There is something romantic and exciting about bundling a bag into the backseat of a car and setting off on an adventure. Road trips have been part of many people’s dreams for a long time, and really, what’s not to like about the idea? Finding new places and getting away from home for a little while in a much less constrained, much more free way than any other kind of vacation would allow can only be a good thing if that’s what you know you’re going to enjoy.
And although the idea of a road trip might immediately bring a car to mind, there are no rules about what kind of vehicle you can use. A bicycle, a truck, a bus, or train, or even a motorcycle can all be used to make your road trip dreams come true. If you pick this last idea, there are some points to bear in mind though as it’s a very different kind of vehicle to any of the others. Read on to find out more.
Be Safe
The first thing to bear in mind when you’re riding a motorcycle rather than driving a car, for example, is that you need to put a lot more thought into being safe. That’s not to say that it’s easy to drive a car and safety doesn’t matter, but the truth is that when you’re on a motorcycle you’re a lot more vulnerable; you don’t have the protective shell of the car around you to help you if you are involved in an accident.
To begin with, you must wear the right safety clothing. This includes a helmet, thick pants, a long-sleeved leather jacket, solid boots, and you can also get BMW motorcycle gloves to complete the look. If you were to come off your motorcycle, you would be much more protected when wearing these clothes (and they look great too, which certainly helps).
You will also need to ensure that you know how to ride a motorcycle. Having a drivers’ license doesn’t mean that you can automatically ride a motorcycle, or that you’re even allowed to. If you’re intending to take a motorcycle out on your road trip, you will need to have had lessons and passed your test.
Plan Your Route
Although one of the biggest draws of going on a road trip is that you don’t always know exactly where you are going, it’s still a good idea to have at least a vague plan about where you intend to be at the end of every day. If you can do this and give that plan to someone at home who can look out for you, you’ll be able to stay safer. If you’re now where you’re meant to be when you’re meant to be there, your friends and family will know to try to get in touch with you and if they can’t, to contact the authorities to look for you. This could be the difference between life and death.
Get Insurance
No one ever likes to think about things going wrong, but accidents can happen, and when you’re riding on a motorcycle and you’re on unfamiliar roads, the chances of an accident increase.
Therefore, you need to have the right level of insurance, just in case you need it. As well as the fact that it is a legal requirement, insurance will mean you can feel safe and protected knowing that if you were to have an accident or your bike was stolen, for example, you would have somewhere to turn.
