A Guide to Traveling Via Motorcycle
Traveling by motorcycle has only become more popular in recent years as motorcycles have been developed that can handle long-distance riding. It’s important to prepare yourself for a long-distance motorcycle ride, though, because an underprepared rider is one who is more likely to suffer some mishap on the highway and become stranded.
East Bay Motorsports in Hayward is your northern California motorcycle dealer. Here are some tips for motorcycle travel to help you stay safe and arrive at your destination successfully.
1. Select The Right Bike
Choosing a motorcycle that can handle longer journeys is a wise move. After all, you don’t want to try to ride a motorcycle that’s really uncomfortable for hundreds of miles. You also don’t want to ride a big, hefty bike that’s going to cut down on your fuel efficiency and cost you a fortune in gasoline.
Select a bike that gets good mileage and places you in a comfortable seating position that isn’t too rigid. You’ll probably also want features like additional storage space for your gear. Make a list of what you’ll need in a long-distance bike and take it with you when you go shopping for a motorcycle so you can make a wise purchasing decision.
2. Gear Up For Safety
Wearing the right safety gear is always important when riding a motorcycle because you’re more vulnerable than you are when enclosed within the metal shell of a car or truck. A well-fitting helmet is your top priority, and if it lacks a full face mask, you should get a pair of goggles for eye protection from flying debris. Riding gear like a leather jacket, riding pants, boots and gloves are also recommended to protect your skin and appendages in the event of a slide-out.
3. Prepare Your Bike
Make sure to perform an inspection of your motorcycle before your trip and get it serviced if necessary. You can always get in touch with the service department here at East Bay Motorsports if you need some professional assistance with motorcycle repair. However, you can also do many tasks at home, like checking your tire pressure, checking your oil, filling up your tank, testing lights and signals and generally making sure that your motorcycle is in peak operating condition and ready to hit the road.
4. Follow Traffic Rules
It is, of course, essential that you follow all traffic rules and regulations when you’re riding long distances on your motorcycle. You should always ride while sober and alert; using recreational drugs or drinking alcohol before your ride will impair your focus and make it harder to react quickly to sudden obstacles.
Stay below the speed limit and remain in one lane as much as possible. It might be tempting as a motorcyclist to use the shoulder or to weave between cars in a traffic jam, but this is both rude and extremely dangerous, as you never know when a vehicle might swerve or a door might open, causing you to crash. Follow all posted signage and be ready to react to slowing traffic or obstacles in the road.
5. Take Breaks
It might be nice to save time by riding for as long as you can in one go, but this will do you a disservice in that you’re more likely to become fatigued sooner if you don’t rest. Give yourself the opportunity every hour or 90 minutes to pull off at a rest stop, remove your helmet, walk around, stretch your muscles and relax.
You can use the restroom or get some food or water or check out a tourist attraction. You don’t have to rest for long; ten to fifteen minutes should suffice. Rest breaks are of especial importance if you’re riding in hot weather, as you’ll sweat more and become dehydrated sooner.
Looking for the perfect traveling motorcycle? Come see us at our dealership in Hayward, CA, today to take a look at our full stock of new and used motorcycles for sale. Talk to our staff if you’d like to use our financing options to fund your motorcycle purchase. East Bay Motorsports proudly serves the Bay Area.