How To Plan a Trip
Prepare Yourself and Your Motorcycle Before You Hit The Road
Proper planning is often a deciding factor in a successful ride. Find out what to pack and what to plan for in this handy list of items to pack for a motorcycle trip.
Whether you’re planning a Sunday morning run up the mountain or a Tuesday afternoon, after work, out-in-the-canyon twisties, your priorities will differ somewhat than if you’re planning a cruise up the coast for a weekend or across the country. You should never plan a trip that is beyond your body's or your bike’s physical limitations.
Where, When and for How Long Determines What To Take
If you are going up the mountain or into the canyon for the day, you’ll prepare differently, and likely want a different bike than if you’re going across the country or up the coast for the week. You should always plan for a few basic things no matter what kind of ride. There are other things that are required for longer trips.
The Every Day List
- Tools for any basic repairs. Most motorcycles come with a tool bag that has most of the tools you’ll need to perform basic maintenance and repairs road-side.
- A cell phone in case you need to call for help or to call your family or friends to let them know if you’re running late.
- Drinking water. Any time you’re going far from home on your motorcycle you should take at least one bottle of water.
- Warm clothes. Even living in warm, sunny San Diego, you can still get caught in cold and/or wet weather. It doesn’t take long to ride from one climate to another.
- If you’re planning on crossing state or international borders, make sure you know the rules and laws in the destination(s) before you go. Helmet laws vary from state to state, as do laws about other motorcycle specific issues like lane splitting, eye protection, age limits and use of a headlight in the daytime. Know the law.
- If you’re planning on being gone for any number of days, be sure to pack some food and water, extra warm clothes, money, and a well equipped tool bag. Also be sure to let somebody know about your plans. Some type of road side assistance program is also a good idea.
Being prepared will take a little work and planning ahead of time. For long trips, plan your major stops and stick to them. Let someone know your plan and keep them updated if possible. You’ll want to take a map, and if possible a GPS unit. Anticipate what kind of ride it could be at a reasonable extreme and what could change during that ride, then plan for that type of ride. It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Get Everything In Good Working Order
Motorcycles are machines. Things can go wrong with machines and often do. Just like things can go wrong with you physically and mentally if you get sick or injured, or distracted. You need to prepare yourself and your bike for long trips. Failure to be in shape can make your trip long and un-favorable as well as dangerous.
Your Motorcycle
Prepare your bike by checking all the fluid levels and condition including oil, brake fluid and engine coolant (on liquid cooled machines) . Check the tires for wear and proper tire pressure. Check brake, clutch and throttle cables, adjust and lubricate if necessary. Check battery and all lights. Check for loose or missing items.
Your Self
Your own physical and mental condition will be key to a successful and enjoyable trip. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in the saddle of a bike when you’re uncomfortable for any reason. You’ll want to be physically able to handle the ride. Riding a motorcycle on a long trip can be exhausting both mentally and physically.
Mental fatigue happens because of the loss of energy you spend keeping alert to your surroundings when you ride a motorcycle. The longer you’re on the bike, the more mentally fatigued you will become. If you find yourself wandering off or day-dreaming, pull over and get your head straight. Don’t ever ride while intoxicated with alcohol or drugs. Motorcycles are dangerous and can hurt you or someone around you.
You also need to be physically fit. Riding a motorcycle isn’t like driving a car. It requires a more physical input and reaction than it takes in a car because you have to physically control the bike as opposed to simply steering a car.
The Long Trip List
Here’s a list of items you might want to take with you when you’re planning a long trip.
- Bungee cords
- Camera
- Cell Phone
- Dry Clothes
- Duct Tape
- First Aid Kit
- Flashlight
- Flat Tire Kit or Fix-A-Flat (for motorcycles)
- Gloves (heavy and light)
- Knife (pocket, hip etc)
- Maps/GPS
- Money
- Multi-Tool
- Rain Gear
- Tire Gauge
- Tools
- Water
For tips on how to pack your motorcycle, check out my article on How to Pack a Motorcycle.
