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I'm planning on doing a long journey in a month or 2 of up to 400 miles in 1 day

Plan to set out at 5am from London to Manchester which will be circa 170-200miles dependent on route A roads NO motorway as L plater. Then spend 4-5 hours doing some spotting then head back leaving circa 3-4pm and aim to be home by 8/9pm

Anyone else done so many mile in 1 day?

I'd be at 40-60mph for most of the journey, any issues with doing this?

RedBaron wrote:I'm planning on doing a long journey in a month or 2 of up to 400 miles in 1 day

Plan to set out at 5am from London to Manchester which will be circa 170-200miles dependent on route A roads NO motorway as L plater. Then spend 4-5 hours doing some spotting then head back leaving circa 3-4pm and aim to be home by 8/9pm

Anyone else done so many mile in 1 day?

I'd be at 40-60mph for most of the journey, any issues with doing this?

You'll be fine.

What are you spotting?

you you wrote:

RedBaron wrote:I'm planning on doing a long journey in a month or 2 of up to 400 miles in 1 day

Plan to set out at 5am from London to Manchester which will be circa 170-200miles dependent on route A roads NO motorway as L plater. Then spend 4-5 hours doing some spotting then head back leaving circa 3-4pm and aim to be home by 8/9pm

Anyone else done so many mile in 1 day?

I'd be at 40-60mph for most of the journey, any issues with doing this?

You'll be fine.

What are you spotting?

Sad person alert.

Aeroplanes

I just love the size, roar power and the smell of the aviation fuel. The viewing park at Manchester is right next the runway. Not been for about 12 years so would be good to go back again. May do the tour of concorde and Nimrod as well

RedBaron wrote:

you you wrote:

RedBaron wrote:I'm planning on doing a long journey in a month or 2 of up to 400 miles in 1 day

Plan to set out at 5am from London to Manchester which will be circa 170-200miles dependent on route A roads NO motorway as L plater. Then spend 4-5 hours doing some spotting then head back leaving circa 3-4pm and aim to be home by 8/9pm

Anyone else done so many mile in 1 day?

I'd be at 40-60mph for most of the journey, any issues with doing this?

You'll be fine.

What are you spotting?

Sad person alert.

Aeroplanes

I just love the size, roar power and the smell of the aviation fuel. The viewing park at Manchester is right next the runway. Not been for about 12 years so would be good to go back again. May do the tour of concorde and Nimrod as well

It's not that sad. Go to Cosford on the way up?

Cosford is great, but I could spend an entire day there. Duxford is even better and a fair bit closer to London.

Post some pictures of the trip RedBaron.

I once rode Sheffield to Birmingham (then back again) on a CBR125. Although I used motorways (got boring).

It sounds strange but I always feel uneasy riding a smaller engine on long (fast) journeys compared to when I had bigger bikes. Because you're limited to approx 60mph you get a lot more people overtaking you which is a bit risky.

I think you would be fine BUT ONLY if the weather holds up. I imagine if it buckets it down the journey will not be as enjoyable.

I've done that kind of distance on a day ride many times but never on a scooter.

To sum it up I think the most important things to know are the route characteristics, weather, food and comfort stops, where the gas stations are that will be open for sure, what you would do in an emergency or vehicle breakdown, and how much money to bring. A cell phone and credit card could save your life.

When I had a Honda Rebel 250 I did about 150 miles one evening with my (at the time) wife on the back to one of the sailing capitals of the world, Newport R.I. and that was a stretch. . .the weather turned cold when the sun went down on the return loop and I foolishly didn't bring any gloves. Well. . .I was younger then and it was back in 1986. Solo I think it would have been Okay, but two up on a Rebel 250 was truly trying to live a dream. . .which kind of turned into a bad dream. . .not that the bike wasn't good. . .but for two full sized adults it was living on the edge where you start asking yourself when did it stop being fun. She was a good lady and never complained but in retrospect it made me think that there is something to be said for youthful exuberance vs wisdom.

I've done 350 to 400 mile days on a Yamaha TX650A, Kawasaki Ninja 750, Kawasaki KLR 650, and Suzuki Bandit GSF 1200s. Never had the thought about doing that kind of distance on a smaller machine (although possible) due to the type of traffic and road conditions I knew I'd have to deal with. Having speed capability on tap and great brakes can make all the difference in the world and when you are riding with "the Bulls" it's a plus.

If you are confident that your traffic conditions and choice of routes are conducive to using a PCX 150 then that is key. Also remember that you may not be able to stand up on a scooter like on a motorcycle to relieve numb butt and may have to pull over if needed to take a break.

It's an admirable quest for sure. . .let us know how your trip was. Maybe you'll get to see a "Mosquito".

If I were going to take a trip like you are thinking on this side of "The Pond" I'd have to stick to all the secondary roads. . .speeds not in excess of 50 MPH (80 KPH) and with all the traffic lights and rush hour traffic and kids going to and getting out of school it would sure take a long time. When I travel 350 to 400 mile days I go on what we call Interstate Highways or roads that have flowing traffic in the realm of 80 MPH (129 KPH) because it seems a majority of the drivers exceed the 65 MPH speed limits. That being said I'm able to cover that kind of distance of 200 miles out and 200 miles back from around 4:00AM to 10:00PM or in 18 hours (which breaks down into an average speed of roughly 25 MPH give or take). You'll be making stops along the way and eating etc. . .so it all gets figured in.

Consider bringing a can of "Fix a Flat" or small bicycle pump. I've got the "Stop & Go" tire plugger kit that I bought years ago and only used it once. It's something that you should practice on a discarded tire at some point to get an idea of what's involved. The plug applicator is spring loaded and you have to be careful using it. . .don't get your face near it.

My morning coffee has kept me going all day. . .it's been raining. . .hope this helps.

I have done that kind of a trip on the PCX 150 and it was fun at the beginning, and middle, and toward sunset....then it felt scary and tiring. The trip caught up with us once we were close to home again. It was truly exhausting. We had done the same trip on a bigger Burgman and it was really fun. By evening we were still ready to do more. There IS a difference between how you will feel after the trip on the bigger bike and how you will feel after the trip on the smaller one. Expect that, and give yourself plenty of down time after your return.

You're going to need at least three fuel stops.
If you can average 40mph (unlikely) you're looking at ten hours riding plus about an hour's worth of stops plus your five hours spotting, leaving at 05.00 it could be done within your timeframe.

PCX150Rider wrote:I've done that kind of distance on a day ride many times but never on a scooter.

To sum it up I think the most important things to know are the route characteristics, weather, food and comfort stops, where the gas stations are that will be open for sure, what you would do in an emergency or vehicle breakdown, and how much money to bring. A cell phone and credit card could save your life.

When I had a Honda Rebel 250 I did about 150 miles one evening with my (at the time) wife on the back to one of the sailing capitals of the world, Newport R.I. and that was a stretch. . .the weather turned cold when the sun went down on the return loop and I foolishly didn't bring any gloves. Well. . .I was younger then and it was back in 1986. Solo I think it would have been Okay, but two up on a Rebel 250 was truly trying to live a dream. . .which kind of turned into a bad dream. . .not that the bike wasn't good. . .but for two full sized adults it was living on the edge where you start asking yourself when did it stop being fun. She was a good lady and never complained but in retrospect it made me think that there is something to be said for youthful exuberance vs wisdom.

I've done 350 to 400 mile days on a Yamaha TX650A, Kawasaki Ninja 750, Kawasaki KLR 650, and Suzuki Bandit GSF 1200s. Never had the thought about doing that kind of distance on a smaller machine (although possible) due to the type of traffic and road conditions I knew I'd have to deal with. Having speed capability on tap and great brakes can make all the difference in the world and when you are riding with "the Bulls" it's a plus.

If you are confident that your traffic conditions and choice of routes are conducive to using a PCX 150 then that is key. Also remember that you may not be able to stand up on a scooter like on a motorcycle to relieve numb butt and may have to pull over if needed to take a break.

It's an admirable quest for sure. . .let us know how your trip was. Maybe you'll get to see a "Mosquito".

If I were going to take a trip like you are thinking on this side of "The Pond" I'd have to stick to all the secondary roads. . .speeds not in excess of 50 MPH (80 KPH) and with all the traffic lights and rush hour traffic and kids going to and getting out of school it would sure take a long time. When I travel 350 to 400 mile days I go on what we call Interstate Highways or roads that have flowing traffic in the realm of 80 MPH (129 KPH) because it seems a majority of the drivers exceed the 65 MPH speed limits. That being said I'm able to cover that kind of distance of 200 miles out and 200 miles back from around 4:00AM to 10:00PM or in 18 hours (which breaks down into an average speed of roughly 25 MPH give or take). You'll be making stops along the way and eating etc. . .so it all gets figured in.

Consider bringing a can of "Fix a Flat" or small bicycle pump. I've got the "Stop & Go" tire plugger kit that I bought years ago and only used it once. It's something that you should practice on a discarded tire at some point to get an idea of what's involved. The plug applicator is spring loaded and you have to be careful using it. . .don't get your face near it.

My morning coffee has kept me going all day. . .it's been raining. . .hope this helps.

How do you know all this when your first sentence, of many, said you hadn't done this on a scooter?

Pictures are required RedBaron! No time is every wasted watching planes flying and landing!

you you wrote:

PCX150Rider wrote:I've done that kind of distance on a day ride many times but never on a scooter.

To sum it up I think the most important things to know are the route characteristics, weather, food and comfort stops, where the gas stations are that will be open for sure, what you would do in an emergency or vehicle breakdown, and how much money to bring. A cell phone and credit card could save your life.

When I had a Honda Rebel 250 I did about 150 miles one evening with my (at the time) wife on the back to one of the sailing capitals of the world, Newport R.I. and that was a stretch. . .the weather turned cold when the sun went down on the return loop and I foolishly didn't bring any gloves. Well. . .I was younger then and it was back in 1986. Solo I think it would have been Okay, but two up on a Rebel 250 was truly trying to live a dream. . .which kind of turned into a bad dream. . .not that the bike wasn't good. . .but for two full sized adults it was living on the edge where you start asking yourself when did it stop being fun. She was a good lady and never complained but in retrospect it made me think that there is something to be said for youthful exuberance vs wisdom.

I've done 350 to 400 mile days on a Yamaha TX650A, Kawasaki Ninja 750, Kawasaki KLR 650, and Suzuki Bandit GSF 1200s. Never had the thought about doing that kind of distance on a smaller machine (although possible) due to the type of traffic and road conditions I knew I'd have to deal with. Having speed capability on tap and great brakes can make all the difference in the world and when you are riding with "the Bulls" it's a plus.

If you are confident that your traffic conditions and choice of routes are conducive to using a PCX 150 then that is key. Also remember that you may not be able to stand up on a scooter like on a motorcycle to relieve numb butt and may have to pull over if needed to take a break.

It's an admirable quest for sure. . .let us know how your trip was. Maybe you'll get to see a "Mosquito".

If I were going to take a trip like you are thinking on this side of "The Pond" I'd have to stick to all the secondary roads. . .speeds not in excess of 50 MPH (80 KPH) and with all the traffic lights and rush hour traffic and kids going to and getting out of school it would sure take a long time. When I travel 350 to 400 mile days I go on what we call Interstate Highways or roads that have flowing traffic in the realm of 80 MPH (129 KPH) because it seems a majority of the drivers exceed the 65 MPH speed limits. That being said I'm able to cover that kind of distance of 200 miles out and 200 miles back from around 4:00AM to 10:00PM or in 18 hours (which breaks down into an average speed of roughly 25 MPH give or take). You'll be making stops along the way and eating etc. . .so it all gets figured in.

Consider bringing a can of "Fix a Flat" or small bicycle pump. I've got the "Stop & Go" tire plugger kit that I bought years ago and only used it once. It's something that you should practice on a discarded tire at some point to get an idea of what's involved. The plug applicator is spring loaded and you have to be careful using it. . .don't get your face near it.

My morning coffee has kept me going all day. . .it's been raining. . .hope this helps.

How do you know all this when your first sentence, of many, said you hadn't done this on a scooter?

But doing it on Rebel 250 seems pretty darn close, so it probably applies

I will do when the time comes.

May head over to LHR at the weekend if they are landing on 27L

How do you know all this when your first sentence, of many, said you hadn't done this on a scooter?

The majority of my riding experience has been on motorcycles. To be honest when I started getting into bikes I was in High School and it was 1970. My first bike was a Suzuki TC 90. Scooters in the U.S. were a big deal during the '60s but started to fade in popularity through the years and have had a real challenge to compete with motorcycle sales here ever since. It seems the market really catered to a demand by consumers that fueled a need to produce bikes that were strong on performance, reliable, cool, and affordable. The various marques had their "faithful" and as time marched on it's been fun to be a part of it all. . .

I honestly can't say how many miles I've traveled on bikes but if I said over 150,000 miles I don't think I'd be lying. Two bikes I have right now total 60K alone. I think I've got enough experience to know that I don't know everything.

My first and only scooter that I still have is a Genuine Roughhouse, or maybe known in the U.K. as a PGO PMX. Nice machine. . .only put 5K miles on that so far (2015 model) but I've found it's niche and that's what I'll continue to use it for.

So where am I going with this. . .

My view is that whether you are on a scooter or a motorcycle you have to take certain things into account to have a more enjoyable safe trip. For an errand run you just have to make sure you avoid contact basically and get what you need and get home. For a longer trip, day ride, or camping adventure you have to remember to bring the essentials, expect the unexpected, and compensate accordingly. If you have a reliable machine that is a plus. But if you have a machine like I did once you have to bring fuses, spare light bulbs, electrical tape, and be in good standing with your maker.

It all comes down to riding on two wheels and dealing with all the things that matter in order to be comfortable, safe, prepared, and ready to ride another day.

FWIW back in August of 1976 I left Connecticut and got to Colorado in four days on a Yamaha TX650A (similar to a Bonneville 650) traveling with 9 other colleagues from College. They had Honda 450's and new 750's. We did 6000 miles in two weeks. Ventured through Denver, Central City, Aspen, Vail, Golden (Coors Brewery), Mesa Verde, Durango, and Pikes Peak. Took a ride on the ski lift in Vail and at the top got a great view of the Gore Mt. Range. They had just opened up a new building at the top of the slope and were giving out free food and beverages. . .life was good!

And another time I went from where the Connecticut River meets Long Island Sound to the Summit of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire and back in one day. . .dark to dark. . .on my KLR 650 which I still have.

So I guess I've ridden over 3 or 400 miles a day. Not bragging. . .but glad I didn't wait until retirement to do it. Got to grab joy as it flies by and grin in the face of adversity.

I have to echo PCX150Rider, grab the moment. A buddy of mine bought a Yamaha 650 in the early seventies to replace his BSA Lightning, a bit of a copy of the British twins in styling but an engineering marvel-so smooth and dependable compared to anything before.
Took a 63 VW van through Colorado a few years before Mr PCX150 over the great divide in the Rockies
in the middle of winter and almost froze-but still have crystal clear memories-echoing again don't wait.

A short post script-knowing the Red baron is a bit of an air plane buff, took on any job that would enable me to catch a ride on a DC-3 in and out of the Canadian Arctic or a De Havilland Beaver in and out of any remote west coast logging camp.

I have to echo PCX150Rider, grab the moment. A buddy of mine bought a Yamaha 650 in the early seventies to replace his BSA Lightning, a bit of a copy of the British twins in styling but an engineering marvel-so smooth and dependable compared to anything before.
Took a 63 VW van through Colorado a few years before Mr PCX150 over the great divide in the Rockies
in the middle of winter and almost froze-but still have crystal clear memories-echoing again don't wait.

I actually put some second hand Bonneville silencers on my Yamaha and they made the bike sound really really good. Just had to be a bit more careful on the lean angles. . .

Also had a 69VW Beetle. Wish I never sold it. It was a car you could work on yourself. Replaced a gas tank and exhaust system. Traded it in for a big Ford when one of the jugs started to loosen up.

I enjoyed throwing snowballs at a road side view/stop in the middle of Summer. I think it was on the way to Aspen. So glad I did that trip. Pikes Peak was the last good stop. It started sleeting at the summit and then it rained all the way back to the east coast. I remember having to slowly open my fingers from the handlebars at gas stops because cold rain numbed them out.

Doing those Colorado hills in Winter is serious trekking. They don't even bother putting guard rails on a lot of roads. I'll bet you had to keep down shifting that Micro Bus a lot. . .36HP or a little more maybe?

I don't think it even had 36HP by the time I got it. The older vans like mine had outboard reduction gears to allow VW to use their tiny engine to power the van. Man that thing was slow, makes my PCX in comparison a rocket. Modified a set of those Bonneville pipes for a bike I owned also,something about their shape and sound.

I admire your ambition to do this.

I drive it regularly and would take the train over the car. Did Maidstone to Goodison Park last week. 274 miles so slightly longer. Left at 5am. Was in Liverpool for brunch. Non stop and clear motorway for more than 5 hours!

Would I do it on a PCX? No. Not on the motorway? No chance! You'll be knackered on the way back!

If you like planes why not ride the pcx to one of the London airports and fly for the day?