2651 miles on a 2004 Yamaha V-Star 650 Silverado
June 9 2006 to June 16 2006
Red Bud Illinois to Redding California
Images open my webshots gallery where you can download or view full size images.
It all happened like this... My wife wanted a bike of her own to ride and in the process of selecting a motorcycle for her we discovered the Yamaha V-Star Silverado 650.
Now that we knew what make and model she wanted the process of finding one began... We looked at the local bike shops. I looked on Craig's list. We looked in the local paper and we looked on eBay. The choices locally and in the local paper were zilch, nothing that was available met our criteria. eBay on the other hand had several of the make, model, and color that we were looking for.... All that we had to do now was win one with a bid price that was within our range that was cheap enough to make the purchase viable. We bid on a few which sold for more than we were willing to pay. We even bid on one or two that did not have the Silverado package installed. Then again after working out the numbers as to what it would cost to upgrade the v-star to Silverado specs.... I decided that it would be better to get exactly what she wanted that did not have to be upgraded with floorboards, windshield and saddle bags. So we confined the search to a V-star Silverado 650 with black and red paint
We were watching two bikes on eBay... the first one, the bidding went above our top price so we had to pass on that one (the sellers reserve was never met so consequently it did not sell) The second one had a bid price on the sixth day of the auction that was still below our maximum bid. I contacted the seller before the close of the auction inquiring about his ability to pick me up at the St. Louis airport. His response was quick and in the affirmative. On the closing day of the auction I watched it carefully to see if the reserve price was going to be met and if so would I still able to bid without spending more than I wanted to. As it happened the reserve price was met about 2 hours before the close of the auction at a price below my maximum bid. I continued to watch the auction until the closing minutes at which time I submitted my maximum bid. We Won... Now the only thing we had to deal with was getting a motorcycle that was in Red Bud IL home to Redding CA.... I did look into having it shipped and considering the cost of shipping I figured I could fly to St Louis and ride it home cheaper than the shipping cost. (plus I would get a little vacation out of it)
Now it came down to getting a flight to St. Louis. I chose the one that got me to St. Louis in the AM so that I might be able to get some miles covered before dark on the first day. My flight departed Redding at 8:30 PM on Fri June 9th. I had to switch planes in San Francisco, Los Angels, and Houston and my flight arrived in St. Louis at 10 AM Saturday the 10th. At the airport it was an easy connection with Gene as he recognized me from a photo that I had emailed him. We walked out to his truck and carried on some small talk about the area and his work while we drove to his house about 50 minutes from the airport.
Once at his house I inspected the bike and quickly decided that by appearance it was in good, no, make that great shape. I fired it up with the first blip of the starter... Sounded healthy... I handed him the envelope with the cash... he handed me the title and we signed two copies of a bill of sale. I opened the box that I had sent ahead which contained my bedroll, boots, maps, gloves, rain gear and a few other odds n ends and began to load it all on the bike. With a bit of stuffing I managed to fill both saddlebags then using three bungee cords I secured the satchel and bedroll to the rear of the seat. I asked where the water spout was so I could wash my face, wet my hair and fill my helmet with water. Now that I was cool I took a quick look at the map and bid him adios. Done and ready to roll....
Day One - Saturday June 10th
Red Bud IL to Jefferson City MO - 200 miles
Starting out from Gene's house the bike feels like a toy. It is small and light weight. I wonder if it can handle the road ahead. The first 15 miles are spent getting used to the feel of it. After the initial getting to know one another process I decide to stop and top off the tank and get a bottle of water for the road. The first section of freeway lies ahead and I'm dreading it. I have to use the freeway as it is the only way across the Mississippi River. There was a desire on my part to stop and take a look at the Gateway Arch but it is already past noon and it is very hot so I decide to get out of town as fast as possible and find a secondary highway where there won't be as much traffic and the pace will be slower. The outskirts of St. Louis stretch out for 30 or so miles and the traffic slowly begins to fade as I get further from town.
It is hot and I'm tired... My lack of sleep is beginning to affect me. Life sucks... It seems I've gotten myself into a fine jam. If the whole ride is going to be like this I want to quit... Passing through St. Louis I find my route only to find that somehow I missed a turn somewhere and now I'm headed North. After a few miles I hang a left on a main drag hoping to get back on my route... Finally I find a highway with a number that is on the map. At least I'm headed West... that for now is good enough. I stop at what has now replaced the 1950's filling station for restrooms, MacDonalds... Boy if you see the golden arches you know there is a bathroom. I wash my face get a fish sandwich and a glass of ice water and collect my thoughts. It is hot and about 60% humidity and I'm miserable. I pass through little towns but fail to find one with a hotel. I'm getting really tired and I see a hotel ahead, damn, parking lot is full of Harley's (I pass it by) I decide that more miles are needed if I'm ever going to get anywhere. Jefferson City is only another 20 or 30 miles. 
As I'm getting gas in Jefferson City I ask the girl in the store if there is a hotel close by... She gives me the look... and says "I don't think there are any around here but a few more miles down the road there are a couple"... I say thanks and push on... Thankfully it is only about three more miles and I see two brand new hotels. I don't care about the cost I just want to lay down it has been a long day and I did not get much sleep on the planes... Check in (ouch) and unpack the bike... well there isn't a restaurant around here so I hop on the bike and ride back to town and get something that I can take back to the room to eat. On the ride back to the room it is beginning to rain. Lightning and thunder off to the North. Ducking inside just as it breaks loose and begins to pour. I eat my sandwich and fall asleep.
Day Two - Sunday June 11th
Jefferson City MO to Kingman KS - 415 miles
Up at 6 AM get a coffee and look outside. It has rained most of the night and everything is wet. After drying off the seat and controls I begin to load up the bike. Have to do some rearranging to make more room, getting creative, I can stuff maps, water bottle, and the banana in the boots which gives me a bit of room in the saddle bags so I won't have to stuff them and crush things. Well that is done and this hotel serves hot breakfast so I help myself to two helpings of biscuits and gravy (UMMMM good). As I'm getting ready to go back to the room I grab some cereal and a muffin for later in the day. Stepping outside to stash my treasure it is beginning to rain. It is still early about 7 or 7:30 so I dig out my rain gear and drape it over the seat and bedroll and duck back inside and find the weather channel. What I see does not make me happy... heavy rain and flooding to the North. Heavy rain to the West. Generally rain in any direction I want to head. Hell with it. Check out the movie channel (Nick and Nora Charles are on another adventure) check out time is at 11 AM so I relax a bit and watch the movie. About 9 or so I check the weather channel again. To the North it looks real bad and the West does not look any better. To the Southwest there seems to be lighter rain... I'll check out the map during the commercial as I would not want to miss any of the movie. Well it is 9:30 now as I check the weather channel once again. The only escape is to the Southwest and there is a road headed that way... And locally the rain is letting up... I'll give it another half an hour... 10:00am only a light drizzle outside, on the weather channel the escape route to the Southwest is looking better... I'm outta here.....
The first 15 or 20 miles are on very wet roads but traffic is light because it is Sunday so there is not much trouble with road spray. Soon the roads dry out and the riding is actually very nice. With a gently winding road running up and down the hills and plenty of green trees I soon arrive at the "Lake of the Ozarks"... The lake is huge with mooring for hundreds of boats....
Still headed West I pass by Harry S. Truman State park. Very beautiful county. So far Southern MO is not too bad, it is overcast and cool, I have my jacket on, but it is not raining. Soon, all too soon, Kansas looms in the distance. The roads become straighter, the terrain flattens out, and generally becomes boring.
American roadside weirdness
It is not long before I'm in Wichita and there is the freeway to contend with. But as soon as I get in with the crowd on the high speed motorway the road becomes two lanes once again and traffic disappears. Where did they all go? Must have stayed in Wichita... Clouds are getting heavy once again and as I pull into Kingman for gas I notice several motels and the fast food joints but not really much else... the sign on the motel says "American Owned" guess I'll stay there... Whoops, the windows don't open, the air conditioning does not work... Live and learn.... After getting gas, something to eat, and washing the bugs off the windscreen it begins to rain. I settle in and in short order I'm out like a light. Of course the air is stuffy and hot... waking up I chain the door and leave it open for some air... back to sleep, I wonder if anyone peeked.
Day Three - Monday June 12th
Kingman KS to Pueblo CO - 430 miles
Up at 6 AM to rain... climb back into bed for another hour. Didn't even bother to check the weather channel this time.... ZZzzzz. It is now 8 AM it is still raining but I've got places to go and flat land to see.... Check the weather channel.... Heavy rain to the West headed my way... Get some coffee and by the time I've finished it I see the break ppearing on the Doppler radar, time to get packing. Rolling the bike back under the eve I can load up and not get too wet. 9 AM I'm ready to go but it is still raining... 9:30 still rain... but it is looking better to the West. Almost 10 now with light rain... I'm guessing maybe 10 - 15 miles in light rain then it should stop. Here I go....
Lucky me.... light rain for about 5 miles then wet roads for another 30 or so then dry pavement. What luck. The sky is heavy overcast but it isn't raining. By 1 pm very broken sky and getting hot, I do not like this heat. Made a stop at Dodge City... Meat packing capitol of the world I swear... cattle trucks and packing plants for the first 5 miles into town, well maybe only 2 or 3 miles but there sure were a lot of packing plants and cattle trucks. Get some gas and stop at the "Sonic" for a small bite... I order a shake as the menu did not appeal in taste or cost. I Push on...
Getting flat, barren, hot and humid and most of all boring.... to be expected... actually I thought MO would have been just as bad. By comparison I'll take MO any day over KS... but you have to hand it to the American farmer.... they have got to be tough to live out there and make a life out of "nothing". I see some trees appearing now and again... Colorado must be near.
The sign says Welcome to Colorful Colorado as the road begins to climb gently. I take a break at the first rest area to stretch my legs cool of in the shade and let the water flow over my head then it is back on the road. Stopped for gas about 40 miles out of Pueblo as the clouds begin to get black and heavy, I'm wondering if I can beat the rain as the sun begins to get low on the horizon. At about 30 miles out the sun peeking from behind the clouds is stunning and I try to capture it on the digital camera a few miles further and the rain begins.
Lucky for me it only lasts about 10 miles with another 10 miles of wet roads Pueblo is just up the road. Dinner and a room for the night are all I really want after this long day. The bike is filthy so after dinner and finding my room for the night I take a wet towel to the bike to get the worst of the road grime off... Doesn't look too bad now...
Day Four - Tuesday June 13th
Pueblo CO to Dove Creek CO - 430 miles
Up at 7 AM and find the day is cool but sunny. I Find my way to the back roads that will lead me to Hwy 50 about 20 miles West of Pueblo. God, it is great riding this morning, very light traffic, and the 30 or so miles of back roads climb gently up over some hills and the curves are just right. These roads were built for bikes.
Pulling out onto Hwy 50 I find the traffic light and the road in good repair. After a few miles I stop at a river raft launch site along the Arkansas River and have my morning yogurt.
The road climbs and weaves and the temperature drops a bit as I approach the continental divide. This pass will take me up to 11,312 feet. At the top I take the obligatory picture of the sign. I pop into the gift shop as I stretch my legs and find fresh fudge... I take a 1/4 pound with me.
On to telluride, but before I get there, there is a decent of several thousand feet and it begins to get very warm. After 20 or so miles it is time to fill the helmet with water and splash my shirt, evaporative cooling at its best... 50 mph with a wet shirt is cool. My shirt is wet as my turn to telluride approaches. I may have messed up as the road begins to climb precipitously, now I'm on the verge of getting cold. Thankfully the evaporative process dries my shirt before long and I pop on my jacket for the climb up the mountains. Telluride is one of those tourist places, the artsy fartsy crowd is having a fair today so I pass on by as I've got a bunch more miles to cover before dark. The ride through the mountains is very nice and soon the decent begins. Down the long winding road as the shadows begin to get longer. Before long it is back to the rolling hills and farmland of Western Colorado and the wind is picking up. I find myself looking for fuel and a room for the night.
At the fuel stop I begin to chat with a father and his son who have ridden their bikes from Florida and are heading to Oregon. They are out to make time and want to make another 150 miles before they stop for the night... grueling riding of 600 or better miles a day and they are beat but they still have a grins on their face as they head off... me, I'm getting a room and some dinner...
Day Five - Wednesday June 14th
Dove Creek CO to Cedar City UT - 413 miles
Up at 6 AM and I have to pop across the Hwy to get a cup of coffee at the local store/gas station. As I pack up I look at the map and for the most part it is familiar territory for me as I have spent considerable time in Utah. It is strange, I've lost my glasses this morning, I had them a minute ago but now I can not find them. After half an hour of searching I give up, they have to be right in front of me but I can't see them. Perhaps the next town, Monticello, will have a store where I can pick up another pair. The wind from yesterday is blowing hard this morning from the South. As I stop for some road construction the wind almost blows me over. Not going to be fun riding in this wind. For the next 20 miles the wind is blowing across the road from left to right
The grocery store in Monticello has my yogurt and some fresh glazed donuts and as I make my way around I see a display of sun glasses with some reading glasses, I'm in luck. The glasses I purchase are wild yellow tiger striping and I wonder what people will think when they see me wearing them.
Now the road turns South into the wind, it will be tough going for about 30 miles or so. About 10 or 15 miles out I need to go. Ah, there is an outhouse I see as I pass by. Turning around to head back the wind is at my back and I think to myself it would be far better to be headed North right now. The outhouse serves a small out of the way camp ground which is empty. Sitting there I can push the door open and the wind holds it open so that I have a great view as I do my business.
My turn is coming up and I know it is time to fuel up before I head out across the barren Utah landscape headed for Capitol Reef National Park. The landscape is beginning to become stunning with rock outcroppings, shear cliffs and bluffs dot the landscape. Just incredible.
Hardly any traffic on this road in fact only two cars pass me in the next 150 miles. As the road dips and climbs and turns another day of fantastic riding is ahead of me. The wind shifts around first coming from the left then it is behind me, at times it seems to disappear only to blast me as I come around a bluff. There used to be a place called Hite Marina on lake Powell and as I pass the road sign that states the mileage to the next town I notice the word marina is painted over. Now it just says Hite. I've heard that they have dropped the lake level on lake Powell... At one time in my life I actually wanted to live in Hite but that is another story. As I get to Hite I pull in to the rest area and the wind is blowing hard, the wind sock up on the building is straight as a board with the wind blowing 25 mph or better... After freshening up a bit I cross the bridge over the Colorado River and swing around the edge of the lake, what used to be the lake shore is now high and dry ground. The last time I was there you could pull off the road with about 100 yards between the Hwy and the edge of the lake. It was a nice camping spot, alas, not anymore. The restrooms are now hundreds of yards from the water which is down a steep grade which makes it unusable. Looking across the lake, what used to be the lake, I see where the marina used to be, now it is just a concrete slab resting on the slope far from any water. Pushing on, the scenery is fantastic wide open space untouched by man... Wow...
I'm approaching Capitol Reef NP now and I pass up a fuel stop. After 30 or so miles I hit reserve as I enter Capitol Reef. Another 10 or 15 miles I stop at the visitor center to eat my banana and have a drink. I am just a bit concerned that Torrey is too far for my remaining fuel. After inquiries I'm relieved that fuel is only another 10 miles up the road. I strike up a conversation with a fellow biker, he is from Michigan and is trying to do 50 National Parks. I ask how many he has been to so far.... 15, he has a long way to go... We discuss the road ahead to Bryce Canyon NP and I explain to him roughly how it will go. It is a very nice ride as I remember it., up over the pass with a look back over Capitol Reef lots of aspen trees and beautiful vistas while up in the mountains. Then a large decent through the Escalante only to have to climb back up as one approaches Bryce NP. We see each other a couple of times at the overlooks then he is gone... I meet another rider, a Lt. Colonel in the Army, on leave, his last before retirement. I thank him for his service and we both push on and soon he is out of sight... Stop for fuel at Bryce Canyon but I want to push on to Cedar City before nightfall, I get a tank of fuel and a candy bar and head out.... It is very cool now, late in the day, and it gets colder as the miles pass. I know the road ahead climbs quite a ways and I know it is going to be cold. Sure enough, the 20 or so miles up over the pass at Cedar Breaks is cold, very cold, I stop and put my hands on the pipes to warm them up... it helps a bit but it is so cold the engine is cool to the touch. Finally I make the pass and the road quickly drops several thousand feet, ahhh warmth again... In Cedar City I get something to eat, take a look at the map for the next day and get a room for the night....
Day Six - Thursday June 15th
Cedar City UT to Tonopah NV - 306 miles
The alarm goes of around 6 AM, I shut it off and roll back over and return to sleep until 8 or so. I step outside to a cool morning with overcast skies. Load up the bike and head off in search of coffee and breakfast. I see a Denney's ahead just before leaving town. Again biscuits and gravy with a cup of coffee and I'm set for the day. As I set off and get about 10 miles out it is time to break out the jacket and chaps as it is really cool out here in the desert. Over cast skies with thunder showers off to my South and North hope I can skirt them. Still some trees and hills with a turn or two on the highway but soon enough in opens up to broad treeless valleys with straight roads, I try to guess how far it is from this crest of the hill to the crest of the next hill. Sometimes its 10 miles at times it is 20. Just broad open valleys now with hills between them the scenery is stunning how open it can be. After 50 or 60 miles it is time to top off the fuel tank as there isn't much out here. I fuel up in Caliente as there is only the one town of Rachel before my next planned fuel stop at Warm Springs, which is about 147 miles away. It is just within range of my fuel. This little stretch of Highway 375 is named the Extraterrestrial Highway as military jets use the valleys for training. And radio hosts such as Art Bell play up the sightings of fast movers.
The landscape again is barren of trees just broad open valleys that go on for miles and miles. Soon I pull into Rachel which boasts the Little A'Le'Inn. Pronounced Little Alien, as I pass through I notice someone has set up a second story perch and named it Groom Lake Control Tower.... No fuel pump is readily visible so I push on to Warm Springs which I should have no trouble getting to. More broad open valleys and soon the sign declares Warm Springs 25 miles. About 10 or 15 miles from Warm Springs I have to switch to the reserve.
Now, the story of the town that wasn't. Warm Springs is deserted, a ghost town... I quickly realize I'm in trouble.... Not enough fuel to go back to Rachel and not enough to make it the 45 miles to Tonopah. I don't think I can make it back to the last ranch and I don't know what lies over the next hill...
I sit and collect my thoughts... smoke a cigarette... curse my luck... and decide to head to Tonopah at a fuel conserving 50 mph. Soon as I crest the next hill I know I'm in deep trouble. There is nothing to be seen. I push on. After the next hill I see a ranch with fuel tanks... Park the bike at the gate and walk the 100 yards to the house. There is a truck out front and several other vehicles parked around. As I walk up to the front porch I notice the water is on watering a tree in the front yard, could that be a good sign? Knock, knock, knock... No one is home. Well perhaps out in the work shop. Nope, no one there. Over to the trailer, no one there either.... Should I rummage through the shop? No, people get shot for doing thinks like that. Walking back out to the bike I pass the storage tank and give it a tap... sounds empty... hell, what would I do if it was full as the valve is locked... Well I think it is better to leave the bike here inside the gate rather than along side the road at least it does not look abandoned.
I grab the valuables and begin the wait for a car to pass by.... perhaps 5 minutes later here comes one... Utah plates... there they go... I have a smoke... I see another one coming... they stop... give me the once over and ask some questions... I have a ride...
In Tonopah I buy a gallon jug and a gallon of gas and hoof it back to the highway out of town. After about 20 cars and trucks go by in about 40 minutes I begin to think it may be hard to get a ride out... Out comes the cell phone and I call AAA and inquire about some help. I've been on hold for about 7 or 8 minutes after explaining my predicament and the cars that pass by just keep going. AAA comes back on the line just as this old beat up car stops for me.... I ask how far he is going, he says, "just out to five mile ranch" I say let's go... as that is the ranch where my bike is.... I say thanks to AAA and jump in the car... Turns out that he has a small ranch out next to five mile ranch, he is the neighbor... well if 10 miles out on a dirt road can be considered a neighbor. He drops me off and I thank him for the ride.
To satisfy my curiosity I somehow got the can in the saddle bag and chose to see how much further I could have gone on my remaining gas. I only got about 2 miles which was far short of the 35 needed to get to Tonopah. After pouring the gas in the tank I rolled into Tonopah at about dark grabbed a bite to eat, got some gas, checked into a motel and fell fast asleep.
Day Seven - Friday June 16th
Tonopah NV to Redding CA - 457 miles
Up at 6:30 AM and make my morning cup of coffee. The weather is rather cool but one can tell it is going to be a warm one later. More open valleys but as I move North there are more people and cars... cities are more frequent. As I get closer to Reno it seems there is movement everywhere, people, cars and trucks everywhere. Can't wait to get North of Reno out of the city... I took the time to take the picture everyone takes of the sign above the road.
After cruising Reno for half an hour I hunt down a sandwich shop and a gas station. I'm glad to be on the highway out of town. After I crossed into California the traffic is stopped for road construction. There are a lot of CHP's just up ahead and I wonder what is going on. As the traffic begins to move again I see what the CHP is doing... Accident investigation... off on the right side there is a crotch rocket (sportbike) off in the dirt, rather mangled up, poor bastard should have been watching the road in front of him... My guess is that he came up on the stopped traffic at high speed and had to go off the road to avoid the stopped cars.... Now I'm looking for that rest stop just south of Susanville so that I can eat my sandwich and take a break. It has warmed up quite a bit by the time I get there it is very warm. As soon as I get there the head goes under the water spout... nice and cool. Susanville is the next and last fuel stop and home is just over the mountains. It is nice to be back home in the pines and winding roads of Northern California... I stop up on the hill overlooking the valley and call home and ask my beautiful wife for a fresh cup of coffee to be ready when I get there, 20 minutes to go... I'm home.
My personal comments on the V-Star: At first I was apprehensive that the bike would not fulfill the requirements for the trip home. I must confess that I found the bike to be heavy enough to handle the cracks, bumps and other obstacles the road offered. A bit underpowered for such a long highway trip but adequate. Very comfortable seating position every bit as comfortable as my Harley Softail. Great gas mileage I averaged around 47 mpg. My cruising speed was between 60 and 70 mph with the majority of the time around 65. My only gripe is that it did not have a throttle lock. Six days of holding the throttle was, well you can imagine. The Yamaha 650 V-Star Silverado is, in my opinion, a very solid bike for around town, suitable for short trips on the secondary highways. Personally 150 miles perhaps 200 mile trips are the limit that I would recommend. But that is just my opinion...
Since this was written we have sold the Yamaha
We have replaced it with
2004 Harley Davidson FLSTCI
