Rider, the pandemic may have put the brakes on your plans a bit, but you know that your desire to take on a bike route won’t be quenched by all the plagues combined.
We know you’re looking for experiences that turn you on, that make you feel something different and that put you to the test.
Scheduling a bike trip, especially if it is extensive, is not an easy task. But don’t worry, from our extensive tour we will bring you a little closer to the experience.
In this post we will go over all the details that you should take into account to put together your own checklist and start shaping the trip (or trips) of your life.
Planning a bike trip: Expectation vs. reality
Bike trips are planned several months in advance, especially if they are long trips. The less civilization there is, the more planning is required.
- If you are going to travel to an inhospitable place, you should plan where you are going to stay each night to sleep, or at least have a sketch of that.
- You should also calculate an approximate daily mileage and the type of terrain you will be traveling over.
- In addition, you should anticipate some of the possible unforeseen events and alternatives to solve them. For example: If you plan to do 300 km in one day, you should have a plan B and locate hotels 100 and 200 km away in case of any inconvenience.
- When you get into an unknown place, little inhabited or with few resources, you should at least try to know where there are workshops for your motorcycle, what kind of repairs they do and how you can solve what you probably won’t find there.
- You should plan very well what you carry on the bike. What tools you will need for the trip in case something needs fixing.
- It is necessary to get the routes in the GPS and mark all the places of interest that could help you. Remember, these places of interest not only have to be there for your plan A, but also for your plan B.
- It is essential to locate gas stations before starting your trip, because you can get into places somewhat hostile in terms of amenities and although even in the smallest town someone will lend you a hand and give you gas, that gas is not always good, and sometimes has a lot of water.
- In short: Mark all the workshops, all the gas stations, all the stores where you will get food and all the lodgings.
How to plan a bike route with Google Maps?
Google Maps is ideal for finding accommodation, gas stations, workshops, and official dealers of the brand of the bike you are going to use.
Normally if you do a long bike route, you will have to look for the towns, villages or cities that are at the distances that are convenient for you. Google Maps will help you find intermediate alternatives.
If you do not reach your goal of 180 miles, this tool will help you to know what is 60 and 120 miles away. In many parts of the world, if you are wondering how to plan a bike route, Google Maps will suffice.
You still need to have an alternative plan and plan B’s are usually “the shop that someone knows”. It is also a good option to search on Instagram for people in the area you are going to pass through interested in bikes, to get in touch with them in case of any situation.
Locals will always be able to tell you where to go to get your bike fixed or where to get a replacement for a broken part.
The locals themselves can suggest new routes that you couldn’t see on Google Maps and they can give you tracked maps that you will automatically incorporate into your GPS.
Open Street Map
The Open Street Map page is another tremendous tool in which all travelers, riders or anyone else, fill the maps with content.
What kind of content? Everything you can imagine. Where’s the best food in town or the most remote motorcycle shop in the most desolate town. Where there’s a safe place to sleep, where there’s someone in a small house in the middle of nowhere who can sell you gas.
It’s especially useful for rough and wild places where the digital divide is felt and most of the options are not “googled”.
Where common tools don’t reach, travelers eager to share and help each other, uploading vital data to the internet, arrived first.
Bike route planner: your best partner
Planning a bike route becomes much simpler when you find allies.
You have in your favor the experience of your rider friends, Google Maps, and also that of thousands and thousands of travelers who have all the details that are needed in every place on the planet, in order to enjoy your trip.
But, the more help you have, the better, and GPS apps specifically oriented to bike riders and nature lovers are a plus that you can’t miss.
MapMyRide, and RideWithGPS are the most complete on the market for their tremendous variety of functions.
Let’s review what each one brings us to improve our bike route.
MapMyRide
This app is owned by the sports brand Under Armour and is so easy to use.
If you were looking for something intuitive, this is clearly it. It will also offer you to connect with your friends and compare your runs day by day, from the same app or by sharing the results on social networks.
With this app you will find it very simple to enter and export data. So you can easily add routes and make marks of all kinds to better orient yourself.
The free version is already very good. It will allow you to navigate and get information such as the speed at which you are moving on average and the elevation of the terrain.
The most important thing is that you get the graphical representation of your route on the map, with a clean and modern design.
Interested in having unlimited access to mapped routes? This app gives to you excellent quality.
RideWithGPS
It has hundreds of thousands of users because it is a tremendous solution for different types of users, including riders.
The app has two modes, in one you will see an interactive map where you can draw your own route. In the second mode, you will find a tool to search for routes based on factors such as distance or elevation.
Rider, this may seem like a detail if you are used to all the obstacles of off-road sport, but the truth is that on a long trip you will need every drop of energy and choosing your path well can be very important.
Yes, it’s true, sometimes the most difficult road takes us to incomparable places, but the idea with this app is that you know what you’re up against and arrive better prepared.
The free version of this app is complete enough to satisfy most users.
You can keep track of the kilometers you are doing so you can analyze your averages and calculate the time it will take you to get from one point to another.
In addition, it will offer you the opportunity to have phone support in case you need it.
What to take on a bike trip?
As in life itself, plans do not always end up materializing as we imagine them.
But that’s part of the charm of life on a bike and sometimes a detour or an obstacle takes us to a wonderful place.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to stay ahead of as many contexts as possible. Rider, this adventure is for you and you should arrive prepared.
Clothing
For the bike route depending on the trip you want to do sometimes you will have to adapt your clothing.
It is very necessary that you plan what and how much you need and from there add something more for the cold or heat because on the road the temperatures are not those of a 5-star hotel, although you will see many more stars at night lying in the middle of nowhere.
What means will you have to wash your clothes to reuse them? Next, we will see the basics that you can not miss in low-temperature climates, which will demand much more clothing:
In areas of intense cold you might even need the same capabilities that are used for skiing.
Thermo-regulated underwear
A mid-layer and a ¾-layer bike jacket.
A windbreaker collar and waterproof gloves (if it is too cold you could even use a thermal glove inside the waterproof glove).
Food for bike route
The idea is not to overload yourself for the motorcycle route, but let’s think about some foods that mix practicality with the energy you need for a complicated challenge.
Keep in mind that you will have to adapt your food in case you travel to countries with totally different cultures and foods. That’s why we chose some groceries that are a little easier to find anywhere.
- Dried fruits: if you go on small routes through towns and villages, you will be able to find them in most of the small local markets.
- Whenever you can it would be interesting to have energy bars, cereals and oatmeal.
- Infusions: Tea for example, is quite simple to get anywhere and if you already carry it with you it doesn’t take up too much room or add much extra weight.
- Local seasonal fruits and vegetables. Here we go for a combination: You’ll find them practically anywhere, and they are the best, the healthiest and the cheapest. You may have to adjust because you can’t find your typical favorite fruits. Take it as a great opportunity to try new flavors.
- Canned foods are also an excellent option. Tins of tuna, legumes, lentils, you will have plenty of food to fill your belly and unlike many others, they will withstand the weather changes and the amount of days you need in your bag.
Your bike route tool kit
You should make it as compact and practical as possible, but you can’t go on a long trip without it.
Rider, you have to choose very carefully what you’re going to take with you. You really have to think about the size and weight of things.
Carry with you only what you are going to use and consider indispensable.
What is indispensable, in addition to everything we have already seen? Indispensable is that which can get you out of trouble.
Here is a list:
- If you are going on a trip where you really count on off-road sections, you should definitely carry an inflator. It doesn’t matter if it’s manual or electric, you will need to change the air and tire pressure and adapt them to the terrain.
- The most common thing when traveling with tubeless tires (which most motorcycles come with) is to carry a wick for punctures, plus a compressor and a manual air pump.
- Spark plugs, wires and duct tape are also very useful materials when things get hostile.
- If you can carry brake and clutch levers and brake and clutch pedals they can also be very useful on the road.
- Spare footpegs are key, because it is very common for them to break at some point.
- Cables: You will need them to solve any electrical problem (burns or pinched cables).
- If you break the chain, you should carry elements to fix them, such as a link. If a stone gets between the attack sprocket and the chain, it can break very easily.
- Poxipol: It can be a great friend because it is a bicompound glue that welds metals and plastics.
What happens if we travel with a partner?
If you go with your couple or a friend on the bike you should keep in mind that whoever is driving will feel a little more fatigue to carry another person behind, although this can be compensated in a great way if both can drive.
You should also know that gas consumption increases approximately 8 percent when there are two people on the machine and that has to enter into your calculations when thinking about where you are going to refuel.
It seems silly but it is important to know who you are traveling with. Making decisions on the road may not be the easiest task and that can lead to conflicts.
If you are going to embark on a major motorcycle trip resilience should be part of your character.
That is why you must share the decision to face challenges, as you will be exposed to punctures, complicated weather conditions and even the possibility of being stranded in the middle of the road and having to spend the night in the middle of nowhere.
The character and adaptability of the people traveling is more important than the technical aspects themselves, when you go for a bike route.
The possibility of obstacles is latent and without a doubt, a motorcycle trip is not a couple of weeks in an all inclusive hotel, it is a beautiful challenge and an experience that you will never forget in your entire life.
Which bike is best suited for the route?
If you are looking for a bike that is adapted to this type of trip, rather than looking for a super bike, what we recommend is to look for a bike that has been handling the same mechanics for a long time.
You need a bike with simple mechanics, with very common failures for which you can even carry the lightest spare parts that can help you with the most common breakdowns.
For a road bike the Yamaha Temeré 700 or the BMW F800GS are very good choices.
Why? Because they have very mechanical engines with little electronics. We love that for this kind of trips because you don’t need much, just safety and this kind of bike is easy to repair anywhere.
You must know the basic mechanics of your bike. You don’t need to be a mechanical technician, but you need to know how to recognize faults before the problem gets bigger, and the basics of how to fix them or what to look for.
Own bike or rented bike?
When thinking about a bike route we have to think about renting a motorcycle or using our own.
Let’s look at some points that, depending on each case, will tip the balance to one side or the other.
First of all, remember that we will only help you to take perspective, because in the end this is a very personal decision.
Relocation price
The farther away is the place you want to go or from where you want to start your journey, the more convenient and cheaper it will be to rent a bike.
You can send the motorcycle there, but the truth is that it costs a lot of money.
If you rent a bike from where you start your trip you can find quite reasonable prices depending on the model, the country and the time you are going to spend with the motorcycle.
Just as distance is a factor that makes the rented bike cheaper, so is time. The longer your trip lasts, the cheaper your rental will be in proportion.
Another option is to ride the bike to where you want to start the original trip.
This is a good option if you are not that far away, but as the distances get longer you will be considerably increasing the expense and also the precious vacation time (which most of us don’t have much of).
Maintenance and handling
The rented bike offers a few benefits in terms of maintenance and handling that tip the balance, but beware, you should also be aware of its cons.
Let’s look at a mix of what you’ll have pros and cons.
- You know your own bike inside out. You are already used to the failures and you are much clearer about how it will respond.
- To make up for this you can rent a bike of the same model as yours or similar. Especially if your bike is one of these that we recommend for its simple and reliable mechanics.
- By driving a rented motorcycle you will be able to treat it a little harder and you are no longer so worried about small scratches.
- In addition, the very high mileage on your own bike is a tremendous reminder of everything you have experienced on your machine, but it is also a factor that will lower the price a lot when you want to sell it.
- The wear and tear on parts and components will also not be a big concern if it is a leased bike.
- If it is not the same model as your own bike, you may not know all the strengths and weaknesses, nor the consumption parameters of your machine.
- With a rented bike your license plate will be the local one. In some countries and areas this can help you to pass a little more unnoticed before the possible dangers.
- The tourist is one of the favorite targets of criminals, almost anywhere on the planet.
- You won’t always be able to travel by plane with all the equipment you need for your motorcycle, so depending on the case you may need to take it with you wherever you rent.
- You will have to analyze how the insurance of your rented bike works. It is important to know if you can cross borders if you choose a borrowed machine.
Bike route: a window to the off-road world
It doesn’t matter if you are a motocross, enduro, mtb, enduro mtb, or any other off-road sports rider.
Making a bike trip is one of the most rewarding and satisfying activities there is. It is another way to understand the rides, the landscapes and to be in contact with the world.
It is also a way to get away from stress and boost your defenses with an experience that will make you feel free.
Every trip has its charm. Solo trips are very special.
Being alone crossing 500 km in the middle of nowhere, where you are the only one capable of solving whatever needs to be solved to reach your destination is a super interesting challenge.
If you travel accompanied and the wills go in unison the enjoyment is brutal. The travel format is an absolute separate experience. It is simply a spectacular way of getting to know the world.
We tend to forget that we live in a wonderful planet and the bike route brings you one step closer to know it.
Traveling through the Sahara desert, with hundreds of kilometers of dunes ahead, facing the challenge of not burying the motorcycle.
Travelling along the Trans-Pyrenees route, reaching from one sea to another in the middle of the mountains. All this is part of our world, and on two wheels we can reach it.
If you want to be prepared for any route you set out on, you should bet on your physique as well.
At Powering we are experts in training for all types of riders and we have a training app, with functions that adapt to any goal.
This tool has complements for you, such as a follow up on your calendar and nutrition.
Do you need strength? Endurance in long stretches? Come and train in the only app specifically designed for riders.
