It’s a marvelous fantasy: packing your motorcycle, pulling out of your garage and leaving all your cares and worries behind by taking a long motorcycle trip. Endless horizons, great food, beautiful vistas, interesting people—it’s all part of the allure of “the big motorcycle trip”. It’s a wonderful fantasy, and I’ve been lucky enough to be able do it. Here are my tips for making your dream ride every bit as enjoyable as you imagine it to be.
- Choose your partner wisely
- Do your research
- Make sure your bike is set up for your body
- Take a break along the way
- Be flexible
Choose your partner wisely
Finding a travel partner that is in the same adventurous place in life can be a tricky thing. It’s often hard to find someone who can take the same amount of time off work or has the same level of adventure you do. Make sure you talk about things like budget, because if one of you wants to stay in five star hotels and the other is a camper, well, chances are it’s not going to work out.
Discuss things like riding style. Is your partner a stop-and-smell-the-roses type of traveler, or are they destination-bound and have to be in the hotel by four o’clock? How fast do they like to ride? Do they like to stop and make dining an event or are they willing to sample street food along the way and ride on?
Folks that join you on your long journey only for a short time are inevitably in a different mind-space. They’ve got a bigger budget and, trust me, a much different attitude about where to go and what to see when you are pacing yourself for the long haul.
Do your research
The internet is a terrific planning too. Start with the motorcycle rider forums and research the potential weaknesses of your specific motorcycle. Does your brand have a reputation for burning oil? Fuel pump issues? Eating rear tires? Look into how accessible parts are for your bike in the places you’ll be traveling to. Knowing your machine and its common issues can save you a lot of headaches on down the road, even if your knowledge is only theoretical.
Make sure your bike is set up for your body
It’s one thing to ride for a day or even a weekend; it’s quite another to climb aboard that bike day after day for a months or more. Small things like handlebar extenders, clutch adjustments and hand/foot levers that are in the right place for your particular size and shape make a difference on the long haul. Consider enhancements to your saddle too—you don’t necessarily have to go custom, but you can buy things like an AirHawk® or even a sheepskin (not necessarily wise riding in wet climate—ask me how I know!) to make your butt feel better.
Take a break along the way
Ben Slavin (www.MotorcycleMexico.com) says, “Take a vacation from the vacation. Traveling is exhausting, mentally and physically. A few days on the beach forgetting about the motorbike is a great way to recharge. However, a few days in a city running errands, fixing your bike and/or researching doesn’t count — seriously, take a vacation! If you’re like me, after a few days you’ll be itching to twist that throttle again.”
Travel is exhilarating, yet it’s also very tiring. New scenery every day, new cuisine, cultures, even new languages eventually wear down even the hardiest of travelers over time. Pace yourself. You may be so used to those weekend warrior rampages that it will wake you a while to slow down, but I guarantee you will appreciate your journey all the more when you aren’t hurrying to the next thing on the list.
Be flexible
If you are rigid about your plan, most likely you will end up disappointed. Be flexible with your time and your must-do items along the way, and you’ll have a better trip by far. If you enjoy talking to locals and other travelers, they will invariably turn you on to places that aren’t in your guide book, and not part of your original plan. Make the most of it and listen to their advice, and you’ll end up seeing things that nobody else does.
In my opinion, the key to having a great trip lies in your mental attitude. If you approach every day as new and exciting, chances are, that is exactly what it will be. It is easy to get hung up on petty frustrations like flat tires or how you think you got lost or fleeced and let your trip get derailed. Keep the larger picture in mind when traveling and remember that it’s the journey that counts. That difficult situation that you overcome on your own just might end up to be the story of a lifetime once you’re home.
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