Four Brothers Road Trips

by Dan A.
(Beavercreek, OH, USA)

Brian,

I too am squarely in the Yamaha/Star camp...as you can see by my V-Star 1100 Custom...and I absolutely love my bike.

It has great road manners, plenty of power to keep up with or lead any body on the open road, nimble enough to tackle Tail of the Dragon at a sporty clip, and classy cruiser styling.

I've added or upgraded a few things...pipes, forward controls, grips and pegs, back rest, luggage rack, saddle bags, wind screen, and LED turn/brake/running lights...

I use my quick on/off windscreen on long highway rides and remove it for day trips from our base.

Next is an upgrade to the saddle, but after 5 years this is more of a desire than a need.

Several years ago, my brother called me...he lives in South Jersey, I in Southwest Ohio...and said he wanted to take a motorcycle trip with me to this place called Tail of the Dragon. Wow, my first long (duration) and fairly long (distance) bike trip.

My brother rode with his neighbor and his neighbor's brother - ergo the Four Brothers moniker - from NJ and I rode solo from OH. The trip was fantastic...so good we vowed to do one around the same time each year.

The next year was Seneca Rocks WV with forays to Nob Hill and western Maryland...then south to, and down into, New River Gorge...very cool!

Life, jobs, and money interfered with our next trip but we are in the planning stages for a big loop this summer - Ohio,Indiana, Illinois into central Missouri; hang a left down through the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas into Louisiana; a short stay in N'Orlins; follow the Gulf Coast East for awhile; then North through Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky back to Ohio.

Previously we stayed in hotels or cabins, but this year we are planning to camp most, if not all of the trip...which is how I came across your site...searching for great gear and tips to avoid disasters. Me and my 1100 Custom are anxious for this trip.

Dan