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What "type" of rider are you?

J

JAMESDUNN

Guest
What sort of riding do you like to do? Are you a long haul endurance type, i.e., do you ride for thousands of miles at the drop of a cap? Or, are you a "go to the grocery", short distance riding specialist? The type of rider that goes on errands for beer and pretzels, or a quick trip over to mom's three blocks away for a cuppa tea, but never much further than the city limits? Do you see yerself as an all 'rounder, ridin' whenever, to wherever, for whatever reason, or perhaps, no reason at all?
JD
 
I'll play. I'm a motorcycle traveler. I ride my motorcycle to go places I need or want to go. That could range from going to the nearest store and gas pumps (25 miles), going to town (53 miles) or going to Newfoundland (over 3,000 miles plus a boatride). I used to ride very long days because I had to to get there. That evolved into long distance endurance riding and two Iron Butt Rally finishes. Before I retired I was a weekend traveler, often to BMW rallies. I almost never rode to work unless work was closer to where I wanted to head to Friday night. Sundays, returning over 800 miles from the Top O'Rockies made for a long day. Now retired I prefer shorter 400 or 500 mile days at the most. I travel locally to get where I need to go in the winter in the Big Bend, and travel throughout North America in the summer. This now includes all 50 states, all the Canadian provinces, several Canadian territories, 5 countries in southern Africa, and New Zealand. And I've barely scratched the surface of all the places I want to go in the U.S. alone.
 
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The fact that I'm not retired dictates much of my riding in the form of the daily commute of 12 miles each way, though if I get out in time and the weather is decent I've been known to come home via NY and NH in a big loop that makes me sleep well.

I split my weekends between the GS and the Wife, grumpy if I miss the first part and fearful of retribution if I miss the second. But I can't complain. Though my wife doesn't enjoy riding with me, she is supportive of my weekend campouts and my annual two week journeys...

Pete
 
I am a traveler type of rider also. In the past year that has included riding from my home in South Texas to the tip of South America and to all places in between, plus a quick trip to Prudhoe Bay, AK. Not to forget a couple of trips to Big Bend. In two weeks I will leave for Daytona Beach then on to Naples, FL. In June, off to Labrador, over to British Columbia then down to Big Bend and back to Riviera, TX. I have a "cage" that is good for runs to the grocery.
;)
 
I am an explorer, but the roads HAVE to have twists, I would rather ride a narrow dirt road than the highway. I frequently ride 300 miles to get 75 miles as the crow flies.

I rarely know my nightly destination until at least 2 or 3 in the afternoon, sometimes later.

I do not enjoy riding to get somewhere, it has to be about the ride, not the destination.

I work at home, so no commute, 80% of my miles are track days and 10+ day trips to smokies, and a couple of 3 or 4 day long weekend trips into New England or PA, but I almost always trailer to the good roads before riding. I love to ride, but hate to travel on 2 wheels, unless I can do it on all back roads.
 
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I'm somewhere in between the two extremes listed. I feel cheated if I suit up and then only ride 30 miles, but I can only afford one long trip per year, for a week to 10 days, between 2k and 4k miles. I ride after work during the week, usually in the 35-100 mile range. On weekends, I do a lot of day riding, somewhere in the 100-300 mile round trip range, with occasional overnights. By end of season, I'm firmly in the middle of the bottom third of the mileage contest, though I never enter it!
 
I love to explore too. I'll also ride all day to get to some twisty section I've never visited. I've got a Texas state map that's all marked up with all the roads I've ridden in the last three years. My wife and I really enjoy riding together and we've been stretching our envelope with longer and longer rides to different destinations. This past year -- in addition to Texas locations like Big Bend and Texas Hill Country -- we covered some great roads in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. I do enjoy day trips too. I don't enjoy Houston's local stop-n-go traffic (and neither does the RT) so I tend ride when I have time to get out of the city, but I do occasionally go for the short ride after work. But I do like the big miles. :)
 
Hey all; Can't put myself in any one class... If the weather is good, I will ride to work, but I tend to taper off towards the fall, as we have way too many Bambi in the area. I love to travel by bike, but no longer try to cram 700 miles into a day. Four hundred, maybe 500 miles is fine. I ride FOR the ride, not just the destination. Seldom use freeways, (unless it's something like US 77) but will if I have to get somewhere. Guess I'm just a biker. Vaya con Dios, Dutch
 
Love to Ride

I have ridden to work, but rarely do. Weekend trips, distance trips, everything but the interstates is fine with me. The longest day for me has been just over 800 miles, but I prefer something in the range of 500, though I am not that picky.

I put 24,000 miles on my first beemer the first year I had it. Will not put this many on it this year because another bike joined the stable, and both are a kick in the pants to ride.

But I hope to put in more miles this year, because of a change in work arrangements, leaving much larger chunks of free time to ride. I guess I am more of a trip rider than a commuter. I would like to be a track day rider if schedules ever make that possible.
 
I'm a daily commuter to work (60 miles round trip) plus the Saturday breakfast run with a few of my riding buddies. Wanderlust hits twice a year, so I'm usually off to the Georgia Mountain Rally in the spring, then put something together for rides up in TN and NC, etc. for the fall. I have relatives all the way up the east coast to Maine, so I'm sorta itching for an extra trip up that way this year. Also plan a Bun Burner 1000 to visit an Army buddy in Kansas City, KS. I average about 13,000 a year, probably a little higher this year if I get to take these extra trips. When the kids are grown and move out one day, watch out...
 
If I have errands around town, I walk or take either a bicycle or a car; seldom a motorcycle. If my wife suggests that I go for ride in the late afternoon or early evening, I decline. However, if there should be an art exhibit in Boston, or a rally in Alabama or Vermont, or a TV show set in Saskatchewan that is about to be dismantled, or a ride around Cape Breton Island, I'll go for the ride. When planning to go to Colorado, I've gone east by way of Gettysburg, Maryland, North Carolina and eventually make my way to the west.

The only short rides that I go on are to practise braking and U turns. I always need a destination although the route is seldom direct or fixed to a schedule. A day's ride might be 200 km or 1300 km, depending on the my mood, what there is to see along the way and how many folks engage me in conversation at my stops.

The roads I ride are 2 lanes and Interstates but I try as much as possible to avoid the gravel. (I must take a off road riding course this year.) I could ride faster than I do, but then my riding, as my life, has been one of moderation, to allow me to ride another day. I do take ATGATT seriously and even wear gloves and a helmet to move the bike from the street to the garage.

Both bikes have taken me to the Atlantic Ocean and with Redmond this coming summer, I expect one will take me to the Pacific. I tend to ride between 20,000 to 30,000+ kilometres a year. :ca
 
I just like to ride. I ride to work 2 or 3 days a week, but its only about 6-7 miles and not really fun, but if I ride to work, it usually helps me display a better attitude. ;)

I am lucky to live near mountains with lots of options for riding. Husband and I can almost always squeeze in a 2 or 3 hour run up one of the local canyons, on Sunday morning. Sometimes these extend into a nice day ride followed by cold blender drinks and something on the grill when we get home.

We usually fit in some overnight or long week-end trips. We also usually have one or two one or two week trips, depending on how flush we feel we are. We usually shoot for 500 to 600 mile days, with a preference towards two lane roads with lots of squiggles, but it depends where we are going and how much time we have to do the ride. We also usually ride together, but not always; it depends on our schedules.
 
I ride the CLC every day to work for a 70 miles round trip commute. 'Lose approx. 2 days a year to icy conditions. On weekends, I switch to the R60/6 for all errands and 'round the town stuff. Not much pleasure riding, though-just basic transportation.
 
What sort of riding do you like to do? Are you a long haul endurance type, i.e., do you ride for thousands of miles at the drop of a cap? Or, are you a "go to the grocery", short distance riding specialist? The type of rider that goes on errands for beer and pretzels, or a quick trip over to mom's three blocks away for a cuppa tea, but never much further than the city limits? Do you see yerself as an all 'rounder, ridin' whenever, to wherever, for whatever reason, or perhaps, no reason at all?
JD

Yes. :D

I do a fair bit of "long haul" stuff when I take trips. I also suffer from "gethomeitis", so I often get moving at 7:30am and once I've knocked out 400 miles I decide, "I'm only 250 miles from home, might as well go for it!". I need to cut that out, get off the main roads, and take my time. I also commute to work, though I REALLY need to find a good, waterproof, easy on/off suit to wear for my commute because I run home on lunch and the whole on/off/on/off/on/off/on/off with separate jacket and pants is annoying, and leads to me driving more than riding.

This spring I'm going to finally mount my topcase which will likely make it possible for me to use the bike for more weekend errands like groceries. I really try to ride as much as possible. It's better on gas and more fun, though the gas thing won't be an issue when my hybrid Fusion shows up in another week or two.
 
snip...


I also commute to work, though I REALLY need to find a good, waterproof, easy on/off suit to wear for my commute because I run home on lunch and the whole on/off/on/off/on/off/on/off with separate jacket and pants is annoying, and leads to me driving more than riding.

....unsnip

My exact thoughts. Especially on days when I have to go to multiple locations.
I think it will make me look like a dork though...uh wait a minute..I am a dork!:laugh
 
A little bit of "all of the above", except minimal commuting and I'm not into "Iron Butt" style riding for a tripmeter reading; both of which force me to be concerned with a schedule and an agenda.

Off-road riding gets mixed in to my equation too, though a bit less so now that my son has moved out and we moved into town. We used to have own twenty acres of good rough butte and coulee country and free access to over 100 more adjacent to it, just open the garage door get on the bike and ride. Now I have to load and trailer those bikes to the mountains and make an all day affair out of a what used to be easy fun.

I have taken to spur of the moment, get home from school or whatever, it's a nice day "blasts" for an hour or a few out into the mountains or river canyons around here on the VFR... I come home relaxed, refreshed, and renewed:thumb
 
What sort of riding do you like to do? Are you a long haul endurance type, i.e., do you ride for thousands of miles at the drop of a cap? Or, are you a "go to the grocery", short distance riding specialist? The type of rider that goes on errands for beer and pretzels, or a quick trip over to mom's three blocks away for a cuppa tea, but never much further than the city limits? Do you see yerself as an all 'rounder, ridin' whenever, to wherever, for whatever reason, or perhaps, no reason at all?
JD

Yes.

D. All of the above.

Motorcycles are my prefered form of transportation and recreation.
 
I am pretty much a long distance rider. Although I will ride down to the corner grocery on occasion, it is a rare event. Most of the time when I throw a leg over a bike it is usually to go somewhere far, or at least reasonably far away. A town or two distant or across another state line; seldom around town.
JD
 
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