Helpful Tips If You’re Planning A Motorcycle Trip

I've never gone on any major motorcycle trips despite how long I've been riding.  Until last year, I had bikes that I could do a longer trip on, but wouldn't have been the best for it.  Sure, I have not had any issue putting 500 or more miles on in a weekend, but when I say trip, I mean thousands of miles in a week or so.

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I've been to Daytona for bike week, a trip I did years ago, but with winter in the Twin Ports when that goes on, we trailered the bikes down.  I learned on that trip, that bigger groups aren't always better.  We had one major pain in the ass on the trip(and that's putting it nicely) that basically ruined it for most of us.  So for my first thought on planning a trip, chose who is going with your carefully.  Is there that one alpha male dink that is going to try to run the show like a Nazi?  Skip inviting that individual, it's not worth it, even if you get along okay when not traveling together.

Along the lines of choosing who you are going with, make sure everyone is of similar mind as far as when they like to stop and how casual they want the trip to be.  Next is picking a location, for my upcoming trip, we decided as a group on Colorado.  It's not too far from Minnesota so getting the time off to go is a lot easier for everyone involved.  Many of us would love to tear off on the bikes for 3 weeks, but unless you're retired it's just not practical.

Before leaving, plan at least a rough route so everyone knows it in case you get split up.  Also, make sure that your bike has been maintained which will make it less prone to having an issue on the road.  Don't be the guy that needs to stop after a day because you forgot you haven't changed the oil in a year, or your tires are shot.  Make sure too, to pack the proper gear.  That includes rain gear, various layers for staying comfortable in cooler mornings or evenings, and also foot ware for on and off the bike.  Finally, make sure you plan some of your hotel or camping stops, as things book up fast in the summer.  This list isn't all inclusive, just some tips to make yourself as prepared as you can so the trip can be as stress free as possible.