If the upholstery on your seat is thin and hard, you might try to build up extra padding on your own gluteals ready for long rides.
I was pretty fit when I came to bikes gym and being active I found the buzz gave me the adrenaline to ride long distance but I would be shattered at the end of it I would ride whenever it was possible to get out and improve my stamina I remember riding to Mansfield (I think) there and back in a day when I got home I lay on the floor for an hour
I never go touring, but I do a Euro track day or two . At 63 the challenge is movement range, strength, stamina and weight. As some will know, TDs are intense both mentally and physically and when you look at the GP riders they are very lean, strong and fit. I simply don’t have time for that level of commitment, so I do a daily, morning twenty minute floor exercise regime, stretching, repeated low impact arm, shoulders, core and leg movements ending with the squats that render me dizzy and in need of a lie down. If I didn’t do this I would be even worse on track .
Lots of good advice all round here. Personally I don’t see the point in long motorway bashes on a motorbike. It’s totally boring, and guaranteed to wear out you and your bike, I don’t get it at all. If you want to do big mileage across Europe, go in a car or fly. It’s not about the destination it’s about the trip and the ride as a whole. 200-300 miles a day is about right. Maybe try some longer runs before you go in order to get bike fit. I plan a route but I’m happy to adapt. Also I only ever book the 1st night. If you’re booked ahead you’re on a schedule that you have to keep up with. If anything goes wrong or for any reason or you’re delayed you’re chasing it. Again this is a personal thing but I prefer to book a hotel via booking.com either at lunchtime each day or maybe the night before if I feel I can definitely make the next stop with ease. I never go in the peak season so there’s always availability in hotels. Also July/August is far too hot in central- Southern Europe Take a mid morning break, light lunch and an afternoon stop. Don’t over-eat, it knocks you out. Arrive 5-6pm latest and stay in a central location where you don’t need to use the bike in the evening. Cyling shorts with a bum pad help. You can also rinse them each night and they’re dry by the morning. If ever you’re feeling tired STOP. Don’t push on, it’s just too dangerous. I like the idea of involving a girlfriend in the planning however the wife might object, which come to think of it would also be dangerous.
Agreed except for the bit about motorways. Mileages aren't that big in Europe really - motorcycle touring is still viable, depending on your bike. Anything that will sit happily in the outside lane will make it easier. I don't find it boring - the miles fly past, incredible. I like riding to the MotoGP and other races in Europe, and it is better for going there on a bike even though it takes longer.
Might use the autoroute on the first, or last, day to get away from the coast/ports and across the duller bits of Northern France. 150ish miles at most. Although will usually peel off and find some small village/town Tabac for a coffee before too long just to reaffirm my arrival on French soil.
I’m the same motorway first and last day but then try and make interesting routes. Sadly I’m a planner so I like to have my routes and hotels sorted. It’s caught me out a few times with late arrivals or days that were too long but sometimes needs must. we also tend to ride in a group of between 3-5. Riding in your own is so much faster if you want to do big miles, but you can get white line fever and just keep going and going.
That may be true for touring, but 60+ is exactly when we all need to be weight training to avoid significant losses in our quality of life. Unfortunately, a couple of brisk walks per week isn’t enough. https://theconversation.com/am-i-to...ia-and-building-strength-later-in-life-203562
Good article. You need to get that heart into zone 2. Weight training to ward off muscular atrophy and associated weaken bone density. Taking the dog out twice a day isn't going to cut it. A daily basic stretching or yoga routine benefits all ages. 'Tell me your routines and I'll tell you how happy and healthy you are'.
Lots of good advice here, I think most things have been covered, I second using cycling shorts for a bit of extra padding, our last Euro trip, first and last day’s from the ferries were almost 400 miles and I always use the cycling shorts on stints like these when you’re sat in one position for a long time, it just stops pressure points on your sit bones. Limit the other days to no more than 200 -250 miles, sometimes in the mountains it can take ages to cover 150 miles so plan accordingly. Definitely try to have a rest day in the middle of the trip if you’re away for more than 8 days or so, gives you chance to rinse out your skiddy undies and do a little sightseeing and stock up with any provisions that you might need, or visit a chemist etc. Keep yourself hydrated throughout the day, don’t forget to pack some space , by that I mean leave a little room in your bags for a bottle of water and some fresh fruit, that’s one of the things that I miss on longer trips, it’s easy to start just eating sh1te ( chips, pizza, cake etc ) and I find after a few days I’m gagging for some nice fruit! Above all, don’t turn it into an ordeal, if you’re daily mileage’s are turning out too long, just change your plans, gives you an excuse to come back and do the rest another time, enjoy
150-200 mile days? Pah, just a warm up or morning session I did 1152 miles from Austria back to Consett, UK, including channel ferry crossing in 23 hours. On an FZ1s. Recovery time….? Around one week. That was when I was in my early 40s. My suggestion is keep the miles a bit below 1152 in any 24hour period
If you don't want to do endless motorway miles,check out motorcycle diaries on line, they're amazing,put in your start and finish point and they'll send you some fantastic routes to ride, we did just that for a trip to Monte Carlo , great routes with fun roads
73? I'm 77 and off on an 11 day tour of the Pecos, Portugal and Mercia in May. We plan ahead and book hotels but will change them and routes if rain is forecast but it's dry elsewhere. Bumpkin is spot on on his daily mileage targets - 350 max and 200 in the mountains, and breaks mid morning, lunchtime and mid afternoon.. To answer your initial question about physical preparation, I don't do anything special. No gym for me, but I do play golf twice a week round a hilly course and carry my clubs. That keeps my legs strong and generally fitter than being sedentary.
Very good thread ...great input! I've said it before, but I'll repeat...if anyone passes through the South Of France region shout out, (Côte d'Azur side) happy to arrange some rather magnificent routes for a day or even two...
My preparation boils down to trying to lose some (quite a lot) of winter hibernation weight so I don't need to buy more new gear for each season; local rides I can cope with gear that's a bit snug, but for anything more than a couple of days... Apart from diet my main exercise is walking, squats and some upper body exercises with moderate weights.
