Motorcycle riders know all too well the pain of riding for long hours on end. It can lead to sore bum, cramps, and fatigue, which are uncomfortable and dangerous while driving. This blog post will provide you with a few tips to help prevent, avoid or delay these problems from happening so that you can enjoy your ride!
Before your trip
1. Get in better shape for this great adventure ahead of you!
Taking a long motorcycle trip is an exciting experience. But, you’ve got to be ready before and during the trip! So, start an exercise program, not too difficult but enough to get your heart rate up and work on muscle tone. Taking just 15 minutes of exercise every day can make all the difference for preparing yourself physically before embarking on this adventure.
Your body will thank you later with more energy, more minor soreness after all those miles.
More information about exercise for motorcycle riders: 12 Easy Exercises for Long-Distance Motorcycle Riding
2. Make sure you wear comfy and loose-fitting clothes, so they won’t bunch up when you’re sitting down for long periods. Tight jeans or restrictive pants will restrict blood flow and cause soreness from pressure points on the body.
3. You will want to avoid heavy, carb-loaded meals while on a motorcycle trip because they can slow you down physically and mentally, which could only contribute to feelings of soreness and fatigue.
Riding Position
4. Find a perfect riding position.
You’re ready to hit the open road on your motorcycle, but it will make it more comfortable before you do some steps. First, hold your hand over your head from your sitting position, and then let them naturally fall forward until they rest comfortably around the handlebars with palms resting on grips. Your extended fingers should also reach levers without rotating them, so find where everything is most natural for you!
5. Don’t forget to change your foot position too. Highway pegs or floorboards are two ways to have something for your feet so that you can move around during the ride and avoid cramps before they happen!
During the trip
6. You should keep warm and not get distracted by being cold. A cold body is more stiff than usual, which goes against your will when trying to move or stay flexible because it doesn’t go with how your muscles react well in those situations.
7. It’s important to keep hydrated during a long motorcycle trip. Drink water at every stop and avoid caffeinated or sugary drinks that will dehydrate you even more.
Breaks
8. Take regular breaks to walk around and do some exercises. Crunches are good for your abdominal muscles, so you should do some of those during the break as well as doing squats or flexes to keep blood flowing in your legs.
9. Bring along some wipes, and be sure you are using them every time you use the washroom or sweat from traveling on your bike. Staying in a state of physical purity will go a long way towards preventing redness and soreness where it counts!
Exercises
10. Riding exercises
Doing some simple exercises while you are riding is a great way to incorporate fitness into your adventure. One exercise that works well for motorcycle riders of all levels and experience is “riding knee bends”, pull up on the bars, and push up with your legs.
Of course, do this at lowered speeds and with no traffic around.
11. Move around when possible-shift where you sit every few minutes so that all muscles get some movement. Shift a few inches left or right every so often to keep from getting stiff all over.
Shift your weight side-to-side while riding and also try shifting from one leg onto another in turn until it has had enough time on the bike.
Stretch before getting a sore neck or cramps by tilting your head back over your right shoulder then left.
Move arms frequently by grabbing onto handles with both hands for 10 seconds at a time, followed immediately by alternating which hand grabs handlebars.
Upgrade your bike
12. Switching motorcycle handlebars, levers, or grips is a way to make riding more comfortable and safer. If you find that the bars are too forward for you, so instead of trying to reach further or holding them with your body’s weight, consider replacing some pullback for all controls on your bike to work better.
13. Add a backrest.
A backrest is not only takes the pressure off of our lower backs but also lets us let go and relax in any way we want to on long rides. You can create your backrest by packing gear on the passenger seat, just making sure it’s firmly attached.
14. Motorcycle windshield extensions are an excellent way to minimize neck pain during long motorcycle trips. If you find that your helmet is getting buffeted by the wind, then it’s time for a new accessory. Your neck will constantly fight back the wind, which causes fatigue from all of this extra work.
15. Replace your motorcycle seat with a new one. There are plenty of aftermarket options, but simply replacing it with an OEM could help you gain back the comfort and padding that’s missing in yours. If it is too soft, try out a harder seat that may be more comfortable.
16. Use cruise control
The cruise control on motorcycles is a great feature for long rides. You can avoid wrist cramping on long rides with cruise control. Turn it on and set your desired speed, then let go of the throttle so you have more freedom to enjoy the trip.
Other products
17. To make long rides more comfortable, use gel pad cushions for your motorcycle seat and a beaded cover. These economical upgrades will cushion you while also providing air circulation to prevent sweat from building up on the seats. Beaded covers change pressure points often – preventing pressure buildup in one area of the backside, which can cause discomfort over time.
18. Make sure to wear comfortable underwear. Some people find sports underwear or something similar helpful for those long bike rides, while others enjoy using padded shorts and skipping the discomfort altogether.
19. Try dusting talcum powder on “down there” during long bike rides for added comfort. This will decrease chafing around sensitive areas like inner thighs or butt crease and prevent irritation caused by moisture buildup under clothing due to sweat.
Monkey Butt Powder or BodyGlide – both highly rated products that work great for many riders.
20. it’s important to remember the importance of SPF sunscreen. As your skin is exposed to UV rays for hours at a time without protection, not only can windburn become an issue, but also sunburn will add up and wear down your immune system over many days. Use high SPF sunscreen on all exposed skin to keep your tan in check and prevent burnt skin or windburn.
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