Looking for some trip advice from those who have done some distance..

Ultimate would be to Amtrak to Flagstaff. Get on bike and cross country to Spokane by way of Grand Canyon, Four Corners, Ogden, UT and Yellowstone and Glacier, then home from Spokane on "The Empire Builder".

My main question would be, does anyone have experience shipping their SW to an distant locale and then back to their home from another? After a quick look on the web, it appears to be really expensive, like $800-$1000 each way.

Any suggestions of ways to do an EPIC TRIP that is more that a week's ride away from your home? Since I am looking at a two week ride at my destination, I'm looking at least a month if I scooter all the way.

U-Ship
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Train?? These scooters are made for riding-----two weeks plenty from OH to WA and the sights on the return trip-----get in shape, make sure bike in good shape, start with fresh set of tires(so finding a tire in middle of trip is not a problem)

Quick estimate trip under 5,000 miles, so 350 miles a day with 2 week time frame. At 77 I could/would do it @ 350 a day.

Cost: runs about $100 day/cheap motels/McDonalds/gas. wear on scooter. If this is first time thing for you, make not plans/daily goals----just go, stop when you are tired---I usually get a mid day nap in. After 61 years of riding, over 1.5 million miles, buffeting/poor wind/air management is what makes me tired-----professional quality riding clothes offer some/alot of comfort.

Have fun. Think rubber boots for rain.

SW has no gas reserve; carry a small container of extra fuel to get to the next station. Don't think it can't happen. harley

Gas---not to worry, in pinch SilverWing can go 180-200 miles on tank, only one place in N America, extra gas needed---private road in Quebec to James Bay---long way between gas stops.

SilverWing in strange places I gas every 100 miles or so----known routes, 150 miles.

dencart2 wrote:

Ultimate would be to Amtrak to Flagstaff. Get on bike and cross country to Spokane by way of Grand Canyon, Four Corners, Ogden, UT and Yellowstone and Glacier, then home from Spokane on "The Empire Builder".

My main question would be, does anyone have experience shipping their SW to an distant locale and then back to their home from another? After a quick look on the web, it appears to be really expensive, like $800-$1000 each way.

Any suggestions of ways to do an EPIC TRIP that is more that a week's ride away from your home? Since I am looking at a two week ride at my destination, I'm looking at least a month if I scooter all the way.

that does seem expensive - maybe buy a trailer and tow it out yourself?
- or like John suggested jut ride.  

I did a little sleuthing looks like around 5725 miles from Enon to Seattle to Flagstaff and back to Enon   avoiding toll and Highway's.   Having made around 80 trips of this magnitude (more than 2500 miles round trip) over the a past 40 years (on a motorcycle or in a car), I would expect an average speed of around 45 mph on a motorcycle vs 55-60 mph in a car on the same route.  (FYI - average speed will decrease as the number travel companion(s) increases....).  Then you need to add the site seeing you plan to do along the route (including additional travel off route as appropriate).   Depends on your comfort and skill level but i would suggest no more than 10 hours of riding per day - so for this trip probably a minimum of 13 days (127 hours of riding).

If you trailer your bike, you can drive at night, you can haul more gear and you can travel through the worst of weather. Typically, you can double your daily mileage to get to your destination.

So for example, trailer your bike to a destination. Make a loop and end up back at your vehicle. If you check in at most KOA's, they have storage areas where you can leave your vehicle and trailer.

Now if you are going with another scooter rider, that is even better. You can switch off driving and arrive at your destination even faster.

My wife and I do this and we are camper types.

Don't let anyone tell you can or can't do anything. This is America. Land of the free. Ride, trailer or make it a garage queen. It is your bike. Your life. Do as you please. Let the naysayers say their bit and ignore them.

Yep, I agree it's not an unreasonable distance for a couple of weeks. I've ridden roundtrip from Oregon to the North Carolina coast in thirteen riding days with two friends. The only critical things to take are a credit card and cell phone. I carry minimal in clothes spare pare of jeans and a second shirt, underwear for a week, mesh jacket with liner, Frogg Togg rain gear and a few other odds and ends. Easily packed in a SW with top box. If I don't feel like laundry there's always a Wally World within a hundred miles one way or the other, dump the old skivvies and get new. I don't tent but use motels which mean you can make another hundred or more miles a day since there's no set up and break down. I don't cook on trips either, too many restaurants available which saves a lot of time.
It was a lot different when my wife and I used to camp out of our Supercub in Alska. Gotto camp light but carry whatever you're going to need in NW Alaska. Nowadays beginning my dotage, camping lost it's appeal.

I say forget the extra gas.  Needless space and hazard and gas is available easily in the lower 48. As to the 4 Corners, Grand Canyon etc. watch the weather!  Both places can get VERY hot in summer and very cold in winter.  Aim for fall or spring. Plus i agree with the above, ride the scooter or do a loop from your vehicle.  Whatever works for you!

Plus if you plan ahead I might be able to meet you.

In September I am riding with a scooter club in Tucson on a trip from Tucson up through New Mexico and ending near Holbrook, AZ.  The rest will head back to Tucson and I will split off and return to Wickenburg!!!

I ride at posted speed limits (or a bit above) whether in a car or on a bike. As already mentioned you really don't need to carry extra gas unless you're heading to Alaska. I'd highly recommend riding the scooter the whole way, it's not a record trek but will be something you'll remember for a long time. After all that's what these scoots are for, riding. My Silverwing had just about the same fuel range as my Goldwing. The GW had 6.3 gallons compared to the SW's 4. I've made some pretty long road trips on the GW and never ran out of gas. I did get down to half a gallon crossing Nevada on Highway 50 but that was due to a gas station closing down. Still made it with nearly 50 more miles in the tank. To get the max fuel fill put the bike on the center stand when fueling, you'll get a wee bit more that way.

something that may be useful for planning a long trip is looking on YouTube for instructions on changing the drive belt,,, and of course that means you'd have to carry one with you. it is a repair that can be done easily enough with only a few tools and when the belt goes, well, the bike doesn't.