Long Distance Touring

 

Most of us dream of riding across the country and exploring a new place. Many go back to the same location to relive their previous experience and maybe better their riding skills.

Many break downs and bad calls later I am finally living out of a motorcycle. I started small and after many short distance or weekend rides, I gained confidence. Understanding of motorcycles, the route and a bit of people skills have come a long way. It’s been 10 plus years and every road trip is as exciting as the very first one

It exciting to see someone just load up the bike and ride out into sunrise, but if he isn’t prepared well, the ride will turn into agony in no time. Thankfully the new age motorcycles have ensured lesser breakdowns and eliminated that bulk of spares we had to carry earlier.

I am breaking down the preparation into five major parts,

1.  Comfort zone -   Before you go exploring the lesser-known roads, stat with smaller trips. A day or a weekend trip will give you enough confidence on the motorcycle and might train you on handling a few situations. These rides should be of various terrains so as to gain a fair idea of the bike and your skill level. Riding a full fledged ADV up in the mountains is a fun idea, but if you can’t handle it then it’s all an agony that lasts longer than the trip.  Get comfortable with self and the motorcycle, this goes a long way.
   
   
2. Route planning - Keeping in mind your experience and skill level, break down the trip into multiple days.  On a good highway you could cover anywhere between 600 to 700 kms, but on the mountain roads, it comes down to 200 and sometimes to bare 100 kms. So understand the route read up the comments from locals and finally break it down day wise.  Ensure to keep rest /free days, this would help handle surprises. Could be a new place to explore, rest for the body or some unexpected work on the motorcycle. I avoid riding in the nights and book my stay around 4 ish, depending on the road conditions I would plan the distance ahead and land up before its dark.  Take enough breaks, and as and when you stop, ensure to look around the motorcycle for any wear and tear and fix them incase any.
   
   
3. Riding Gear - It’s like insurance, you might never need it, but when you do, you wish it came with much better coverage. There are dime a dozen brands in the market now and social media has enough and more reviews around it. Try to take in the real-life reviews and pick up the gear that fits you NOW. Riding gear is your second skin and will take the impact on the fall so pick accordingly.  Depending on the weather conditions, pick up an armored touring or a mesh jacket. A full-face helmet that fits you snug should be must, armored riding pants, ankle-length boots and gloves complete the kit and ensures you are ready in case you take a fall. I usually carry two pairs of gloves; this comes handy in changing weather conditions or a fall. Rain Gear is still a hit and miss so I end up picking one after a long ride
   
   
   
4. Luggage - Most of us go overboard with this and end up struggling all through. Figuring out what and what not to carry becomes the major problem. A good riding gear eliminates the need for multiple jeans and tees. Also, if you are fine with Dri fit material, you could cut down on the number of clothes you carry.  I usually pack 4 tees, two shorts, a couple of undergarments, and a few buffs. Dri fit material can be washed and dried overnight, also they take up way less space compared to other materials. Also, slippers or shoes to change into when not riding. Keeping this in mind figure out if a saddle bag or duffle bag works for you. I  prefer duffle bag for max 4 days ride and for anything longer, I shift to a saddlebag. Even if the luggage is the same, the fatigue might not help you get on the bike with a duffle bag. I prefer waterproof luggage gears as our weather conditions vary across the country and especially come handy in the mountains when your bike decides to stall right in the middle of a water crossing.  As of today most of the luggage options are rentable, this means you could try them out on short rides and then decide. I also use a small tank bag to carry my essentials like gopro, batteries, cables and the minimal. It's usually an 18 litre or lesser so as to not trouble while I lock the tank standing or sitting
   
   
   
5. Bike Preparation - preparing the bike for the trip ensures you have lesser break downs and that you cut down on carrying too many tools and spare parts. You are going to spend a long time on the motorcycle so as well spend a bit more on prepping the bike.

a.      Crash guard - Depending on your motorcycle get the right guards, this would ensure lesser damages in case of a fall.

b.      Saddle stay – if you are choosing a saddlebag, it would be advisable to have a stay that holds the bags in place.  

c.       USB chargers and phone mounts - help in navigating on the move and also keeping the phone charged when needed.

d.      Aux Lights - While it would be great to avoid night riding, aux lights come handy in case you end up riding late. Set it up such that it has a separate harness and is not draining the battery. Ensure to fix lights that don’t trouble the oncoming traffic.

e.      Tires - Select tires depending on the route conditions.  If you are sticking to highways, the stock tires are great enough. Dual sport patterns are advisable for mixed terrains.

f.        Workshop time – Sit with a mechanic and understand the basics of the motorcycle.  This would help you carry out the basic service and also guide a mech if in case of a breakdown.  Make a list of the consumables and plan up a kit.

g.       Tool kit – you cannot have a standard kit across the motorcycles and you don’t need the full toolbox. With the time spent at the workshop, you will be aware of the relevant tools for your bike; carry a set of that and its good to go. Any major accident would mean you need a mechanic and usually, they have the full kit.

My Tool/Essentials kit is as below.

o   Chain maintenance kit

o   Multiple Fuse

o   10-11, 12-13 spanner

o   Adjustable wrench

o   Allen key set

o   Pliers

o   Star Philips combo screwdriver

o   10,11,12,14,17 box/Socket, Universal joint, Extension bar  and Ratchet handle

o   Head strap Flashlight

o   Zip ties, duct tape, electrical tape

o   Puncture kit

o   Chain link lock

o   Air pump

 My kit -  

Helmet -  Lazer/Bell Mx9

Riding jacket - https://gthouse.shop/product/shima-mesh-pro/

Riding pants /Denims - https://amzn.to/2DSXHwl

Riding Boots - https://gthouse.shop/product/shima-rsx-5-touring-boot/

Saddle Bag - https://amzn.to/2DXGCl2

DuffleBag- https://bigbadbikes.com/product/enduristan-80l-tornado-2-waterproof-drybag-rok-straps/

Gloves  

·         Waterproof - https://gthouse.shop/product/shima-touring-dry-gloves/

·         Touring - https://gthouse.shop/product/str-2-yellow-fluo/

·         City and Trails - https://gthouse.shop/product/ronin-sand/

The above mentioned has worked for me most of the time and might need a fine-tuning depending on the rider or terrain. Drop-in your comments and let's update it further.