How many miles is a good days ride?

klaviator · 03-21-2012, 03:09 PM

Miles ridden seems to be a common topic among riders. It seems to be THE biggest factor for some such as the iron butt guys. I do track the number of miles I ride every year but have come to the conclusion that all miles are not equal. When I started riding off road my annual mileage dropped.

Here is what I consider a good days ride:

MX track; 20-30 miles (Yeah I suck at MX riding, but if you never tried it, it's a serious workout)
ORV area 35-50 miles ( also a workout )
Dual Sport riding: 120-180 miles
Back road twisties: 250-300 miles
Highway 500+ miles

Of course there are other types of riding like track days, trials, or riding in heavy city traffic.

Bottom line, not all riding is equal and someone who rides around the country, mostly on highways and rides 50K per year does not, in my opinion, ride more than someone who rides 15K per year of off road and dual sport riding.

Sinc many do more than on type of riding, You could come up with "equivalent miles" by multiplying your miles by:

HWY x 1
backroad x 2
City x 3 ( or higher if the traffic is real bad )
dualsport x 4
ORV x 12
MX x 15
Track days??
Trials ??

Any opinions on this

OhBoy · 03-21-2012, 03:19 PM

You think too much

211Chuck · 03-21-2012, 03:37 PM

A good days ride IMO is what ever anyone is in the mood for on any given day.

I love all rides short,long or in between. Even a bad ride has it's bright spots"

Ritalin Boy · 03-21-2012, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 211Chuck

A good days ride IMO is what ever anyone is in the mood for on any given day.

I love all rides short,long or in between. Even a bad ride has it's bright spots"

On this we can agree.

D-man · 03-21-2012, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 211Chuck

A good days ride IMO is what ever anyone is in the mood for on any given day.

I love all rides short,long or in between. Even a bad ride has it's bright spots"

even a "bad" day riding is BETTER than a good day at work!

car94 · 03-21-2012, 03:46 PM

What would have been cool is if you had a poll with around 205 miles as an option!

Mountain Cruiser · 03-21-2012, 03:50 PM

Maybe hours in the saddle would be a better guage of how much someone has ridden.

.

Wolfgang55 · 03-21-2012, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricemannv

Maybe hours in the saddle would be a better guage of how much someone has ridden.

.

Best way to look at riding..............then there is alway the interstate for milage issues

high dangler · 03-21-2012, 05:15 PM

a perfect sunday ride is a few hundred miles .300 if i have Mon. off.

dbuzz · 03-21-2012, 06:30 PM

I prefer to measure a good day out in time rather than distance. About 8 hours actually in the seat is good ... after that I want to stop, get a decent feed, rub my sore arse and put my feet up ready for the yarns and tall tales

Actual distance traveled means little if that is the only tale you have to tell.

I'm more interested in the stories of what happened on the day ... the sights you saw, the incredible view from the mountain top, the idiot drivers, the whinging about the weather and how the wet weather gear held up (or not), the star rating of the latte stop and what a good feed the pub made.

DAKEZ · 03-21-2012, 06:44 PM

600 miles of back-roads and twisties is a good day.

Off pavement, 200. (includes getting there and getting back)

Super Slab (if out of time and just need to get someplace) 800.

TrashCan · 03-21-2012, 06:45 PM

I did 488 miles one day last week, and it was some of the most fun I have had riding by myself.

All secondary roads, didn't worry about who was in front or behind me.

Only looked at the speed odo for the hell of it.
Rode the road that was given to me that day at that time.

ThirdBestFriend · 03-21-2012, 07:50 PM

All of them.

klaviator · 03-21-2012, 08:03 PM

I think I didn't word my original post very well. I think what I meant to say was "Full days ride" I never meant to say that you had to ride at least a certain number of miles to make it a good ride. My real intent in this post was to compare how miles relate with different types of riding such as dirt vs street etc.

airjammer · 03-21-2012, 08:26 PM

30 - 60 miles of desert single track, washes, slickrock and ledges.

Whew.

03-21-2012, 03:09 PM	#1
klaviator ^OP Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Oddometer: 4,106	How many miles is a good days ride? Miles ridden seems to be a common topic among riders. It seems to be THE biggest factor for some such as the iron butt guys. I do track the number of miles I ride every year but have come to the conclusion that all miles are not equal. When I started riding off road my annual mileage dropped. Here is what I consider a good days ride: MX track; 20-30 miles (Yeah I suck at MX riding, but if you never tried it, it's a serious workout) ORV area 35-50 miles ( also a workout ) Dual Sport riding: 120-180 miles Back road twisties: 250-300 miles Highway 500+ miles Of course there are other types of riding like track days, trials, or riding in heavy city traffic. Bottom line, not all riding is equal and someone who rides around the country, mostly on highways and rides 50K per year does not, in my opinion, ride more than someone who rides 15K per year of off road and dual sport riding. Sinc many do more than on type of riding, You could come up with "equivalent miles" by multiplying your miles by: HWY x 1 backroad x 2 City x 3 ( or higher if the traffic is real bad ) dualsport x 4 ORV x 12 MX x 15 Track days?? Trials ?? Any opinions on this __________________ Still trying to figure out what I wanna be when I grow up! If I ever grow up!

03-21-2012, 03:19 PM	#2
OhBoy Got Out Joined: Mar 2009 Location: Hicksville, NH Oddometer: 614	You think too much __________________ *KTM 690 Enduro R* *BMW 1200 GSA*

03-21-2012, 03:37 PM	#3
211Chuck Eat,Sleep,Breath M/C Joined: Mar 2012 Location: USA Oddometer: 60	A good days ride IMO is what ever anyone is in the mood for on any given day. I love all rides short,long or in between. Even a bad ride has it's bright spots" __________________ Life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away... It doesn't matter where you go in life, it's who you have beside you.

03-21-2012, 03:46 PM	#6
car94 What's this Box for? Joined: Sep 2010 Location: West Central Missouri Oddometer: 1,881	What would have been cool is if you had a poll with around 205 miles as an option! __________________ Ride Your Own Ride

03-21-2012, 05:15 PM	#9
high dangler Studly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2011 Location: pa. Oddometer: 535	a perfect sunday ride is a few hundred miles .300 if i have Mon. off. __________________ rompin stompin tiger 800 XC rider

03-21-2012, 03:50 PM	#7
Mountain Cruiser Pull My Finger... Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Just Pass'n Through.... Oddometer: 1,183	Maybe hours in the saddle would be a better guage of how much someone has ridden. .

03-21-2012, 06:30 PM	#10
dbuzz Citizen of the world Joined: Jun 2009 Location: Gold Coast, Australia Oddometer: 1,096	I prefer to measure a good day out in time rather than distance. About 8 hours actually in the seat is good ... after that I want to stop, get a decent feed, rub my sore arse and put my feet up ready for the yarns and tall tales Actual distance traveled means little if that is the only tale you have to tell. I'm more interested in the stories of what happened on the day ... the sights you saw, the incredible view from the mountain top, the idiot drivers, the whinging about the weather and how the wet weather gear held up (or not), the star rating of the latte stop and what a good feed the pub made.

03-21-2012, 06:44 PM	#11
DAKEZ Beastly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2007 Location: U-gene, OR. Oddometer: 17,989	600 miles of back-roads and twisties is a good day. Off pavement, 200. (includes getting there and getting back) Super Slab (if out of time and just need to get someplace) 800. __________________ "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." — Dr. Seuss “Watch out for everything bigger than you, they have the "right of weight" Bib DAKEZ screwed with this post 03-21-2012 at 09:08 PM

03-21-2012, 06:45 PM	#12
TrashCan Scary Jerry Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Louisville, Tn Oddometer: 2,225	I did 488 miles one day last week, and it was some of the most fun I have had riding by myself. All secondary roads, didn't worry about who was in front or behind me. Only looked at the speed odo for the hell of it. Rode the road that was given to me that day at that time. __________________ X the DY.

03-21-2012, 07:50 PM	#13
ThirdBestFriend Explorer Joined: Dec 2010 Location: SF Bay Area Oddometer: 84	All of them.

03-21-2012, 08:03 PM	#14
klaviator ^OP Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Oddometer: 4,106	I think I didn't word my original post very well. I think what I meant to say was "Full days ride" I never meant to say that you had to ride at least a certain number of miles to make it a good ride. My real intent in this post was to compare how miles relate with different types of riding such as dirt vs street etc. __________________ Still trying to figure out what I wanna be when I grow up! If I ever grow up!

03-21-2012, 08:26 PM	#15
airjammer Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Redlands, Colorado, USA Oddometer: 218	30 - 60 miles of desert single track, washes, slickrock and ledges. Whew. __________________ Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit. Edward Abbey

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