Where I went, what I did
I took my first long road trip last summer, logging 4300 km (about 2600 miles) return from Toronto, Ontario to Cape Breton Island on Nova Scotia's eastern flank- my birthplace - for Cape Breton Bikefest, a weekend event that attracted perhaps 1500 riders in only its second annual incarnation.
I joined two other riders as we rode Highway 401 eastbound from Toronto to Quebec, Highway 40 across the Northern side of the mighty St. Lawrence River, then headed south on Highway 15 to Highway 20 east of Montreal. Highway 185 in NB and the Trans-Canada along Routes 105 and old Highway 4 in NS completed our journey.
What I rode
My steed is a Mighty Metric Twin, Yamaha's high-tech three-figure
horsepowered Roadliner, an 1854 cc (113 cubic inch) air-cooled monster with enough torque to haul freight. The Roadliner is an '06, which I bought as New Old Stock just the summer before. With barely 6,000 km (3700 miles) on the clock, she, like me, was ready to stretch her long legs.
The 5-speed tranny is seen by some as a limitation on this bike, but at an average cruising speed of 115 km (about 70 mph) and a tach reading around 3K, I didn't find it much of an issue.
The Roadliner is a cruiser though, and not a touring bike per se. My wrist told me the lack of electronic cruise control becomes an issue over so many miles, and I have to admit the lack of tune-age became apparent to me as the three-day journey wore on. Never thought I wanted music on board before!
On the return trip, about 20 minutes from our last motel stop, amidst stop-'n-go traffic caused by perennial Quebec highway construction, we hit a hailstorm. Arriving soon after at the motel, I looked like the wrath of God- soaked, pelted, and tired. My GL 1800-riding pal looked comparatively like he just came from the beach- dry, relaxed. It did take him longer to park, however, what with shutting down the satellite stereo, CB, headset, and for all I know, the Inter-Galactic Communicator.
The voyage illustrated the many benefits of a full-out touring bike that my ride eschews, especially the fairing in wet weather. Heading westbound, my windshield displayed shortcomings of which I was hitherto unaware. My gracious riding pal (we were only two on the return trip) kept the speed a full 10 to 15 km slower to accommodate me, as helmet buffeting of the eyeball rotation variety required me to reduce my cruising speed against the headwind. Switching to the full-face helmet helped but did not resolve the problem.
This is, though, a solvable issue- a new windshield with a taller profile has been ordered and many fairing options, including an OEM from Yamaha, are available. While the journey led me to appreciate touring bike features, my affection for the looks, handling, power, sound and braking capabilities of the Yamaha Roadliner doesn't suggest a replacement bike, though a second bike with such features would be a welcome addition in my garage. And there really are not any such touring features (fairing, stereo, cruise) that I can't add as aftermarket items. All it takes is money!
What I'd Do Differently
- Not much I would do differently, except test the windshield for headwind-riding characteristics.
What was the highlight of the ride? (optional)
The Cape Breton Bikefest organizers allowed 350 bikes to ride into the Fortress of Louisbourg, North America's largest historical recreation. And the street concerts at Bikefest were awesome, with Cape Breton son Matt Miglewood band highlighting the final Saturday Night festivities.
