Long distance Wing?

Hi people
I need some advice.

I use my Wing for intermediate trips typically 100 miles round trip with occasional jaunts of 200 miles round trip (like to the NEC bike show).
For longer motorway munching journeys I currently use a car.
The problem with motorways is that they are frequently not 'open-road' and of course usually start and end in some conurbation where you are lucky to move the last ten miles in an hour. Which brings me back to the idea of using two wheels.

Although I once had the Wing up to 117 on-the-clock (in foreign parts of course and needing clean knickers) I find it happiest cruising at 75 to 80. At this speed it has some torque left (but not the sort that guarantees acceleration out of trouble if needed) and some 2-pot engine vibes at the grips. I doubt that a larger wheeled, more grunt, smoother engine scoot is likely to appear in the near future so that leaves me with the Wing..... and doubts about taking it on a 350 to 400 mile trip. (and no, I don't want a 'bike, I'm too fond of comfort and my legs are too short!).

So, ....a rambling way of asking your opinion on whether you think the Wing suitable for these runs, how knackered do you tend to get, and do you still have feeling left in your hands and rear-end. In short, is it fun or four starred?

I take mine to Cornwall and back over the course of a long weekend etc. with no problems. I stop halfway there for a munch and then about another 60 miles for fuel. Over the course of the weekend I knock up about 600 miles. No numb bum and the ing doesn't miss a beat. I get knackered but that's just me.

You've got to ask the question, are you a bike rider or a car driver.
I think long motorway journeys are much better covered in a car by most people, much safer, should you get a puncture, you can drive to the hard shoulder, I have been very, very lucky getting over to the hard shoulder from lane 4 on a scooter when I got a rear flat tyre at maxium speed on a X9 250.
I now will only ride in lanes 1 or 2 at 60 to 70mph, so any time gain is lost for me, so I use 'A' roads where possible.
The scooters are all day comfortable and I have all day.
I set off early and miss the traffic in the SE where possible.

I rode my 400 cc burgman from Bilbao to Valencia then on to Alicante in one very long day , I was knackered but the bike did not mind a bit cant remember the mileage but it was over 500 . A wing I would ride anywhere I should think .

The 'Wing' without doubt is a very comfortable commuter scooter. Mile Muncher call it what you will.

I have a theory that comfort is also a state of mind! If you want the seat to be uncomfortable it will be. My preferred mode of transport for all journeys is the 'Wing', that said the car does get used but I can categorically state that I do less than 3k miles a year in the car against 6k on the 'Wing'. The only reason I don't get rid of the car is I can't fit Mrs Waspie and the two pooches on the 'Wing' and no I don't want to get a side car of Trike it!!!!!!

I've just got back from a 4-day riding trip to Brittany on my Silverwing.
Except for getting to Calais (from Bruges) and back and a few other miles, all the riding was on minor roads, some with grass growing down the middle.
I covered 1100 miles.
Yes, I was tired, got an aching arm and shoulders but it was quite intense riding and would have had a few stiff bits if I'd done the trip in the car.
The Silverwing will do as many miles as the rider can - and more.

You forgot to add Mike that you were fully laden with camping gear etc equivalent to being 2 up.

Mike, did I spot a kitchen sink on the Silverwing?

You can mock!

My 'extras' were my Dad's old safari camp-bed (heavy but very comfortable), two small pillows, sleeping-bag and under-blanket.
I had also things like a tyre-pump for the group.
Therefore, although my holdall was full it didn't weigh very much and I like clean clothes for every day so that was four of everything plus two shirts for the evenings.
Normally I'd have got my usual needs under the seat and in my holdall.

A couple of years ago, I did the first leg of Nick Sanders around the world ride, with him (just London to Dover for me). He was using a Yamaha R1, no carrier, just a small sports bag on the back seat and camera tripod strapped to the side of the bike. I really don't know how he did it.
Thinking about it, he must have sent stuff out to various friends he would be visiting or maybe not.
I assume all the scoots ran well. You covered a lot of ground this time.
Well done
Regards
Dave

'Travelling light' is an idea in the mind of God as far as I'm concerned!

I did 1100 miles; all the bikes performed faultlessly.
The only breakdown was Barry's GPS wiring coming adrift - cheap plugs, don't ya know!

As you may have read elsewhere, my Givi AirFlow screen has improved the Silverwing no end; wind-noise has been slashed to a very comfortable level.

Dave Weller wrote:

A couple of years ago, I did the first leg of Nick Sanders around the world ride, with him (just London to Dover for me). He was using a Yamaha R1, no carrier, just a small sports bag on the back seat and camera tripod strapped to the side of the bike. I really don't know how he did it.
Thinking about it, he must have sent stuff out to various friends he would be visiting or maybe not.
I assume all the scoots ran well. You covered a lot of ground this time.
Well done
Regards
Dave

Having read some of Nick's later stuff I don't think he does send much on if anything and travels extremely light.

He seems to decide to either wear leathers or textiles, sleeps 2-3 hours a day (often not at night), spends 2-3 hours doing his blog and filming per day and rides the rest of the time, including a lot of night riding.

In short I think he changes his underwear a few times but not a lot else!

Mike, sounds like a great trip. I'd never have considered a Silverwing but some things really do appeal to me about it.

One being the longevity of the model, as in Honda have barely changed it along the way, and the other is that they do have a rather devout following. So who knows for the future, eh?