THIS CATEGORY WAS CREATED FOR MEMBERS, TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON SUBJECTS RELATED TO RIDING, TOURING, CAMPING, AND SAFETY
EXAMPLES COULD BE:
Waterproofing tent,
Campsite cooking
Group touring
I will start with.
When riding in a group for a distance or multiple days, I would recommend staying in a set formation – same bike in front and behind you.
This allows each rider to key off the body language of the rider in front of them.
And it allows you to know what you can expect from your touring partner.
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Group Rides
Based on my experiences from formerly running the Riders Association of Triumph out of the Indy dealership, I developed the following list of things I always tried to ensure we did on large rides.
1. Have the entire route pre-planned and share the route with all attendees either on paper, or via GPS tracks/routes.
2. When possible have bike-to-bike communications between the lead and trail rider. (My brother and I have that capability and would switch off riding lead/trail)
3. Share cell phone numbers between attendees.
Camping
Based on what I have learned on both short overnight trips in campgrounds, as well as on longer and very remote trips with 2 or 3 bikes, I found these things to be important.
1. Take along a first aide kit that includes wound care, benedril, advil.
2. I prefer a small alcohol stove for campsite cooking due to the easy availability of fuel.
3. On remote camping trips where I would be away from campgrounds (think the UTBDR on a dual sport in the middle of nowhere with one other person) I would take a spot tracker with emergency signaling capability and evacuation insurance.
4. Pack tools and common spare parts (spark plugs, tubes, clutch lever, cables, zip ties, safety wire) along with tire maintenance equipment (plug/patch/inflate).
General thoughts on longer rides
1. Hydrate while riding… I prefer a camel bak hydration system personally, but if you prefer not to wear a back pack type hydration system, either make frequent stops and buy something to drink to hydrate, or carry a small cooler with water or gatorade. Avoid carbonated drinks, as they tend to dehydrate you.
2. Carry two microfiber cloths, one wet and one dry. I prefer a washcloth sized wet one in a ziplok baggie and a hand towel sized dry one. I use the wet one to clean my windshield or faceshield and the dry one to clear away the remaining water droplets and streaks.
3. Chain lube, if you happen to have a chain driven bike. Carry it and use it at the end of a long day’s ride, or at the mid section of a really long day.
4. Be prepared for varying weather conditions by having layers of clothing/gear and have a good rain suit, gloves and boots.
5. Stop if you get tired, or if you feel your concentration on the task of riding slipping away. Riding effectively and without incident requires you to be alert and “on your game” and the consequences are too great to risk it.
6. Allow a buffer of time in your planning. Trying to push too hard to make a specific deadline can have a tremendous impact on both the enjoyability and safety of your ride. You can always spend an extra day somewhere near the end of a longer trip.
Plan, prepare, execute, enjoy!