Things That Make Or Break A Motorcycle Road Trip

There is nothing like a motorcycle road trip for fun and adventure. Planed or not, there is a lot to be said for getting on your bike and disappearing.

Many people I know like to get an itinerary together but that’s just a little too rigid for me. I like heading wherever the front wheel is pointing and checking out whatever presents itself. I’ve been known to turn a planned couple of hour get away into a multiple day trip.

Years ago you were on your own, you had to be pretty resourceful and ready for anything but in the day of cell phones, fix a flat, and rescue services you no longer need to be that vigilant. Some of the things I take with me when I disappear are: sun protection, burn relief, hand cleaner, a cleanser, pain relief, a GPS, cell phone with charger, cable lock, tool pack, fix a flat and the phone number to the rescue service.

There are products for the beach, there are products for skiing, there are products for bicycle riders, there are products for runners, football players, swimmers, hikers, etc.... So where are the products made specifically for motorcycle riders? We have some products that were actually invented and made for us but there aren’t many.

There are a few GPS systems, some are doctored so they’ll work on motorcycles and some were actually designed with bikers in mind. The one I use is the Garmin Zumo because; it updates itself and trips can be mapped out ahead of time on a pc, it’s waterproof, has big buttons, is visible in sunlight, has an MP3 player, has XM traffic / weather and can instantaneously find fuel, food, stores or lodging.

I recently found out about XM weather and absolutely love it. The combination of weather and traffic alerts coming up on your display and instant fuel, food or lodging directions makes planning obsolete. You are no longer blind to the storm clouds you can’t see and you know what’s happening on the road ahead. This system is one of those things you’ll wonder how you ever lived without. The fix a flat, cell phone, tool pack and phone number are self explanatory but I would like to explain some of my other choices. The cable lock is my way to sleep good at night. I like to secure the bike to either another bike or a fixed object. I figure, most thieves are lazy, so I’m hoping they’ll move along to easier prey and forgo the extra work to cut through the cable. It has worked so far or maybe I’ve just been lucky.

The other5 things I consider a must have are sun protection, burn relief, hand cleaner, a cleanser and pain relief. I have found that I need products that don’t; slime up the hand grips, attract road dirt, make me take off my gloves to use or take up a lot of space.

Over the years and the many miles I have tried a lot of different company’s products. Size is always a problem so I need small packages and concentrated products. I don’t want to be constantly replenishing my stash so a little needs to go a long way. Some of the demands I have as a biker are:

1. 30 SPF Sunscreen; I can spray in my face and still breath, won’t burn my eyes, can mitigate and burns, that dries completely leaving no sticky residue, cools the skin on contact and can be reapplied with my gloves on.

2. Waterless Hand Cleaner; that cleans with minimal effort, doesn’t have pumice so course it gets stuck under my watch or rings and wipes off completely with no sticky or greasy leftover.

3. Burn Treatment: A high quality aloe based product (burn plant), spray on application, a cooling effect to ease the pain, quickly heals burns whether from a hot part or the sun.

4. Bike & Body Wash: one that will work as a body wash, shampoo, seat and grips cleaner, windshield cleaner and cleans underwear / socks without leaving a residue.

5. Pain Relief; a spray on that doesn’t get hot / cold and make the skin sensitive, works in seconds, works on muscles and joints. A rash treatment that can also sooth windburn and a trusty bottle of ibuprofen or aspirin

It's all about the maintenance of your comfort. The first day is always a great day, you're not sore and you're not burnt. You can make every day just like the first if you get the right travel pack together. Include what you consider to be necessities as space will allow but remember to take the comfort products. It’s all about the ride but prior preparation makes “The Ride” all that much better!