Blue Ridge Run - From Virginia Beach (Pix)

Took off at 0500 yesterday morning from Virginia Beach and rode about 150 miles of the Blue Ridge, from Meadows of Dan to about Roanoke. Total trip mileage from my garage in Virginia Beach until I got home at 2100 last night was 675mi. Prior to the trip, did the complete nut and bolt check, adjusted the chain (not that it really needed it - amazing after almost 3K miles on the bike that I've only had to adjust it at about 800mi.), changed the oil to Honda HP4 Semi-Synth 10W-40 no moly. The Bandit runs like a torque monster champion, going smoothly for hours at a time doing 70. I think it was good to get her out and run her for this trip. I have about 3500 miles total now, and the stock Dunflops have another 1000 miles or so before they have to be replaced, so I feel lucky in that regard. Beautiful weather, superior motorcycle! The only downside is that I can barely sit this morning because of the pain of the stock seat. I thought for sure I was going to have to stay at a motel last night because the pain was almost unbearable for the last 200 miles or so back to the house.

The Blue Ridge in Virginia is very nice, but not the most adventuresome riding around because of the 45 mph speed limit (and police EVERYWHERE). Most of the fun was the 10 mile stretch from Stuart Virginia getting up to the entry point for the Blue Ridge. It sucks that I have to ride 280 miles just to get to it though.
Enjoy!

Experimenting with size here.... didn't realize how small they looked....

Dang it! You'd think I would learn how to get everything in ONE POST!!!! I also wanted to mention that I got at least 50mpg on each tank, and in one instance, coming down out of the Blue Ridge and heading south on 220 back to Martinsville, Va. to pick up US58 East, I got 62mpg on that tank!!!!!!! AMAZING!!!!! I wasn't being easy on the throttle either, for fear of getting killed on the hwy - everyone was doing faster than normal fast because of the weather and the holiday weekend approaching I think.

Great looking bike and it looks like a fun trip. I'm really impressed with the bandit and being a double Duc owner, I can't help but to be envious of that reliability.

Thanks for sharing.

really pretty scenery, everything is so green!

Thanks Joe, but I'd pay GOOD MONEY to live back in beautiful California for a while. I'm from Sacramento (over 25 years ago...thanks to the Navy). 50 miles or so to mountain scenery much better than that in Virginia. You being in SOCAL - you've got some of the best scenery in the world!

Nice pics!

suzukijo said:

really pretty scenery, everything is so green!

Click to expand...

If you get on down into the Smokies, it is really green. I read that it is classified as a tropical rain forest because the area averages over 45" of rain per year. Not sure how accurate that claim was, but I know I have been rained on every single time I have been there... Mornings are usually very damp and foggy. However, it usually clears out before noon and turns into a beautiful day. There is some seriously twisty and technical riding to enjoy in North Carolina

What luggage are you using??

Kuryakin Grand Touring bag - $160.00 - leftover from my cruiser motorcycle days, but works nicely on the Bandit. The saddlebags are "Cargo Converti" from Cycle World - about $100.00. It's a really nice setup, and the backrest works really well on this bag. Loads of storage space for a thermos, clothes, food, couple of bottles of Gatorade, etc...

It's very sturdy actually. The saddlebags lie directly over the seat, and the Kury bag gets fastened to the rear Bandit hooks by the rear handrail, and the front Kury D-rings get a bungee cord to the rear footpeg brackets. I love it.

Beautiful countryside. We vacationed in Virginia several years back, and we're going to do it again. I like that Kuryakyn bag, too.

Great pics, thanks for sharing. I can't wait to do my ride report. All my trips are getting the ax this season thus far. Looks like August and September I will be putting in some serious miles though.

Blue Ridge Parkway is nice this time of year I was on the lower half this past weekend. It was quite cold up there in the elevations.

Nice pix, etc. Ride further north next time and I'll show you the tasty twisties in Rockbridge County.

Have been lurking on this site for about a year, waiting for the right moment to snag a 1250S. Mostly waiting to sell my BRG beast at http://personal.rockbridge.net/rustyford/TR.html.
Also ride a 2001 FZ1 for twisties and a DR650 around town and into the woods.

One Bandit feature you don't read much about on this site is the ABS. It seems that most published road tests don't like its lack of "feel." Any informed opinions here?

It's nice to see some "home" pix on this site as a side to the regular diet of high desert shots. Oh, yeah, and as soon as I get my Bandit I want one of those billet tail racks... sweet!

t110 [back to lurk mode]

Lexington, VA [near BRP mile post 65]

did somone mention 'high desert shots'?



waiting for the multitude of Va shots. (i never been to Va)

Tried to upload some, but got a "file too big" notice no matter what I tried. For now, you'll have to settle for the ones of a Trophy 1200 in my hayfield, as linked above.

Is that original paint on the '51 Chevy? High desert air sure is easy on paint and steel. Most of the old vehicles around here have no paint and trees growing up through them. That is, the ones that escaped the crusher.

t110