Novice rider... planning 9 day, 1500 mile tour summer 2017... thoughts?
 

I have a bit of dirt bike experience as a kid. Getting licensed late Spring. Originally thought I'd get a super-cheap dual sport to learn on, but now think I'd go straight for the Zong RX3.

Will do some day or weekend trips this summer to get some experience and figure what I'll need for a bigger trip.

I'm lurking ADVRider and other resources for info. Would like some china bike perspective as far as what to consider planning such a trip.

I'm planning on riding from central Iowa east to the central IL/WI area near Lake Geneva, where I have some childhood memories to revisit, Chicago, up the lake side of MI to Mackinac Island, where I have relatives who live on the island, west through the UP, up the Door Peninsula, back down and west to Shawano, where my family has a summer place, then back home via LaCrosse.

What say ye?

Gear? Camping spots? Sites to see? Good routes? Safety concerns?

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? Smart remarks?

Often overlooked, often not mentioned, but extremely important:
A decent basic 1st Aid kit.

Ugh..., wear a helmet?

:p

best advice i can offer is properly prep the bike and yourself and don't pack too much 'stuff'!
do whatever you feel you need to do to put your mind at ease:) a fun trip is a relaxed trip! and for that area, take some good insect repellant so you don't get chewed up while enjoying the sunsets:) oh and start with new but not brand new tires:) brand new tires with which u r unfamiliar, on roads wet w the morning dew/fog/mist etc. can take the fun out of a new journey in a hurry.

'Smart remarks'... check.

Can't hurt, since you have so much time (well over a year), to take a MSF rider's course; preferably on your Zongshen.

MSF is in progress. Bike will have to come later.