Cross Country Opinions

[goathands]

I have an R100S waiting for me in Florida, and I am thinking about Riding to my place California. I am looking to take two weeks off this summer to complete the one way trip. I'm wondering if it's worth Swapping out the handlebars and cables for a set of high-rise bars, to make for a more comfortable riding position?
OR Just Ride it as is and put the money into spare parts. Opinions?  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I find the slightly forward cant to be more comfortable on the highway.  The wind takes the pressure off of your wrists, and if you have a large tank bag, you can lay on it.

The BMW engineers did it this way on purpose.

[montmil]

The higher bars will alter your riding position to a more upright posture. The wind will kill you. Stay with the lower Euro bars for a much more pleasant ride.

I would also suggest a full face helmet for comfort during your transcontinental run. ATGATT, for safety.

Monte

[wilcom]

if you have a large tank bag, you can lay on it.

Be very carefull how comfy you get on that tank bag! Especially if its warm, you just had lunch & the road is boring, you could nod off.

 Once upon a time just east of Delta Utah on US 6  heading for Ely NV, all those conditions came together for me,  I got sooo comfy I nodded off crising at above 90mph

The last thing I remember was "laying out across that tank bag",  the next thing I remember is the Paramedics asking me if i could move my legs. Luckily for me  I could and escaped with a broken arm and a lil road rash doing the ragdoll dance across the highway.

So if anyone ever asks if you can go to sleep riding a motorcycle at speed in broad daylight, THE ANSWER IS YES.

The brave Shoei RF200 that gave it's life for mine is pictured below.

[trips]

I have that exact same Camel ashtray next to the helmet, swiped it from the House of Blues in New Orleans years ago, LOL.

[suecanada]

Yes you can nod off when riding....still a problem but working on it! Wilcom is so right. There is NO yawning to warn ya either. Just pow!

[msbuck]

Yes you can nod off when riding...

I have to say that is a problem I have never encountered...at least on the bike.    The problem I had with the large tankbag was having it fall over and hit the kill switch.  No so good when you are trying to park...made the bike nod off, so to say...

[NC Steve]

I won't speak to bars and cables, but I'm loosely planning a similar trip sometime this summer myself.
If you might want a riding partner for aways, and aren't too rigid on the travel dates yet, give me a shout.  
I've got a Givi A760 fairing you may want to consider using too. 8-)

[Semper Gumby]

If you go with the high bars one of the Givi windshields with help take the pressure off your chest.  I have the part number somewheres for the dual cable set up on my R65 for high bars with 12 inch pullback.

Even with the Euro bars I think you would benefit from a Givi shield.  Good quality stuff that.  I put 1200 miles on my BSA thunderbolt without one installed.  The return had one installed and made life quite happy.  Your results will vary but I "aimed" my Givi shield at my chin.  It was easy to tilt it back and forth until I found the right position.

I installed the A34 kit with D45 windshield on the BSA.

[Vegasrandall]

I went cross country with euro bars and it was very educational.the lean down body posture acts like a airfoil and takes some of your body weight off your arms and makes riding a lot less tiring.
I wish I had some on my current bike.

[Lucky_Lou]

I like my high bars, the run up to Devils Bridge was just short of 200 miles there and back in 3 1/2 hours comfortable riding behind my screen.
Lou

[nhmaf]

On my journey to the Johnson City, Tennessee rally with the R65LS, I found the low euro bars/basically naked bike configuration worked pretty well.   That said, in general it IS more tiring to be in the windblast all day long.    I had one 600+ mile day, that was spent about 50% on interstate.  The other days were usually between 300-500 mile days, but those were generally >75% on back/secondary roads.