I might try it this summer

[ShirleySerious]

Some time this summer I was planning on going on a Route 66 trip. I know the actual Route 66 doesn't exist anymore, and was replaced by interstates. I don't like riding on highways and taking smaller roads the whole way and back would be fun (and more true to the original). Since I live near Chicago, I have the benefit of being near an endpoint, so I would go from Chicago to LA and back.

I know it sounds grueling, and I'll have to change my oil before I go, when I get to LA, and when I get back home. My cousin lives in LA, so I would have a place to stay. Luckily my friend's coming along in his Miata, so he has enough room for stuff I can't carry on my bike.

Anyone here ever attempt this?

 

[tkent02]

Luckily my friend's coming along in his Miata, so he has enough room for stuff I can't carry on my bike.

Ditch the Miata, it might be fun trip.

 

[ShirleySerious]

That's what he drives, plus it's there for back up. No way I'd be able to fit everything on my bike.

 

[tkent02]

No way I'd be able to fit everything on my bike.

So ride in the Miata.
It's a nice car.

 

[mark]

There is quite a bit of information on riding or driving this route, how to stay on the original route through cities and along the interstate. If you're really interested you can get into it as much as you'd like.

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/4466/Rt66bike.html is one site I found that was kind of interesting.

 

[airportcop]

Much of the old original road still exists at least in Missouri and I suspect some other states such as Illinois and Oklahoma. It is much more relaxing to ride on narrow country backroads such as Route 66. Probably safer too and definitely nostalgic. I have ridden on about a 60+ mile section of it here in Missouri and it is much more fun than the highway. Good luck, be safe and have fun. If you come through the area give me a shout. I always appreciate meeting GSers.

 

[Bert Patterson]

I rode some good distances on Route 66 in the '70s. I really just thought it was an old road in bad repair with a lot of dying structures along it. Frankly, I'd love to take a DRZ, several notepads and pens and a camera the length of it today. Unfortunately, I'm betting that book has been written.

In Egan's first "Leanings" book, he has an article, first written for Cycle World, about a trip down 66 (I think it was on a GS1000). Lots of grass growing through pavement, lots of spots where the road just ended and he had to double back and put a few miles on 40, then get back on.........

Do it. Take lots of pictures and give us a nice report.

 

[dpep]

It is much more relaxing to ride on narrow country backroads such as Route 66. Probably safer too and definitely nostalgic.

Nostalgic, yes. More fun, probably. Safer, No.

 

[Bert Patterson]

Nostalgic, yes. More fun, probably. Safer, No.

It's hard to get much safer than an interstate, but if that's all I had, I probably wouldn't ride a motorcycle.

This thread forced me to look up some Route 66 websites and books.

 

[airportcop]

Just curious. What is safe about an interstate? Semi trucks trying to run you over or blow you off the road. Idiots wanting to drive like they are on the Autobahn and all at 60 plus MPH? Safe? I'd call it near insanity! I feel much safer on the county backroads not trying to outride the roads or the unknown.

 

[marvinsc]

I rode some good distances on Route 66 in the '70s. I really just thought it was an old road in bad repair with a lot of dying structures along it. Frankly, I'd love to take a DRZ, several notepads and pens and a camera the length of it today. Unfortunately, I'm betting that book has been written.

In Egan's first "Leanings" book, he has an article, first written for Cycle World, about a trip down 66 (I think it was on a GS1000). Lots of grass growing through pavement, lots of spots where the road just ended and he had to double back and put a few miles on 40, then get back on.........

Do it. Take lots of pictures and give us a nice report.

You are Correct Sir! I Had a 1000 at the Time and was Admiring the Slick New 850 Shafty (which it took Me 24 Years to Acquire:-D ) and Read that Article in CW and Thought "What a Cool Trip that Would Be". All these Years Later and I also Remember a Segment of that Article about Him Racing a Train somewhere along that Route.

 

[tkent02]

Idiots wanting to drive like they are on the Autobahn and all at 60 plus MPH?

60 around here will get you cornholed...
Got to move forward through the flow, keep everything coming at you from the front. Even if it takes 80 or 90.
The problem isn't speed, it's buttheadedness. Tailgating, impatience, rudeness. No respect for anything that doesn't weigh three tons.
I think it is a result of stupidly low speed limits teaching poor driving habits to many generations of drivers. We have the best roads in the world and the slowest speeds, and the most inattentive drivers.
Slow cars should go in the slow lane, fast cars only in the fast lane to pass, then back out of the way of someone faster. In Europe, there is not any of this lane hogging that happens around here, never a problem with fast and slow getting mixed up even though there are a lot going less than 60 and a lot going way over 100.
The bikes mostly cruise at 100 plus. I got outrun a lot on my BMW 750 last summer. It only went 120 or so, there are a lot of faster bikes. (They didn't outrun me much on the twisty bits.) ;-)
With the right attitude it all works, very safely.
Much safer to drive or ride multi-lane highways there, whether you want to go 60 or over 160.

 

[Bert Patterson]

Just curious. What is safe about an interstate? Semi trucks trying to run you over or blow you off the road. Idiots wanting to drive like they are on the Autobahn and all at 60 plus MPH? Safe? I'd call it near insanity! I feel much safer on the county backroads not trying to outride the roads or the unknown.

They just have a significantly lower number of crashes per VMT than other roads. In other words, they're safer because they're just safer.

Controlled access, narrow range of speed, unidirectional, relatively straight, decent visibility.....there are a lot of reasons they're safer, but they sure are boring.

 

[Jethro]

Just curious. What is safe about an interstate? Semi trucks trying to run you over or blow you off the road. Idiots wanting to drive like they are on the Autobahn and all at 60 plus MPH? Safe? I'd call it near insanity! I feel much safer on the county backroads not trying to outride the roads or the unknown.

As motorcyclists, we can arm ourselves with skills that can reduce many of the dangers of being on a motorcycle. What we can't reduce is the danger of someone blowing a red light or an oncoming car turning left in front of you. This won't happen on an interstate.

My last two near death experiences have been the same incident. Some jerk-off pulling out of thier driveway without looking first. This wouldn't happen on an interstate.

Finally, I can't speak for anyone else, but I tend to drive the motorcycle quite a bit over the posted speed limit. The interstate is the only place where doing this doesn't significantly increase your likelihood of disaster.

 

[Bert Patterson]

In a previous job, used to talk to traffic engineers on a near-daily basis. Their views toward land use and development were nearly Neanderthal, but conversations about safety were pretty interesting. The average speed of traffic on the interstates in the state was 11 mph over the speed limit. The average speeding ticket was for 13.5 mph over the limit. The reason it was so high was generally considered to be because the state troopers did not derive any revenue for the state from citations ($$ went to the county the ticket was issued in), so they could be concerned solely with safety. For the purpose of safety, the danger on the interstate lies in deviation, not speed. Since the design speed was approximately 100 mph, 85-90 is safe as long as the flow of traffic is 85-90. So, the safe speed to travel is basically whatever the rest of the traffic is going. When I asked, because I ride motorcycles, what the absolute safest speed was, I was told that the safest speed was about 5 mph faster than the flow of traffic ? still only deviating slightly, but reucing the chances of being stuck in a blind-spot and, by moving relative to the flow, maintaining higher visibility.

 

[ShirleySerious]

Looking back at it, I think taking a trip the whole way would be too much for me. I don't have the best patience in the world, so driving 2 weeks in the middle of nowhere might make me a little on edge. Plus I don't have that kind of money. So I'm thinking about going about halfway, like Chicago to Dallas. I've done that before, although not on a bike, and it's a pretty easy drive.

Since I got my bike, I haven't taken it on any interstates. I'm OK driving a car on them, but something about taking a bike and being on two wheels going that fast. I mean I got new tires and everything, but I'm not sure what speeds my bike can handle. I have a 550. My worst fear is going 80 and then wobbling out of control. Are my fears rational or no?

 

[airportcop]

Okay, I think I now understand the concept of interstates being safer for the most part. But wind blown and boring just don't suit me at all. Not much scenery either unless you are on the right road or a hot chick drives by in a convertable!

 

[tkent02]

My worst fear is going 80 and then wobbling out of control. Are my fears rational or no?

No.
A nice tight 550 can go as fast as it can go all day long safely.
Mine did. Many a time. Never a hint of a wobble over 100,000 miles, mostly all riding it hard, quite often as fast as it would go.
Just keep up with the nice tight part.

 

[Bert Patterson]

Okay, I think I now understand the concept of interstates being safer for the most part. But wind blown and boring just don't suit me at all. Not much scenery either unless you are on the right road or a hot chick drives by in a convertable!

Yes.

A few years ago, I rode out to the Adirondacks in NY. Incredible once you get to the NY border and get off 90 onto 17, but from here all the way to Erie PA is dreadful, flat, ugly and boring. That's where mp3 players and earbuds are necessary.

 

[mark]

Yes.

A few years ago, I rode out to the Adirondacks in NY. Incredible once you get to the NY border and get off 90 onto 17, but from here all the way to Erie PA is dreadful, flat, ugly and boring. That's where mp3 players and earbuds are necessary.

Actually, its just the opposite. Flat and endless sky is beautiful. Who needs all that earth acne anyway?