Motorcyclists who love to travel are often asked why on earth they’d choose to make the journey in a seemingly less comfortable and more dangerous vehicle. Certainly, compared to the temperature-controlled comfort and relative safety of a car, the choice can seem strange to those without the experience. The truth is, though, riding a motorcycle road trip through some of the world’s most iconic routes is an experience that you can’t get any other way.
When you bike your way through a country, you experience everything that’s going on around you. There’s no time to change your radio station or alter the AC. Instead, you’re focusing all your attention on the road and your surroundings. Whether the sun is shining or it’s pouring down with rain, you’ll remember every step of the way as you experience it firsthand. While these may seem like negative experiences, overcoming obstacles is often a part of the process. After all, they say that traveling is about the journey and not simply the destination.
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Tips for a Motorcycle Road Trip
Where Are Some of the Best Places to Go?
All that said, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some locations where you’d rather be spending your time. Narrowing down all of your options can seem almost impossible, so we decided to focus just on what’s available in Europe for now. If we had to pick just three locations that should be on every motorcyclists’ bucket list, we’d have to go for the Pyrenees, Corsica, and Norway.
This should give you the most varied journey and allow you to see the best the continent can offer. The Pyrenees along the French and Spanish border offer the same kind of mountain vistas as the Alps, but without as many tourists. Meanwhile, taking on the Corsican highways during the height of summer is the perfect way to experience the Mediterranean while, finally, Norway may seem like a left-field choice, but after seeing some overhead shots of the country’s winding and snake-like roads you’ll see why it’s so popular.
Related Read: Motorcycle Travel: Why Taking a Motorcycle Tour is a Must Do
How Should You Prepare Beforehand?
If this is your first major road trip, you’ll need to know the basics of what to expect. If you aren’t accustomed to traveling over long distances, take some practice runs beforehand. You need to get used to riding for extended periods, otherwise you’ll never be able to enjoy the trip. Similarly, take the time to learn your most natural seating position. Everyone is different based on height, weight, and posture, and it’s especially important if you’re renting a bike.
Finally, you’ll want to make sure you have some kind of breakdown cover before you head out on the road. While we all like to imagine that it would never happen to us, accidents can affect the best of us. Fortunately, many local lenders can also offer short-term protection for those traveling. This is the ideal way to ensure that you don’t spend the best days of your motorcycle road trip sitting by the side of the road.
