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After owning the 1985 GS1150 from new, I never really went for a good long tour to really appreciate what I have. Sure, I may have put the most of 200km in a single ride, but not any more.
Within the last 5 weeks, I've ridden with a friend on a couple of Sundays for some decent rides. A couple of 400km round trips, one east and one north. My friend took me through some great roads with lots of bends to add a little excitment to the ride.
Sunday past we decided on one big ride. For the last 5 weeks, I've been working on the bike getting ready for a trip like this. New engine mount bushings, carb synch, that I did with my new Carbtune II, and checking all bolts which was highly recommended from all in the GSR. (not from my posting, I read quite a bit from others) The shorter trips showed how much improvement in vibration and power the bike had from just these adjustments.
At 6:30AM I left to meet my friend in Ajax for a plotted 900km tour. What a blast. We stopped in Gravenhusrt about 9:00AM for breakfast. Gas in Huntsville at 10:30AM where we changed plans. I wanted to try the North Bay across the top of Algonquin Park on Hwy 17 to Pembroke and Hwy 41 & 28 to Bancroft then home, but we decided to take Hwy 60 through Algonquin Park to Renfrew. I've never driven through Algonquin Park, yet I take my family camping just north of Huntsville. Beautiful scenary and moose. Yep, the sign said beware of moose, and in one swamp was a female cow and her calf grazing. Amazing. Luckily nothing crossing the road. (the moose sighting was tipped off by the lineup of cars stopped on the shoulder) During lunch in Renfrew, we were talking to a woman who was out riding for the day and she told us about a couple of roads that would take us to where we wanted to go home. This was Hwy 508 and 511 which were resurfaced within the last couple of years. Talk about turns, it was great. About 60km of twisties. This ended at Perth for a break before home. We travelled back Hwy 7 to Norwood and then down to Hastings to County Road 2. Another great road full of twisties.
12.5 hours and 836km later, I made it home. Sore butt, but well worth the ride. I can now say how I apprieciate a good tour through Ontario on the bike.
Sorry if I rambled a bit, I just couldn't help but let you all know about the great riding in Ontario. I'm hoping to take on the North Bay ride sometime. My friend talked me out of it in Huntsville thinking it was a 16 hour ride. It plots to about 890km. Not much more than what we did.
Within the last 5 weeks, I've ridden with a friend on a couple of Sundays for some decent rides. A couple of 400km round trips, one east and one north. My friend took me through some great roads with lots of bends to add a little excitment to the ride.
Sunday past we decided on one big ride. For the last 5 weeks, I've been working on the bike getting ready for a trip like this. New engine mount bushings, carb synch, that I did with my new Carbtune II, and checking all bolts which was highly recommended from all in the GSR. (not from my posting, I read quite a bit from others) The shorter trips showed how much improvement in vibration and power the bike had from just these adjustments.
At 6:30AM I left to meet my friend in Ajax for a plotted 900km tour. What a blast. We stopped in Gravenhusrt about 9:00AM for breakfast. Gas in Huntsville at 10:30AM where we changed plans. I wanted to try the North Bay across the top of Algonquin Park on Hwy 17 to Pembroke and Hwy 41 & 28 to Bancroft then home, but we decided to take Hwy 60 through Algonquin Park to Renfrew. I've never driven through Algonquin Park, yet I take my family camping just north of Huntsville. Beautiful scenary and moose. Yep, the sign said beware of moose, and in one swamp was a female cow and her calf grazing. Amazing. Luckily nothing crossing the road. (the moose sighting was tipped off by the lineup of cars stopped on the shoulder) During lunch in Renfrew, we were talking to a woman who was out riding for the day and she told us about a couple of roads that would take us to where we wanted to go home. This was Hwy 508 and 511 which were resurfaced within the last couple of years. Talk about turns, it was great. About 60km of twisties. This ended at Perth for a break before home. We travelled back Hwy 7 to Norwood and then down to Hastings to County Road 2. Another great road full of twisties.
12.5 hours and 836km later, I made it home. Sore butt, but well worth the ride. I can now say how I apprieciate a good tour through Ontario on the bike.
Sorry if I rambled a bit, I just couldn't help but let you all know about the great riding in Ontario. I'm hoping to take on the North Bay ride sometime. My friend talked me out of it in Huntsville thinking it was a 16 hour ride. It plots to about 890km. Not much more than what we did.
There are a few other roads out there that can be dangerous if you don't take them slow at first but they are worth going out there for another run. Also, you can take the 38 North from Kingston and then turn off onto the Westport Lake Road (beside the Shell) for some more fun. You'll go along a lake which has a bunch of really tight turns that'll make you want to bail off the bike. :twisted:
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