So you’ve got your sights set on becoming an Iron Butt? It’s not going to be easy to qualify. It’s going to take time, patience, and lots of endurance in your buns to travel 1,000 miles, but with the right tips, you and your rear can handle it. You might even be comfortable! Whether you’re planning to tackle one of these extreme rides or are just cruising a little farther than you’re used to, these suggestions will make your time on the road much more enjoyable.
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Make sure your motorcycle fits you
One of the most important aspects of being comfortable on a long ride (or any ride, for that matter) is making sure your bike is adjusted for your body. Since we all come in different shapes and sizes, you want to make sure the one-size-fits-all motorcycle allows you to sit and ride without too much pressure on your wrists or back, or any awkward straining or cramping. You should adjust the handlebar angle and various aspects of the foot and hand control levers so they fit you perfectly. Make sure you have it all just right before you head out on a day-long journey.
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Get some back support
Most of us don’t practice good posture in our daily lives, so sitting for hours with nothing to rest our backs on can get very tiring. If you don’t want to have to worry about your back aching after 500 miles on the road, you should look into getting a backrest or a support belt. You can buy a new seat with a backrest or attach a backrest to your current seat. Just make sure whatever you get is sturdy and safe. A back support or kidney belt will serve a similar purpose; it supports your lower back and keeps your gut from shaking around too much, both of which help fight off fatigue.
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Pick the right saddle
Your saddle is going to make all the difference in how comfortable you are during your ride. After all, it’s where you’re going to be putting the most pressure. Your first instinct may be to buy a plush, butt-hugging seat. Fight this urge. When your rump sinks too far into a seat, you’ll find yourself stuck in one position and might be able to feel the metal under the seat. Choose a harder saddle, and consider one that’s flat rather than having a preformed dip for your backside. This will allow you to sit at either end of the seat, meaning your legs will get a break from being in just one position the whole ride.
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Wear the right gear
Think you could be comfortable with a sunburn that’s constantly getting whipped by the wind? Yeah, we didn’t think so. It’s important to protect yourself from both sunburn and windburn since they’ll cause you to be in pain and to tire more quickly. Besides sunblock, you should wear full gear for any rides, especially long-distance ones. A helmet with a facemask will keep the wind from your face, and a motorcycle jacket and pants will protect your skin from both sun and wind.
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Reduce the wind noise
You may love hearing the roar of your bike’s engine, but you won’t love the deafening sound of the wind as you speed down the road. This noise has the ability to turn any trip into a nightmare, exhausting you quickly and causing hearing problems for you later on down the road. To reduce wind noise, choose a quiet helmet (not a racing helmet) that’s fitted properly to your head and doesn’t allow a lot of wind to enter. You might also invest in a good windshield and some earplugs. Alpine earplugs are especially useful, as they block out high-volume noises, like wind and engine noise, but allow you to still hear sirens and other traffic.
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Drink plenty of water
Dehydration is something every motorcyclist has to worry about whether the weather is hot or not. If you’re riding all day with few breaks, you probably won’t know you’re getting dehydrated until you’re thirsty, meaning you’re already low on fluids. If you let it get out of hand, you’ll find yourself weak, possibly too weak to even control your motorcycle anymore. Always carry water with you in an easily accessible place and drink it at regular intervals. Many motorcyclists use devices like a CamelBak, which allows them to keep their water handy on their body.
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Take a break every hour or two
After a couple hours, your legs, arms, back, and butt will probably be feeling a little stiff or numb. Don’t try to fight through it; just take a break and stretch a bit. Some experienced long-distance riders suggest giving yourself excuses to take more breaks by separating your gas stop from your meal stops. This will allow more time for you to relax and stretch your muscles and make the rest of the ride more enjoyable.
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Rest your throttle hand
Keeping the throttle open for hours on end with no rest for your hand is a sure way to make yourself hate cross-country rides. To solve this problem, you can use a wrist rest, a throttle lock, throttle rocker, or cruise control. A wrist rest takes the strain off your wrist and hand; many riders have said it’s alleviated their wrist problems. A throttle lock holds the throttle in position so you can loosen your grip or remove your hand for a second; the throttle rocker allows you to use the heel of your hand to operate the throttle rather than using an iron grip.
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Keep your cell phone charged
Of course you’re not going to be chatting away on your phone while you’re cruising, but your cell phone will be handy in many ways — but only if it’s not dead. In an emergency, you’ll be able to call for an ambulance or a tow. It could even help emergency crews locate you if you were in serious trouble and they had to use your phone’s GPS locator. In the best case scenario, you can use your fully charged phone to make calls home to your loved ones and tell them how great your ride has been. Either way, you’ll feel more comfortable knowing that help or the sound of your mom’s voice is available if you need it.
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Relax
Tensing up works muscles you probably didn’t even realize you had, so one of the best things you can do on a long motorcycle ride is just relax. It’ll even help you handle your bike better. If you find that you are a bit of a nervous rider, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to work up slowly to longer rides or avoid the conditions that make you tense up. There’s no shame in taking a break in bad weather!
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