First Multi-Night Ride - Montreal to Mount Cadillac (Maine)

Hello fellow VFRers

Planning my first motorcycle trip. Been riding since 2003 and have several 500+KM days under my belt and decided it was time to use this bike for another purpose that it was intended for: Touring!

I've got a 2014 VFR with about 10K KMs (6K miles). I will being doing a fluid flush this year (bike is 2 years old) and changing tires prior to the trip. Bike is equipped with a quickshifter, the OEM side cases and a 45L OEM top box with pad. I plan to ride two-up with the wife ( a combined 300+ pounds) plus our gear. The trip planning will most likely see us start soft with a ride to Woodstock and overnight there(400KM trip as to get the wife used to it). Then on to Mount Cadillac where we will stay overnight and ride the mountain the next day. Then we head home straight (somme 700KMs with a border crossing) Here are some of my questions:

1. Do you all have suggestions on communicators to use (or not). It would be just between my wife and I.
2. I've got a RAM mount and USB feed to power my iPhone that I was planning to use as GPS. Suggestions /concerns?
3. Do I need a tool kit beyond hat the bike comes with? Tools/Parts to add?
4. As a noob, what else am I missing?

Thanks!

My wife and I use an inexpensive dual Sena SMH10R communicator.  She has become a valuable co-pilot (although she also has her endorsement) and the intercom makes it easy to chat with our full face helmets and also at highway speeds.  Makes it more enjoyable for her and helps me as well to have an extra set of eyes for animals, traffic, road condition, and especially when trying to find a place in an unfamiliar town!  It allows me to give her a heads up when passing, when we want to crank it up, and in the canyon twisties so she knows when and why I'm setting up for a line, whether the the turn is tight or sweeping, are we going to the edge or just cruising through it, etc.

Best Regards.......George

+1 on the Sena. Extra key,  Paper map of area In case you lose power or cell signal. Credit card should take care of any emergency. I also like to put  ICE [in case of emergency] info in my phone and paper copy in my tank bag and jacket pocket with contact info, blood type, name and address. I would also do the same for your wife. Not a nice thought but seconds count if anything happens. Other than that just enjoy the ride. 

Sena has a number of decent Bluetooth communication solutions. I would recommend some sort of communication.

In addition to using your phone for a GPS, I would have a set of directions stashed away somewhere. There is always a chance you could loose service in the areas you will go through.

There are a number of shops, and dealers, once you get into Maine. Only thing I would add to your standard tool kit is a tire plug kit and some way to reinflate your tire. There are also a few members in Maine, update the post before you leave and some of us might let you know if we are around.

Other than that enjoy the trip, I have done Caddilac Mountain once on a bike and a few times in cars. It is definitely a nice ride.

23 hours ago, Ohlias

Hello fellow VFRers

Planning my first motorcycle trip. Been riding since 2003 and have several 500+KM days under my belt and decided it was time to use this bike for another purpose that it was intended for: Touring!

I've got a 2014 VFR with about 10K KMs (6K miles). I will being doing a fluid flush this year (bike is 2 years old) and changing tires prior to the trip. Bike is equipped with a quickshifter, the OEM side cases and a 45L OEM top box with pad. I plan to ride two-up with the wife ( a combined 300+ pounds) plus our gear. The trip planning will most likely see us start soft with a ride to Woodstock and overnight there(400KM trip as to get the wife used to it). Then on to Mount Cadillac where we will stay overnight and ride the mountain the next day. Then we head home straight (somme 700KMs with a border crossing) Here are some of my questions:

1. Do you all have suggestions on communicators to use (or not). It would be just between my wife and I.
2. I've got a RAM mount and USB feed to power my iPhone that I was planning to use as GPS. Suggestions /concerns?
3. Do I need a tool kit beyond hat the bike comes with? Tools/Parts to add?
4. As a noob, what else am I missing?

Thanks!

Hi:

1. In 2011 I took my daughter cross country after she graduated, she was on the back for 7800 miles and 26 days. We used hand signals and talked when we had to. For a few days I'm not sure it would be worth the investment personally, but that's your call. If though it makes your wife more comfortable, well then its worth every penny.

2. I'm assuming you are headed for Woodstock NY and not Woodstock VT, then to Bar Harbour the next day. Not sure what route you are taking but if its 90 to 495 to 95 to Rt 1a you should be fine using your phone. I think as, I don't know who your provider is in Quebec, and who they partner with. However if you are thinking of returning via 201 in Jackman to Quebec City then to Montreal, or rt 27 to Sherbooke on 212, or any other Rt on secondary roads would strongly advise you to bring a proper GPS. There are large distances in Maine in the west and north with no, or spectacularly poor cell reception. That said even the GPS signal cuts out often  in the mountains. Which brings me to......have a paper map handy. I just dug out maps for Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Send me a PM with your mailing address and I'll post them off.  

3. As the owner of a bunch of old bikes I tend to bring tools and manuals. As your bike is quite new, and well maintained you probably doesn't need much,  I would recommend the following, just in case. BTW I use a smallish camera bag to hold the tools. 12 assorted fuses,  assorted wire ties, roll of electrical tape, small cheap voltmeter, 1/4 drive socket set with extension, tire repair kit, small allen key set, and a copy of your wiring diagram. Why the wiring diagram? because 98% of all problems I've ever had on the road are electrical, and if it happened to you 40 miles south of Jackman Maine, good luck looking it up on your phone :) Even if you are not mechanically inclined, just having a few basics may help the guy who pulled over, to help you. 

4. The other stuff. Every time I ride up to Quebec or New Brunswick, I marvel at the miles and miles of game fences and huge sightlines on the roads. I feel warm and fuzzy when on my bike up there. You will not see that here in Central, Western, or Northern Maine. No game fences and on the secondary roads minimal cutbacks. Some of the roads around me resemble tunnels in the forest. You may or may not catch the odd deer or bear at dusk or dark in your headlights, but you will never see a Moose if it decides to wander into the road. I know you are Canadian and I'm preaching to the Choir,  but this is for the next guy. A full grown Moose can reach 7 foot at the shoulder and weigh over 3/4 of a ton. . If you are going to be riding the back roads of New England you should have some type of auxiliary lights. I angle them about 10-15 degrees out and about 10-15 degrees up.They cost me $18 and a couple of hours of my time. All my bikes have them. I'll post a pic of my VFR so you can see.

Drop me a note when you decide when you are coming, and I'll buy  you a coffee in Bar Harbour.

Michael

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Thank you sooo much for all of your replies and generous offers. Bikers always tend to be a welcoming community and your guys are no exception! 

I have flirted with a better horn as well as lights. I think those are good suggestions. What about the 'whistles" that deter certain animals. Anyone with experience? I don't plan to ride too early or too late. Will ride after sunrise and settle in before sundown. Trying to keep the odds in our favour and also maximise the looking a scenery part.

Thanks for the paper maps and extra key suggestion. I will defiently do that. As for the tools, I think fuses is a great idea. I'm a little mechanically inclined, but I would need internet access for some guidance. But will pack a tire plug kit. Now to find a compact pump...

I should have mentioned that I carry one of these.

They have them in Canadian Wal-Marts for $17.95

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As long as the bead is not broken it will inflate a MC tire, and is great to have to top up your tire in the boonies. The compressor works well, but I would not trust the gauge to be really accurate. I would carry a good quality tire gauge also. These are not items I carry on only on long trips, they live with the bike as they are so handy to have.

On my 97 I have it up under the left side of my fairing bungeed onto the wire loom. I'll try and get some pics tomorrow.