Planning a Touring Route - Tips to Mitigate Touring Stress
You've picked out a sweet destination and are all packed with everything you'll need. Take a moment and think to yourself, have you thought about a particular route to get there?
1. I'ts Not Not About The Destination
You have heard this time and time again. Riding your motorcycle is not about the destination, it's the road that gets you there. Touring means slightly different things to every rider but we all agree on one thing, the last thing you want to do after months or years planning a trip is to stress about it or ruin it by over-planning.
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2. How Do Make A Fail-Proof Plan?
You planned this ride for months, maybe years. So, how do you make the perfect fail-proof plan? The short answer? You can't. The most seasoned touring riders will tell you that no matter what you do if you are planning to get sore in the saddle something will go wrong. Riders will also tell you that this is ok, as long as you are aware, ready, and flexible. Whether you are riding across the state or across the country remember that old military saying; Not even the best-laid plans survive the first contact.
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3. The Route
Your bike may be equipped with the Infotainment system, or perhaps you are running a Zumo 660, or maybe you are a die-hard rider and going to go paper map clipped to your windshield. Either way, you set your route via the Harley-Davidson touring planner site (or similar software), or your paper map is dry-proof and highlighted. That was the easy part. Planning which way to go usually is a matter of faster vs scenic or a combination of both. On a multi-day trip, is not which way but where to stop along the way where over-planning takes hold.
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4. On The Way
Experienced touring riders have it on experience, once the route is set to let the road tell you the rest. You may start "running tanks", riding to your fuel reserve for the first day or so. As the ride wears on and the days go by, you get settled on your routine and your stops will vary. Your 6-gallon tank may give you 200+ miles but you, your passenger, or others in your group will probably have different plans at one point or another. If you over-planned or made your plans too rigid it will begin to wear on you and those around you.
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5. Plan On-The-Go
A good rule to go by if it is your first time on say, a cross-country tour is to run 150-mile legs between gas stops. At first, it might seem like you are stopping a lot for a fuel, bathroom, and snack break but in the long run, this will save you the stress of running out of fuel pushing a 200+ mile leg and keep you fresh in the saddle. Start looking for a place to stop (a truck stop or road-side station) at about 130 miles, your passengers will surely appreciate it. Keep the stops to under 30 minutes, have a light breakfast, a light lunch, and plan your final stop for dinner. If you planned every stop and every hotel or camping ground stop before you left, you will likely be running on a constant schedule which can create monumental amounts of stress. Unless you are arriving at your final destination (like Daytona during bike-week) where you expect a crowd, road-side hotels, and camping grounds will seldom if ever, be completely booked. Ride out early in the morning until before sun-down. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to ride late into the night and over-sleep the next morning. This is how your ride quality begins to decrease. Although camping is a must-do, at least once on your trip, staying at an inexpensive road-side hotel will keep you better rested, riding longer, and stronger.
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6. Is Not Just About Getting There
Remember that how you feel when you get to your destination is as important as getting there. Avoid touring on a schedule if you can avoid it. If you are riding two-up you have a huge advantage as she (or he) can assist with providing you with water and snacks while on the road. HYDRATE! you should have to hit the bathroom every time you stop!. A CAMELBAK or similar device will make this much easier and you will ride longer and feel better. Much of the stress and anxiety on long road trips revolve around the physical state and/or mood of the rider(s). If you have ever ridden along I-10 across Texas and all the way to California it is not uncommon to see riders laid out in lawns or being taken to hospitals for dehydration. A full-face helmet, for example, is not the "cool" thing to wear for the most part but it will prevent, along with long sleeves, dehydration, and sunburn. Take your half-shell for later on when you are bar-hopping at your destination. Take care of yourself as much as you take care of the bike, do not over-complicate your plans, stop often, and remain flexible. These small things will ensure that you enjoy your ride and that you can physically complete it.
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