no fairing travel

[C Kerley]

Do you think it would be absurd to do a 2500 mile round trip ride on a bike without any wind protection?

I'm planning a trip to the red desert from SW MO next spring and am kicking around some options without front fairings.  

[Sport-Touring]

[miles]

No, it's not absurd.  I prefer having little to no fairing, myself.

[marc11]

I dunno; I just did a 2100 mile, three day ride on the Versys, which has minimal but SOME protection; at times it was easy, at times, a little better wind flow over the helmet would have been nice.  No protection at all?  I would guess that would cut your miles per day down and maybe your average speed down as well.

Anything is doable, it is just a matter of how much you want to compromise.

[CBOrwig]

I've made enough trips on bikes with no wind protection, GET SOME FORM OF WIND PROTECTION!!!!! You'll be glad you did.

[atypical1]

Do you think it would be absurd to do a 2500 mile round trip ride on a bike without any wind protection?

I'm planning a trip to the red desert from SW MO next spring and am kicking around some options without front fairings.  

Nope, can't be done. Impossible. In fact you better go buy a Gold Wing...

Obviously I'm kidding. You plan on taking the KLR? If so then a fairing won't be necessary as you aren't going to be hitting speeds that really necessitate it (no, I'm not being sarcastic there...I find I don't need a fairing until I get up past 80 mph). It is nice having an open bike allows you to feel the environment around you. For some of us that is the spirit of motorcycling.

Enjoy and post lots of pics.
james

[kendenton]

http://www.kendenton.org/ducati/8days41gasstops/index.html

[keystonejenks]

Paging Scott?

[chornbe]

Do you think it would be absurd to do a 2500 mile round trip ride on a bike without any wind protection?

I'm planning a trip to the red desert from SW MO next spring and am kicking around some options without front fairings.  

I've done it. Fatigue at high speeds is the real enemy. But if you ride at reasonable speeds, there's really no issue and you'll likely have a cleaner stream of air over and thru' your helmet than almost any fully faired bike.

[jay547]

i wouldn't know. i've spent a grand total of about four hours riding bikes with wind protection.

[kendenton]

Do you think it would be absurd to do a 2500 mile round trip ride on a bike without any wind protection?

I'm planning a trip to the red desert from SW MO next spring and am kicking around some options without front fairings.  

If you're looking at extended slab running the naked bike will certainly be more fatiguing.  But if you're cooking on secondary roads, mostly less than 70mph, shouldn't be an issue.

[DogBoy]

You will surely die. No one could survive riding any distance without a fairing.

[R Doug]

I just got back from a 10 day / 3,100 mile trip on a Super Duke!

It can be done.  

[KLRchickie]

Do you think it would be absurd to do a 2500 mile round trip ride on a bike without any wind protection?

I ride my KLR *everywhere*.  In just over 2 years now, I have over 38,000km on it.  I DO have the tall windshield on it, which buffets me some, but protects me from the high wind pressure that I would get without.  My Oxford Sports Humpback tank bag (never expanded) actually helps protect me from some of the wind that comes around the front of the bike too.

I've done 800km+ days.  We did a ~7600km trip in 15 days in the saddle last August/September.  I was on my KLR, my husband was on his ST3s.  We *usually* kept the speeds reasonable, but there were some boring parts where I found out what kind of crappy mileage the KLR gets at WOT...

I don't think it is absurd at all though I *may* be slightly crazy!

[Orson]

first try hanging your head out of your car window.

try to increase the distance each time you drive somewhere, to the next town, then further.

if this gets old real quick, then a fairing might be best for you.

in my opinion, only Jean Claude van Damme stunt doubles or 18 year olds would attempt such a stunt.

can't be done.

[chornbe]

You will surely die. No one could survive riding any distance without a fairing.

Best.
Line.
Ever.
(in context)

Awesome.

[HipGnosis]

Do the old H-D/chopper rider 'trick' of tieing your bedroll (or anything similar shaped) to the headlight or handlebar area to make a psudo-fairing...

[C Kerley]

Well, that's kind of the response I thought I might get.  To answer one question, no I'm not gonna take the KLR.  It'd do it, but I'd just rather have something else.  I had my mind set on a VFR, but some of the "naked" bikes were starting to appeal to me.  I've never ridden any distance at all on bikes without some sort of fairing and although I know it "can be done" I just wasn't sure I was up to the task!  

It'd probably be about a week trip, so really no farther than 500 miles in a day I don't believe.  

[garry]

I just did 3600 miles with a small aftermarket windscreen velcro'd to my KTM Supermoto. Helps when cruising highways, but unneeded on most roads.

[shil]

Twenty-five years ago I rode an XS650, with no fairing and stupid pull-back handlebars, from Toronto to San Francisco and back.  I would not do that again.  I don't think I could do that again.

[kendenton]

I just got back from a 10 day / 3,100 mile trip on a Super Duke!

It can be done.  

I hate you.