Monkeying around

[Pittsdriverwes]

I've got a pretty unusual request for information but I'm betting there are some of our esteemed colleagues here that will know where I should look. I have a friend who has dared me to ride US 66, the Mother Road, with him from Chicago to LA on Honda Monkeys. On the list of things that did not immediately pop into mind include: is it stupid to travel 2500 miles at 45 mph; or what happens to a Monkey if you keep it pinned all day, every day; or how long will this journey take; and finally will people we meet thing we're gay? No my first question is: Where do I keep all my epic trip crappola that I just can never seem to leave home without? Two options come to mind:

1) a very light weight trailer that I'll pull behind my Monkey. This has that advantage of making my traveling rig look even more ridiculous than it already is and is an opportunity for all manner of outlandish graphics. Extra points if I can find something that my Monkey can pull that affords me a place to camp inside. That will probably be a bridge too far so just a trailer that's big enough for my camping stuff and the things I'd normally carry in my panniers.
or,
2) a Monkey side car. I really like this option if the frame and forks of a Monkey can be reenforced enough so that it's a) safe to ride; and b) will be robust enough to let me learn how to fly the side car. Also a side car would be a suitable canvas for aforementioned outlandish graphics.

It's not 100% that we'll do this but the dare has us both intrigued enough to start doing our homework on it.

[Doctor350]

Have you thought about welding the two monkeys together and towing one trailer? You are welcome

[allikanbe]

have you thought about saying NO to the monkey idea and riding a GS? it wiould be a much better trip. I've only seen the Monkey online. Way too small to be comfortble on a LOOOONNNNGGG ride.

[Pittsdriverwes]

There's always been something that resonates with me about taking a very limited performance bike to totally inappropriate places. One of my favorite TAT ride reports was the guy that took his vintage Harley side car hack; or the couple that took their Groms and rode the TAT. I think the inspiration for this was the recent news about the guys that rode 50cc scooters from coast to coast.or the event that was motorcycle more than 100 years old coast to coast.

[wildbears]

Uni-Go?

https://www.unigotrailers.com/produc...ycle-trailers/

[wildbears]

I had a gal pal back in the 80's that rode cross country with a female friend. They were on Honda Cubs. It was a memorable trip for them.

[Susan]

I just hope that there will be pix / videos galore.

[Doctor350]

Monkey butt?

[Pittsdriverwes]

Don't see any way to avoid the Monkey Butt. Good thing I've got some of that powder in my tool chest I use for mounting up tube type tires.

[802Mike]

Just have a chase vehicle like the HDs do.

[wildbears]

Is this a one way trip? If so, dumping less expensive bikes, like the Honda Monkeys, on the west coast makes sense.

Or if shipping them back to Chicago.

[justjoe]

Doooo eeet! Wes, this sounds like a first class adventure.

[Lee]

a trailer that's big enough for my camping stuff and the things I'd normally carry in my panniers.
or,
.

A light weight bicycle cargo trailer might work. Like this one in the lower right of my picture.

[cabnfvr]

Route 66 will include some interstate, but what the heck, it's an adventure!

[Pittsdriverwes]

Yeah, we'll probably have a casual attitude about faithfully following it when it's interstate and stay on the side roads to find it again. The reviews on the Monkey is that 55 mph is a stretch.

[cabnfvr]

There are sooooo many cool places to stop. We're doing Oatman this April. BTW, we were in Needles CA in 1996 on our K75s and it was only 122º.

[Capnrip]

That is a crazy idea but don't let that stop you. What do you figure, 250 mile days? 200? That would be a really fun trip to plan, especially the route. Can't take them on the interstate so planning that would be a hoot. You really can't take much more than a backpack so I'd think Mike's idea of a chase or supply vehicle would be the way to go. You could throw one of them in a van pretty easy if you needed to pick it up. Lots of Honda dealers around so not too far to get service should you need it. I wonder how many tires you'd go through. And of course you'd need to post daily so we could follow your adventures.

[Pittsdriverwes]

I'm finding folks who have set up their Monkey with proper panniers:



Wes, if we do this it'll definitely be an endurance test

[Lee]

Besides the extra weight, you have more air drag.

[Pittsdriverwes]

Lee, my pilot training tells me that drag increases as a square of speed. Fortunately? this thing won't go fast enough to matter . Might affect gas mileage?

[wildbears]

Would a Uni-Go solve the air drag issue to some extent?