Any Tips for reducing road trip costs?

[2dogs]

Today my wife and I still lean toward doing it on the cheap. Mostly because I guess that's the way we started out. Those were the good and the best times, but today we don't have to do that. No dirty dishes, no cooking. We stop and eat wherever and whenever we choose. In a pinch, we carry a couple of Mountain House dinners and have two JetBoils to heat them up in. Even though we tow a camp trailer we often choose to stay in a nice motel when the notion strikes us. As for the sardines, my wife hates the smell of them. I love'm. Motorcycle camping and touring are to be enjoyed so do what pleases you and the misses the most.

[easysuper]

I did not read all the reply's, but have you looked into BunkaBiker ? its a worldwide organization and it allows you to really strech your budget. My wife and I are host and we also use it when we are on the road. Host put you up for free and most of us feed you dinner and breakfast when you leave.

[BajaRon]

Any Tips for reducing road trip costs?

Don't Go!

[JayBros]

I did not read all the reply's, but have you looked into BunkaBiker ? its a worldwide organization and it allows you to really strech your budget. My wife and I are host and we also use it when we are on the road. Host put you up for free and most of us feed you dinner and breakfast when you leave.

I have bicycled across the country twice and there is a similar organization for touring bicyclists, Warm Showers. In addition to being great hosts, I met some of the most fascinating people. For me, that's one of the best things about touring, meeting new people that you probably would never have the opportunity to meet blasting along interstates in a cage.

[Two2Three]

So, just FYI.... I did my trip. 7 days, 2500 miles -- 8 states, 1 province, 2 countries, many national forests, and zero issues with the bike. Went up into Canada, across a chunk of the TCH and around Lake Huron, back down through Port Huron, and southward toward home.

Canada was great because the exchange rate basically made everything 30% off. but overall my expenses were:

Food: $138
Fuel: $348.18
Lodging: 386.57
Foreign Transaction Fees: $7.82
---------------
Total: $880.60

Based on that, I averaged $125.60 per day, which I'm pretty happy with.

I tried to camp but it wasn't going to work and I gave up after the first night (air mattress wouldn't hold air). So I just found inexpensive hotels that had a continental breakfast, so I only had to buy one meal (dinner) each day. During the day I never really got hungry, I'd just stop every 100 miles to stretch, drink some water, eat a handful of peanuts, and walk around. Occasionally bought a cup of coffee on a break if I was chilly, but waited until I was in my nights hotel to go find a decent dinner somewhere. The scenery in Canada was so fantastic I didn't have time to be hungry.

(Oh, I did try Bunk a Biker for a place to stay after leaving Canada, but every one of them (tried 7) said they weren't available, so I gave up. But I really like that idea and will try it again next time.)

[bikerbillone]

Good comment 223, 'food' for thought and consideration.

[fatboy]

you do not go into canada when going around lake michigan

[Two2Three]

True, but since I went around Lake Huron, going into Canada was sort of unavoidable.

[Isopedella]

In not super Anal on costings for trips. Ya either go or you dont....
While I do plan ahead and select non stupid $ cost overnight accommodation, well some areas you have to suck it up.
It will cost for gas, unavoidable so just fill it up.

Cant think of anything more distracting and trip ruining when out and about, presumably having a great road trip, but riding along beating yourself up about yesterdays costs. What a complete downer.

If costs are the top of the shop, put ya $ in the bank and watch the accruing interest. Stay home and look out the window and reflect in the glow of how many $ you saved today.

[JKMSPYDER]

Many mom and pop motels are much less expensive that the national and regional chains and some are quite nice. I use Google search to find all motels in a certain city and then check prices. Most places that I stay in are under $100 per night.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I did not read all the reply's, but have you looked into BunkaBiker ? its a worldwide organization and it allows you to really strech your budget. My wife and I are host and we also use it when we are on the road. Host put you up for free and most of us feed you dinner and breakfast when you leave.

Maybe I should be a BunkaBiker ..... what do you think ...... Mike

[Peter Aawen]

Maybe I should be a BunkaBiker ..... what do you think ...... Mike

From what I hear Mike, I think you just might have a never-ending queue of travelers lining up at your place just to eat!

Either that, or a bunch of increasingly fat bikers that you just couldn't get to leave!!

[Spyderpilot]

Either that, or a bunch of increasingly fat bikers that you just couldn't get to leave!!

Hey hey hey there now…….easy…….I may resemble that remark.. LMAO…

[PJveetwin]

So how cheap do we want to go? Mom and Pop motels outside of congested areas are reasonable, with state campgrounds the cheapest; except out west, where you can throw a fart sack on a side road when you're in the sticks for free. Oh, did you say you also wanted a bathroom? A frozen burrito from a market is pretty cheap. Fuel is what it is.... We only do a granola bar for breakfast or a banana, jerky thru the day, with one meal at night. A subway with a coupon is real cheap. A six pack of beer in the evening for us is a must. I don't stay with people I don't know unless a breakdown happens. The more times you stay on the road, the more tricks you'll learn. In the mid 90's, a buddy and I went to Sturgis, shared a state camp-spot for around $6.00, ate Whoppers twice a day when they were $1.00, a couple of beers in the evening, cost was about $30 a day. Now that's cheap!

[Bfromla]

Stay out of cafes and restaurants.
I prepare food at home which covers breakfast.
Lunch is a tortilla wrapped around a dry-ish cheese, e.g. mozarella, often with some salami or other sausage that doesn't demand refrigeration.
Dinner is picked up at a grocery store, usually a small steak or brats, a couple carrots, perhaps a potato if I have a fire (or a tortilla if I don't.)
I camp most of the time and use equipment from my days climbing and backpacking.
Easy. Something I enjoy. Cheap. ("Cheap" is my middle name. Not frugal; cheap.)

YES & NO -within reasonable consideration; have found some AWSOME food stops & help excuses for return trips as well as meeting locals with recommendations along my path. (They come look & ask about spyder & helpful conversation develops) **maybe not as frugal or cheap but has been enjoyable & worth while personally (conversations at gas stops too especially truck stops, proceed at own discretion )**

[easysuper]

Mike, you would be a excellent BunkaBiker Host ! Ellie and I have been Hosting for 3 years and have hosted over 30 times. Some times its riders from a couple day rides away and some world travelers. Check it out on the internet I think it would be a great fit for you.

[vito1943]

This thread has given me a feeling of nostalgia. In my younger days my wife and I would travel by camping, and there was awhile when we traveled (not by motorcycle) with four kids, a dog, and a big tent and went all over Western Europe while on a tight budget. But now its decent motels and decent restaurants, or don't bother going. For those of you who can, enjoy motorcycle travel as long as you still love it. At 80, I love riding my RT but four or five hours a day in the saddle is about all I can do and still feel like I am having fun, and even that is for a one day ride and not day after day.