Coast to coast trip in July

[Tenerester]

Hi everyone,
I had to resurrect the old thread which was originally under 'member intros just to let you know the coast to coast trip planned for May got postponed to July due to other commitments. Now we are pretty much firm with the schedule and ready to go. Three of my regular riding buddies and I will be riding from Seattle to NY across U.S., and Halifax NS to Vancouver BC across Canada......14,000 KMs .....all in 25 days...yes I know it's going be a tough ask and four is a crowd etc etc.....but we have been riding a lot together and all are keen to do the trip...so here we go. We are determined to make it happen beating all odds.

Interestingly three of the four bikes are 2014 Super Tenere ES models!! Same colour too...matte grey. Two of the guys recently got converted from Triumph and BMW cults to Tenerism ::012:: Isn't that awesome? The fourth bike is a Duc MS and I am hoping he will also change his mind soon.

Bear tooth pass, Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Niagara, NY, Cabot Trail NS etc and a few other attractions are in the plan. We will be putting up in motels and eating at restaurants, hence hope to pack light i.e. Only clothes and basic tools for emergencies. We are also hoping to do the oil filter change ourselves on the way (probably in a parking lot??) because going to dealerships for service can be time consuming. Can someone please let me know the authorized places (in US) we can dispose off used oil? We all will have new tires and hopeful one set will last the entire trip. (I managed to get 17,000 KMs and some out of the first set of Battlewings, but I prefer the Metzler Tourance road handling especially on corners and therefore will be installing a pair of 'Next' tires for the trip).

I will have done about 20K on my S10 before the trip.....other than a regular oil filter change and checks, do you think I need to be concerned about anything else (mechanically) before such a trip assuming tires and brakes are good? Do I need to change plugs? Will I need fog lamps on these routes during this period? I never needed them so far and do not hope to ride in the night. But I have heard about fog and must in the mornings in some routes. Would there be need to carry warm riding gear on these routes during July/August? I am hoping to ride in a mesh suit and carry a rain suit separately.

Appreciate your help. Any other tips and suggestions from experienced folk are most welcome. Thanks.

Harry.

 

[TXTenere]

We are also hoping to do the oil filter change ourselves on the way (probably in a parking lot??) because going to dealerships for service can be time consuming. Can someone please let me know the authorized places (in US) we can dispose off used oil?

My experience has been that WalMart will let you change oil in their parking lot. Many (but I am not sure if all) of them also allow oil disposal.

 

[jaeger22]

Also a lot if not most of the auto parts stores will take it. At least they do in Florida.
I am heading the other way July 22nd. Florida to Oregon. I will waive as I go by! ::008::

 

[Tenerester]

My experience has been that WalMart will let you change oil in their parking lot. Many (but I am not sure if all) of them also allow oil disposal.

Awesome... Thanks!

 

[Tenerester]

Also a lot if not most of the auto parts stores will take it. At least they do in Florida.
I am heading the other way July 22nd. Florida to Oregon. I will waive as I go by! ::008::

Thanks ...we start on 23rd July, so we are sure to cross paths. If you see a bunch of identical Super Teneres ...that's us!

 

[Checkswrecks]

Almost any gas station with a service bay will take used engine oil.


+1 to Walmart parking lots.

 

[EricV]

You have a very do-able time frame. Enjoy a great ride and have a blast seeing the countries.

Don't worry about fog lights, low beam will do fine if you get into any fog. Watch out for deer mornings and evenings and mountains especially, but the rest of the time too.

Oil changes - Hit the WalMart or other big box store and get your oil and a sealable drain pan. Optional, a funnel, (some auto parts and bike shops sell paper disposable ones that fold flat. I would suggest you take your filters with you. Pick a out of the way corner of the lot, preferably on the side or rear of the building. Near the auto center, if they have one. Do your business, don't make a mess, clean up if you do. If there is an auto center, take the container of old oil to them. If no auto center, Option B. is to look for a quick change place across the parking lot or street. Any quick lube place will take the oil, as will any chain auto parts store. Option C. is to leave the full, (most will hold two oil changes), container next to the trash can. Odds are very high that someone will collect it, scoring a free oil pan for the effort of disposing of the oil.

Bonus Tip about Walmart parking lots, be observant in the back/side lots, they often have dumpsters for waste meat products. You do NOT want to park near those.

I've used all three options in the US and Canada at Walmarts. One Option C time, I no more set it down and a guy asked me "you throwing that away!?" I told him it was full, but I didn't have a way to dispose of the oil, but it was his if he would. He smiled and was all over that, happy to score the drain pan.

Tires - Fully loaded, your tires might not last as long as your usual. but likely will do the trip fine. Hot temps, corse roads and high speeds are the most common factors for increased/accelerated tire wear.

Got flat repair tools and a compressor? Sticky strings, glue, T handle reamer, insertion tool and a compressor that plugs into your bike's power somewhere. Don't rely on the oem cig port, it's only fused 3 amps for GPS, phone stuff. Some have gotten away with replacing the fuse with a 10 amp, others melted wires. I would suggest the easist method is a SAE pigtail from a battery tender, (you can usually buy just the battery connection pigtail at Ace Hardware or bike shops), and an adapter that goes from the SAE plug to a female cig port. I just cut the original plug off the compressor and put one on that matches my bike, which has a power port for charging. This company is awesome and you can order what you need from them too - http://www.powerlet.com/

Usually Napa or Canada Tire will have SAE plugs if you want to roll your own. And you don't need a fancy compressor. Pick a compact Slime brand from an auto parts store if you don't have one. At least one of the guys on the trip should carry a compressor. Bonus if two do, better yet all of you do. If you change tire(s) before the trip, use an awl or a nail/screw to puncture your tire in the garage and practice fixing it so you know how when on the road. Takes about 10 minutes from start to finish, or less, once you know how.

Canada gas stations may often have free air, but not so in the US. Expect to need $1-2 to buy air if you need to top off tires and don't have your own compressor.

 

[Tenerester]

Eric, many thanks for the advise. Very helpful.

Yes we have installed power outlets sourced directly from the battery and we all carry different flat tire kits, compressors, slime cans etc etc. Of course we learnt this the hard way during a 9 day trip down PCH to LA and back last year. We were stranded on the highway for hours with a flat tire on one of our bikes. We ended up with a blown up compressor (and the onboard power outlet) and with a single tire plug kit which was pretty much useless. Now we know better!!

 

[itlives]

Sound like a great trip!

Excellent advice, Erik, With one exception IMHO. I would not puncture a tire on purpose unless it is an old tire that's not making the trip.. The plugs are easy enough to figure out even for a "hole virgin".

 

[cory1848]

Also a lot if not most of the auto parts stores will take it. At least they do in Florida.
I am heading the other way July 22nd. Florida to Oregon. I will waive as I go by! ::008::

I am doing the same trip but leaving night of July 21 to avoid heat.

 

[Tenerester]

I am doing the same trip but leaving night of July 21 to avoid heat.

I did thnk about riding in the night myself but was warned by many about elk and deer crossing the roads in the night. Guess it depends on which route you take.

 

[CentralCal]

Good advice Eric.
Wish I could tag along with you guys but I can't get that much time off work.
If anyone needs a place to stay or work on the bikes send me a PM.
I'm in the center of Cal in a town by Frazier Park, Ca. Off the 5 freeway top of the grapevine.
Room for plenty if you need a place to stay on your trip.
And that offer is good for anyone passing by on an S10. Ok maybe a BMW or a KTM but I have to draw the line on Harleys.....

 

[snakebitten]

Don't put anything non SAE on the bikes unless they are only for off road and you keep them off and above all covered (fully blacked out). It's the law.

Maybe so. But it's not a good one. Silly even, in my opinion.

In California, Women may not drive in a house coat. It's the law.

 

[itlives]

California? That's another country, isn't it?
http://www.dmv.org/articles/bizarre-driving-laws/

For your entertainment....

 

[cory1848]

I did thnk about riding in the night myself but was warned by many about elk and deer crossing the roads in the night. Guess it depends on which route you take.

Not much for Elk here in Florida... We do have deer though but I will be leaving at night just to get out of the state riding slab to Georgia. I will motel it there and then it will be day riding the rest of the time. Any deer that attempts to cross the interstate here will most likely be taken out by the truckers.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Maybe so. But it's not a good one. Silly even, in my opinion.

In California, Women may not drive in a house coat. It's the law.

LOL - As I remember, it's Indiana where there is still a law on the books that upon sight of a hitched up mule or horse, a driver must disassemble his vehicle. In other words remove the ignition key.


Then there's the old bit about the difference between right and dead right. The legal SAE lights in the woods will legally let you kill deer with the bike as you come up from a dip in the road. The mask in those lights won't light Bambi up or allow their eyes to reflect. You can then hope for a driver not on their cell phone to stop and call the ambulance. Legally.


Seriously to the OP, even though it's summer, take whatever layers you wear in winter. We are going north in a couple of weeks and taking the heated jacket liners. My son and I got snowed on in June in 3 National Parks a few years ago.

 

[Tenerester]

I highly recommend getting a pair of really good legal fog lamps.
I recently installed the SAE compliant Rigid fog/low beam assist lamps.
They are a very nice addition to your stock lights.

You are likely to come across fog or go into clouds at some point of the trip. However the last thing you want to do is ride a bike in fog.
A motorcycle must be risen like you are invisible even on a clear day. Riding a motorcycle in fog is not a good idea at all.
I lived for more than two decades in an area with heavy fog and seen too many motorcycle and car crashes. Mutliple pile ups with
multiple fatalities. Your on vacation.... if theirs fog get off the road asap.

Going back to the lights they are great lights for day and night riding. Being fog lights they project a wider spread of light.
Also you do want to have the redundancy of two separate front lighting setups. Stock and auxiliary.

Don't put anything non SAE on the bikes unless they are only for off road and you keep them off and above all covered (fully blacked out). It's the law.

Thanks for the advise.
It's strange there are such strict laws about auxiliary/fog lamps and yet many US states still have no mandatory helmet laws and allow lane splitting. IMHO, both these can do fatal damage than non compliant fog lamps!! Just saying.

 

[Tenerester]

Not to start another tire thread .....but installed a set of Metzler Tourance Next tires in preparation for the trip and I feel it's a totally new bike now. Leaning around sharp corners is a breeze now. These tires really hug the tarmac. Got almost 18,000 KMs out of the stock Battlewings and the front tires still had about 3k left. They were nice on logging roads and straight highways, but I never could get used to the rough handling around corners. These Metzlers are awesome and they look good too ::008::

 

[Tenerester]

Hello folks, I successfully completed the cross country trip as planned. I don't have the ability to provide a complete ride report, hence the following brief summary. If you have any questions, please ask:

Round trip Route: Vancouver BC - Seattle WA - New York, NY - Halifax NS - Vancouver BC (via Canada)
No of bikes: 4 (three 2014 SUPER TENERE ES + one 2012 Ducati Multistrada)
Total distance covered: 14,600 KMs (9000 miles)
Duration: 25 days
Number of actual riding days: 23
Daily Riding hours: 7am to 3pm approx with hourly breaks

Number of American states crossed: 18
Number of Canadian provinces crossed: 7
Popular routes/destinations travelled : Bear tooth pass, Yellowstone NP, Mt Rushmore, Needles HWY, Badlands, Niagara falls , New York State, NY, Boston, Maine, Halifax, North Sydney, Cape Breton, Cabot Trail, Quebec, Montreal, Thunder Bay, Cascades

Mechanical issues: none
Electrical issues: none
Flat tires: none
Accidents: none
Police incidents/fines: none
Maintenance: one oil filter change done at a dealership parking lot in Nova Scotia
Accommodation: Motels (shared)

Total cost per person: Approx $3000

Challenges: Had to ride through heavy storm for 3 hours across Minnesota. Had a tough time controlling the bike with heavy cross wind blasts and limited visibility,

Surprises:
1) Bear tooth pass and Cabot Trail seem a bit overrated. We find twisties in the west Coast (WA, BC, HWY 1 CA etc) much more challenging, enthralling to ride and definitely more scenic.
2) We were treated very well by people wherever we went.... even in the so called 'dangerous' places across the states.
3) we didn't feel tired or exhausted after the trip. I was in fact back at work the following morning like it never happened.

Overall verdict:
A trip well planned and well executed. 'Discipline' was key to its success. Another item in the bucket list accomplished ,, thanks to my beloved Super Tenere...one of the best purchases I ever made.