For me it was seven years ago when I rode to the south of France with two mates whilst the girls went in a car. Rode a Blade RR4 back then and it was all day comfortable. We rode from Calais to just north of Lyon in one hit (apart from fuel stops of course - about 430 miles from memory) and the roads were a blast. None of this peage malarkey! And even after riding all that way I still felt fresh, which was great, and really enjoyable. Since then I've done maybe a few 250-300 mile days on the Gixxer and R1 and they have both been very comfortable too. (There is no way that my old ZX6R would let me do more than 75-80 miles without a numb bum and no amount of jiggling on the seat would help.) I'm hoping that the new Duc will be on a par with the Blade, Gixxer and R1. What do you reckon the chances are? Serious question btw. :smile:
The longest ride I have managed, was about 5 minutes but luckily she wanted to stop for a cigarette half way through. ;-)
at WDW 2000 went from Rimini through Switzerland to Mulhouse in France in one go. The next morning from Mulhouse to Calais catch the ferry then straight home to Surrey . It was me on my 748sp and Juan on an R1 . The bike never missed a beat. Dont quite know how long that trip was but it was epic. I remember I had some sun glasses on as my normal ones had broken, rode into one of the Swiss tunnels and suddenly everything went black. that was scary. lapman
Menton to Calais then Dover to east london which I just checked is 840 miles. 1983 unfaired Kawasaki 750
Hereford to Dartmouth harbour was another had fun filtering through the stopped motorway traffic to the front Most people moved over one or two found it funny to block my way
Just North of Colchester to St Austell and back.....don't ask why.......about 700 miles........oooh bottom ache. AL.
About 1200Km on a mutli 1200ST last year was getting a bit uncomfortable towards the end of run. Use an Air hawk now for long runs.
I did Sestriere in Italy to Calais in one go 2 upon a ZZR 1100 about 650 miles 13 hours I felt OK but the GF weren't happy
600 mile on a 888 in 2002 enroute to WDW. Very sore arse. 888 seat is like a scaffold board, spent 1/2 the time perched on the seat hump trying to get relief. Did 2 x 500 on 999 to WDW 2010 no problem, better seat + fatter arse.
We did two 13 hours days split by a 5 day break in the South of France / Northern Italy. Think each leg was 800-900km. It felt like a lot more. The run South was from Nancy to Vence (in the hills above Cannes and Nice) and was 50% or more on roads like the Route Napoleon. It was unreal. I was on the GSXR, my Dad on his 1050 Sprint ST and my brother on his 2008 ZX6R. We were all bust after it. The run North was from Dimaro in the Dolomites to Sliders Guesthouse near the Nurburgring. We were again about 50% on the "A" roads and 50% autobahn. Heading up through Italy, Austria and Southern Germany was amazing. We were totally knackered by the time we got to the place though. Granted, the GSXR might (or might not) be comfier than an 848 or Panigale but I'd do it all again and any bike... Maybe.
Ducati - Just north of Lincoln to just north of Nimes 900 ish miles in 2 consecutive days on the SPS, only my knees were sore, or maybe they were so sore I didn't notice anything else. GSX1100 Orange to Lincoln in 16 hours (8am to midnight) on the way back from the Bol in 1990, about 850 miles - Harris 4 into 1, no baffles, crappy helmet, no earplugs, slept well and couldn't hear a thing for the next 16 hours.
Metz in northern France to Ancona, Italy, on day two making my way to Thessaloniki in Greece, around 670 miles if I remember rightly. An epic trip, on an old 750 VFR - happy days !! Rode it there, spent weekends exploring the "Greek Alps" then rode it back 18 months later. These were the good old days when we had power stations in far flung places !!
Assen to Bologna, 840 miles and 16 hours on a 750 F1, my arse was so sore I can still remember it! Never again without a comfy seat!
996 miles on my RSVR Factory.....a load of us had met at the Tunnel at some god forsaken hour to ride to Omaha Beach, must be 5 years or so ago, if not 6......and after we left there the rest went back to the tunnel, I turned south and rode to a place called Limoux, south of Carcassonne .....and boy, did I have a sore arse.....so North of Bury St Edmunds to the south of France...without going on any toll roads......
