Highway?

[hawkijustin]

Anyone ever take one on the highway? How long did you ride it for?

[ambassador]

Hawk, I wouldn't recommend extended highway or interstate rides on some of these bikes, they just aren't geared for it, I'd put it in a truck and go to a ride destination but that's just me, other riders may have a different point of view... Hope I could help...

[bfe71730]

I don't recommend them for interstate travel, but any where the speed limit is 55 should be fine if your gearing is right. I think most of them now are geared a little higher from the factory. Mine is an '04 and would barely hit 55 wide open when I first got it.

[RPM]

Somebody on here took a trip on one from LA to FL last year, but I can't remember who it was. My memory just ain't what it use to be.

[ambassador]

Rpm, I don't remember who it was either but I do remember that his wife was following soon after and I think they were headed to her parents, He got pulled over and the cop was asking him about the bike and not a ticket, sound familier???

[RPM]

Yep, I was just doing some digging and found it was Jet_Tech that made the 14 hour trip. I am sure he can say something about the performance and what you can expect from one of these on an extended trip.

Then again, he may be on another one of those extended trips ... maybe? :wink:

[stixx3969]

14 hours from LA to FL? Wow! How's he got that thing geared? 8O

[gyjoe]

My stock Lifan does fine on a 55 mph highway, but the farthest I've gone in one stretch at that speed is about 25 miles. Wouldn't be afraid to go a lot further, however.

[ambassador]

The speed limit on the interstates here in FL is 70mph and most people drive between 75-85, not gonna be taken the China bike on the interstate anytime soon...

[fatboy250]

Interstate riding is fine with ours. With stock gearing we are able to keep up with the traffic in the right lane and still have a little more top end to go. We've maintained 65-70 on ours for 30min or more with no problems. Our interstates are usually 65mph and some 70mph, but I try to stay off of them not because of the motorcycle but because of the crazy drivers. At those speeds, it's just not good for a motorcyclist during the 5:00 500.

[ambassador]

Fatboy,
What is your gearing?

[fatboy250]

Stock. 46 rear. I believe 17 front. I didn't count the teeth the last time I had the cover off :roll:

[sheadouglas]

I have the same exact gearing in my bike too. I can run a consistent 65-70 on the Interstate (which I have done before), but the major factor is the wind. If you have a head wind of any such, no chance you are runninig 70 for any amount of time on these bikes. Tailwind or any other type is a different story. Also, it's not the funnest thing in the world when you have an 18 wheeler or any sort of big truck blow by you, and the gust of wind literally feels like it could knock you over.

[culcune]

Originally Posted by stixx3969

14 hours from LA to FL? Wow! How's he got that thing geared? 8O

That's LA as in Louisiana, not the city of L.A. When I was a member of Horizonsunlimited, an international motorcycle site, there were people who did long trips on scooters and small bikes--not around the world, but whole continents that were safer and friendlier for doing such. Jet Tech seems to be the record holder here, so far, without even trying, but one of us has to be a pioneer and do a long trip somewhere, in the near future. I know that Deputygene and a couple others are planning a run on a portion of the Trans Am trail.

I, myself, feel that one of us, maybe Tom or Bruce, should convince one of the brands to sponsor an across country jaunt on one of their bikes. TGB scooters had such a trip done by three guys riding the TGB 150cc delivery scooters from New York to L.A. They took 11 days to do the trip. I think that the U.S. importers of these brands (centered around the state of Texas for some reason) should sponsor a trip, but in speaking with some of them by phone, seem to not quite understand English as well as they might of thought they did when they came here. In other words, they might not be too keen to back someone up. My idea of sponsor is to simply give someone a bike and let that person pay their own way while writing about the virtues of the bike, but a company could write it off the entire costs of such a trip as an advertising expense. Maybe that someone will be me?

http://www.cobrasales.com/news/cobra...orts112004.htm

ACD, you are probably already familiar with this.

[mdsuave13]

i have been thinking about this idea of contacting a company and doing an article for their site or whatever (use my experience as advertising) if they give me a bike for me and a buddy, we would document the trip with journal entries and photos.. we could make the trip as long or short as they liked, but i would love to try a cross country ride on something.