Tips for Long Distance Motorcycle Trips

Whether you go across town or across the country, one of the best parts of owning a motorcycle is the freedom to take it wherever you want. Taking your bike cross country is a great experience, but it requires slightly different preparation than when you’re just heading to work. Here at Starved Rock Harley-Davidson®, we want to make sure your long distance trip, or touring trip, is perfect from start to finish. We’ve provided some suggestions below to help you get ready and then make sure your bike is serviced before you head out. Let our experienced professionals at our Ottawa, Illinois location take a look and get you ready for the big trip.

Proper Gear

Packing the right gear is particularly important if you plan to spend a majority of your trip outside densely populated areas. Traveling around the eastern part of the Midwest, you probably won’t ever be far from a settlement should you have an emergency or need a break. If your trip takes you farther west, that story starts to change. Receiving help and emergency stops will be more difficult. Make sure you’re prepared, no matter where you are.

Keep in mind, you don’t have a lot of room and don’t want to overload your bike. Apart from your personal supplies, you’ll want to make sure you pack a basic toolkit and a handful of spare parts. If you can tie your bike over until you hit the next dealership, it’ll help your stress levels and your pocketbook. Include a first aid kit as well and have it stocked with all the necessary supplies to treat wounds, burns, and minor illnesses (include prescribed medications and an epinephrine pen if you need it).

Your riding gear also needs to reflect the climates you’ll be traveling in and still provide proper protection. With the weather getting colder by the day, you’ll want to make sure you wear layers and have rain gear at the ready. However, if you’re fleeing south for the winter, the farther you get the warmer it stays all year long so you may have to include suitable clothing for those days. No matter what, always make sure your gear is going to protect you. You’ll need all the right safety gear, including your helmet, gloves, proper riding boots, and riding jacket. Even if it’s warm out, make sure your arms and legs are completely covered to protect them from the elements and road hazards.

Pack Light

On top of this, make sure you’re keeping your bike’s hauling weight in mind. If you’re using a touring bike, odds are it can handle the extra weight, but you can easily overload any bike. Pack only the essentials, including what we’ve mentioned above and the bare minimum for your personal effects. Consider packing a few basic clothing items and finding a laundromat to wash them. If you’re camping, find ultralight camping gear that won’t take up too much room (consider looking at manufacturer’s who market to backpackers). Once you have everything you need, if you have any leftover room, then you can consider packing luxury items.

Check your Bike Regularly

Every morning before you leave your hotel or campsite, give your bike a regular once-over. This will include checking tire pressure and treads, making sure your fluid levels are still good, and that your brake and clutch cables are properly lubricated. Also, lubricate your chains and test your lights. Check anything else you feel needs to be checked regularly. It’s much easier to solve problems while you’re still in town than having to call a tow truck when you’re in the middle of nowhere.

Keep in mind, you should do a more thorough check before you leave for your trip. Test your battery to make sure it’s fully charged as well as the spark plugs. Replace air filters if they need it. All in all, you’ll want to check every inch of your bike before you leave. We highly recommend doing this at least a week in advance in case you need to take your bike in for service to fix a more serious problem.

Take Care of your Body

As important as it is to take care of your motorcycle, you’ll also want to take care of yourself. Stop often for as many reasons as you can think of: stop to eat, stop to drink water, stop to cool off, stop to warm up, stop for photos, even stop just because you need to stretch your legs. This is especially true for those who don’t go touring very often. Until you’re used to riding for hours on end, you’ll want to be taking breaks fairly frequently. But this doesn’t have to be a buzzkill on your trip. Plan out your stops ahead of time so you can stop at attractions and other exciting places and make them an important part of your experience.

Touring is a great part of the motorcycle experience and here at Starved Rock Harley-Davidson®, we want to make sure you experience it in the best way possible. Just make sure you have one of our professional mechanics look over your bike to make sure it’s ready for your next big trip. We’re located in Ottawa, Illinois so stop by today.