posted August 11, 2006 08:48 PM
Lincoln, Marysville & 10K (long) Between work and chores, I've been so busy that I could not post the trip report til now. As most know I like Sports Touring, racing is not my mojo. I do test the ZX-14 in ways that may be of some interest to most (I Hope).
A quick overview of the trip. My plan is to go from Orlando, Florida to Lincoln, Nebraska. Then head over to the Honda Homecoming in Marysville, Ohio then Home again. A couple of Objectives the first is to see how many states I can cover in 4.5 days. 2nd is to have the ZX cross 10,000 miles before Aug 1st. 3rd Find out some facts about the bike (see end)
On July 25 at 2:30 am I wake go over the bike for a final check. The local radar say all is clear so with 7,163 miles on the ZX I head for Nebraska. The weather will play a part in the route but it seems north of Macon, Ga things are clear. So I head north on 95 to I-10 then North on I-75. I could not ask for better weather, it's overcast but cool mid 80's. Once above Macon man does it get hot, the ZX does not seem to heat me up too badly when riding above 50 mph. I go West on 285 around Atlanta and I'm really impressed with the airport. 2 runways that run on each side of the hi-way. It was pretty bad ass because the planes take off 2 at a time and I could not help but to want to race those buggers, sure I'll fall behind but not much ;^).
I discover tar snakes in Northern Georgia and let me tell you those suck when it's hot. I almost rear ended a car because braking is skewed. I feel for you all up north, crappy way to patch a road.
I stop to eat in Pittsburgh, Tenn and looking at the map realize that Alabama is 4 miles away so here is proof that I added that state to my list.
I-24 in Tenn is beautiful but man is it hot even in the mountains. When I reach Nashville the temperture says 102 and it feels that hot. I think most here do not like hwy riding but I-24 in Kentucky is as relaxing as I've ever been riding the interstate. So much so that twice I find myself approching 100 mph. BTW As smooth as you all think your ZX-14 is Just wait, you aint seen nothing yet. I stop at the Illinois rest area and discover Metropolis, Supermans home town. Well there really is not a whole lot to see out here, to be honest I like the relaxed riding.
I stay the night at Mount Vernon, Il completing day 1 with 1042 miles/ZX odo 8,205 miles.
States today Fla(1), Ga(2), Ala(3), Tenn(4), Ky(5), Ill(6).
Wed July 26 a wake up wondering if the ZX will fire. The shop Manual says the plugs are good for 7,500 miles and I'm at 8,200 miles. I have a set of plugs with me but I want to see how far these spark plugs will go. Here is a pic of the new plug next to a 32,000 mile VFR plug. Look identical to me.
Todays weather looks fine until I get to Western Missouri. By the time I get there seems the weather system has broken up and in Kansas City I get my first real taste of this heat wave. temps are approching 105+. Heat in the Mid west is different from Florida. When I pull up my helmet visor I can really feel the moisture being ripped from my body. In a way this is better than Florida because the moisture there is sneaky and gives you a false sense that your fine. Here well I was always thirsty. It stayed sunny and hot all the way to Lincoln, but at 7:00 PM EDT there I was standing in front of Kawasaki Mfg Plant.
I really thought it would be bigger than it is.
Here is a picture of me and the ZX at the front of the plant. The bike is blue, I'm the tall one. (not)
Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses and before I started my track East I take a moment to just look around. I wondered how far my house is from the plant and this is what I came up with.
Yes that's 1221 miles in a straight line, I counted 1616 miles by roads.
I end the 2nd day in St. Joe, Mo a little over 700 miles today the ZX odo says 8,935 miles
States today Missouri(7), Kansas(8) Yes I went the long way around KC Iowa(9), Nebraska(10).
July 27th Travel day! I wake to rain all over the place but not till I get to KC. Well I pack the ZX up and put on that dam wet suit. When I get to KC wet roads but no rain. It sucks because to the south of I-70 it's pouring but straight ahead things seem clear. 75 miles outside of KC I take the rain suit off mainly because I can't take it anymore. That rain followed me all the way to Columbus, Ohio but not a drop touches me. I can't believe that I've gone 3 days without rain but as God is my witness it's true.
At the Hotel I notice this. Not really a big deal. I never owned a bike where you can see through the brake fluid.
Another 700 mile day and the ZX odo says 9,668 miles
States Ind(11), Ohio(12)
July 28, Well i make it to the Homecoming and as you all might expect there are not too many Kawasaki's there.
But all was good, I spent more time at the bike talking to people wondering about our mighty ZX. I try to explain that I'm more of a Touring person but most don't buy into it...Go Figure.
As I left Ohio I hit about 5 miles of rain then it becomes partly cloudy the rest of the way. I head east to see if I can pick up more states to add to my list.
I fill up in Pittsburgh, Pa. and about 20 miles outside of Pittsburgh I hit the magical 10,000 miles. I make a huge mistake once on the DC beltway, you see I've been avg 45 MPG and with 5.8 gallons that's about the distance between Pittsburgh and DC. Once on the beltway there are not too many fuel stations or advertised stations. So my Trip hits 210 miles the Low Fuel signal comes on, so I start looking hard for a gas station. There is a citgo sign off the Beltway so I get off and find nothing. Dam nice hood but no fuel. I figure it would be best to get back on the beltway and as the trip hits 222 I start getting that panic feeling. It's 10:30 Friday night and I'm doing the best I can to conserve fuel on this raceway. Then I see a sign that says Dulles Airport, and there's hope but it's a toll road. In Florida those type of roads do not have fuel, so I make the hardest decision of the trip and continue on the beltway where I have no idea where the next exit is yet alone a gas station. As the trip hits 226 I see hope in the form of Hotels, hey where there are hotels there have to be gas stations so I pull off and I see the best sight of the trip. A sunoco station. I fill up with 5.3 gallons and a promise to myself never to wait that long again for fuel.
I end the day at 752 miles, odo on the ZX says 10,420 miles.
States today W.Va(13), Pa. (14), Md (15), Va (16), NC (17) and DC(18)
July 29 Travel Day! I see rain to the north of the Virginia Border but it's clean to the south. I can't believe I made it all the way home with only a couple of wet roads and no rain actually touching the blue beast. I close the trip with 11,068 miles or 3,905 total trip miles (only 10 miles of rain)
covering 18 states SC(18) plus DC.
this is the last fill up.
After day two I did not even think of the sparkplugs but they are holding up fine and I plan on using them until they fail, I'll keep you posted.
A quick note as to what the tires look like after 11,000 miles.
If you think that moisture can not get into the clutch and Brake lines check this out.
Hope this turns out fine,
Please forgive the mistakes it's 12:30 and I'm a bit tired.
Robert
ZX-14 11,413 miles
VFR 84,462 miles
posted August 11, 2006 09:08 PM
I can now, but it's been almost 2 weeks since the trip.Here is a piece of advise to live buy, don't break in a new helmet on a 4000 mile trip. Lessons learned. I went right to work from the trip and I'm just getting caught up now.
posted August 11, 2006 09:11 PM
I wanna see the giant Superman statue. ____________
Speed has never killed anyone,
suddenly becoming stationary...
That's what gets you.
posted August 11, 2006 09:37 PM
Great writeup. Moved me out of my boring life for a moment. Wish I could have been travelling with you. Would love to see more trips (with pictures) on this website.
____________
'There's more living in five minutes flat-out on a bike than some men have in an entire life'.
"The World's Fastest Indian"
One fast red ZX-14,
Three World and four National Land Speed Records,
One faster red and white Cessna Turbo 210
posted August 12, 2006 04:13 AM
HiMile, what bags are those on your bike? They look like they hold quite alot?
Are they waterprrof, and did they melt at all looking pretty close to the pipes?
____________ Texas Mile 200.256mph - Oct. 2007 (Update 202.577mph Oct 2008) NOS assisted ECTA Ohio Mile 195.132mph TexasMile 2012 199.9 mph all motor!
Streetriders Shootout 2008 series Pro/ET Champ!
Streetriders Shootout 2007 Series Pro/ET Runner-up!
quote:HiMile, what bags are those on your bike? They look like they hold quite alot?
Are they waterprrof, and did they melt at all looking pretty close to the pipes?
The bags are from Givi and there are so many zippers on these puppies that you just zip them up tight and they are off the pipes. I'm looking at the pictures and I think they are sitting on the pipes in the pics but when I leave the factory the bags will have about a inch of air between the bag and pipe. The material seems to hold up well to the heat.
There were a couple of times where I did not tighten the bags and they sat on the pipes and there was no damage or melting.
Waterproof?? Well this trip they were. No serious they are not. They come with a plastic liner. I hold my rain suit and bike cover in one bag so I don't care if that gets wet. The other holds cloths so I keep them in the plastic liner. That works out well because I only grab the liner when I go into the Hotel leaving the bags on the bike overnight.
posted August 13, 2006 05:14 AM
Edited By: HiMile14 on 13 Aug 2006 06:15
quote:Hmmm...you'd think it would be dark at 2.35 AM there...
I like riding Florida in the dark, I've seen everything here, plus the interstates here are full of truckers at night. My fear is deer, there are too many roads with more deer than cars. During the day I have a chance to slow. Just my opinion.
Rob
posted August 13, 2006 06:58 AM
Rob FBA was refering to the time stamp on your first pic posted here. It shows 2:35am and it is during the bright daylight??? Hmmm! ;~)
____________ Texas Mile 200.256mph - Oct. 2007 (Update 202.577mph Oct 2008) NOS assisted ECTA Ohio Mile 195.132mph TexasMile 2012 199.9 mph all motor!
Streetriders Shootout 2008 series Pro/ET Champ!
Streetriders Shootout 2007 Series Pro/ET Runner-up!
posted August 13, 2006 04:55 PM
Good point, sorry bout that. I'm Off about 12 Hours. Now if I can get this camera to focus up close this post would be perfect.
Rob
posted August 17, 2006 03:51 AM
Edited By: HiMile14 on 17 Aug 2006 05:38
Just wanted to update a couple points that won't happen. The front rotors are in fact warped
so I have the ZX-14's first blemish.
Next I lost my rear tire last week.
I've been a bit quiet because I have insurance that covers tires. To be honest I was unsure if this was something I ran over (and it was)
or a bad tire. I did not want to freak everyone out until after the facts come out.
They are repaving the roads in my town and it appears when they rip up the old road all
kinds of garbage can come from this. I found a nice blade eh.
Robert
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posted August 11, 2006 08:48 PM
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