Preparing for Long Distances
Reprinted from the July, 2008 BMW Owners News, with permission of the BMW MOA and Roger Wiles.
by, Roger Wiles
Covering all the bases on the way to the National
It’s Rally time again! Quite a few BMW MOA family members are gearing up for the big trip. Maybe you’re already in Gillette. Here are a few things to think about before the wheels start turning, and a few more to keep in mind while traveling and rallying.
Motorcycle Preparation
Consider doing at least an oil service and a complete check of the bike—tires, fluids, loose fasteners, wheel condition (bearings, spokes, etc.), bulbs and so forth. A lonely secondary road in the middle of nowhere is not a good time to experience a failure that could have been dealt with before the first mile. If your battery is weak, deal with it before you are hundreds of miles from home. Smart riders perform their major services and purchase new tires before leaving. Late summer, especially west of the Mississippi, can be a trying time to find a new tire; suppliers’ inventories, and those of dealers, are often nearly depleted.
Anticipate Trouble
Dilemmas can come in so many flavors! Tools and spares, a quality tire plugging kit with fresh plugs, and a 12-volt air pump should be aboard; place no faith in those CO2 cartridges. For the tube-tired among us, a spare tube (often, one tube can be used on either wheel even if the wheel sizes are not identical, but close) and a quality set of tire irons, long ones, must be added.
Notify credit card companies of your travel plans, so that your account doesn’t get flagged as compromised. Carry your credit card numbers and the phone numbers of the issuer in a separate location (shaving kits are one option), along with emergency money. Many riders hide a spare key on their bike—tie-wraps or duct tape are my fasteners of choice. Put your emergency contact info in your cell phone under the name “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) and the person’s relationship to you. For example, “ICE Wife” would be way to let first responders know who they are talking to.
Take extra prescriptions for necessary meds, and consider the value of services that will allow first responders and medical folks to access your full medical records. Also consider those that offer airlift medical evacuation transport, such as MedJet Assist. Those of us with health conditions that put us at greater risk may well benefit for these services. If you are planning to travel to another country, check with your insurance carriers to verify coverage outside of the country. If your motorcycle is financed, be sure to obtain written permission from the lender to take the machine outside the country.
Be sure to pack your Anonymous Book in a waterproof sandwich bag. This very valuable tool puts members of your worldwide family just a phone call away.
If you carry a personal weapon, be aware of the reciprocity agreements between your CCW issuing state and those states through which you will travel. If you cross an international border, leave it at home.
En Route
Think ahead and plan to stay within your personal distance and time limits. Take into consideration the changing conditions on the road. Allow yourself ample time for breaks, rest and refueling the bike and body. If you are unaccustomed to long distance travel for multiple days and you plan to crank out three 700-mile travel days, have a backup plan. Have the sense and good judgment to make good decisions. Chances are that if you push yourself to the limits, you won’t be enjoying your ride, and you certainly won’t be safe.
Observe local traffic behavior; become sensitive to local traffic customs, and be prepared to accommodate these. Metro rush hour traffic can run near 90 mph, or closer to 10 mph. Lane splitting is common in a few locations. In some metro areas, drivers routinely use the emergency shoulder during traffic jams. Drivers in parts of Texas habitually pull over to the wide, paved shoulder of the farm market roads to allow faster traffic to pass without going into the oncoming lane. Be aware of your situation, both aboard the bike and off.
Be sure to stay healthy and hydrated. Gillette is high desert, hot and dry, and those of us unaccustomed to western summers can find ourselves quickly dehydrated. If you run out a full tank of fuel, perhaps 200 miles, and do not need to urinate at the gas stop, you are at risk! Consider a fluid-in, fluid-out stop every one hundred miles. Saline nose-spray is quite useful in these climes.
At the Rally
While it is extremely rare that personal property is stolen during a BMW MOA Rally, common sense tells us to secure our valuables. Be aware of the impact that thousands of motorcycles will have on Gillette traffic, and Gillette citizens who drive. While Gillette, nearly a suburb of Sturgis during August Bike Week, is accustomed to an invasion of motorcycles on a regular basis, remember that we are first this year! Assume that Gillette drivers are no more likely to see your motorcycle in traffic than drivers in any other city. Think about the effect that last year’s traffic might have had on Gillette drivers.
Wyoming requires helmet use only for riders under age eighteen. Responsible riders, those who think about the risks and consequences of their actions, can be expected to regard their personal code of riding conduct as higher than state regulations. Regardless of what Wyoming allows, these folks will do the right thing.
Be a good guest. Again, while we might assume that Gillette citizens are accustomed to motorcycles and their riders, think about how you would hope riders visiting your town might behave while riding. This prescription is nearly superfluous to readers of MotoSafe— surely some of the most responsible riders anywhere!
The Beer Tent is a popular feature at the Rally, the social heart of the family reunion. Think ahead, do some planning, when you head to the Beer Tent to spend some quality time. If you are camping onsite, it is no problem. However, if you’re downtown at the Motel Six, figure out a way to separate riding and drinking. It isn’t rocket science—just do it! Make good choices and look out for your buddies; City Cab can be reached at (307) 685-1000.
Wyoming is awesome country, and the journey is often of greater value than the destination itself. Ride safe, think ahead, and use your good judgment. See you on the Rally grounds!
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WRITE TO MotoSafe! Have questions about riding techniques? Maybe you’ve read something in MotoSafe that you didn’t understand, or just flat disagree with! Have a riding tip that has helped you? MotoSafe would love to hear from you. From time to time, we’ll open the mailbag. Note that your letter or email message may be used, respectfully, in a future MotoSafe column. Write to: R. Wiles: roger@rogerwiles.com or 9223 Hill Street, Blairsville GA 30512, or to the ON editorial offices.
The BMW MOA Foundation’s MotoSafe is intended to present responsible viewpoints on thoughtful and safe motorcycling skills and practices; the authors, the Foundation, the BMW MOA and the Owners News do not guarantee readers’ personal safety, and can take no responsibility for readers’ application of this material.