Motorcycle Touring Tips

Ready to embark on an adventure? Take your touring motorcycle out on a trip to a new city (or even new state!). Long-distance riding allows you to enjoy a leisurely extended ride while soaking up new sights. With a little planning, you can maximize your time on the road. We rounded up the top tips for motorcycle touring below. If your touring motorcycle needs any maintenance before your trip, visit Crossroad Powersports. We are located in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia.

Make Your Route

Hitting the open road with your touring motorcycle and seeing where it takes you offers a certain appeal. But you'll get much more out of your trip with some planning. Build in every destination point with ease. Find lodging in an ideal location (plus booking in advance often reduces the cost). Decide if you want the most efficient route or the most scenic route and plan accordingly.

Packing

A touring motorcycle offers storage space, but you still want to be strategic with it. Packing everything you could possibly need only serves to weigh down your touring motorcycle and clutter up your campsite.

Focus on the essentials. For riding, you will need a miniature toolkit, a first aid kit, and waterproof outer layers. For traveling, you will need clothing, toiletries, any medications, and food. Be selective about bringing anything more than that list. Odds are you will be near a grocery store. If you do end up needing that one item, swing by the store and pick it up.

One tip for saving space is to use travel sized containers for toiletries. Why bring a big ole shampoo bottle when you just need three days worth? Most products are sold in a travel size. Or you can buy travel containers and pour your goop right in. Another space-saving strategy is to find backpacker supplies. These are made to be compact and light. If you end up needing more space, upgrade your touring motorcycle with more saddlebags or another cargo rack.

Inspect Your Touring Motorcycle

Before you take a long trip, make sure your touring motorcycle is up to the task. Even a small issue now can snowball when you ride for hours on end. A pre-ride inspection helps you catch potential problems and get them fixed before your trip.

Start with your tires. Is there enough tread? Are they inflated to the correct air pressure? Next, check your fluid levels and top off anything that's running low. Test your lights to ensure they are visible. Cruise around your neighborhood testing your brakes and throttle. If anything seems odd, bring your touring motorcycle to a mechanic. Remember that Crossroad Powersports offers a service department and parts replacement options.

Your Health

This is an often overlooked aspect of touring. But it's important! While your touring motorcycle may be capable of riding for hours without a break, your body is not. Build breaks into your schedule. You need times to stretch your legs, give your eyes a break, eat some food, and so on. It's tempting to skip breaks to get to your destination faster. But breaks help you keep focus, which helps you stay safe!

For all your touring motorcycle needs, visit Crossroad Powersports. Our expert staff can get your touring motorcycle running like new. If you are looking to buy, check out our supply of new and used touring motorcycles. We offer many models for all price ranges and riding levels. Our financing options help you ride home with your dream vehicle sooner. Schedule a test ride today! We are located in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. We also serve those in Wilmington, Delaware and Deptford Township, New Jersey.