There are many ways to enjoy a motorcycle, and everyone has their favourite things to do. But if your dream is to go on a long tour, chances are, that you don’t get to do that as often as you would like to. It might even be that you are still getting ready for your first extensive tour. If you are looking towards taking your first serious road trip, there are some things you can do to be better prepared for the journey. It is good to know what items you should leave behind, and how to prepare your body. Having a good plan will also help you squeeze a little more enjoyment out of the trip. Here are a few tips.
- The Right Bike: There is no shortage of bikes suited to extended trips. However, there are even more that are unsuitable for this kind of riding. You might think that a sport bike would be the most fun, but very soon, you will wish for a different seating position, as your wrists and back begin to ache. Small bikes will also wear you down, with inferior suspensions, lack of power, smaller seats, and usually more vibration. The best bike is a touring bike; the clue is in the name. All the major brands have touring bikes; you can check out a Honda Goldwing at Wheels Motorcycles. Once you have your ride sorted out, you will have to work on yourself.
- Harden Up: Just like riding a horse or a bicycle, if you haven’t ridden one over a long distance, the first time you do, you are going to get sore. Being in the saddle for extended periods is something that your body needs to get accustomed to. It would help if you started taking longer and longer rides until you can go a hundred miles without discomfort. That is also a great way to make sure you’re ready for a big trip and diminish some of the fears that you may have lingering in your subconscious.
- Get in Shape: Although touring is not supposed to be physically taxing, the truth is that people who are in better physical condition can ride longer with less discomfort and be less tired when they arrive. Any bit of training you can work into your schedule will show benefits later on the trail.
- Be Organised: The best way to have a trouble-free trip is to know where you are going and to have an itinerary worked out; that way, you can spread the miles out more evenly, and you can leave room for more extended stays at some of the more exciting locations.
- Travel Light: Another thing that will make your trip better is leaving some things behind. Extra stuff causes more headaches and effort than not having things with you. Bring the minimum and buy what you need as you go.
If you have never done an extensive tour before, you can avoid many mistakes by joining up with some veteran tourers and learning from their best practices. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself and share the fun.
