Motorcycle tips from a pro

Riding a motorcycle gives you a great feeling of freedom. Rolling through beautiful landscapes off the beaten trail, where all your senses are in play, taking in the wind, the scents, the air currents running hot and cold. It’s indescribable — you really have to experience it to understand. Here are some tips and tricks to fully enjoy your next ride.

Travel light

This piece of advice applies especially to motorcyclists. You can bring all you need using a minimum of space. Here are some tips:

• Roll your clothes. T-shirts, sweaters and pants take up a little less space when rolled.
• Take fewer clothes and wash them occasionally. Most hotels offer their guests the use of washers and dryers.
• List of items to bring. Tools, clothing, medicine, passports ...
  • We have updated and improved this downloadable list over the years so you don’t forget anything (PDF).
  • Select your toiletries (items like deodorant, shaving cream, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.) at sample racks that can be found in major stores and pharmacies. They come in smaller formats and take up much less space.
• Protect your clothing from rain. After riding through a downpour, it’s very frustrating to find your spare clothes are soaked too. Even so-called waterproof packs can let moisture in. Always put your clothes in plastic bags. Trash bags work nicely. Take a couple of spare bags, because they often get damaged.

• But how are you going to carry all this? Even with hard or leather saddlebags, space is at a premium. There are several options.
  • Travel cases and bags can be attached to the bike, mounted on the handlebars, the passenger seat or on a luggage rack.
  • Make sure the bags are secure and use straps or bungee cords for additional support. Sometimes after a few kilometres it turns out that the bag wasn’t so secure after all, or that the cords have lost their elasticity.
• Planning to shop?
  • During a major ride that took me all the way to California, I had planned to buy souvenir t-shirts in different cities. So I left with a single t-shirt, knowing that I’d be buying new ones periodically on the trip.
  • You bought too many souvenirs? You can ship them home to save space in your luggage.

Biking safely

Here are some important tips:

• Ride in radar mode. That means constantly looking at what is happening around you. You should know at all times where the vehicles around you are so you can respond more quickly in case of emergency.
• Have an emergency exit route in mind. Watch for other vehicles, animals and highway exit and entrance ramps. Anticipate movements of those around you and be prepared. Always have an exit plan.
• Emergency braking. Even if you learned it in your Drivers’ Ed classes, you need to practice from time to time. Be careful, if you are being followed closely, think twice before braking suddenly. Sometimes it's better to change course and brake more gently.
• Negotiating If you can’t avoid an obstacle on the ground (branch, debris, animal...)
  • Slow down before impact.
  • Maintain a straight course.
  • Hold the handlebars firmly.
  • Do not brake while you pass on the obstacle.
• Driving in the rain.
  • Your tires should be in good condition.
  • Slow down and be especially careful when braking or turning.
  • Watch out for painted lines and arrows on the roadbed. Even in dry weather, paint is slippery; in the rain, it's like driving on ice.
  • Wear waterproof and reflective clothing.

Traveling in groups

To avoid accidents it’s important to be familiar with techniques for riding in formation. It takes a good leader who can adjust their speed to accommodate the least experienced riders and knows how to signal clearly. There are recognized hand signals that make it easier to communicate with group members. It is important to review them and make sure newcomers know them. Each rider has a role to play, it is important they know it well. To help you, read about formation riding and motorcycle signals.