GUEST POST: Tips for Long Distance Riding

All right, here's another guest post about riding your motorcycle through hot and humid conditions.

If you're a motorcycle enthusiast and are interested in becoming a guest blogger on here, fill out the inquiry form on the right side of the page and I'll get back to you.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed within this blog post are those of the author and not necessarily held by Two-Wheeled Tourist.

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Nothing beats a long-distance trip, especially when on the back of as two-wheeled beast where you can feel the wind beat against your face and the sun shine on your shoulders. It may seem like a fun idea to just hop on your motorcycle and take off for destinations unknown just to ride across the country, but as any seasoned rider will tell you, a long-distance ride takes careful planning.

Some riders love the feeling of a long ride coast to coast while others prefer to ride part of the way and then have the motorcycle shipped the rest of the way. This is an ideal choice for those who may be traveling through barren areas of the country or who are traveling from a cold area to a warm or hot and humid climate and don’t want to ride through snow and ice or through the humidity in a hot climate. Some riders, however, will ride through all weather and circumstances. If this is you, then you may need to consider some important things about the ride before you leave. The most important will be to make sure everything is ready to go.

You can use the following long-distance riding tips to help ensure your ride goes smooth and you don’t run into any major issues along the way.

Make Sure Your Bike Is Ready
The distance you travel is going to be dependent on the reliability of your motorcycle. You will need to make sure she is ready to roll and that all will go well even when you are hundreds of miles away from home.

• Check your tires to ensure they are inflated properly for a long-distance trip. 
• Check around the bike to make sure nothing is loose or broken. This includes your luggage racks, handles and other parts that can loosen during a ride.
• Fill fluids
• Make sure your lights work. Check the front headlamp as well as your back lights and signal lights.
• Test the battery to make sure it is in top condition.
• You will want to check your chain or belt to make sure it’s in good condition.
• Check the spark plugs.
• Test the brakes to make sure they work well.

Planning the Road Trip
Besides checking the motorcycle to make sure it is ready for a long ride, you will also want to map out the trip to make sure you are prepared for what lies ahead.

• GPS is nice, but you are bound to travel through dead spots where GPS won’t work. Get a map ready and printed so you will have a backup to use when you need to know which direction to go if your GPS fails along the way.
• Contact hotels that are on the way to get rates and see how far they are from the highway. It’s best to know where you can lay your head when you get tired after riding hours on end.
• Plan for fuel stops by mapping out the gas stations along the way. Just because you may have enough fuel doesn’t mean you won’t need to stop for a drink or to grab a quick bite to eat. You will also want to stretch your legs after riding a distance.
• Traveling out of the country? If so, you need to make sure you have the proper paperwork in hand when you get to the border or you will have to turn around and find another location to head to. 

Gearing Up
Before you hop on your bike to trek across the country, it’s wise to make sure you are all geared up ahead of time. As you know, you won’t have a great deal of space on the motorcycle, but don’t let that damper your decisions when determining what to wear or pack for the trip.

• Before you decide on clothing to wear, you need to pack a kit with jumper cables, tools, flat tire repair and other road trip tools that may be needed in case of an emergency along the highway. 
• When you pack clothing, you will of course pack as light as possible, but try to compress everything into the bag by rolling things up tightly as you pack. This will allow for more clothing items to be placed inside your bag.
• Pack a first aid kit and items like chapstick, sunscreen, ear plugs and waterproof matches. 
• Keep a list of names and numbers printed and packed inside a bag. You never know when you may need to reach an emergency contact and will need their number.
• It may be nice and sunny when you head out, but pack rain gear or even cold weather gear if you plan to travel into various climates.
• Use plastic zip lock bags to help keep your travel gear nice and dry if it rains.

Whether your long-distance trip is to the next state over or from the east coast of Georgia to the west coast of California, be sure to notify friends and family that you are leaving. You will also want to let those closest to you know your planned route. While most rides go smoothly, having someone with knowledge as to where you will be can be a great help if you have a breakdown on the road and someone needs to locate you quickly. Your trip may be filled with adventure depending on where you travel to and will be a great experience, but keep in mind that the most important thing on your trip is to be safe when you ride.

GUEST POST: Journey to Barber for Track Days in Alabama (Dewayne Jasper)

All right, here's another guest post about the Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.

If you're a motorcycle enthusiast and are interested in becoming a guest blogger on here, fill out the inquiry form on the right side of the page and I'll get back to you.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed within this blog post are those of the author and not necessarily held by Two-Wheeled Tourist.

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If you are looking to take your motorcycle on a long road trip with a purpose in mind, then going over to Barber in Alabama can be an excellent option. The Barber Motorsports Park is primarily a racing location for spectators to watch professionals compete against each other, but there also are multiple track days where you can try your hand at racing. In this case, the journey to Alabama is only half the fun, as once you arrive, you get to test your skills on a real race track and see what your motorcycle can do.

Track Days
Because the weather near Barber in Alabama is almost always temperate, there are track days throughout the entire year. That means that no matter when you want to go, you can probably pack up your bike’s saddlebags, hit the road, and head to the Motorsports Park. In fact, there are between 40 and 50 open track days throughout the year. Different hosts run them, but each event can be a great deal of fun. You can invite your friends along for a great road trip to the park followed by some friendly competition, or go by yourself and enjoy the relaxing trip to Birmingham.

The Course Itself
When you take your motorcycle for a spin during track days, you get to ride around the full track. The road course is 2.38 miles (or 3.83 kilometers) and includes 16 turns to keep you entertained and truly test your skills. This is the same track that hosts such events as the AMA Superbike, Vintage Racing Series, and Grand-Am. If you plan on taking a slower lap to get yourself used to the track, you can take in the large sculptures along the infield, including lions, dragonflies, and spiders.

Vintage Racing
Those who have vintage bikes as opposed to more modern ones may prefer to time their visit to Barber, Alabama, so it coincides with the Vintage Festival. During this event, you can watch the races, including ones that are for vintage machines dating back to the 1920s. There are even off-road races, including cross country and vintage trials competitions.

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
No matter the time of year that you visit Barber in Alabama, you should check out the Vintage Motorsports Museum, right next to the track and within the Motorsports Park. This is a great way to give your muscles a break from constant riding, and you will find a wide range of vintage motorcycles. In fact, there are more than 1,200 motorcycles as well as racing cars, including both modern and vintage ones. The oldest motorcycle is from 1904, so you can easily see where the inspiration for the current one you ride came from.

Enjoying the Trip

As any motorcycle rider knows, simply having a destination in mind isn’t enough; you also need some beautiful and relaxing routes to follow along the way, making it well worth packing a motorcycle bag. One great option is the road that takes you from “Mini-Dragon” all the way to 29 Dreams. You start off on Interstate 20 when leaving Birmingham from the east, going for the Leeds exit, which is where the Barber Motorsports Park is located. Simply drive 3 miles through Leeds until you reach Highway 25 South. Then you get to follow this road for 9 miles and will end up at the 29 Dreams Motorcycle Resort. Along the way, you get to see many scenic roads filled with nature. The road is smooth but has enough curves to keep you entertained along the way. 

About the author:

Dewayne Jasper has been riding for over 6 years with his Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R; you can also follow him on Twitter and know about his riding.

GUEST POST: Road Trips with an Indian Chieftain (Dewayne Jasper)

For the first time ever on Two-Wheeled Tourist, I have a guest post! Enjoy some insight into the new 2014 Indian Chieftain (made by Polaris Industries).

If you're a motorcycle enthusiast and are interested in becoming a guest blogger on here, fill out the inquiry form on the right side of the page and I'll get back to you.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed within this blog post are those of the author and not necessarily held by Two-Wheeled Tourist.

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My Indian Chieftain is without a doubt my favorite motorcycle that I have ever owned. As one of the most popular models of all time, I can't help but think that there are plenty of people out there who feel exactly like me. The bike has been with me for over a decade, and even today I still get a rush when the weather starts to change and I can start making preparations for my first trips of the year. I am constantly evaluating new gear that I should purchase, making small customizations and upgrades to the bike, and generally nerding-out over purchases that I am planning on making in the future. There are many things that I love about my bike. I find it particularly suited for long term road trips. Some of the biggest reasons why I love it include;

Smooth Riding

The Indian Chieftain provides an almost unbelievably smooth ride. The purr of the engine is almost symphonic in nature, providing a ride that is smoother than almost any other contemporary motorcycle that I have ridden on. At an idle, the exhaust has a very easy resonance and even when traveling at high speeds the engine has a sound to it that is rarely replicated. The rides are always smooth, handling even the most violent of potholes with relative ease.

Plenty of Torque

Of course a smooth ride with a quality engine purr doesn't mean anything if there isn't some serious power to go along with it. The vehicle features a big 111ci counterbalanced V-twin engine. This means that the bike has a ton of effortless torque. This makes maneuvering and accelerating easy around large amounts of traffic. This helps me to feel safer when I am on the road, particularly in conditions that I am not 100% comfortable in. The torque and ease of acceleration in spite of the overall weight of the Indian Chieftain have been one of the biggest draws to the vehicle for me personally. I love the smooth riding, but there needs to be some serious power in order for me to feel as if I am truly in control. 

Riding Position

The riding position of the Indian Chieftain is absolutely excellent as well. The bike features a wider set of handlebars, and the seat bolster keeps you sitting a few inches closer to the tank than you would on other, similar bikes. The saddle of the bike is extremely comfortable, and was obviously made for long term expeditions. I rarely experience any serious soreness when riding over the long term, and the riding position is comfortable for men of all sizes. 

Great All-Season Electric Windshield

The all-season electric windshield is where the bike truly shines. The windshield completely protects the arms, chest and torso from the wind and is high enough to put the face behind if needing be. The adjustable windscreen is an excellent addition to the bike, and makes it so individuals of different sizes can make sure that they are getting the protection that they want. With the screen up, you can utilize the windscreen as a full face shield.

Weight

If I had one gripe about the Indian Chieftain, it's that it is a bit heavier than it needs to be. They could easily have cut back 50 lbs from the 800 lbs frame, without losing too much as a result.

About the Author:

Dewayne Jasper has been riding for over 6 years; He wants to describe Road trips on his favorite Indian Chieftain.