps if you ride a big gold wing on those long boring roads in the US). I do disagree on the short brake remark though. Next holiday of mine I want to actively do longer and more breaks! After all, isn't a holiday or trip about experiencing things? It shouldn't be about just the goal, but the journey itself. And after looking back on my last holiday, I think I should have stopped more, done more detours, and get off the bike more to chill out and relax. Purposefully get out of that riding mode, so to say. Although I suppose its a different thing in some regions of the world, where there's not much change in scenery for the whole day.
It took until you succinctly stated it, that starting early and ending early are the key for your travel to realize this is something I should actually plan. I consistently regret riding until 5/6pm to get the days km in but yet I REALLY enjoy the early morning ride. But yet I get up at 8am... Now that you have pointed it out I wonder why I did not put that together sooner. Thank you for pointing out the obvious. Sounds silly, sometimes the obvious is in a person's blind spot.
The only regret I have now is the fact that 2 years ago, when I was in a normal state, I did not become interested in motorcycles and this type of adventure. I have been suffering from schizophrenia for more than 1 year and unfortunately I don't see that I could realize something like this in the near future.. Thank you for your contribution, providing your experience in moto adventures!!!
Pavlin, if I were to ride from the UK to Zimen (Karnobat), how LATE in the year could I leave it BEFORE the really rotten weather moves in across that region?
Yes. Sir. Thats the way one can Ride long distance , i have done 650kms in a day on my 125CC bike. Started early at 6am & reached home at 9:30pm. The Speed was not more than 80/85 kmph. Jaipur to Ahmedabad. Solo.
My good friend is slow starter. In our first longer motorcycle trip we had nice camping place and fun evening. Next morning I woke up about 8-9, I'm not a morning person. But my friend was sooo slow with his morning routines and playing all the stuff he took with him, making breakfast, packing his bike etc. I was too polite and didn't hurry him. It was like 13.00 when we finally started our engines. I was quite pissed at that point. Whole riding day was ruined. I think he noticed that I was not happy, as he asked at the next camping site feedback how's he doing. I said that well maybe you could do your routines faster in the mornings. After that we didn't have any problems. He was even ready earlier than me in couple mornings 😅
Thanks Pavlin, Great video as always. What about pain in the back? After 3 days of ride i am feeling oain in the upper back and neck. Do you have similar issues?
It is easy. Simply be in reasonable shape and not an overweight body. Works for me for 40+ yerars of all types of days and weeks long rides. LOL. I never start at 4 or 6:00 am.. Also avoid the major highways and cities (boring and less safe driving). I love exploring new sites in the morning and afternoon during 10 - 14 hour riding days.
If you REALLY ride, if you REALLY enjoy riding, you won't want cruise control. Even long open stretches of motorway need you to be aware and ready to adjust and modulate eveything. It's not difficult to keep your speed even with your throtle hand. That is what you should be doing as a rider a skill you should have. If you want cruise control you're not a true motorcycle rider, go get yourself sombody to drive you around and sell your bike to somebody who can properly enjoy it !!!
Interesting movie. For me long rides depend on allot of factors. In Australia I can be riding distances on reasonably good roads at speed. My average might be 110k. So my Indian which is a really big motorcycle has both excellent polar stability and very good wind and weather protection. My gear stays dryer and warmer. In winter when temperatures can be minus 5 degrees celcius the wind chill at 100k really matters!. So heated grips good gear and protection matter. The right motorcycle will make a huge difference. Sitting on an exposed 300cc Honda thats reving its nuts off isnt my idea of fun. And I have been there and done that too.
For me I don't get tired. I take short 5 to 10 minute breaks when re-fueling. But, if i stop 30 minutes or eat something then I get tired. Also i find traveling alone was less exhausting.
Another great video as usual. Can you suggest, when you are riding for more than 500KM on a day, do you need to lube your chain halfway? Usually I clean up the motorcycle and lube the chain when I made it to the destination for a day and make the motorcycle ready for next day.
My trips are max. 350km daily. This is about 7 hours in the saddle(I don’t drive fast either)and is enough to me. Otherwise after a week ,you’re sick and tired of your motorcycle .
One unrelated question to this video. Is there a particular reason you keep your rear mirrors like rabbits ears (pointing up). Is it to get the better visibility going uphill/downhill?
Hell brother,greetings from Croatia. How do you maintain the chain on long trips? Do you use diesel from gas stations or bring your own brushes and sprays?
I am wondering how you avoid cramps in your hands covering the distances that you do. Mostly when I change gloves or for any other reasons that I still don't comprehend I get cramps. Also, I am so fascinated by your concept of beginning the drive early in the morning. However, I just don't seem to be able to stop life so early in the evening for fear of missing out on all of the delight that the night may offer. Think of the quiet and darkness, the stars, the wildlife that becomes alive as the sun sets. I just feel that I throw away life's richness. At the same time, I understand the practical gain of leaving early. Still, these two concept aren't compatible. I am still looking for the deciding argument. Thank you for your efforts to share your experiences. Greatly appreciated.
Returning home has very srong motivation. Last day of my trip I did 2000Km through strong winds, rain until got wet, then down to 0° C though mouintains. Never again will take that stupid desicion
There are definitely advantages to start normally (9-10AM) and ride till night and even some of it (like 9-10PM). First is that if you are wild camping you basically never have an issue as nobody sees you and you can be camping in really "dangerous" but cool places (where police can catch you and fine you, very close to the road but with crazy view etc.). Obviously this applies only to some countries as in many wild camping is legal and permitted. Also the temperature is better than starting at early morning when it's cold. And the warmness stays till night (depends as well obviously).
@@motorcycleadventures btw you can use thick rubber o-ring as a cruise control. works wonders. you just put it between the rubber of your throttle and end of the handlebar - in the "hole" between. I have handlebar weights so very easy to install it with them. the friction holds the throttle in place. you can still increase/decrease speed, just it will have high friction so be prepared for that. if you have barkbusters the oring will never be lost.
