2,100 miles ride on my first Gold Wing

You don't mention when you're planning the trip, what route your planning or how long you have to make the trip. That info would help us provide more appropriate advice.

If I was "in a hurry" (meaning I had 3 or 4 days), I would head S I-25, E 87, E 287, E 380 (to not go into DFW area), S 69, E I-20, S 49, E I-10/I-12, S I-75, and S 27. If I had a week or more, I'd meander off the interstates.

Weather can be an issue that affects your route. So be flexible. Cross winds can be bad in the TX panhandle. Heat will also be an issue. Watch your hydration.

I generally start early, depending on how many miles I need to do. If I need 700+, I leave at 5am. If I only have 600 or less, I leave at 7am.

I ride for a couple of hours (around 140 miles, may a bit longer) and then stop, always topping off the tank. First stop is breakfast (sit down and relax). Second is water/Power Aid/snack, short rest. Third is lunch (again sit down and relax). Fourth is like the second, or I'm done for the day. If I'm only doing 500-600, I'm basically done - 8ish hours in the saddle, four stops. If I need to go further, I do one more segment. I've done it like this many times with my wife. The first time we did it was her longest day in the saddle. When we finished for the day she thought we had only gone three segments because she was not tired at all. Now I can't go anywhere on the bike without her. Pre-covid we rode from Houston to Niagara Falls, across Canada to Detroit and back south. 10 days, counting 3 full days in NF and 2 in Cincinnati. She loved it. I make her the navigator and meteorologist, which she loves

If I'm in a big hurry I continue with every other stop being a sit down and relax stop. I've easily done 1,000+ in a "day" doing this.

Before you leave, make sure you are as comfortable as possible with all the new buttons and their locations. There's nothing like riding along and accidentally hitting a button that turns off (or on) your tunes and you can't figure out why. If something like this happens, just pull over and "trouble shoot" it while your stopped. Don't try to look at all the buttons to figure out what you did while riding along at 75mph - or even 30mph. It's just not safe.

Take a good rain suit, comfortable clothing, helmet and boots/gloves. Don't try doing this with new boots or helmet unless you have to. The odds are there'll be pressure points on your legs/head that will drive you nuts after your first hour of the day.

Finally, remember the last two segments are the worst. You've just completed 1,800 miles and your in the home stretch. You want to finish. No lose your focus. Stay comfortable and focused on being safe.

Have a great trip and let us know how it goes.

I'd probably plan for a slow and easy backroad / secondary highway ride the first day. That way your speed will vary ("break in"), you can get used to the bike, make frequent stops, etc. Maybe 200 - 250 that day. You can step it up from there.

You're going to have to set your own limits. 300 miles is very dooable. 400+ gets long, but you could do it. 600 is a tough day, but I recently did one from Atlanta to Hot Springs, AR. Of course, I've done two Iron Butts (1,000 miles in 24 hours), but both were over 10 years ago.

If possible, find a way where you'll have access to drink something while riding (water, Gatorade, etc). Look at the options for something to install before you set off. Preferably this would be a quality insulated container that stays cold rather than something that holds a plastic water bottle. I'm also not a fan of the Camelbak methods, but it's better than nothing, but I would suggest it be attached to a bag on your passenger seat and not on your back.

Good luck. You can do this. Make it an enjoyable adventure rather than a task. Maybe plan stops where you can see some stuff and take pictures. I just spent five days in Colorado and while I wouldn't suggest you go up Pikes Peak on an unfamiliar motorcycle, there's a lot to see. Maybe come back through Dodge, KS...or on the way back visit the Ozarks in Arkansas. You'll be familiar with your bike by the time you get there.

Well you sure will know if you like the OEM seat or not before you get home...I would take along some seat beads or something similar for the seat..seat beads, seat pads of whatever type will change up the pressure points while sitting and can make a difference with comfort while on long rides if the OEM seat isnt comfortable which is most likely. I would sit on the beads for half a tank and then back on the seat and so forth as needed..helped me to be more comfort when I had a not so comfortable seat on my wing...another item that has helped me with comfort on long rides is LD Comfort underwear..always read good things about LD Comfort over the years, so I tried them...they sure make multiday rides alot nicer...now I never leave on a trip without wearing my LD Comfort under shorts. Im assuming you have nice riding gear..meaning waterproof especially gloves and boots...if you don't have waterproof gloves make sure you take extra gloves with you because you will be riding in rain at some point in that 2100 miles. I hope you enjoy your ride on your new wing.

Best of luck with the new bike and surviving the trip home. I don't have my wing yet but long ride planning is pretty universal.

I think the key is to allow yourself enough time so that you don't have to rush if your progress is slower than you planned. Being short on time will affect your judgment, especially with regards to fatigue. Fatigue kills. So, mind your body first. Bring Advil and start taking it before you leave, not after you start hurting. Dehydration is sneaky so man up on the cold water. I recently did my first really long trip (which was a little less than what you're planning) and I bought a camel back that I kept in a tank bag. Best $50 I ever spent on motorcycle gear next to a helmet and jacket. As for the bike, I think that since I was in Colorado, I might do the first couple of hundred miles on secondary roads to permit some variation in engine speeds/load. I don't think it's that important, but some variation in the first couple of hundred miles is a good idea.