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So fellow Dakka-ites i've recently purchased a motorcycle and already my wife and I are ready for a great raodtrip this summer. Since it will be our first trip out we want to keep it short maybe 6 to 8 hours away from home. We Live in Kansas City mo and have thought about driving up to the dakotas, or toward the appalacians, So any advice or hidden spots that are must sees would be great to hear about, plus just let me know if there are any fellow bikers out there, lets here your stories.

Depends where you live. For instance, I see lots of bikers come to Long Island during the summer months. Don't know what it is about, but if you ask around some biker forums, there is probably an event they attend.

Great Vid Kilkrazy you have cemented me getting or rigging some helmet speakers and an Ipod for my trip just so i can loop that song.

Any pics of the bike?

I guess a lot would depend on how comfortable the ride is.

I just ruminated about buying a bike today...

I dont know anything. but a bit of advice. It will ruin your skin. get alot of sunblock.

Yeah I will be probably getting a jacket for riding, but here are some pics of it, mind you it doesnt have the new seat sissy bar and passenger pegs that will go on it.
EDIT: The bike acutally looks a lot smaller in these pictures than it is in real life, but since its a 1200 its got more than enough power for me.

Just some general riding advice

Get a jacket with vents for air flow, because it will get in very hot in a leather jacket

Pay attention- most crashes are caused by other drivers.

Well, I'm fairly new to motorcycles. I started back in Dec of 2009 with a Honda Rebel. I just bought a Suzuki M50 in the middle of May of 2010. I put over 3000 miles on the Honda and over 600 miles on the M50 in 2 weeks.

I don't see a seat for your wife on the 1200. I assume you have a 2 up seat. If you do then you should consider getting a sissy bar for her and maybe a backrest for the driver. It's much more comfortable on a long haul when you have a backrest for both the driver and passenger.

My wife rode on both bikes with me but we only go for short distances. When I rode long distances, over 40 miles, I can feel the need for a backrest. You might want to get a more comfortable seat too.

I would also suggest you join American Motorcyclist Association for roadside assistance. I really hate spoked wheels. I had a tube blowout on my Honda Rebel. There was no punture in the tire, the tube just blew out. You cannot patch a tubed tire and then go to the closest tire shop unless you are really good at roadside repairs. Since the Harley has no centerstand it is nearly impossible to repair tube tires.

Go for some shorter distances with your wife. Take it slow and easy at first then build up to longer distances.

Others have suggested a jacket. You should get a jacket with a liner. Weather can change quickly on a trip and you have to plan for that. Pants and boots are also extremely important. Even on my local rides I always have a helmet, jacket, boots, jeans and gloves on. I'm planning to buy motorcycle pants and riding boots next.

Bring a emergency repair kit and a GPS.

AMA may have more relevant information on their website. I highly recommend stopping by their website and see what they have to offer.

I've a veteran of many motorcycle road trips. I rode from Chicago to New Orleans (and back) last week even...

My ride is designed for the long-haul though - I've got an ultra-classic.

The most important thing for a long trip is a windscreen. Riding around the neighborhood for a short while, it's nice to not have one. Once you're up at expressway speeds for any amount of time, that wind is going to beat the crap out of you.

I've never felt the need to have 'rain gear'. If it rains, you get wet. You either pull over and wait, or ride through it, and then get air dried. I've been rained on more times than I can count, and basically, you get over it. Just slow down because the loss of traction is worse than getting wet.

I recently added a GPS to my bike, and that works great for finding places, but nothing beats a map. In fact, the essentials, in my opinion, for keeping in your saddlebags at all times are:

Map
Flashlight
Toolkit
Towel (Douglas Adams must have been a biker)
Jacket
Bungee cords/webbing

Okay, I might get some controversy for this next bit, but make sure you know where it's legal to take off your helmet. On a long trip, on a freeway, with miles and miles to go, I think wearing a helmet is more dangerous than not. Try wearing a 3-5 pound weight strapped to your head all day and see how quickly you fatigue...

Of course, if you're not a very experienced rider, I'd keep the trips shorter and keep your hat on.

As for places to go...

If you head to the Dakotas, go the extra length and hit Yellowstone. The North-east entrance to the park gos over a pass called Beartooth, and that's a blast to ride.

Pretty much anywhere west is good. The scenic routes in Arizona and Utah are amazing - there's one along the ride into the north rim of the Grand Canyon that runs alongside the Vermillion Cliffs. We were lucky enough to go past that at sunset, just amazing.

If you want some trip ideas, Alton Brown, of the food network, has done some shows called "Feasting On Asphalt" - he's a biker too, and he and a crew take cross-coutnry trips looking for interesting food along the way. It's a good watch.