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Columbia, SC | So next year, I'm moving one duty station over, and to spare my wife the moving pains and new job searching pains, etc. etc, I'll just be commuting. About 100 miles each way (1.5 hours).
So what accessories should I be saving up for to make it easier for myself and the bike? I'm thinking #1 will be a driver's backrest. What else?
Alexi |
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Visionary
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New Bohemia, VA | iPod... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | Full face or Flip up helmet and good quality, comfortable rain suit.
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Tourer
Posts: 494
Akron Ohio area | Life insurance. |
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Tourer
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san antonio, tx | I used to do a 63 mile commute, 126 a day.
Don't know where you live, but you're going to need good riding gear for whatever weather conditions you run in to. No point in buying cheap stuff either, you'll just have to buy it again.
The backrest is a fantastic piece of equipment.
If you don't have them already, think about putting the lowers on.
A sheepskin seat cover makes a huge difference in comfort. I've never found anything, for any price, that's better in the heat.
Flat tire kit with the Co2 inflaters. I've never tried the stuff you put inside the tires but considering you're going to be changing tires every 3-4 months, that stuff might get sort of expensive. If you're going to be putting that many miles on, you might want to think about setting yourself up to change your own tires. You'll save a few hundred a year on that.
Keep a spare cellphone charger in the trunk.
Stuff a $20.00 bill down in the bottom of the trunk and leave it there. You're going to forget your wallet one day and you're gonna need gas.
From there, I might think about something like the CeeBaily headlight protector and maybe that stick on paint protection film. |
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Visionary
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Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | I could NEVER do that - 100 mile commute. Wow! You see - I would turn it into 250 miles (I ALWAYS make bike errands last 2 1/2 times further) and eventually one day I just wouldn't make it back or the family would one day shoot me cuz they didn't recognize me.
Good luck, Alexi - maybe you should trade the Victory for a Smart Car ... would be dryer and cheaper, and you'd be sure to go straight home. |
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Central Maryland | Get some highway pegs too. Although the Visions floorboards are ample enough; you like the ability to change the orientation of your legs on a long ride.
My commute is 104 miles round trip; not as long as your future one. However the Vision makes the commute an absolute snap; so much more enjoyable than toiling along in my F150.... |
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Tourer
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Columbia, SC | donetracey - 2011-10-13 1:33 AM
Good luck, Alexi - maybe you should trade the Victory for a Smart Car ... would be dryer and cheaper, and you'd be sure to go straight home.Actually, the wife and I just bought a 2012 civic which gets 38+ mpg on the highway. So for a REALLY bad weather day, I can use that and she'll use our crappy car to go to work.
Some GREAT ideas above though! I'll look into convincing the wife for a roadcraft light for myself, some lowers, and that $20 bill thing is a GREAT idea! I'm gonna find that for all my vehicles from now on! NEVER would have thought about it!
Alexi |
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Puddle Jumper
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South Central Pennsylvania | I have a 400 mile round trip daily commute now, and other than a good helmet (shark evoline series 2 ST) and gloves, I've only added the lower wind wings. Tunes are nice, but keep the focus on cagers in morning rush hour. Most have not yet had their coffee, or finished shaving. |
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Memphis | If you're not used to wearing them, you might want to consider earplugs. Makes a huge difference in the long run. Will get to destination much more relaxed. If you haven't used them before, it will take several styles to figure out what is best for you. The radio will actually sound clearer with the road roar filtered out. |
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Iron Butt
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Broken Arrow, OK | keep the focus on cagers in morning rush hour
+1
If you're seriously going to be biking it the majority of the time, invest in the geekiest high vis clothing you can get. More the merrier. Be seen |
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Iron Butt
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Peachtree City, GA | +2
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Tourer
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Troy, NY | iPod and lowers should do the trick along with good jacket & pants for weather - wet and/or cold. |
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New Bohemia, VA | alexi - you don't say where you are or what kind of road you'll traverse. I use to do a 100 mile round trip daily in a car and it was in the middle of nowhere. It would have been great on a bike. I do a 32 mile one wayer on the bike now, it moderate traffic, rain or shine. Will you ride the same way and what longitude are you in? If we knew those answer we may be able to suggest better. Assuming you have all else that you need, a rack of tunes will get you there before you know it. |
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Columbia, SC | varyder - 2011-10-13 11:11 AM
alexi - you don't say where you are or what kind of road you'll traverse. I use to do a 100 mile round trip daily in a car and it was in the middle of nowhere. It would have been great on a bike. I do a 32 mile one wayer on the bike now, it moderate traffic, rain or shine. Will you ride the same way and what longitude are you in? If we knew those answer we may be able to suggest better. Assuming you have all else that you need, a rack of tunes will get you there before you know it.Excellent points. A little more info....
I'm stationed in Fort Gordon, GA (SC border). My new duty station next year will be Fort Jackson, SC (Columbia, SC). One duty station over, and it suits me just fine. So weather should be pretty good all year round (a few cold days in Jan/Feb, but that's no biggie). And I'll be taking Route 20 (interstate highway) for the majority of the miles up and back.
I've got a good pants/jacket right now, and I'll be buying frogg toggs to keep me dry (those things work REALLY well!). But I am thinking about a teiz suit. More interested in a zip-on one piece suit, and the price is right.
I honestly didn't have any problems with my legs and so think that the lowers probably won't be needed. But I'm getting some good ideas here.
Army issued me some earplugs and they have you test a bunch out to find the best fit. I'll try riding with them now and see how it feels on my commute right now. I do get a little annoyed with the road noise.
I'm also considering rigging my bike to play through my helmet speakers (you can find the line-out thread on the forums) so the music will be a little louder, and still not to the point where it'll disturb people at red lights.
Alexi |
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Visionary
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| Ear plugs are one of the things you should not go with out. The twenty dollar bills is very good. I would buy a heated jacket you just don't know how nice there are in cold weather and really nice when being caught in the rain.
I would do fog lights ya never know. Now heirs what I would do put a car tire on the rear. There only $115 bucks and you should get about 25 thousand miles out of it.
Next GPS something that will tell you construction and accidents or traffic delays.
May you go up in ranks and have safe riding rear around |
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Iron Butt
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| sfalexi - 2011-10-12 8:43 PM So next year, I'm moving one duty station over, and to spare my wife the moving pains and new job searching pains, etc. etc, I'll just be commuting. About 100 miles each way (1.5 hours). So what accessories should I be saving up for to make it easier for myself and the bike? I'm thinking #1 will be a driver's backrest. What else? Alexi Considering the cost in fuel and you just might be able to get a helicopter pilot's license AND a kit built helicopter from a company such as Rotorway AND it would cost you far less in gas costs as your flight would be in a straight line and probably only take 20 to 30 minutes. 
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Iron Butt
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Anderson, IN (48mi NE of downtown Indianapolis) | I keep normal wear items stocked in my garage for quick repair. If I was riding 200 miles/day I would keep the following on hand at all times: brake pads, headlamp bulbs, drive belt, spark plugs, air cleaner, oil&filter, etc. |
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New Bohemia, VA | understanding his youth, stamina, and vitality it will be exciting....for a while. Then practibility will begin to creep in and he'll find an empty room in the barracks and go home on the weekends, or just a few days a week. Then the little apartment will come along, then finally, "honey, do you think you can look for a job around columbus?" I do wish you the best and I had longed in my youth for a similar circumstance. Age starts to say, "the closer the better." |
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Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | And ya get bored living alone a few days a week, so you go out to be with other people, and meet a very nice young .... well, you know the rest. |
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Tourer
Posts: 307
Columbia, SC | lol. Already got my friend up there and a room if I need it (if a day runs long and it's just not worth coming home that night or I have a nighttime concert so need to stay there all there). And the wifey is looking for a closer job as we speak.
BTW, why the HELL haven't I ridden with earplugs before?! I used it on the way to work today after lunch and on the way home. MUCH MUCH better. Still heard the radio really well, and it was clearer without the road/wind noise bothering me.
I HAVE considered darksiding simply because my daily driving will be mostly highway. Still unsure about it, but it seems that enough touring bike riders do it that I would have really heard as to whether it's TRULY dangerous or not by now. Haven't heard too many darksider "never again" stories. Mostly just "don't act like it's a sportbike and you'll be fine".
Alexi
PS - Looking into getting custom fit earplugs. Just gotta convince the wife it's the right thing to do. |
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Tourer
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san antonio, tx | I think the audio line out thread you referred to is mine. I'm still working on it and hope to either get it done by the end of this weekend, or decide that it's just not really feasable.
If it does work, I'll be posting the "how to", to include options for both bluetooth and/or plug in earbuds. If it doesn't, well, it was fun trying.
One thing I'm finding out as I'm poking around with this project is that it's going to be a little complex if you don't have any electronics experience. If there's interest I might put a few extra together.
Edited by cchristo 2011-10-13 4:01 PM
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Rancho Cucamonga, CA | sfalexi - 2011-10-13 1:41 PM
I HAVE considered darksiding simply because my daily driving will be mostly highway. Still unsure about it, but it seems that enough touring bike riders do it that I would have really heard as to whether it's TRULY dangerous or not by now. Haven't heard too many darksider "never again" stories. Mostly just "don't act like it's a sportbike and you'll be fine".
Alexi
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I still act like it's a sportbike and love to leave a bit of floorboard metal in the mountains by me.
BTW, how much do new floorboards cost?
Edited by Nozzledog 2011-10-13 7:20 PM
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Cleveland, GA | Might want to consider Gerbing heated jacket liner and gloves. Wonderful! |
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Salt Lake City | I can't offer better advice than what has already been given, but just wanted to offer my thanks for your service. I have a very good Army buddy that I ride with, and several others that ride with us. You guys are the best! Ride safe, brotherman. |
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Akron Ohio area | I rode 60 miles, one way, which is 120 round trip, for 6 years.
I had several different routes I could travel in order to break up the monotony.
Consider this;
Are you going to be driving into the morning sun or into the setting sun?
Driving into the sun really sucks and gets me nodding off which is the last thing you want on a motorcycle.
You will be putting 50,000 miles per year on your scoot. (Talk about depreciation!)
You will have to stop for gas every day.
You will need two front tires and 3-4 rear tires every year.
You will need to change oil 20 times each year unless you have a 2011 or newer Victory, then it's only 10 times a year.
You will need a new belt every year.
Dude, buy yourself a Ford Focus (41 MPG) and ride your scoot once or twice a week on perfect weather days.
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| DO NOT DO NOT change your belt till you get to 75 thousand. Clean and keep a eye on it. Your owners manual will tell you what to look for.
Its Bull Shit to change your belt at 25 thousand. |
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Cruiser
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Flowery Branch Ga | I travel I20 alot for work. Think about more lighting. It is very rural between Augusta and Columbia, deer are very common. Also, make sure your cell phone works all the way across.
Wayne |
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Tourer
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Columbia, SC | bigfoot - 2011-10-14 11:49 AM
I rode 60 miles, one way, which is 120 round trip, for 6 years.
I had several different routes I could travel in order to break up the monotony.
Consider this;
Are you going to be driving into the morning sun or into the setting sun?
Driving into the sun really sucks and gets me nodding off which is the last thing you want on a motorcycle.
You will be putting 50,000 miles per year on your scoot. (Talk about depreciation!)
You will have to stop for gas every day.
You will need two front tires and 3-4 rear tires every year.
You will need to change oil 20 times each year unless you have a 2011 or newer Victory, then it's only 10 times a year.
You will need a new belt every year.
Dude, buy yourself a Ford Focus (41 MPG) and ride your scoot once or twice a week on perfect weather days.
Wow. Won't QUITE be 50k (I end up with about 45 days off per year NOT including weekends), but damn near close. I thought about how annoying it's going to be to fill up once a day. And I'll have access to my wife's honda civic (also 40 mpg highway) for really bad days. Looks like I'll be learning how to do some of my own bike maintenance pretty soon.
And I don't anticipate having this commute for the full tour there. I'm thinking at the least, we'll end up moving somewhere inbetween Augusta and Columbia and we'll cut the commute to my job, and her commute will stay the same to Augusta, just in the opposite direction (she'll take 20 W instead of 20 E).
Alexi |
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Puddle Jumper
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Walhalla, SC. USA | bigfoot - 2011-10-14 11:49 AM
Dude, buy yourself a Ford Focus (41 MPG) and ride your scoot once or twice a week on perfect weather days.
I just don't get it. Why would you drive a cage when you have an opportunity to ride?
It's good that you have a cage to use when weather is really bad or when the bike might need time off for maintenance.
Alexi, I commute to work and everywhere else every day (don't have a car), although my commute is much shorter than yours. I'm also a little further north than you, so temperatures in the teens are fairly common in the morning commute in January and February, but your ride -- although a little warmer -- lasts longer. You should have some heated gear. I use Warm-n-Safe jacket liner and gloves. I also have a glove cover to keep out the rain, and a set of backpackers' rain gear and Totes for over the boots.
Consider using an iPod with Audible.com -- you might get a lot of reading done during three hours per day of commuting! |
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Akron Ohio area | John Frey wrote;
DO NOT DO NOT change your belt till you get to 75 thousand. Clean and keep a eye on it. Your owners manual will tell you what to look for.
Its Bull Shit to change your belt at 25 thousand.
I noted that he would be putting 50,000 miles on his bike every year, and also noted that he would be replacing his belt once a year.
1 belt for 1 year's use.
There is no way you can visually inspect a belt and know for certain that it will go even one more mile before failing.
As far as why I would suggest buying a vehicle that get 41 miles per gallon and riding it 3 day a week on average, IT'S CHEAPER!
Ford's require an oil change every 7,500 miles.
That oil change will be 1/3 the cost of an oil change on your motorcycle.
Tires on a Ford Focus will last at least 60,000 miles and a set of 4 new ones will be cheaper than 2 new tires on your motorcycle.
You will only have to stop for gas every other day and you will be burning regular fuel instead of high test.
Riding a motorcycle to save money is a fallacy. (unless you are riding a 250cc VS an Escalade)
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Central Maryland | bigfoot - 2011-10-15 6:19 PM
As far as why I would suggest buying a vehicle that get 41 miles per gallon and riding it 3 day a week on average, IT'S CHEAPER!
Ford's require an oil change every 7,500 miles.
That oil change will be 1/3 the cost of an oil change on your motorcycle.
Tires on a Ford Focus will last at least 60,000 miles and a set of 4 new ones will be cheaper than 2 new tires on your motorcycle.
You will only have to stop for gas every other day and you will be burning regular fuel instead of high test.
Riding a motorcycle to save money is a fallacy. (unless you are riding a 250cc VS an Escalade)
Of course it's cheaper. But.... I'd rather ride a motorcycle, at least every chance I get. |
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Tourer
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Akron Ohio area | Online wrote;
Of course it's cheaper. But.... I'd rather ride a motorcycle, at least every chance I get.
I agree, to a point. (i've ridden 24,000 miles this year)
Bordom on a motorcycle is far more deadly than in a car.
Riding the same route for that amount of distance over and over and over again is just asking for trouble.
Momentarily running over the rumble strips in a car will not usually cause you to have an accident.
Doing the same thing on a motorcycle could if you overreact.
If the sun is in your eyes it exponentially increases the danger of riding a motorcycle because you may not see road debris, and other vehicles may not see you.
I'm playing Devil's Advocate here so all variables can be considered. |
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Visionary
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Central Maryland | bigfoot - 2011-10-15 6:55 PM
Online wrote;
Of course it's cheaper. But.... I'd rather ride a motorcycle, at least every chance I get.
I agree, to a point. (i've ridden 24,000 miles this year)
Bordom on a motorcycle is far more deadly than in a car.
Riding the same route for that amount of distance over and over and over again is just asking for trouble.
Momentarily running over the rumble strips in a car will not usually cause you to have an accident.
Doing the same thing on a motorcycle could if you overreact.
If the sun is in your eyes it exponentially increases the danger of riding a motorcycle because you may not see road debris, and other vehicles may not see you.
I'm playing Devil's Advocate here so all variables can be considered.
Agree and concur to the points that you made. However....
.. the very essence of motorcycling is to rely on the very machine the you are astride on; taking in all of the inherent risks that come with it; repetitious journey's or far trips included; repetitively on a daily basis... What we ride are "distance machines" and the Vision is adequate for what the OP is looking for
I am certainly not a "hard core" biker but I will ride every chance that I get. No matter what they distance. Weather does play a factor in that though... I hate inclement weather and especially freezing precipitation/snow/salt up here... those are the periods where I must use my truck (regrettably)...
Edited by willtill 2011-10-15 6:22 PM
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New Bohemia, VA | Oh boy. Let the man choose what he chooses to do. One, I never get bored riding, long distance or the daily 32 mile trek to work. Even going to the corner store is an adventure. As far as cheaper, I just did some math recently in comparison to what I have a choice to drive. In gas alone if I drove my Jeep 27,000 miles in a year it would cost $4,935 at $3.29 a gal. My Vision, which I average 27,000 miles a year since owning would cost in gas for the year $2364 at $3.59 a gallon. That's a saving of $2571. In there I'll replace the rear tire for about $600 for the year, the front tire for about $300 a year. Then the 5 oil changes at about $22 bring the total up to just over a grand. So far it is cheaper to ride my bike than drive the car, at least that is what I tell my wife.
There is a zillion excuses my mom has given me why I shouldn't ride this murdercycle, yet I shutter to think that I would give up living life to succumb to falling off of a ladder while cleaning my gutters.
Enjoy whatever you decide Alexi/
Edited by varyder 2011-10-15 7:37 PM
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Tourer
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Gettysburg, 2008 Tour Premium | I grew up in NE Ohio and I will never again ride a bike on roads that have been salted, even if dry salt and calcium dust will get in every crack and crevice. If you do plenty of COLD water and soap. |
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Central Maryland | wroman - 2011-10-15 8:45 PM
I grew up in NE Ohio and I will never again ride a bike on roads that have been salted, even if dry salt and calcium dust will get in every crack and crevice. If you do plenty of COLD water and soap.
Concur. Bike get's put up for the winter once they apply dat chit.... |
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Walhalla, SC. USA | willtill - 2011-10-15 8:47 PM
Concur. Bike get's put up for the winter once they apply dat chit....
Dey don't apply day chit down here where I live, and I doubt dey do dat further down south where Alexi is. |
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Tourer
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| I would find another job closer to home. I can't imagine riding 200 miles daily on any bike. |
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New Bohemia, VA | kodonnell1 - 2011-10-21 9:24 PM
I would find another job closer to home. I can't imagine riding 200 miles daily on any bike.
when it is heart and soul to ride, it is never too far or too much. |
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South Central Pennsylvania | 200 mile commute to work, plus another 200 to get back home daily is the exact reason that I naught my Vision! I ride east into the sunrise every morning, west into the sunset every evening, and fill the tank daily at the end of my ride. It is anything but routine, and far more pleasant than driving my truck, especially at the pumps $50 per day in the truck vs. $20 per day for the Vision. Just be sure to clean your windshield. At every gas stop! It may look clean until you are staring into the sunburst!
Edited by Shadow-Bear 2011-10-21 10:26 PM
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Oregon. | I think it's great Alexi. Have a wonderful commute, and to echo what some have already said, get some garbing heated gear. My wife swears that it is the best stuff ever made. Take care and ride safe.
Edited by Brian G 2011-10-22 9:16 AM
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Tourer
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Green Bay, WI United States | If it's just a bit cold and misting I hate putting on the upper rain gear as I start to sweat in mine (cheap). I use a polo type zip up wind breaker over a sweat shirt(or 2) and my ballistic jacket. I can still move good, don't get too warm and it's cheap. I assume your wearing a helmet and I always find the back of my neck get's hit by cold air which chills my whole upper body. I have a woven dickie (no comments) that I put around my neck. I use a very good thermal underwear under my pants and then put chaps on. I do not have any lower rain gear and have never needed it. Wish in the rain I would have had water proof boot covers but have never used them. Last but not least I did not see if you have heated seats and grips but they are the finial touch in cold windy weather. I am from WI and would love to be in your neck of the woods to ride longer into the year. Thanks for your service to our Country and as I always say....
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Next year have a 200 mile daily commute for work - what accessories should I buy?