While I have enjoyed motorcycle touring and travel for many years – indeed, I’d call it a passion – I’d be the first to admit that long distance riding does not appeal to everyone. An occasional day trip or a few hours of cruising in nice weather is usually enough to keep most bikers happy.

Any prospective rider should absorb as much information as possible about motorcycles and the different types of riding before he or she shells out their hard-earned cash to buy a bike and riding equipment. And they should realize up front that motorcycle riding is dangerous.

Having said all that, here’s my two cents’ worth of advice for anyone considering buying their first motorcycle – particularly for long distance riding.

Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course

First, consider signing up for a Motorcycle Safety Foundation basic rider course. You don’t need your own bike to take it. Also, by completing the course and demonstrating the appropriate skills to the instructor’s satisfaction, you can earn your motorcycle driver’s license. The foundation’s Web address is https://www.msf-usa.org, their phone number is 1-800-446-9227.

Learn your riding limits

By taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, you’ll know if you really like to ride a motorcycle, and you’ll have some idea of the kinds of riding you’ll want to try.

You may find that you enjoy short cruses, rather than long distance touring. That doesn’t mean you can’t travel cross-country. By knowing your riding limit is 250 miles a day, for example, you can plan your jaunts accordingly.

Unless I make it a point to stop and see the sights, take pictures, go fishing or set up camp early, I usually ride for 12 or 15 hours a day. I travel between 300 to 700 miles or more a day. I often take interstate highways to get into a region or state, then I travel as much as possible on scenic secondary roads.

Learn to ride in the rain

Traveling cross-country usually involves riding in the rain for at least part of the time. Can you handle that?

Wet weather riding is not an extreme hardship if you have the right equipment, unless, of course your dealing with a hurricane or hailstorm. But some folks refuse to ride in the rain under any circumstances. They stay home if the weatherman forecasts rain. If they’re already on the road, they find shelter until a storm passes.

But on long trips, waiting out a storm is unrealistic. During one trip, I rode in the rain for three days straight. I couldn’t hang around for that amount time under a highway overpass, in a diner or in my tent waiting for the sun to come out.

What bike should you buy?

What bike to use for a lengthy cross-country trip is the $64,000 question. I’d recommend something with at least a 650 cc engine and a 200-300-mile range between gas stops.

Many riders start with a smaller bike then trade up to something larger.

I went to Alaska on a 650 cc Triumph that got 50 miles per gallon. It gave me a 300-mile range between gas stops, carried about 75 pounds of gear and had a top speed of 100 mph fully loaded. The seat kept me reasonably comfortable 12 to 15 hours a day.

After the Triumph, I bought a 750 cc BMW. I got it because it had a driveshaft instead of a chain. These days, most touring bikes have a driveshaft because of their easy maintenance. A chain is a nuisance to keep clean and lubricated on long trips.

My bike these days is a BMW R1100RT touring bike that I bought new in 1999. It has an 1100 cc engine. Honda also made the ST1100 cc touring bike that’s similar to my BMW. Both bikes came with anti-lock disk breaks.

After 2000, BMW and Honda replaced their 1100 cc touring bikes with new models equipped with bigger engines and other goodies. These new models are very comfortable, easy to handle and give good mileage. Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha offer similar versions.

BMW’s LT series and the Honda’s Goldwing top the list of big luxury touring bikes.

If I were looking for another touring bike — and I couldn’t get a new one — I’d pick up a used Honda ST1100 or another BMW R1100RT. I now have 36,000 miles on my bike and it is hardly broken in. The same would go for the Honda.

Whatever motorcycle you buy, become familiar with it so you can handle minor repairs on your own.

What to wear

No matter how short of a ride I take — even if I’m staying in town — I always wear a full coverage helmet, gloves, motorcycle boots and a padded leather motorcycle jacket. Even in states that don’t require a helmet, I suggest wearing one anyway. Motorcycle riders never know when a car will hit them. Or they may accidentally apply their breaks on a patch of oil that causes the bike to go down.

I wear a pair of Kevlar-lined jeans. They’ll protect me somewhat from road rash if I fall. However, they are not padded on the hips and knees. This bothers me, but I haven’t found padded pants that provide good protection without being extremely hot in the summer.

Regular denim jeans will disintegrate in a fall, that’s why I wear a brand lined with Kevlar. Two popular brands are Draggin’ Jeans at http//:www.dragginjeans.com and Bros Brand Jeans from Two Brothers Racing at http://www.twobros.com.

Other equipment

• Even for occasional riders, I suggest joining the American Motorcycling Association and subscribing to their emergency towing and breakdown service. Contact them by phone at 1-614-856-1900, and on the site.
• Buy and learn how to use a Stop & Go tire repair kit. Check them out on the web at http://www.stopngo.com. And get a miniature battery-operated tire pump. You can find them through The Whitehorse Press and Aerostich.

I hope this information helps if you are a new rider or are thinking of buying a motorcycle. Give me a wave when we pass on the road!