Observations from the Franklin ride

[hiflyer]

Ride each way was over 1k miles a day, what I learned.

I have several windshields for this bike, all of them except the Madstad will soon be for sale. My 11" shield worked like a champ, especially in the rain.
Riding in the rain on the bike is no issue, in fact, the protection was so good that I could ride thru some 3 to 5 mile showers without even getting wet. As long as I was moving at highway speed, the water would go around and over me. Extended showers I used the rain suit.

I've had several seats also, with my back, the stock seat position along with a backrest, provide the best seating position. Knowing that I planned to ride 1k miles a day, I took an Airhawk and a Mesh (no sweating) pad for the seat and one for the backrest. I would alternate from riding the stock to each of the pads, and never had an issue with butt pain.

The Rivco Aero flip out pegs provided the ability to shift seating position. Loved em.

The Baker mirror air wings are a must item for this bike. Probably one of the best additions I have done to any bike.

I used the chopped tour pak (see Givi trunk thread for pics) on this trip. Nice to have everything hidden away and dry in a lockable (and removeable) trunk.

I have a fork brace and belly pan, I can't remember what it's like without these.

The only thing I didn't have that I want to install are some cowl lights.

I have ridden 1k miles a day dozens of times, but never as effortlessly as I did on the F6. What a ride! The key to riding high mileage days is consistency. I would ride a max of 120 to 130 miles, stop for gas and water, a bathroom break and a few minutes of stretching and walking around.
I also eat lightly on these days. I take a low dose Bayer, and flex and constrict my leg and calf muscles during the ride to keep the blood moving.
I ride with the flow of traffic, whatever the speed. High mileage days are not for everyone, and not something I want to do on every ride, but I do enjoy it on occasion.

[luckyluciano]

Great info......

Few questions......

a) did u try Klokwerks & how did u like it?

b) do the rivco pegs help your back? I have sciatica from slipped disk.

c) what benefit did you notice from the belly pan & forkbrace?

[hiflyer]

Great info......

Few questions......

a) did u try Klokwerks & how did u like it?

b) do the rivco pegs help your back? I have sciatica from slipped disk.

c) what benefit did you notice from the belly pan & forkbrace?

I was one of the first to contact Klockworks about buying one of their shields, after a several month run around, I decided they wouldn't be getting any of my hard earned money, so, no I haven't tried their shield. The Rivco pegs definitely help MY back. I had two ruptured discs repaired with surgery. I don't feel any fork flex anymore using the brace, and the belly pan helps in crosswind conditions, besides taking the worry of coolant tank damage from road debris out of the picture.

[Injun Joe]

I was one of the first to contact Klockworks about buying one of their shields, after a several month run around, I decided they wouldn't be getting any of my hard earned money, so, no I haven't tried their shield. The Rivco pegs definitely help MY back. I had two ruptured discs repaired with surgery. I don't feel any fork flex anymore using the brace, and the belly pan helps in crosswind conditions, besides taking the worry of coolant tank damage from road debris out of the picture.

Tell me about the cross wind part? That's a big issue here. I'm not really getting how or why a belly pan would help that. Also didn't realize that coolant tank was so vulnerable so maybe that's a reason to add one all alone.

[hiflyer]

Tell me about the cross wind part? That's a big issue here. I'm not really getting how or why a belly pan would help that. Also didn't realize that coolant tank was so vulnerable so maybe that's a reason to add one all alone.

Don't ask me how it works, but it does, I think it has something to do with smoothing the airflow.

[Convert]

Good info Hiflyer. Like you, I have a belly pan on my bike. It does help with the crosswind. I changed the oil yesterday and was shocked at how dented and scratched up it was after 8,000 miles. I smoothed out the dents and dings, repainted and put back on. I have a trip planned for a week from now out to Idaho from Wisconsin. It's 3500 miles round trip and I am curious to see and feel how much easier on the F6B as opposed to the Harley Softail I had before.

I have a Klockwerks shield on my bike. I'm 5'9" and run a stock seat. I ended up re-drilling the mounting holes to raise it 1-1/8" which was a far as I felt going. I can ride in a normal rain and it works fine. In a real down pour I got a
wet face wearing a 1/2 helmet. I was laughing pretty hard cuz it was coming down so hard. My pants from the knee down were almost completely dry. That was kinda weird.

On a long trip on my Softail, I could go about 80 miles comfortably. I did a couple of stints at 150 miles and was really sore and finally had to stop. Interested to see how far I can easily go on the F6B between stops. A couple of times
I went 1000 miles on the Harley and didn't even want to look at it the next day.

Thanks for your observations.

[bobbyf6b]

If you don't mind, I'd like to add what I learned on my latest ride.

When I did my Iron Butt ride about a year ago (1000 miles/24hrs) my bike was pretty much stock except for a taller windshield. I had no leg or butt pain, but my neck and shoulders were killing me. I added bar risers and this seemed to fix the problem but on this latest trip my butt was killing me! I could barely go 100 miles without squirming around. The Rivco pegs did help me go farther though. Very comfortable.

I think by moving the bars back I relaxed my shoulders but at the expense of putting more weight on my butt. I'm going to switch back to stock and see if I'm right about that.

Do you have handlebar pull back/risers on your bike?

[hiflyer]

If you don't mind, I'd like to add what I learned on my latest ride.

When I did my Iron Butt ride about a year ago (1000 miles/24hrs) my bike was pretty much stock except for a taller windshield. I had no leg or butt pain, but my neck and shoulders were killing me. I added bar risers and this seemed to fix the problem but on this latest trip my butt was killing me! I could barely go 100 miles without squirming around. The Rivco pegs did help me go farther though. Very comfortable.

I think by moving the bars back I relaxed my shoulders but at the expense of putting more weight on my butt. I'm going to switch back to stock and see if I'm right about that.

Do you have handlebar pull back/risers on your bike?

I don't, but the ability to change pressure points by alternating between no pad, and the pads made the difference.

[bigswole31]

...
The Rivco Aero flip out pegs provided the ability to shift seating position. Loved em.

....

Are they spring loaded? I see that the product literature claims that they can be flipped out with the toe of a boot. How easy are they to open/close, especially while riding? Did you just leave them open and available at all times?

[Texas TC]

On my last long ride, 1104 miles in 16 hours and 39 minutes from Anthem, Az. To Corinth, Tx., I had Mustang seat, SuperBrace, Go Cruise throttle lock, Grip Puppies, OEM Honda F6B optional tall windshield, belly pan, and Kury Ergo II highway pegs with mini arms. I stowed my gear in a T Bag Laconia luggage rack bag. I had drink holder, GPS, and cell phone mounted on RAM mounts on the handle bars. This combination made the trip enjoyable for my 65 year old body even though I got cold and rainy weather on that ride last November. My helmet was a Bell half helmet. I will use a 3/4 with face shield on my next long ride.

My understanding of the belly pan in cross winds is it eliminates the voids under the bike and completes the aerodynamics. For whatever reason, the belly pan works and it protects all the bike components housed just above the frame.

Since that ride, I have added Baker Built hand air wings that I swear by. Those things should be stock on big fairing motorcycles.

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