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Long Distance Motorcycle riding

How to eat big distances on a bike

Just a few of my thoughts on riding big distances on motorcycles. Tips & suggestions that work for me and might for you - or not!

About Me

Well, let's see, over the past few years I've been really getting into my bike riding and in particular enjoy longer tours and endurance events. Here in New Zealand there is a Motorcycle Club called the Rusty Nut s Motorcycle Club[1] and they specialise in running long distance endurance type events. Thei r most well known event is the Grand Challenge which involves riding a distance of 1, 000 miles in 24 hours. To date I've completed six of these and have entered my 7th - they can get a bit addictive! Another favourite is the Southern Cross which takes riders to the four corners of New Zealand with a limited amount of time allowed to get between the four check points. You can read a bit more about my attempts at these events on my website[4]. It's my experiences on these rides that has given me the idea to have a go at my first Knol. I don't pretend to know everything (always learning) and hope that it's not too boring and that someone reads it and gets something from it...

Why ride big distances?

Well, why not? Most motorcyclists are in it because they enjoy riding bikes so to get more enjoyment out of something you've gotta keep at it don't ya? Whether it's a two week tour or an endurance event it's a great reason to get out on your bike and enjoy the countryside. Add to that mixing with a bunch of other idiots that enjoy the same thing and a shiny badge at the end, well, who wouldn't be up for it?

The Bike

What's best for the big trip? Well, who knows - people will tour on anything or even use something totally inappropriate to add that little bit more of a challenge to an endurance event. The Grand Challenge and Southern Cross have both been done by the same guy on a Suzuki RG50 - dedication. Scooters, sports bikes, trail bikes and all many of machinery can be used. Personally I like a little bit of comfort and have always used a sports-tourer or tourer. It's nice to be comfortable and to be able to eat the miles easily. The ability to carry luggage and have a good range is also important. My current touring bike is a Kawasaki GTR1400 Concours (bike on the right in picture) and has the following features that I consider important for distance riding:

• Efficient fairing for weather protection
• 22L fuel tank and good economy for 300+km range
• Panniers & topbox for carrying gear
• Shaft drive for less maintenance
• Heated handle bar grips
• ABS brakes
• Comfortable riding position
• Large, powerful engine for effortless cruising

The other bike in the picture is a mate's Suzuki Bandit to which he has added a full luggage system - this has turned it into a very competent (and cheap) tourer which has racked up quite a few kms touring New Zealand. Once again any bike can be used or modified to suit the touring role but the most important thing would be that the rider must be comfortable riding the bike. That is they must have plenty of experience riding the bike and be able to ride it safely in any conditions. Not a good idea to borrow your mate's R1 for the Grand Challenge if your normal ride is a GN250. And the most important point of all - the bike must be in safe and reliable condition for the ride ahead. Tyres and brakes must be in tip top condition and the engine needs to be reliable so that you don't end up pushing the thing. You don't want anything stopping you in the middle of the night in pouring rain. Get the bike serviced before you go and know how to do all the little things that may be required along the way like chain lubing & adjustment, tyre pressures, fluid checks etc.

Riding Gear

Good quality riding gear is important as you're going to be in it for a while so you may as well be as warm, dry, comfortable and safe as possible. Helmet I'm not going to tell you what brand of helmet to buy as different lids suit different noggins (and even different bikes - fairing/windshield design). Naturally it's there to protect your gourd but it also needs to be comfortable for long periods of time. It's also important that it's quiet, that you can take it on and off easily and you can get your glasses/sunglasses on easily if necessary. I've fitted a whisper kit to my Shoei and this along with custom ear plugs help to dial back the wind noise which can be a big factor in tiring the rider out. Mine is a genuine part for the helmet but you can also get aftermarket kits to suit most helmets. Jacket/Pants Once again comfort is king but safety also comes into it. You need to be comfortable on the bike in the position that you're going to be spending most of your time in. You don't want the jacket riding up to expose your back to the cold wind or the armour in your gear to move to the incorrect position and be uncomfortable. Zip-out liners to take the chill off are also great and pockets for your doo-dads come in handy. Some argue over the merits of leather versus textile with leather coming out on top for injury protection in the event of the unthinkable but it is a lot heavier and generally less comfortable. Most textile garment come with built-in armour but if this isn't enough to ease your mind then you can also buy back braces and other protection devices to wear underneath the gear. My current gear is textile and consists of a jacket and a pair of "bib & brace" style trousers. It is very comfortable and pretty warm with zip out liners for the warmer weather. It also has built-in armour and fluorescent strips on it to aid visibility. It is not completely waterproof although the jacket can get soaking wet before anything gets through the inner to me. The "bib & brace" might be better for comfort and warmth but it can slow down the pit-stops... Weather protection is obviously important on a big ride - you do not want to get soaked to the bone and catch hypothermia. No matter what the claim, no gear is completely waterproof and to that end I also carry a one piece rain-suit that can be worn over the top of all the other gear to provide even greater protection from the elements. Looking after your gear (cleaning, waterproofing) also helps maintain it's waterproof properties and increases it's useful life. Gloves Hmmmmm, developing a bit of a theme here - comfort. I have both a thin and thick pair of gloves. However, I am most comfortable in the thin pair and wear them in all weathers. Yes, they get wet right through but I don't like bulky gloves on the controls - I just turn the heated grips on to warm up a little. They probably wear out quicker than any other bit of gear you're wearing so it pays to look after them as much as possible and replace them when they get a bit tired - the first thing you're gonna do in an off is stick your hands out... Boots Best get the 'C' word out of the way again - comfort, once again you'll be in them all day so they have to fit comfortably in the position that you are in on the bike. They're also going to need to be waterproof and give you protection in the event of an accident. With boots I'm of the opinion that you get what you pay for. My first pair of boots were cheap and nasty, didn't last and didn't keep the water out. My last pair were dearer but lasted nine years and never let any water in - ever. My current pair were also on the dear side but are very similar to the last pair except in the nine years since the last purchase the boots have got lighter and even more comfortable. Warm stuff Here's where personal preference probably comes in. Some people prefer different fabrics or styles of garments. The best bet is to have a number of thin layers which you can add or remove to help maintain a comfortable temperature. Bulky gear can be a pain under your bike gear and make you look and feel like the Michelin man. I usually take the following in the cooler months:

• polypropylene shirt & pants
• thermal shirt
• polar fleece top
• polar fleece neck warmer

Ear Protection I wear ear protection every time I ride a bike at open road speeds. It cuts out that horrible roar of wind noise and helps reduce fatigue on longer rides - no ringing in the ears when you stop either. I recently had a set of custom ear plugs made up and while I don't think that they cut as much wind noise as the cheap disposable foam plugs they are far and away more comfortable (there's that word again) and you can wear them all day no worries at all. A downside of earplugs is that they can make you feel a bit queasy after long periods of riding. This is particularly noticeable at night on windy roads. This issue doesn't show up as much with the custom plugs but you need to be wary of it. The cure is to stop and remove your helmet and plugs for a a few minutes and then carry on.

Bits and Bobs

The stuff you need to take with you. Luggage If you're carrying stuff with you then you're going to need to attach it to the bike somehow and there's plenty of options: packs, tank bags, throw-over bags, hard and soft luggage. After years of touring the countryside with a big pack on the back I've become a convert to hard luggage - firstly a full Givi system on my Bandit and now standard panniers & a Givi topbox on my Connie. It is so easy to just throw your gear into the bags, clip them to the bike and head off. Add to that the added security of the bags locked shut and locked to the bike - can't beat it. Tools Hopefully you won't need any and on a well serviced modern bike you shouldn't. But, along with the bike's standard kit I always carry a puncture repair kit. After a puncture once in an out of the way place I've always carried the kit (in the hope that I'll never need it). If you've got a chain then you'll need tools for adjusting it and some oil for the chain unless you've an oiler fitted. A torch and cell phone make up the rest of my kit. Unless you're a mechanic or really know what you're doing then there's no reason to carry any more than that - are you confident to strip down your motor on the side of the road? Gadgets Nowadays there's no end to the amount of dohickeys you can take with you: GPS, radar detectors, intercoms, ipods etc but do you really need them? Here in little old NZ I manage to get away without any of them (yes, even the radar detector). That said I'd love a GPS just for the gadget factor and enjoy listening to my ipod at the end of the day's riding. A cell phone is definitely worth taking though. Up to you how much gear you want to lug around the country side... Other useful stuff Stuff I may or may not take depending on the length of the ride I'm going on:

• Maps or Map book
• First aid kit
• Camera
• Visor cleaning gear - I take Rain-X with me to help repel the wet stuff
• Tyre pressure gauge
• Something for under your side-stand on dodgy surfaces
• Tie-downs etc if traveling on a ferry at some stage
• Drinks & snacks
• Bike cover
• Sunglasses
• Notebook & pen
• Hi-viz.
  

Fitness

Well, first up I'd have to say that I'm far from fit and definitely not an expert on the subject. Naturally the fitter (flexibility, stamina etc) you are the better you're going to feel after a long ride. In saying this though I believe that ride fitness also comes into it ie if you're used to riding big distances regularly then it's generally not going to be too tough on you. Some key points (and pretty common sense too) are:

• Plenty of sleep before the ride.
• Plenty of fluids.
• Stretching regularly - on big runs I tend to stand up and stretch my legs & back etc whenever I enter a town or any area with a lower speed limit. It's important to do this regularly and to start before you begin to feel sore.
• Earplugs - reducing the wind noise helps to minimise fatigue. See the notes above regarding their use.
• Breaks. Every now and again have a decent break. Remove your helmet & earplugs and have a bit of a wander around. Recognise when you're starting to feel a bit seedy and stop riding.
• Food. Stay away from the junk food and don't eat too much (a full stomach can make you drowsy). I find that on a long ride or tour I eat a lot less than if I was at work or at home but I make sure that I take on plenty of fluids.
• The Iron Butt Association[3] have a great page here outlining a few more tips on long distance riding (not just fitness related).

Preparation

The Bike I've touched on this above but obviously if you're going to be racking up some serious miles on your bike then you are going to want it to be reliable for you and not break down in the middle of nowhere. Generally before any long distance event I have my bike serviced (I'm no mechanic so prefer someone who knows what they're doing to do it) and I make sure that the bike shop knows that the bike is in for some exercise. When the bike is back from servicing I give it a decent wash & polish and go over things like fairing screws and other bolts etc to make sure that they're all tight and not going to pop out on the road somewhere. Other than that, the following list may be helpful:

• Tyres: your life depends on these sticking you to the road so they must be in good nick and at the correct pressure. Unless you're on a lazy tour where you can afford to stop for new tyres then they need to have enough tread on them to get you home safely and for encountering any sort of weather and road surface.
• Brakes:while the bikes being serviced get the shop to check that you've plenty of pad material there for the trip.
• Lights: hopefully they'll all working...
• Chain: correctly adjusted and lubricated. Take ya lube with ya.
• Oil level: check it even if the shop have done an oil change - they often do not top it up after the first fill and don't necessarily allow for what goes into the filter. Check for leaks around the filter and sump bung.

Gear Once again this is going to be keeping you warm, dry and safe so it needs to be looked after. Leather needs to be clean and protected with wax or dubbin and textile gear should be cleaned and waterproofed. Helmet visors need to be clean and scratch free - I also apply a rain repellant product to the outside of the cisor and have an anti-fog insert on the inside. Route Planning Depending on whether you're participating in an organised ride or just planning a tour of your own the amount of planning or the extent of your planning may vary. Sometimes you'll know where you're going and sometimes you won't. I don't currently have a GPS but I'm sure they could be put to good use here... For planning your own tour I'd suggest you open a map book and work out where you want to go and plan according to how many miles you want to do each day and how many other activities you might want to take in. For an event where you have to cover big distances and be at certain check points at certain times (eg Rusty Nuts Southern Cross) I'd suggest you calculated distances and times based on an average speed of 80km/h. Work backwards from check points to determine start times andaccomodation etc. Don't forget to budget for stops for gas and food. For extreme events (eg Rusty Nuts Grand Challenge) where time is valuable be especially careful in preparing route notes - if you get lost that's just more ground you have to cover in the same time. Simple is good - turn left at X road. Plan fuel stops to be at check points where possible (less total stops) and to match the bike with the shortest range.

Doing it

So you've got the bike and gear sorted, the route is planning and chaffing at the bit to hit the road. If everything truely has been sorted then the ride itself should be a piece of cake - just what you want, a trouble free trip.