Planning a Motorcycle trip
Traveling via motorcycle is similar to hiking up a mountain where a big factor is what are you bringing with you? How much space do you have? how much weight can you carry? and is the item in question actually worth bringing along? And if you are traveling in a group what can be dispersed throughout the group. These are some of the things you should that into consideration when getting ready for an extended ride.
Before you even leave, the obvious first step is to look over your bike and do an inspection. You'd be surprised at what can go missing after miles and miles of riding, parts wear out, seals start leaking, and even frame bolts can wiggle their way out. So make sure your machine is ready for hours of operation.
After you've confirmed that your motorcycle isn't falling apart in the driveway, the next step would be making sure you can put it back together, or at least some of it, if it decides to crap out on your trip or if you experience what some would call an “oopsie”
You may or may not have a basic repair kit for your bike. Generally, most bikes will have one at some point in its life. If you're like me and bought a used bike or lost the repair kit, you’ll probably want to put one together just in case.
Picture of motorcycle tool kit
Since I don't have a tool kit, I made one. Included are some basic hand tools, chosen specifically for my bike. a screwdriver to tighten clamps on the radiator hose or pry anything small, a set of sockets, not a full set, to cut down on space and weight I only carry the sizes I use on my bike and maybe a few common sizes. I do the same with wrenches and Allen keys. I put all these in a Klein tools bag and put it under my seat. I'd also throw a can of chain lube in if I'm going to be putting on some miles or potentially hitting rain. A decent flashlight or preferably a headlamp is good to have as well, you never know if you’ll have to do a roadside repair or look for something at night. And lastly not really a necessity but a decent tire pressure gauge is good to have on hand as well.
But where are you even going? And how are you getting there? Don’t forget to break out your navigation tools, or just your cell phone. The obvious choice and probably the most useful is getting a quality phone mount like a Ram mount and using your preferred GPS app. If you like looking at a paper map for your travels I'd recommend getting a tank bag, something with easy access and a clear cover. Unless you really know where you are going or feel like getting lost I’d really recommend getting one of these, it's simple and easy but will make your trip a lot more enjoyable, instead of pulling over every time you need to look up directions.
In the event you do get lost or run into inclement weather, Clothing may be something you just wish you thought about a bit more before you left. Are you riding to another city and staying at a hotel or with friends, where, if you need to, you can stop and get another layer of dry clothes, or are you going into the middle of nowhere where access to conveniences may be limited, or totality nonexistent, temperature changes can be pretty dramatic especially traveling via motorcycle will little to no wind protection, and if you don’t have something fast drying clothing or something to change into after a rainstorm you might be cutting your trip short.
I'm going to assume if you're reading this you have the basics covered, you have a decent jacket, gloves, helmet, boots, and something reasonable for pants. If you don't have these, I would highly recommend investing in decent gear, as someone who has had a few crashes and ran into my fair share of bad weather over the years, I can tell you, quality gear makes a big difference, Don't be a squid.
Even if you decide not to see what happens when you lean in and zip through the sand on street tires, or dive bomb into an off-camber turn and ride the asphalt slip and slide, good gear is just going to make your ride more enjoyable. Although I must admit I rode for a few years with basically just a cheap used helmet and maybe a hoodie. After low-siding in a very large patch of sand at night wearing only a t-shirt and jeans, I bought a used leather jacket from a second-hand store which was too big and offered basically no protection but after a significant amount of criticism from friends I got some reasonable gear and I would never go back. Why? confidence in your riding. For me I just feel better on the bike, knowing I’m more protected makes riding a lot more enjoyable, and safer. Temperature, wind, bugs, and rain, are much easier to manage when I’m geared up.
Y’know what else does wonders for my energy level at the end of the day? Earplugs. Some may argue about this but after hours of wind/ engine noise you can be pretty wiped out and reducing that expourse can really be the difference between a pleasant cruise down a boring road and being relaxed by the end of a seemingly never-ending barrage of constant noise, whooshing away any possible thought in your head, leaving you exhausted and ready for bed. I almost always wear earplugs and try to keep some in one of my jacket pockets.
Alright, looks like we almost have everything we need, just kidding! You're about to leave for your trip now there is a rain storm in the forecast, f*%king again, Great! Sometimes you may just need to cancel the trip but if you're up for it, rain gear is something you’ll want to invest in, To be honest, good rain gear will make riding in heavy rain not really a big deal. I don't know if you have ever had to piss your pants to stay warm but I'm going to tell you right now, I would not recommend it. With that being said, rain gear is another item I learned about the hard way.
Once upon a time, on a trip back from the tail of the dragon going from the TN/NC border to northeastern VA my riding group got stuck in a massive hurricane for hours on the highway, none of us had rain gear, and at one point we all bought rain suits from Wal mart, these were all shredded to ribbons in the rain at highway speeds. Needless to say, we were totally soaked and spent a night at a hotel drying our gear at 3 am. However, after this experience, we all saw the light and purchased good rain gear. On a more recent trip me and a friend were heading up to VT for a weekend of riding, there was rain in the forecast for when we planned on leaving. Instead of canceling the trip or getting up there soaked and dealing with a soggy mess all weekend, With the power of rain gear, we rode 3 hours through a considerable storm, stopped for some food, and continued on to the camper where we were staying for the night, completely dry for the most part, I’ll admit the bottoms of my pants were wet simply because I had forgotten to tuck my pants into my boots, but other than that I was dry as a bone.
I understand you may or may not consider riding in the rain, but if you are comfortable with the increased risk, I would highly recommend getting some good rain gear to keep you from missing out on a great trip, The last trip to VT was one of the best weekend rides I’ve had in a little over 10 years of riding, and it wouldn't have happened without protection for the rain.
Clothing is something that could be easily overlooked and there are some things to think about, the first thing that comes to mind is pants. Riding a sport touring bike, I want to be comfortable while I'm in the seated position but I also want to be able to move around when I want to do a bit more spirited riding, I'd probably wear something that would dry quickly if I thought I'd get caught in rain or if I’m going to be wearing a leather jacket on a hot day. But other than that it's really up to you. I’d just make sure you're wearing something you are comfortable in on and off the bike and more protection like Kevlar isn’t a bad thing.
As far as safety equipment, a small first aid kit, emergency contact information, and roadside assistance membership, just in case things go sour.
Here where things can get interesting, luggage. There are a lot of ways you can load a bike, you'd be surprised, some are better than others. For me I have always used the soft saddlebag, I've had a few different bags over the years since they also make excellent "frame sliders". With that being said other than me basically destroying them, I've never had an issue. They are a cheaper alternative to hard case bags that can be taken off and held like a briefcase, these are really easy to take on/off, come with a rain cover, and may help protect your bike if it stays rubber side down.
As far as the tail luggage is concerned this is generally items that vary from trip to trip. My preferred luggage for the tail is a backpack, but may also include a tent and or hammock. Attached to the bike with two ratchet straps, each One of the good tricks I learned was to bring either my bike cover or a tarp, and essentially use that to burrito my backpack and then strap it to the bike. make everything a lot neater, especially a hiking bag with waist straps, the last thing you want while riding is something getting sucked into your rear wheel and locking it up. Both of these also work as excellent waterproofing for the backpack in the event of rain. Then there is also the obvious use case of both of them, you can cover your bike with the bike cover and/or use the tarp at your tent site. I like the backpack method because I can take it off and bring it with me, either hiking or exploring a new city
As far as food and water go, sometimes just stopping at gas stations will do the trick or just planning on sitting down to eat makes it pretty easy. However for longer trips I like to at least have water on the bike somewhere easy to access when I stop and if I’m bringing food, just a trail mix or some beef jerky will do for food, really anything that I would take hiking really. I will say a pocket stove and a bottle of propane go a long way, these are great for cooking while camping, or making tea or coffee at a scenic outlook. You could even cook something up if you wanted to, as long as you have a good cooking set. But more often than not I'll just grab something at a restaurant in the area at the end of the day since it'll get me off the bike for a bit and I won't have to make space for food. It really all depends on the trip. Sometimes I want to just hang out and cook by a campfire and other days I'll just load up at a local spot and just get some rest wherever I decide to stay.
Parked at a trailhead in the White Mountains, ready for an overnight hike, after a day of riding.
When it comes to planning an overnight trip, It's pretty easy if you stay at a hotel or maybe a friend's place, really you’ll just need some toiletries and a change of clothes. But if you're planning on riding for a few days and camping in between you’ll need to take some things into consideration. Keep in mind there really are no set rules, but it is best to have a setup that will work well for you and not become a total hassle throughout your trip. When you load your bike I’d say it best to put everything you may need during the day, like snacks, water, and med kit, in easy-to-reach locations, and save everything that you won't need till the end of the day for those spots you may need to dig to. It's best to think about this while loading your bike for a trip, so you don’t end up on the side of the road frustrated, re-organizing, or looking for something.
If I’m camping I like to bring a lightweight tent or a hammock, I’d much rather take the hammock over the tent, as it is lighter and easier to pack, It's also the best way to set up next to a river and have the trickling water put you to sleep after a long day of exploring. Taking a hammock also means I don’t really need a sleeping pad, just a sleeping bag will do. Depending on you and your bike, if you do get into a pinch you can tie one end of your hammock to your handlebar and the other to a lonely tree or pole.
I hope this brief write-up was helpful and gave you some insights on how to prepare or what to bring, just remember every trip is different so the gear you bring and how you load your bike will vary, but quality gear does make a difference, I do like to have gear that isn’t always motorcycle specific, like using a backpack for a tail bag since I find it a lot more useful than a motorcycle tail bag it also cuts down on stuff to store when I’m not traveling. This can’t always be the case, like rain gear, you’ll want something made for motorcycle riding, so there is a balance, I like to lay everything out before loading the bike, like a hiking trip it is best to use everything you bring and cut down on the unnecessary clutter.