Just got back from a 24 day, 6600 mile trip from Colorado up to Canada then back into the states picking up Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. We then proceeded back into Canada to Nova Scotia and took a ferry back to Maine. From there we went down the east coast hitting Massachusetts, Road Island and last was Connecticut. It was the longest one of 15 trips to make all the lower states.
The Rocket ran great not one problem except that even though I started with new tires I had to get one for the rear at just over 4000 miles. I could have gone a little further but finding a dealer 500 miles down the road wasn't in the cards. I think the two up and all the gear just took its toll. I thought I could make Ohio but no chance. I have always used metz's but I think it is time to try Avon's, 4 to 5k miles is crazy when the HD guys I was with are getting 10k out of their tires.
I also managed to hit a piece of 1/4 flat steel laying in the roadway it flip up and hit the oil filter. It smashed the chrome cover back and crushed about a 1/2 inch of the front of the filter. It was sure luck an inch or two one way or the other and it would have most likely smashed a hole in the engine or worse yet my leg. The forum came through when I was able to find a replacement filer number so I could get one at an auto store.
One more note in doing the 48 states I made the rides all on triumphs. On a Thunderbird for the first 4 years and all the rest on 3 different R3's. It started 15 years ago with two old high school buddies and we all finished it together with our wife's and one brother in law. In all we went over 50000 miles went through several of the states two or more times totaling more than 130. We planed every trip and where we were going to stay each night and ever missed one. Rain, hail, wind and bike problems all were issues but we always managed to find enough daylight to make it. We went through six of the eight provinces in Canada and ran back roads where ever it was practical. We all turned 67 this year and are talking about Alaska next year.
Trapper