The story of how you can ride 300km even on a 50cc bike

When I tell people, "I ride hundreds of kilometers on a 50cc bike"
…the reaction is usually one of two things.
They are either genuinely surprised or slightly put off.

And they almost always ask the same question

“Can you really ride that far?”

To give you the conclusion first,
Yes, you can.
However, if you do it wrong, it’s absolute hell.

Overview of my most recent trip (2 days, 1 night, approx. 520km)

Day 1: Approx. 270km, approx. 13 hours, 5:54 → 19:00
Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture → Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture → Lake Okutama, Tokyo → Hinohara Village → Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Day 2: Approx. 250km, approx. 12 hours, 7:08 → 19:15
Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture → Shonan → Lake Sagami → Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture → Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture

Why people think long-distance 50cc riding is tough

I’ve been told the same things by many people for a long time.

1. "Can you really ride that distance on a 50cc?"

This is the most common one.
To begin with, the premise isthat they ask assuming it's impossible.

However, the speed limit is 30km/h.
For people who ride high-displacement bikes, that is certainly a speed that would make them anxious.
They seem genuinely worried, wondering how many hours it takes to arrive at that speed.

2. "How often do you take breaks?"

I get asked this a lot, too.
Many people have said, "I'm afraid I'd get exhausted all at once without realizing it."

3. "Aren't your butt and back killing you?"

Almost everyone has asked this as well.
Because you're sitting for so long, they assume something must break.
Regarding this, I feel like it wouldn't be much different for people on larger bikes...
I wonder, is the ride comfort really that different on a large bike?

4. "Don't you get tailgated by cars?"

This is also a quite realistic concern.
Since there's an awareness that not being able to speed up means being a nuisance, there's a fear that you'd feel pressured just by having a car behind you.

5. "Can it actually climb hills and such?"

Anxiety about the engine.
Especially when imagining mountain roads, people seem to think, "Won't it stop in the middle?"

6. "Is running out of gas okay?"

This is also surprisingly common.
The tank is indeed small, and there is anxiety about potentially missing the timing for refueling on long distances.
Especially in rural areas, many gas stations are closed on holidays.
It seems quite possible that you might rely on one on the map only to find it closed.

Like this, regarding speed, physical strength, surrounding environment, and the machine.
Many people had anxieties across the board.

Countermeasures for such anxieties

Countermeasures for each anxiety.
Things I usually keep in mind, and my countermeasures.

Countermeasures for 1 and 2

"Can you really ride that distance on a 50cc?"
"How often do you take breaks?"

・Stop once every hour. Get off the bike once every two hours.
Especially in mountainous areas or mountain roads with few traffic lights, there are times when I realize I've been riding for two hours.

I stop where I won't be in the way to stretch my body. Stopping at roadside stations or convenience stores, getting off the bike, etc.
Even at times when I think to myself, "I can still ride," I always make sure to take regular breaks.

・Replenish frequently.
Instead of eating all at once, I often eat with the mindset of splitting a normal meal into 2-3 portions. Especially when riding long distances for consecutive days.
At the first break, raw vegetables, fruit, or vegetable juice.
Next, protein. Yogurt, salad chicken, or side dishes.
Finally, one rice ball or something similar.

Of course, there are times when I eat normally, but I try to keep it to about 70% full. This is a countermeasure against blood sugar spikes. Also, I feel that if I eat little by little, the fatigue the next day is lighter.

If you push yourself on long distances, you will die after the second half.
And if your concentration lapses, if you are unlucky, you will really die.

・How to increase distance
As a guideline for daily distance,
in the beginning, "try riding 10-20km longer than usual"
is enough. In terms of time, that's about 30 minutes to an hour.
Once you get used to it, you can gradually increase it.

・About navigation apps
Also, do not take the arrival times on Google Maps or navigation apps at face value.
Sadly, the reality of a 30km/h speed limit. You don't make as much progress as you think.
Especially when including breaks.

Countermeasures for 3

"Aren't your butt and lower back killing you?"

This is my habit for sitting, but I have an image of "sitting with my thighs" rather than sitting with my butt.Because the contact area with the seat is wide, the burden is dispersed.
Furthermore, I lightly stretch my body while waiting at traffic lights.
With this, so far, I don't feel any major strain on my lower body.

Countermeasures for 4

"Don't you get tailgated by cars?"

For trucks and the like, as soon as I notice them, I slow down, move to the side, and let them pass quickly.
Just doing this makes a big difference in psychological pressure.
For regular cars, I apologize, but I don't take any particular measures.
If I did, there would be no end to it.

Countermeasures for 5

"Can it actually climb hills and such?"

Basically, it can climb most hills
however, it won't gain speed, and it depends on the conditions.

I have ridden several times in 1st gear on a course with a steep hill said to have a 25% grade.
I think it's because I keep my luggage light and also because of my own physique (about 154cm, 48kg).

Since this depends entirely on the individual's technique, load, and the grade of the course, I cannot assert that "any hill is doable!"
Actually, on the day I took delivery, I tried to climb a hill with a decent grade and tipped over. The grade was too steep and the engine stalled.

Now that I'm used to riding, my impression is that if the grade is about 10%, it seems doable as long as it's not heavily loaded.

By the way, navigation apps for bicycles also display the approximate grade.
When riding an uphill course for the first time, I recommend using this as well.

Countermeasures for 6

"Are you worried about running out of gas?"

Regarding that... sorry. It's a Super Cub, the monster of fuel efficiency...
It can go about 300km on a full tank...

When I know I'm going to be riding a lot that day, I make sure to refuel early.

Items and preparation for long-distance touring

To ride long distances,here is what I carry:

・2 x 100,000mAh power banks
・3 charging cables
・Eye drops
・Lip balm
・Hand cream
・Sunscreen
・Emergency food (1 Soyjoy bar)
・Something to protect my abdomen from the cold (corset, heat pack, belly warmer, etc.)
・Rain gear
・Tools

Let me explain them one by one.

Power banks and charging cables

If your smartphone stops working, you're basically done for.
Navigation, communication, booking accommodation, payments, and everything else. Everything depends on the smartphone.
You must never let your battery run dry.

I've experienced trouble before where my battery failed or a cable broke while in the mountains.
Since then, I carry multiple of each.

Eye drops, lip balm, hand cream, and sunscreen

These are for eye strain, dry eyes, dryness, and sun protection, respectively.
Lips get dry no matter what, and sunburn quietly drains your stamina.
If dryness progresses too far, your skin starts to hurt, so I make it a rule to protect it frequently.

Emergency food

Shortly after I got the bike, I got so absorbed in riding that I almost hit the wall (what's known as bonking).
And it's not like I was on a bicycle trip...

Fortunately (or is it?), I had experienced it once on a bicycle trip, so I was able to recognize the signs.
At that time, I rushed to a convenience store and filled my stomach.
Since then, I keep a Soyjoy bar and some small snacks in my bag even on scooter trips.

Abdominal cold protection

This is from my experience on bicycle trips: when your internal organs get cold, your digestive function drops. It drops significantly.
When I did my first week-long bicycle trip, I suffered from this toward the end.
After that, I wrapped a windbreaker around my waist and kept myself warm, and I was fine... so I think it's definitely due to the cold.

Even if you eat, you get this mysterious debuff where "my stomach is full, but it doesn't feel like it's being converted into energy."

Rain gear

Especially in summer.
Be wary of sudden rain. I keep it in my rear box at all times.
Riding into a headwind with a wet body can be tough, even in summer.

Tools

The one thing you absolutely want to include is a tool to tighten your mirrors!
They can loosen and wobble due to vibrations.
If you leave it, it's dangerous while riding, so I keep this in the rear box too.

It drains your mental strength more than your physical strength

When riding in mountainous areas,
you sometimes get bug-like directions telling you it's dozens of kilometers to the next intersection. Sometimes even over 100km. Simply calculated, that's 2 to 3 hours without an intersection.
At times like that, I count in my head by breaking it down into 10km to 20km segments.

“For now, let's take a break at a vending machine after riding 15km.”
“After 20km, let's pull over to the shoulder and stretch.”
“Let's have a snack at the next convenience store.”

That's the kind of thing I do.
It's like breaking it down into small steps and setting up self-checkpoints.

In the mountains where there are no buildings, I sometimes play music.
One of my go-to lists is the opening and ending songs from Golden Kamuy. I feel like it might keep the bears away, somehow.

Long-distance touring: things you shouldn't do

After introducing what to bring and what I do, next is the introduction of “things not to do”.
I don't do these because they significantly sacrifice safety.
It's like voluntarily increasing the number of bullets in a game of Russian roulette.

Unreasonable schedules

Don't pack your schedule too full.
I keep my schedule flexible, taking into account accidents like traffic jams.
I'm going to find interesting spots along the way and make detours anyway.

Night riding

Unless it's absolutely necessary, I basically set my distances to be completed during daylight hours.
When I wanted to see the sea of clouds at Takabocchi, I left before sunrise, but it was still hard to ride.
This is a rule I've kept since my cycling trip days.

Skimping on breaks

Rest while you still feel like you can keep going! Or rather, just rest!!
Just like thirst, by the time you actually feel the fatigue, you are already quite depleted.
Once you are exhausted, it takes time to recover.
Take frequent breaks to maintain your stamina.

Clearly unreasonable long distances

For me, when including light sightseeing and meals, I use 300km as a guideline for a day trip.
If the goal is “just to ride,” like going to collect stamps at multiple locations, it's about 350km even in the summer when the days are long. Anything more than that, I stay overnight.

Also, for longer trips of a week or more, I keep it to about 80% of my usual volume.

I know long trips are fun.

But if you are giving it your all from start to finish, fatigue will definitely accumulate.
If you usually only ride in your neighborhood, don't suddenly go on a mountain tour.

Actually, when you ride triple-digit kilometers... personal impressions

If you can ride over 100km, you can go to many places.
If you include overnight stays, the range will expand even further.

Places quite far from home.
Especially places with poor public transportation. When there's a spot you're curious about, or someone you want to meet... it's a joy to be able to set off without hesitation.

Naturally, the sense of accomplishment is also significant.
Especially after riding a route for the first time, the fun adds to the excitement.

The sense of fulfillment from being able to ride such a long distance, and
the fact that I can go anywhere freely and meet anyone, is the best part.

Unlike when I'm on a bicycle, the hills are easy, too.

Summary

I've listed the things I keep in mind and the physical preparations for long-distance riding.
For those who want to try it from now on.
And conversely, for those who thought, “That's impossible for me.”

To start, going just a little further than your usual distance is enough.
Adding 10km or 20km is fine.

Like going to the next town over from your usual convenience store.
Or taking a detour on your way home.

There probably aren't many peoplewhose goal is simply to ride a long distance.

Even though I'm writing this article, please don't suddenly try to ride hundreds of kilometers.
It's tough to ride until you reach your limit when you don't know how much your stamina will hold up.

In most cases, riding is just a "means" to an end.

Before you leave or while you are riding, if you find yourself thinking
"I have to ride more"
or if your sentences start ending in"I must do this"please be careful.
Mentally, you are a little... no, you are likely quite exhausted.

If you can ride to the point where you naturally think "I want to ride more," that's a win. It's not a competition, after all.

I would be happy if reading this makes you think, "Maybe I'll try going a little further next time."

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