Quote:
Originally Posted by alvaro84
I don't think that ergonomics have anything to do with engine displacement. I know that manufacturers usually make their big bikes more comfortable, but I don't see a comfortable 250 impossible at all. Then it won't be a problem to go thousands of miles on such a bike. Iron butt days is another question. 1000 miles one day have to be fast. In my normal pace it's nearly impossible, even without stops if any cities or even villages are involved (ummm... I'd need a bigger tank to do it in one go, and indestructible nerves). No matter the engine displacement in my case, but bigger ones can naturally handle high speeds better.
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A lot depends on your personality, your body size, and the environment your going to be riding in. If you are in a small town (especially a small college town), you are pretty light weight, and you are only taking short rides, and you aren't a throttle popper, then a small displacement motorcycle of 250cc are less may be just great for you.
But for long rides (and I have been not only coast to coast and back, but from the top of Virginia to Mexico and back) a small bike is going to be very uncomfortable. It can be done, but generally the bigger and plusher the bike, the easier and more pleasant it gets.
As far as a 1000 mile day, it takes about 24 hours straight through to do it at normal highway speeds. Motorcycles have to fuel up much more often than cars, but the break in riding is also very welcome. Rides that are comfortable enough for ten miles become increasingly more uncomfortable as the miles drag on, and your legs get cramped because they can't move around much.
On my 700cc ride, I could change my seating position from front seat to back seat, and stand up on the pegs to get some blood circulating back in my legs. That was when the bike was new and tight. I couldn't do that today -- too much wear and wobble.
Anyway, good luck on whatever you pick. In my opinion the decisions are always more emotional than rational, although a lot of rationalization is done in the name of "logic."