Motorcycle Riders?

[cbhausen]

I’m absolutely loving the DCT in my new Africa Twin. The bike is pure joy to ride and it feels great to be on two wheels again.

I hope to meet some fellow INGO riders at HPi Bike Night July 15. This is a real blast, come on out for the friends, food, music, and yes, burnouts and stunt riding galore:

 

[tv1217]

Today marks one year since the geezer tried to kill me.

 

[melensdad]

Today marks one year since the geezer tried to kill me.

Happy Survivor-versary

 

[melensdad]

Anyone here use a satellite communicator while on long distance moto trips? We ride through a lot of areas with spotty or non-existent cell coverage. Looking at the SPOT X bi-directional satellite communicator. It can drop electronic markers like breadcrumbs on a trail for family to follow. It also can send messages similar to texts. And it has a SOS button to call in professional help.

SPOT X 2-Way Satellite Messenger | Saved by SPOT

SPOT X two-way satellite messenger connects to your smart phone via Bluetooth wireless technology. SPOT X features include two-way messaging, compass, safety check-ins, an S.O.S. button that conects to 24/7 Search & Rescue services and more.

www.findmespot.com

 

[melensdad]

Nobody has a SPOT? How about an InReach or even a P.L.B. from ARC?

I frequently ride in areas with no cell signal. Went 1/2 way across Canada and only had cell signals in the towns and cities. Upstate NY had sparse coverage, as does Michigan's UP. Even here in Indiana we have dead spots, although there is usually enough traffic that if you are near a roadway someone would stop for a crashed bike.

We are looking to ride through parts of OK, west TX, NM and AZ late summer/early fall and I know there are a lot of spots out there without any coverage, even along the roadways.

 

[tv1217]

Depends on your cell carrier too. There are parts of Ohio where Verizon(or associated MVNOs) is the only game in town.

 

[JettaKnight]

Nobody has a SPOT? How about an InReach or even a P.L.B. from ARC?

Uh, I haven't even ridden out of state yet. And never an overnight trip.

Just last night I put a cheap clock on my bike; that's the extent of my gizmos.


...or should that be a sad face?

 

[melensdad]

Uh, I haven't even ridden out of state yet. And never an overnight trip.

Just last night I put a cheap clock on my bike; that's the extent of my gizmos.


...or should that be a sad face?

We are looking at Route 66 to at least Albuquerque, then maybe up to the Grand Canyon then home, leaving late August??? But probably a couple short overnight trips between now and then. We stay off the interstates and love to find small old towns and 2 lane roads so we tend to be on the road longer than if we travel by car using the interstates. 175 to 200 miles a day is normal with a couple tourist stops = full day of riding.

 

[frenchiectfd2203]

We are looking at Route 66 to at least Albuquerque, then maybe up to the Grand Canyon then home, leaving late August??? But probably a couple short overnight trips between now and then. We stay off the interstates and love to find small old towns and 2 lane roads so we tend to be on the road longer than if we travel by car using the interstates. 175 to 200 miles a day is normal with a couple tourist stops = full day of riding.

My last trip was on the seat at 8am, off at 7pm. With some gas fill ups of course but I’m guessing every bit of 500 miles a day average. Doesn’t leave enough time for relaxation.

 

[bwframe]

I rode a couple hundred miles on Tuesday. Been a month or so since I've ridden.

Tues eve and Wednesday, I felt like I'd exercised a bit differently than the norm.

 

[frenchiectfd2203]

I’d like to ride tomorrow but I doubt that’s gonna happen...

 

[melensdad]

My last trip was on the seat at 8am, off at 7pm. With some gas fill ups of course but I’m guessing every bit of 500 miles a day average. Doesn’t leave enough time for relaxation.

I know guys who have done that too. And even 1 that did 1000 miles in 24 hours.

I'm too old, too sore, to crabby for that

I'd happily do 200+ in a day but my wife rides also (she has her own bike) and its just not fun traveling when you pass by everything and see none of it. And on a 2-3000+ mile trip going day after day after day of 400 to 500 miles is actually pretty painful. But doing 200 miles a day is fun.

 

[Indyhd]

I'm up for all of us getting together somewhere for a burger and checking out all the other bikes if anyone is up for it.

 

[cbhausen]

I'm up for all of us getting together somewhere for a burger and checking out all the other bikes if anyone is up for it.

Hell yes

 

[melensdad]

Maybe somewhere around Montecello? That is close to a mid point between the NWI, INDY and South Bend too. Not sure what is in that town but it might work. Even Fort Wayne doesn't look like it would be too far for a lunch meet up.

It looks like it is less than 2 hours by state roads to get there from Indy, South Bend, Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana.

 

[Indyhd]

Looking at Monticello the Harvest Time Family restaurant has good reviews.

 

[melensdad]

HARVEST TIME FAMILY RESTAURANT, Monticello - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

Harvest Time Family Restaurant, Monticello: See 67 unbiased reviews of Harvest Time Family Restaurant, rated 4 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #3 of 44 restaurants in Monticello.

www.tripadvisor.com

 

[melensdad]

So I guess nobody here has a 2 way satellite communicator?

I was trying to decide between a Garmin InReach and a SPOT X. I ended up buying a SPOT X from Bass Pro/Cabela's.

Garmin's InReach is a bit more robust but the SPOT X has the service plan and the features I was looking for that cost extra on the InReach.

The 2 main features that I am looking for is the ability to have family "track" my/our movements on a map in nearly real time PLUS I also wanted some basic 2 way communications when outside of cellular areas. BOTH offer those things at the prices above.

SPOT X offers the advantages of giving unlimited transmission of 14 pre-typed messages. So you can have some canned messages that read something like "Stopped for gas, back on the road soon", "taking an extended lunch/rest break, back on road in roughly 90 minutes" or "at the strip club with the guys, don't worry, I only have $50 in singles so I won't be out late." You get to pre-type 14 different messages so you can cover a lot of topics, even things like, "flat tire, fixing it, don't worry, back on road soon" or "need help, not injured, but the bike needs to be towed" The beauty is each one of those messages sends your coordinates.

The Garmin InReach Mini offers similar capabilities with unlimited sending but only allows 3 "canned" messages to be stored in your file so you need to be more specific about what you have typed into your unit's file.

Both also offer a "breadcrumb" tracking system that drops a pin on a map, with your Latitude and Longitude coordinates, that your family/friends can follow. Default setting on the SPOT X is every 10 minutes with the $12/month plan. For an added cost you can go down to 2.5 minutes. The Garmin InReach Mini requires upgrading to their $25/month plan to get this feature unless you want to pay 10-cents per pin drop, which, if you ride a lot, would end up costing you another mortgage payment on your home.

Garmin's InReach Mini offers much better navigation aids for backcountry use, and if you are in the middle of a forest or desert and need to get out it would be the better unit. InReach Mini also uses the 66 satellite Iridium network versus the 24 satellite system used by the SPOT X so it is somewhat faster to get satellite fixes, transmissions, etc.

Both systems have an SOS button that will alert Search & Rescue to come get you.

Both systems have a HELP button that will alter your family friends that you have an emergency but it is not serious enough to get the search & rescue teams mobilized to help you.

Both systems cover 100% of North America, Central America, South America and Europe. But SPOT misses some areas of central Africa, Antarctica and parts of Asia, that may be an issue for some, but not for me.

Looking at if from the COST standpoint:

• SPOT X = $199 + $144 annual subscription --> $343
• InReach Mini = $349 + $300 annual subscription --> $649

Honestly the intended usage is the prime reason to pick one or the other. Both are generally very very reliable, both have some failures.

For a MOTORCYLE trip standpoint either one will work so no need for the extra costs associated with the Garmin. I'm also a long distance backpacker and have walked across a couple countries, but I already own a couple Garmin handheld Sat Nav units for mapping, use a compass and paper map better than most people and, at age 60 am probably not going to be backpacking the wilderness northern Canada so Garmin's InReach Mini is not really an advantage for me. I'm far more likely, now, to be nearer to civilization than farther from it so the SPOT X should provide a high level of safety, plus it gives me the convenience of communication I am looking for outside of the cellular areas.

 

[frenchiectfd2203]

So I guess nobody here has a 2 way satellite communicator?

I was trying to decide between a Garmin InReach and a SPOT X. I ended up buying a SPOT X from Bass Pro/Cabela's.

Garmin's InReach is a bit more robust but the SPOT X has the service plan and the features I was looking for that cost extra on the InReach.

The 2 main features that I am looking for is the ability to have family "track" my/our movements on a map in nearly real time PLUS I also wanted some basic 2 way communications when outside of cellular areas. BOTH offer those things at the prices above.

SPOT X offers the advantages of giving unlimited transmission of 14 pre-typed messages. So you can have some canned messages that read something like "Stopped for gas, back on the road soon", "taking an extended lunch/rest break, back on road in roughly 90 minutes" or "at the strip club with the guys, don't worry, I only have $50 in singles so I won't be out late." You get to pre-type 14 different messages so you can cover a lot of topics, even things like, "flat tire, fixing it, don't worry, back on road soon" or "need help, not injured, but the bike needs to be towed" The beauty is each one of those messages sends your coordinates.

The Garmin InReach Mini offers similar capabilities with unlimited sending but only allows 3 "canned" messages to be stored in your file so you need to be more specific about what you have typed into your unit's file.

Both also offer a "breadcrumb" tracking system that drops a pin on a map, with your Latitude and Longitude coordinates, that your family/friends can follow. Default setting on the SPOT X is every 10 minutes with the $12/month plan. For an added cost you can go down to 2.5 minutes. The Garmin InReach Mini requires upgrading to their $25/month plan to get this feature unless you want to pay 10-cents per pin drop, which, if you ride a lot, would end up costing you another mortgage payment on your home.

Garmin's InReach Mini offers much better navigation aids for backcountry use, and if you are in the middle of a forest or desert and need to get out it would be the better unit. InReach Mini also uses the 66 satellite Iridium network versus the 24 satellite system used by the SPOT X so it is somewhat faster to get satellite fixes, transmissions, etc.

Both systems have an SOS button that will alert Search & Rescue to come get you.

Both systems have a HELP button that will alter your family friends that you have an emergency but it is not serious enough to get the search & rescue teams mobilized to help you.

Both systems cover 100% of North America, Central America, South America and Europe. But SPOT misses some areas of central Africa, Antarctica and parts of Asia, that may be an issue for some, but not for me.

Looking at if from the COST standpoint:

• SPOT X = $199 + $144 annual subscription --> $343
• InReach Mini = $349 + $300 annual subscription --> $649

Honestly the intended usage is the prime reason to pick one or the other. Both are generally very very reliable, both have some failures.

For a MOTORCYLE trip standpoint either one will work so no need for the extra costs associated with the Garmin. I'm also a long distance backpacker and have walked across a couple countries, but I already own a couple Garmin handheld Sat Nav units for mapping, use a compass and paper map better than most people and, at age 60 am probably not going to be backpacking the wilderness northern Canada so Garmin's InReach Mini is not really an advantage for me. I'm far more likely, now, to be nearer to civilization than farther from it so the SPOT X should provide a high level of safety, plus it gives me the convenience of communication I am looking for outside of the cellular areas.

Yeah I can’t help in any way here. I’m reliant on my iPhone, backup is nav on Harley.

 

[frenchiectfd2203]

Looking at Monticello the Harvest Time Family restaurant has good reviews.

I was also told oak and barrel was a good steakhouse.