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I need to give a "break in" ride for a BMW 1200RT and a 1200GS on a 800 mile Phoenix-Grand Canyon loop at the same time. If you have a solution to the problem "How to ride more than one bike at the same time", or you are interested in joining me on the ride between September 6th and 14th, please contact me at gabor@azride.com.
I'm looking ONLY for experienced riders, who know how to treat a bike in her initiation phase.

Gabor

Wow I wouls love to join you for that, but Im a bit far away. Im surprized you cant find anyone locally? You could have some one follow you in a truck with the other bike and do 400 miles on each.

Gabor,

Your web-site at www.azride.com looks like you'll have some nice rides.

The photo on your home page with the LONGGG flat stretch reminded me of something. I didn't check your route out for the break-in period, but unless it is particularly tight and twisty tarmac you are riding, rather than typical high speed highway travel it is less well suited to breaking in an engine than the manufacturers generally specify. Most manufacturers break-in info is quite similar and it isnt the quantity of miles as much as the quality of how the engine is ridden during that time. Avoiding steady-state throttle and cruising is the most important thing to achieving the best engine performance, piston ring sealing, and overall longevity.

One solution, which more easily resolves your problem. Having spent several years working in the motorcycle industry, over 15 years riding and racing, I can absolutely tell you that the highway is one of the worst ways to break in a motorcycle, and one of the BEST ways to break in an engine is at the race track. You may want to check your area to see if there is a track day in whcih you can bring both bikes and give them a really good 200 or 300 mile break in at the race track with a group of street riders. There are various levels of riders at track days and some events will welcome sport touring riders as much as racers.

A closed course environment like a race track offers EXACTLY what the manufacturers specify during the break-in period: varying revs, acceleration, deceleration, no constant speed riding, no time sitting in traffic idling, and speeds that allow for excellent airfllow and maintaining proper temperatuire. plus short breaks for warm up and cool down time between sessions, etc. You can work the entire bike and this also helps "break-in" the entire chassis and suspension. I could go into details, but suffice it to say it meets all the specs. The first miles are the most important, and an engine can be very well broken in after a really good track session and only a couple hundred miles. At the track you can even ride both bikes the same day and maybe do two different events, THEN do a shorter highway trip with each bike.

The ride would be fun. Never been to AZ, but I have a friend who is in love with Phoenix.. funny enough she's been in Korea for the past few years, but i think she'll retire back in Phoenix.

Love those boxers!

I know several guys with boxers although I'd prefer the 650 single and adventure tours, but I you guys who want to do big big miles definitely have the right choice there!

RGS1150 pic:
http://tinypic.com/9ktgnn.jpg

//monkey

funny, I just popped this into the CD Player:

The first tune on Steve Earle's Exit 0 album...

Nowhere Road
(Steve Earle, Reno Kling)

There's a road, in Oklahoma
Straighter than a preacher
Longer than a memory
And it goes, forever onward
Been a good teacher
For a lot of country boys like me

I push that load from here to someday
I'll push as long as I'm alive, but I don't know how long I'll last
'Cause it's just a road, it ain't no highway
I'm blowin' by the double five
I know I'm going way too fast

I been down this road just searching' for the end
It don't go nowhere, it just brings you back again
Leaves you lonely and cold, standin' on the shoulder
But you've come too far to go back home
So you're walkin' on a nowhere road

Some folks say, if you keep rollin'
And keep it on the yellow line
It'll take you on the big highway
But there's a toll to pay, if you're going
The keeper of the gate is blind
So you better be prepared to pay

> "One solution, which more easily resolves your problem..."

Dear "QuietMonkey",

Thank you for the race track idea. It makes a lot of sense.
Fortunately the back roads in Arizona also provide a very
good alternative. They are twisty, not crowded and also
scenic on the top of that. As to the time constraint, using
them for the break in is definitely not the quickest solution.
Yes, you are absolutely right. The first couple of hundred miles
are the most important and can determine many things for
the rest of the lifetime of a bike. Thank you for drawing my
attention to this point.

I appreciate your thoughful comments and I'll take your
suggestions into consideration.

Gabor

I'm about ready to get on the Plane for this ride!

I wonder if the Family would let me do this?

Let me know how it turns out.

OK....so I'll miss this one....Doh!

I have to run a big tour myself in Sept.

Can you pencil me in (& perhaps my ridng mate) for the next one please?