Travel Tips for Honda® Touring Motorcycle Owners
Investing in a Honda® touring motorcycle, like the Honda Gold Wing®, can open up your opportunities to see the country in a brand new way. Whether you’re traveling in a group or by yourself, once you go bike, you’ll never go back. Just remember that traveling on a motorcycle is a lot different from traveling in a car, and not just because of the reduced storage space. To brush up your skills or learn some new tricks, check out our tips from Heartland Honda®. You can also stop by our location in Springdale, Arkansas, to get our staff’s personal tips for the road. We proudly serve Fayetteville and Rogers.
Practice
Riding your Honda® motorcycle for extended periods of time is exhausting. Even with all the special features that come with your ride to help with this, the time spent sitting up straight, fighting the wind, and sitting on an engine will wear you out. That’s why you’ll want to build up to the long haul. Get your body used to long trips on your bike by starting small. Ride for just a few hours, then half a day, eventually working up to a full day of riding and more. Go easy on yourself, as this might take a while, but it’ll be worth it when it’s time to really hit the road because you’ll know exactly what to expect.
Build Your Route
As fun as it can be to just hit the road and explore, there will come a point when it’ll make more sense to have a basic route lined out. Knowing where you’re going can give you the chance to make hotel or campsite reservations. It can also be handy when you’re going somewhere you’re not familiar with and don’t want to get lost. You might even spot some attractions on a map that you’d miss from the road. Even a basic outline can be handy while still allowing you to explore.
Take Breaks
Let’s go back to the fact that long-distance riding is tiring. Even the toughest riders take more breaks than they would with an enclosed vehicle, so you might want to think about how this might affect where you can travel in a day’s ride. Pulling over can give your body some reprieve from the wind and allow you to stretch your legs. We recommend lining these breaks up with attractions to give you something to do while you’re resting.
Inspect Your Motorcycle
Traveling isn’t just about taking care of your body. You’ll also want to care for your bike as well. Perform a thorough inspection of your Honda® touring bike before your trip, and then again every morning before you hit the road. The last thing you want is to find out there’s a mechanical issue when you’re in the middle of nowhere, the nearest tow truck hours away. Some basic checks can include tires, lights, engine fluids, and throttle and brake checks.
Pack Effectively
This one’s a big one. You won’t have as much space as you would with an enclosed vehicle, so you need to be smart about what you bring and how much. Lay out all your gear ahead of time and then find areas where you can minimize things. Consider packing fewer clothes and utilizing laundromats. If you’re going camping, check out gear made for backpackers, which is more compact and lightweight. Take travel shampoo instead of packing the bottle. There are always ways you can reduce your gear, so get creative about what you bring--or don’t bring.
This should get you started on preparing for your first, or next, trip, but first you’re going to need the right bike. Stop by Heartland Honda® and let one of our experienced staff show you the Honda® touring motorcycles for sale right now, including the Honda Gold Wing®. We welcome all riders from Springdale, Fayetteville, and Rogers, Arkansas.