Traveling by Motorcycle

A growing form of travel is the motorcycle. The big reason behind this it that it is a cheap mode of transportation that saves a huge bundle in fuel. In fact, it does not take long to get your money back on a reliable motorcycle. Another huge reason behind the motorcycle movement is that they are incredibly fun. It is a great toy for adult men and women. It just has the added bonus of being economic.

Many people worry about safety and limited uses. The fact is that motorcycles can be very dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. If you take your time and learn to ride safely it can be a fun, enjoyable, and very safe way to travel. There are some important safety tips that you will want to remember however. The important ones that I want to mention are to watch the other drivers because they will not watch out for you, keep both hands on the bars, do not do tricks and try to impress anyone while riding because you will only look like an idiot, do your regular maintenance by the manual, check the tires before every ride, and make sure everything is tied down properly.

Now that you've checked everything it's time to think about what you need to pack, and how you are going to pack it. Motorcycles have many accessories to make travel easier. There are saddle bags, which are my personal favorite, and then there are several sizes and choices of bags that you can attach to the back using the sissy bar or a luggage rack. If you are going on a long trip and want to bring some extra things from home they even have trailers for motorcycles. I personally use two saddlebags and one extra bag that attaches to the sissy bar for items that I may purchase from my trip. With the saddlebags I found that it works best for me to put all my leather and gear in one bag, while using the other for clothes and other items.

Most items that you pack are really up to you, but I would like to point out a few things that I've learned to always take. I always pack a leather jacket, chaps, headgear, mask, and rain gear are definitely recommended. As far as headgear goes, there are a lot of options from clothe, leather, and helmets. There are a lot of arguments as to whether helmets make you safer or pose a danger. I will not tell you what I think you should do. I simply use clothe and dislike helmets very much. Some states do not give you an option, but if you live in a state that gives you a choice I will just suggest to do what makes you comfortable. There are plenty of sites that give you opinions and research if you want to look into that more. Another strong suggestion that I would like to make is to always pack sunscreen. You will see in one of the pictures how badly you can get burned by not using it. A long hot day on a motorcycle is a great way to get a sunburn, even if you do not usually burn.

While riding you need to be vigilant. You are the only one looking out for you. Make sure you enjoy yourself while you are out on the road. I've been riding since 1999. I've ridden through my home state several times, rode through the mountains in Kentucky, and I've seen nature that I couldn't believe existed from the seat of my motorcycle.

Motorcycles are more than transportation on two wheels. Motorcycles are memories, and many of the best memories I have are on my motorcycle. When I was a teen it was giving rides to the girls at school. The friends I've made with fellow bikers and the trips I've taken with my friends are the memories that will last a lifetime. There is nothing so peaceful, nothing so nostalgic, and nothing that allows such a feeling of freedom as a riding down a long empty highway.