[Ven0m0uS]

---EDIT---
RIDE STATS ON POST#131

Hello all,

As some of you might know, I frequently take my Grom on long rides. The last long ride was with the guys from Totalruckus. Rode from my house in Freedom (just south of Santa Cruz) up to San Jose to meet them. Then over to Santa Cruz, then back home. It was a 138 mile ride on that Sunday. Other one-day rides I do run about 150 to 300 miles.

Well now I'm planning on riding the Grom down to LA from my house to make it to this year's So-Cal Super Sunday on April 27th. On my chosen route, it will be a 407 mile one-way, one-day journey. Planning on leaving early Saturday the 26th before the event and returning on Monday the 28th. It will be around 1000 miles ridden in 3 days. I'm going on this trip solo, unless anyone else is interested in joining me. Riding long distances is a whole different thing. Being conscious of comfort is a big deal. This isn't the only motorcycle I have ridden long distances in. But the Grom is more of a slap in the face to anyone that says it can't be done. This is why I have been going on long rides on the Grom, to practice for the REALLY long ones. I don't consider going to LA a REALLY big ride. It is merely practice and research for the future.

If anyone wants in I will tell you this:

-It isn't a race
-I'm in no rush to get there
-I'm not riding WOT all the way
-Extra fuel containers are a must
-Dress in layers and carry extra clothes along with snacks in a pack
-Map shows an accident and a road closure, I know. Couldn't figure out how to do it another way with less than a minute of trying so I gave up.

I know a few of you taking yours down to SS for the ride, I'll be riding mine down. See you there.

-Johnny

 

[Challyfreel]

Wow that's a long ride.


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[BiG Chris]

two things... tow it down there and get there fri night

 

[Jason]

Sounds great. Looking forward to hearing a ride report and seeing pictures.

 

[Ven0m0uS]

two things... tow it down there and get there fri night

I'm an adventure rider, in my mind that would be cheating. Not hating on anyone trailering though.

 

[Ven0m0uS]

Sounds great. Looking forward to hearing a ride report and seeing pictures.

I'll have a smart phone by then. I'll be documenting and reporting here.

 

[jmzd4]

sounds fun

 

[asaulo1]

good luck and ride safe... it would be awesome if you can post updates during your fuel and rest stops.... how long do you figure the ride down would take given that you have to take all backroads? I'd be more than happy to meet up with you when you get to maybe Gorman or so... Let us know here and I will organize a ride to meet up and then ride with you on the way down....

 

[mecevans]

I rode the 1 from Monterey to Santa Cruz. I was just able to stay with traffic WOT and a light tuck the entire way. Drafting large vehicles I could keep up with 1/2 to 3/4 throttle.

I think going up a tooth on the front sprocket would increase your cruising speed greatly on the flats and give you more momentum up hills. Not to mention lowering your rpms as the power just falls off up top.

I was beat by the time I got back. If I was going that far I would rent a uhaul for half the distance.

Edit: do you have any intake or exhaust mods? This would make a huge improvement in cruise speed.

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[Ven0m0uS]

I rode the 1 from Monterey to Santa Cruz. I was just able to stay with traffic WOT and a light tuck the entire way. Drafting large vehicles I could keep up with 1/2 to 3/4 throttle.

I think going up a tooth on the front sprocket would increase your cruising speed greatly on the flats and give you more momentum up hills. Not to mention lowering your rpms as the power just falls off up top.

I was beat by the time I got back. If I was going that far I would rent a uhaul for half the distance.

Sent from my XT1080 using HondaGrom.net mobile app

I have done many rides around here already. I don't ride the freeway section of the 1. It's very sketchy. People don't drive 55mph on the 55mph sections. Freeway is 65mph minimum, at least for most drivers. I have done the 1 from Monterey all the way down to Kirk Creek Campground. It's mostly tourists driving slow. I took back roads to get to Monterey. I have also done it to San Francisco. BUT never on freeways. It's illegal on the Grom. But more than that it's a hazard. The Grom is fine as it is for the roads I take. Like I said, I'm in no hurry to get to wherever it is that I'm going.

 

[Ven0m0uS]

good luck and ride safe... it would be awesome if you can post updates during your fuel and rest stops.... how long do you figure the ride down would take given that you have to take all backroads? I'd be more than happy to meet up with you when you get to maybe Gorman or so... Let us know here and I will organize a ride to meet up and then ride with you on the way down....

I will be updating you guys on the entire trip. The riding part on my route should be about 9 hours plus my stops. I plan on making 3 stops. I will be fueling up on each stop. I'll have breakfast before leaving. Then a snack along with a short rest on the first and third stops. I'll have a lunch on the second stop. I'll be posting specific stops and a detailed route soon. Gorman is about where 5 is. I'll be just west of there on the 33. Meeting somewhere would be awesome. I'll be staying in a hotel somewhere near the meeting spot in Rancho Cucamonga.

 

[asaulo1]

I will be updating you guys on the entire trip. The riding part on my route should be about 9 hours plus my stops. I plan on making 3 stops. I will be fueling up on each stop. I'll have breakfast before leaving. Then a snack along with a short rest on the first and third stops. I'll have a lunch on the second stop. I'll be posting specific stops and a detailed route soon. Gorman is about where 5 is. I'll be just west of there on the 33. Meeting somewhere would be awesome. I'll be staying in a hotel somewhere near the meeting spot in Rancho Cucamonga.

if you're taking the 33 then probably a good place to meet up would be somewhere in Ojai. That would be a great ride down to LA from there.....

 

[Ven0m0uS]

if you're taking the 33 then probably a good place to meet up would be somewhere in Ojai. That would be a great ride down to LA from there.....

That would be cool. Let's plan this out!

 

[Ven0m0uS]

I rode the 1 from Monterey to Santa Cruz. I was just able to stay with traffic WOT and a light tuck the entire way. Drafting large vehicles I could keep up with 1/2 to 3/4 throttle.

I think going up a tooth on the front sprocket would increase your cruising speed greatly on the flats and give you more momentum up hills. Not to mention lowering your rpms as the power just falls off up top.

I was beat by the time I got back. If I was going that far I would rent a uhaul for half the distance.

Edit: do you have any intake or exhaust mods? This would make a huge improvement in cruise speed.

Sent from my XT1080 using HondaGrom.net mobile app

My Grom is completely stock, I'm not changing anything on it.

 

[Ven0m0uS]

if you're taking the 33 then probably a good place to meet up would be somewhere in Ojai. That would be a great ride down to LA from there.....

Actually, if I take a different route I would be passing through Gorman on my way to Lancaster. I can make that one of my stops.

 

[asaulo1]

Actually, if I take a different route I would be passing through Gorman on my way to Lancaster. I can make that one of my stops.

we can definitely do Lancaster... In fact, this is where the big ruckster group ride ended for lunch this past February... we can definitely show you some back road twisties if you're still up for it.....

 

[Ven0m0uS]

I most definitely am. I'm riding down regardless, joining up with someone would be icing to the cake.

 

[BiG Chris]

Heres the route the general took a few years back maybe it will be helpful https://www.battlescootershopping.c...oWa30750oszWpjYccyhfcekWqVmdHLdXa&shop_param=

 

[Ven0m0uS]

Heres the route the general took a few years back maybe it will be helpful https://www.battlescootershopping.c...oWa30750oszWpjYccyhfcekWqVmdHLdXa&shop_param=

Cool, thanks Chris. That route is similar to my original plan. First half of the route is the same.

 

[Ven0m0uS]

FIRST LEG: Freedom, CA to Coalinga, CA - 123 miles

This is my planned first leg of the ride. Leaving my house at 7:30am. The actual riding time will vary on this and the other ETAs. I estimate that I'll take 20-25% longer time for the given distances. This is the approximation that I always give myself on rides. I'm very familiar with the 25 as I have gone to King City via this route. This stop will be a fuel stop along with a restroom and snack break. I'm timing myself to take no more than 15 minutes.