400 mile ride on a motorcycle.

[MMARSH]

Lots of good bikes out there that will get the job done. I've done a 600 mile day on my Paul Smart and my KTM 790 over a 1000 mile day several times on old FJR and on my GS.

The bigger question is what kind of riding do you want to do. Do you wanna sport tour, adventure tour or literally just slab it down the freeway. Different tools for the job, although there is some crossover.

Regarding the break down issue. I don't even think about that. In several hundred thousands of miles, I have never had a bike break down no matter how hard I've tried, flat tire that I fixed on the side of the road sure, but a break down nope, not once. In fact, most of those rides have been with other people and only once has there been a break down and that was by the owners own admission due to him failing to fix a part (On a Benelli)that had been a known recall.... I don't know, maybe that's something you need to think about when you ride a Harley.

[Bill Douglas]

I'm not sure how it would fit into budgets, but a Honda Africa SCT automatic would be reliable and comfortable.

[otto_kretschmer]

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/d/columbus-honda-goldwing/7457250465.html

goldwing for $5k

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/d/mount-vernon-honda-st1100/7456088920.html

honda ST1100

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/d/newark-1995-bmw-r1100gs/7455061307.html

bmw R1100GS

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/d/hilliard-2001-hd-road-king-classic/7454403205.html

Road King

these are all in the Columbus area

[911boost]

HD Electra Glide all day long, it is what they are built for. Mine would eat up miles like that without even a hiccup. I had an ‘06 from new before I got my 18;Road Glide, it is an amazing highway bike too, like Jeff’s recommendation but with a different fairing/windshield and there are dealers everywhere.

I’ve owned a GS and if you are just doing highway miles get the right tool for the job, and the GS is not that.

Get a custom seat and you are ready to roll.

[911boost]

HD Electra Glide all day long, it is what they are built for. Mine would eat up miles like that without even a hiccup. I had an ‘06 from new before I got my 18;Road Glide, it is an amazing highway bike too, like Jeff’s recommendation but with a different fairing/windshield and there are dealers everywhere.

I’ve owned a GS and if you are just doing highway miles get the right tool for the job, and the GS is not that.

Get a custom seat and you are ready to roll.

[otto_kretschmer]

I found some interesting bits of the Iron Butt riders. Not many Harleys.

https://www.ironbutt.org/ibrfacts.htm

Highest number of miles ridden during a single Iron Butt Rally:

Year Place Rider Home Miles Motorcycle

2011 3 Jim Frens NH 14,185 Honda Gold Wing ('10)
2021 1 Mike Brooke CA 13,906 Suzuki Hayabusa ('08)
2011 5 Curt Gran WI 13,857 Honda ST1300 ('07)
2021 5 James Owen PA 13,617 BMW R1200RT ('18)
2011 1 Peter Behm MN 13,544 Yamaha FJR 1300 ('04)
2021 6 Wendy Crockett SD 13,510 Yamaha FJR1300 ('05)
2021 10 Ken Aman NY 13,385 Yamaha FJR1300 ('16)
2013 30 Bob Lilley PA 13,380 BMW R1200GS ('11)
2001 82 George Barnes CO 13,357 BMW K1100LT ('00)
2005 4 Mark Kiecker CA 13,354 Honda VFR800 ('00)
1999 1 George Barnes CO 13,346 BMW K1100LT ('95)
2019 22 Peter Green NM 13,314 Triumph Trophy ('13)
2005 1 Shane Smith MS 13,277 Honda ST1300 ('03)
2005 6 Marty Leir MN 13,256 BMW R1150GS ('00)
2011 9 Brian Johnson MN 13,198 BMW K1200LT ('03)
2011 4 Roger Sinclair VA 13,195 BMW R1150 GS ADV ('02)
2021 2 Ben Ernst TX 13,184 BMW R1250GSA ('20)
2011 2 Eric Jewell CA 13,162 Honda ST 1300 ('07)
2017 2 Bob Lilley PA 13,124 BMW R1200GSA ('16)
2021 4 Steve Giffin PA 13,114 Yamaha FJR1300 ('05)
2011 6 Kirsten Talken-Spaulding VA 13,110 BMW R1200RT ('09)
2011 7 Tom Loftus WA 13,092 Honda ST1300 ('07)
2017 7 Wendy Crockett CA 13,083 Yamaha FJR1300 ('05)
2019 1 Wendy Crockett SD 12,999 Yamaha FJR1300 ('05)
2013 2 Josh Mountain CA 12,963 Yamaha FJR1300A ('06)
2011 10 Tom Sperry CA 12,955 Honda Gold Wing ('08)
2005 38 George Barnes CO 12,950 BMW K1200LT ('01)
2019 7 James Owen PA 12,936 BMW R1200RT ('18)
2015 25 Will Barclay FL 12,900 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic ('14)
2017 1 Jim Owen PA 12,885 BMW R1200RT ('15)
2019 38 Ken Aman NY 12,842 Yamaha FJR1300 ('16)
2011 8 Dick Peek UT 12,782 Yamaha FJR1300 ('06)
1999 9 Shane Smith MS 12,780 Honda ST1100 ('98)
1987 1 Barry Norman OH 12,773 Yamaha Venture ('83)
2005 11 Jim Phillips GA 12,731 Honda GL1800 ('03)
2019 9 Kevin Gardner GA 12,711 Honda Goldwing ('08)
2009 1 Jim Owen PA 12,706 BMW R1200RT ('07)
2009 25 Chuck Gittner FL 12,669 BMW K1200LT ('05)
2007 11 Jim Frens NH 12,658 Honda GL1800 ('04)
2009 18 Brian Jack WA 12,629 BMW R1150GS ('05)
1999 2 Rick Morrison WA 12,625 BMW K1100LT
2005 7 John Ryan NJ 12,573 BMW K75 ('95)
2005 70 Brett Donahue MN 12,525 Harley-Davidson Sportster ('04)
2021 12 Kirsten Talken-Spaulding VA 12,524 BMW R1200RT ('15)
2009 13 Matt Watkins WA 12,502 Yamaha FJR1300 ('05)
2005 32 Geoffrey Greene TN 12,494 BMW R1100RS ('94)
2005 17 Terry Pipes LA 12,483 Honda GL1800 ('02)
2011 14 Corey Nuehring IA 12,482 Yamaha FJR 1300 ('08)
2005 13 Allen Dye TX 12,463 BMW R1150RT ('04)
2007 1 Marty Leir MN 12,460 BMW R1200GSA ('06)
1993 1 Steve Attwood GBR 12,458 Moto Guzzi MK III LeMans ('83)
2003 2 Mark Kiecker IL 12,418 Honda VFR 800 ('00)
2005 34 Morris Kruemcke TX 12,413 Honda GL1800 ('01)
2003 3 Marty Leir MN 12,411 BMW R1150GS ('00)
2021 8 Steve Gallant MA 12,405 Honda ST1300 ('12)
1999 6 Gary Eagan UT 12,405 BMW K1100LT
2021 3 Mike Heitkamp MN 12,395 BMW R1200GSA ('15)
2019 3 Steve Gallant MA 12,370 Honda ST1300 ('12)
2009 12 Roger Sinclair VA 12,365 Kawasaki Concours 14 ('08)
2019 4 Craig Brooks CO 12,352 BMW R1200GS ('11)
2021 9 Bob Lilley PA 12,341 BMW R1200GSA ('16)
2011 15 Wendy Crockett CA 12,336 Yamaha FJR 1300 ('05)
2017 5 Erik Lipps CA 12,307 Yamaha FJR1300 ('12)
1999 7 Peter Hoogeveen ON 12,299 Honda CBRXX
2005 2 Chris Sakala MD 12,279 BMW R1150GS-ADV ('02)
2015 27 Greg Rice FL 12,278 Honda Gold Wing ('12)
2021 7 Eric Bray VA 12,275 BMW R1200GSA ('15)
2009 8 Bob Lilley PA 12,268 BMW K1200LT ('03)
1995 1 Gary Eagan UT 12,266 BMW K1100LT ('95)
2001 1 Bob Hall OH 12,247 BMW R1100RT
2009 4 Chris Sakala MD 12,238 BMW R1200RT ('08)
1999 5 Eric Jewell CA 12,237 BMW R1100RT
2005 16 Tim Conway MN 12,224 BMW R1150GS ('00)
2001 2 Shane Smith MS 12,219 Honda ST1100 ('98)
2005 26 Harry Kaplan NY 12,193 Yamaha FJR1300 ('05)
1987 2 Fran Crane CA 12,166 BMW K100 ('85)
2009 2 Jeff Earls OR 12,153 BMW K1200GT ('07)
2005 31 John Ferber ON 12,142 Yamaha FJR1300 ('04)
2009 21 Andy Kirby MA 12,135 Honda ST1300 ('04)
2011 23 Tim Masterson TX 12,096 BMW R1200 GS ADV ('08)
2009 3 Eric Jewell CA 12,090 Honda ST1300 ('07)
1999 3 Manny Sameiro NJ 12,086 Honda Gold Wing
1999 3 Harold Brooks VA 12,083 Honda Gold Wing
2005 8 Eric Jewell CA 12,081 BMW R1150RT ('02)
2005 14 Tom Loftus 12,079 Honda GL1800 ('05)
2005 10 Peter Hoogeveen ON 12,065 Yamaha FJR1300 ('05)
2011 12 John Harrison AL 12,034 Honda ST1300 ('07)
2021 24 Chris Hopper TX 12,033 Harley-Davidson Road Glide ('20)
1995 6 Ron Ayres TX 12,007 BMW K1100LT ('95)
2009 32 Kevin Lechner GA 12,001 Honda ST1300 ('07)

[Robert Coats]

Look at the Iron Butt guys. Notice the names Honda ST1100 and ST1300? It provides exceptional 1-up riding with nearly all the comfort and conveniences of a big GoldWing without the weight, thus truly making it a world-class sport tour bike. I had three, and miss them dearly. Don't think Honda makes new ones (except for the LEO/Cop version) but a gently cared-for example is easy to find. Oh, and don't let the size/weight spook you. I was 32 when I rode my first motorcycle, and I was 34 when I bought my first ST1100! It handles a LOT lighter that you'd think.

The 1100cc is really just fine; plenty of grunt and HP. Hard bags, 7.4 gallon fuel tank, worry-free shaft drive, low, LOW center-of-gravity, so when the pegs drag a bit, no panic!, lots of windscreen options, slick throttle locks, the list goes on.



And that V-4 engine? A siren song of internal combustion and smoothness!

Sold my first one to get another with ABS, so it to get the bigger 1300cc, sold it when Mrs. C got tired of riding, and simply could not walk away from the V4, so, yeah, got a VFR!

Caveat: I used to work for Honda, but at this point, gain nothing but pride talking up the products.

Oh, here's the slightly larger LEO version, 1-up, bigger alternator, etc., etc.:

[ramonesfreak]

^^^^^boring? Absolutely. But I don’t ever recall bad traffic on the route and I’ve done Columbus to Rochester quite a few times and from Akron/Cleveland to Rochester probably 50 times —assuming he is heading north from Columbus up to 90 and then east on 90

[Chocaholic]

One thing that favors the HD is the ability to change your leg positions. But for that kind of mileage…4 cylinders would be my preference in terms of smoothness and power.

My slab riding days are long behind me now, Too much work…especially when it rains, and it will.

[Superman]

R1200RT would be my choice.

[Fast Freddy 944]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

What if twice a month, you wanted to ride 400 miles between cities (Columbus, OH to Rochester, NY). Do not want to split the ride up, hammer it out in a day. If you were strictly looking for a used bike, budget $10k, what would you buy? Assume only looking at well maintained, no stories, ready to ride bikes.

Here is the most logical cycle of all time to do interstate riding, on that will not break down and will be comfortable and cheap to own. The Honda Gold wing. Buy that and be happy, no foo-foo euro bikes, no stinking rumble machines, none of that, buy a Gold wing and be happy. Yeup they have reverse on em.

[Scott Douglas]

I'm with Mr. Coats on this one. ST1100 for me. V-4 goodness, shaft drive quietness, plenty of torque at freeway speeds too.

The one Otto linked to with 8300 miles on it is barely broken in.

[MMARSH]

I prefer the ST1300 over the ST1100. I like the FJ1300 over both of them but I'm biased. With the BMW, i wouldnt buy an RT unless its a 1200 or 1250. Ive put a ton of miles on BMW motorcycles and i really didnt like the R1150RT. Otherwise you seriously can't go wrong with any of those bikes. Just personal preference. I joke about the HD. But the next addition to my bikes will most likely be a new Road Glide.

[gsxrken]

Another Gold Wing or Electra-Glide vote here.
I would say get a BMW 1200RT if it was an “only” bike, but I see you have Ducati SS so you’ve checked the fun box already. As a tool to pound out 400 mile days, the first 2 bikes can’t be beat. I’d give the HD the nod based on personality.

[stevej37]

It's been a few years...but I would guess I've owned around 10 Honda bikes.
Of those 10?...zero mech. problems.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by MMARSH

Lots of good bikes out there that will get the job done. I've done a 600 mile day on my Paul Smart and my KTM 790 over a 1000 mile day several times on old FJR and on my GS.

The bigger question is what kind of riding do you want to do. Do you wanna sport tour, adventure tour or literally just slab it down the freeway. Different tools for the job, although there is some crossover.

600 miles in one day on your Paul Smart? I am not worthy... I did about 400 one day on my Super Sport.. It was farther than intended, so I got home later than expected. My wife heard me booming up the hill a couple of blocks from our house, so she ran down an opened the garage for me. She was heading back upstairs as I pulled the bike in.

Well, about 15-20 minutes later, I had not yet made an appearance upstairs, so she ran back down to see what was up. She found me still sitting on the bike, leaning up against the center post in the garage. She had to help me get off of it...

Originally Posted by MMARSH

Regarding the break down issue. I don't even think about that. In several hundred thousands of miles, I have never had a bike break down no matter how hard I've tried, flat tire that I fixed on the side of the road sure, but a break down nope, not once. In fact, most of those rides have been with other people and only once has there been a break down and that was by the owners own admission due to him failing to fix a part (On a Benelli)that had been a known recall.... I don't know, maybe that's something you need to think about when you ride a Harley.

Heh heh - fair enough. I've been riding the darn things since the '70's. Old fears die hard... Hell, I rode around with the same extra quart of oil in my 2000 Road King's saddle bag for about the first five years I owned that thing before I admitted to myself that I could probably use that room for something else.

[Steve Carlton]

I would suggest that not all 4-cylinder bikes are that smooth. Some have a vibration that will number your fingers or hands. Some twins (like the BMW boxers) are actually quite pleasant. Although more and more bikes have them now, heated grips and integrated luggage is a nice feature commonly available on the BMWs, as well as shaft drive.

I rode a BMW 1150GS and my back line was fairly vertical, so when I went over a bump, the shock went up my back. Not for me. I still have a Triumph 955i Tiger, which is like a GS, but a smooth triple that's more street oriented. That or a newer one would be worthy of consideration.

[Scott Douglas]

My motorcycle experience is ancient compared to most here having sold my last motorcycle some 35+ years ago. Starting off with a Yamaha XS400, I know what numb fingers are all about. My '80 750F was smooth and fun to race against my brother's 860 GT Ducati. My last bike was a left over '82 Sabre, the Japanese BMW if you will. It was the closest thing to flying on a cloud at 80 mph.