Which Harley Should I Choose For My Tour? If you’re not a Harley Davidson enthusiast, it can be a bit difficult to figure out what the actual differences are between models. While traditional and cool, names like “Street Glide”, “Road Glide”, or “Electra Glide” don’t really provide any clues as to the features of each bike. And even the written specifications of the bikes aren’t that helpful – many of the bikes share chassis and engine configurations. So how do you know which Harley to choose if you’re doing a Guided Tour or bike hire, covering thousands of miles? (Note: we also have BMW GS & RT, Honda Goldwing, and various Triumph models available. Contact Us! for your bike hire needs!)

First thing to understand is that there are four categories of bikes in the Harley Davidson lineup: Sporter, Dyna, Softail, and Touring. As there are not too many Dynas in the EagleRider fleet, we’ll stick with the most popular lines: Sportster, Softail and Touring.

1) Sportster: The Sportster has a few things going for it: low seat height, light weight (compared to other HDs), lighter handling and simplicity. If you’re concerned about your physical ability to put both feet on the ground while sitting on the bike or the weight of the machine, the Sportster is a good choice. It’s a wonderful bike for shorter rides. Unfortunately, it’s smaller displacement (883 cc) and petrol capacity (3.3 gallons) relative to the bigger Harleys becomes inconvenient on longer rides. On a long day’s ride, you’ll be fueling up quite a bit more often than bigger bikes, with their 6 gallon tanks. As such, we don’t recommend the Sportster as the ideal choice for touring. For riding around Hollywood or the Vegas Strip looking cool however, two thumbs up!

2) Softail: The Fat Boy and the Heritage Softail are the two most popular bikes in this line. Softails are named so because while they look like rigid, hardtail style bikes, they have a hidden shock absorber under the bike that soaks up the bumps. So you get a very clean look without exposed shock absorbers, and a much more compliant ride than a hardtail. These bikes also feature the HD “B” motor, which has a counterbalancer inside to decrease vibration. Softails have a unique mechanical feel due to this motor and suspension combination that’s hard to describe – we’d say it’s a slightly more hardcore ride than a pure touring Harley. Also these bikes typically feature pegs for passengers, not floorboards, and more narrow pillion accommodation than the touring models. The Heritage Softail provides the most pillion comfort of all the Softail models, so if you’re planning on bringing a passenger along, choose the Heritage.

3) Touring: OK, we’ll admit it: the touring models are our favorites of the Harley Davidson range. Why? Because to us (and mind you we have over 100,000 miles of touring experience in America) they just feel the best to ride long distances on. Much of this is down to two things: their chassis, which features a dual shock air suspension, and the rubber mounting of the engine, which isolates the rider and passenger from much of the vibration. The touring chassis has just superb road feel, there’s something about it that’s very special. But even between touring models, there are significant differences. The Street Glide and Electra Glide feature the classic Harley “Bat Wing” fairing, which provides superior wind and weather protection, and includes speakers and a CD Player/radio. The Road King models, which we absolutely love, have a detachable windscreen, providing less wind and weather protection and of course no CD/radio. But it’s very nice to take the screen off on hot days or rides around town, provided you have someone to carry it for you.

The touring models all feature floorboards for the rider, and most also include floorboards for the pillion as well, which provides extra comfort and a feeling of increased stability for passengers. The Street Glide, however, uses passenger footpegs, which we feel are a bit less comfortable than floorboards (the Street Glide also has a slightly lowered suspension for a “slammed” look, which makes it somewhat less bump compliant than the other touring models). Lastly, the only Harley with a stock topcase is the Electra Glide Classic; we love the topcase as not only can it carry a lot of additional luggage, but it acts as a backrest for pillions. (Note: some locations can attach an optional topcase to Street Glides and Road Kings, ask about this when enquiring).

A Note About Weight and Size

Often times, people will mention to us that they don’t want to hire an Electra Glide Classic as they feel it will be too big, too heavy or unwieldy. They’re missing out because the Electra Glide is the most comfortable Harley, especially for a pillion. If you’re not height challenged, have average upper body strength and are an experienced motorcyclist, you should have no trouble with the bike, with any Harley really. They all have low centers of gravity. Of course, if you fully pack the panniers and top case, and add a pillion, you need to adjust and find the balance point, as you would on any bike. We find that balance only becomes an issue at low speeds, especially in parking lots. But again, that’s on any fully loaded bike with a pillion.

A Note About Ground Clearance on Harleys

If you’ve never ridden a Harley before, then you need to adjust to the Harley’s reduced ground clearance versus other bikes. A Harley is a cruiser, low, long, and lazy – if you throw it into a corner like a sportsbike you’re first going to hear a lot of grinding metallic sounds as it warns you “hey, I’m not that kind of bike!” If you persist in leaning further, chances are you’ll end up on your ear. You need to roll into corners on a Harley, and feel out how much clearance you have – this applies to almost every Harley, especially the bikes equipped with floorboards. Once you get used to it, you can ride a Harley in a very spirited manner through the corners, but remember: there’s an adaptation period.

We hope this article has been helpful to you. Please leave any comments below, and of course, if you’re interested in a Guided or Self-Guided Tour, or Bike Rental, please contact us. We’ll work with you to get the most competitive price on the internet!

Cheers,

Jim McDermott & Tim Orr

The Lost Adventure, Ltd.

The post Which Harley Should I Choose For My Tour?


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Heading out on a long distance solo motorcycle tour? We’ve got tens of thousands of solo long distance miles under our belts, including coast to coast rides across America. Here are some of the things we’ve learned, which we hope will be helpful. And remember, if you need to hire a motorcycle for your American, Canadian or Australian tour, contact us! We’re an Official EagleRider Agent with great prices.

1) File a daily “Flight Plan” with friends and relatives. When you’re putting in big miles in unfamiliar places, especially in remote areas, it’s a good idea to give friends and family an idea of where you’ll end up every day, and when you’ll be checking in. At the least, this will give your loved ones a sense of ease about you riding alone. As riders, we often discount the concerns of others, because we know the rewards of motorcycling. But if we do have some issue, out on the road alone, it’s wise to have someone back home who’s thinking about us, and who can reach out if you don’t check in after a reasonable amount of time. 99 times out of 100, the “Flight Plan” helps our families feel better more than it helps us. But you never know.

2) Start early, finish early. When we’re on the road, we like to be up at 6:00am, shower, breakfast, pack and on the bike by 8am (earlier if possible). It’s an incredible feeling watching the world wake up from the seat of a motorcycle, and if you’re planning to do big miles, the earlier you start, the earlier you can finish. As a rule, we are off the bikes before dusk, certainly sunset. Why? Well, dusk is when critters like to run out in front of bikes. The changing light can also make it harder for drivers to see you, and it’s harder for you to see road hazards. Pull into a town in the late afternoon, choose a place to stay at leisure, park the bike, get a quick nap and shower, dinner early, bed by 10pm. That’s a recipe for being fresh on the bike, getting in some good miles, and staying safe.

3) Earplugs. Always wear earplugs, not just to protect your hearing, but to dramatically reduce fatigue. Helmets are noisy places, especially at higher speeds on bikes without big windscreens. Your brain tries really hard to process all the wind noise and determine if there’s anything important in there it needs to hear, which is an ongoing mental strain. Earplugs cut out most (not all) of the noise, and once you get used to them you can actually hear what’s going around you much better. One real area of benefit is your increased ability to ear any mechanical noise coming from your bike, which is a huge safety plus. Note: we don’t recommend custom earplugs with audio capability for MP3 players or phones. In our opinion and experience, they are distracting and you end up cranking the volume up to compete with wind noise and can damage your ears.

4) Use technology to regulate your body temperature. There have been tremendous advances in cooling and warming technologies for riders, so there’s no need to suffer in the heat or cold weather. From Coolmax underwear that wicks moisture away from the skin, to lightweight base layers of merino wool that provide warmth with maximum mobility, you don’t even need power to stay cool or warm. Of course, if you’re riding in the early spring or late fall (in America), an electric vest is a very nice thing to have. We love Gerbing products. And if you need to stay cool in the summer months, we recommend a cooling vest by Silver Eagle Outfitters.

5) Inspect the bike regularly. It’s critically important that you are aware of any mechanical issues your bike might have before you start it, ESPECIALLY on a long distance, solo ride. So check your bike in the morning before you start it, check it when you wipe it down when you park it for the day, check it when you fill up, when you stop for lunch, for a photo……often! The main things to check are: tires – tread ok, no cords showing, no punctures, nail heads? Chain and sprocket – any kinks, broken teeth, metal shavings? And leaks beneath the bike, any oil or anti freeze on the cases of the bike? Especially with suspected leaks, clean the bike, start it, let it sit and run for a minute, check again. Take care of your bike and it will take care of you.

6) Travel light. When we first started touring, we had a tendency to overpack. We brought all sorts of gadgets and farkles, so much stuff our bags hardly had room for a change of clothes. Now when we tour, we can go out for three weeks with one small bag. How do we do it? Well, we stick to the essentials, iPhone with a charger, wallet, maps, led flashlight, multitool, couple of pairs of underwear and socks, jeans and a few t-shirts. And a microfiber towel for cleaning visors and windscreens. And a first aid kit. And a damned good noir detective story. Call us salty, but everything else is a waste of space. Leave the crap at home! Traveling light is liberating and it takes way less time to pack and unpack the bike twice a day.

7) Paper maps and GPS We absolutely HATE GPS units attached to bikes. They’re distracting and we’ve seen way too many close calls when people are screwing around with them instead of watching the road. This behavior can be especially dangerous in a group riding situation. Instead, we recommend getting the Google Maps (or your preferred GPS app) for your phone, and using it only when you’re off the bike. And we love paper maps, because you can visualize a much greater area than the area of any GPS screen. Paper maps actually make a GPS unit far more useful, and they fit nicely in a tank bag. Also, they don’t cause you to swear for 1/2 hour when a clamp comes loose and they bounce down the pavement at 70mph, unlike a GPS unit!

8) Eat smart. You know that food coma you get after lunch every day, the one you try to fight off with an espresso, black coffee or some awful energy drink? You don’t want to fight that fight on a bike, so you need to think differently about what you’re eating when you’re riding. It’s hard to resist that slice of pie when you’re in some cool little diner, especially if you don’t have a mate there to remind you not to eat it! We try to have a reasonable breakfast, eating heavy carbs like pancakes or potatoes in moderation. Lunch should be light, and daytime snacks should be healthy energy like fruit, granola or yoghurt. An early dinner is where we splurge – steak, pie, beers…..you’re off the bike and you’ve got a couple of hours to digest your food before bed. Eat a big meal just before bedtime and you’ll have a rough night’s sleep. We usually have dinner and then go for a long walk back to the motel, maybe a swim if it’s summer in the motel pool. And of course, alcohol in extreme moderation, nothing worse than a big mileage day with a hangover on board.

9) Hydrate smart. Very few of us drink enough water every day, and this is a mistake you cannot make on a motorcycle. Dehydration even in its early stages induces fatigue, and as it progresses you can get headaches, muscle pain, nausea, and pass out. None of these things are good on a bike! It sounds like a cliche, but in the warm weather, if you wait until you’re thirsty to take a drink of water, you’re already too late. You need to drink a liter an hour in hot weather, so plan ahead and bring enough water to supply you if you aren’t near a service station. Also, don’t forget that you need to drink water in the cold weather too, as conditions are typically very dry.

10) Use social media to enrich your trip for yourself and others. If you don’t have a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page, consider starting one before your trip. Friends and family will enjoy following you on your journey, seeing what you’re seeing every day. A huge side benefit to this is that some of the people following you may have traveled in the same places you’re touring, and can suggest places to eat or stay and things to see (as well as things to avoid) while you’re there. You might even have friends come out to meet you along the way. And it’s easy enough to upload photos, videos and status updates to any of these sites with your smartphone. Trust us – it will make your tour more fun not only for you, but for your social circle as well.

11) Make your emergency contact and medical information easily visible. If for some reason you become unable to speak, the people trying to help you will need to know what if any medical conditions you have, including prescriptions and allergies, and also who to call. They’ll look for a medical bracelet first, but if you don’t have one, how will they know how to properly treat you if you need help? The best way we’ve seen to deal with this is via a small pouch that sticks to the outside of your helmet, and includes a form inside that you fill out with the relevant information. This way emergency personnel can get your details before they even remove your helmet. Some riders we know just write their information down on a small piece of paper, then cover it with see through waterproof tape and stick it on the back of their helmet….we can’t see spending half a grand on a new Arai and doing this though, so we prefer the little pouch

Hope you found these tips helpful. If you have any thoughts or comments, please write them below, and if you need a motorcycle in America, Canada or Australia, contact us!

Ride Safe,

Jim McDermott

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Where Will You Be Riding This Summer?

Seems with each passing year, we seem to put less miles on the bikes during the riding season. Often it’s because of work or family commitments. Sometimes the bike needs some work that just doesn’t get finished in the winter months. Our riding buddies who used to be so dedicated start peeling off one by one. And then there’s the weather. When we were younger, a bit of rain or a sweltering hot day spent in leathers was not an obstacle to a long ride. Sure we can all be hardcore when we want to be, we’ve seen it all on a bike. But now, more often than not, we’re looking for that perfect day on the bike.

If those perfect days are few and far between at home, why not ride somewhere this summer where perfect days are plenty?

One of the reasons we love riding in America, aside from great scenery and cheap petrol, is the weather. From mid-May until mid-October, especially on the West Coast, it really is perfect for riding. Every summer since 2005 we’ve ridden in California, and we’ve never had a whole bad day of weather. Sure, it can rain, and get surprisingly cold, especially in northern California on or near the Coast. But we’ve never experienced anything like a washout week, let alone a washout summer (like 2012 in the UK). We of course cannot guarantee what the weather will be like during tour trip, but: if you’re looking for great odds, the West Coast in the summer months is a very safe bet weather wise.

East Coast riding in the USA can be a bit more of a roll of the dice, especially as you get into the late summer/early fall. And the southeast especially can be very humid in the summer. The riding landscape on the East Coast is more lush, more leafy. Some of our favorite rides in America are on the East Coast – Skyline Drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and down into the Great Smoky Mountains is absolutely epic.

And America’s great National Parks are spectacular as well – we prefer to visit them in late spring or early fall when they are less crowded. Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Big Bend are awe-inspiring to see by motorcycle. Check out the Nation Park Service website  for a complete directory.

If you’re interested in hiring a bike, or perhaps a guided or self guided tour – please do reach out to us. We’ve got the most competitive prices online, no matter where you reside in the world, and additionally, we can help you plan your ride. We know the best roads, great places to eat, and lodging that you’ll remember for the right reasons. Don’t get stuck at home this summer, wishing the clouds would go away. Hire a Harley, a BMW, Goldwing or Triumph  in America and make this summer a memorable one. Contact us here.

Cheers,

Tim & Jim

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Want to get a ride on replicas of the iconic motorcycles from the classic biker flick “Easy Rider”? Here’s how you can.

Ride the Easy Rider Bikes! Ever since seeing the film “Easy Rider” for the first time, we’ve wondered what it would be like to ride the motorcycles used in the iconic film. Say the word “chopper” and most people immediately think of Fonda’s red, white and blue machine. These old-school choppers look uncompromising because they are. There are no concessions to comfort, especially on the Captain America bike, with ape hangers, forward controls and a kicked back riding position. Both bikes had tiny gas tanks with little range, and the Captain America didn’t even have a front brake! Still, who would turn down a ride on either of these bikes?

Sadly, the original bikes were lost after filming. Many replicas were built over the years by dedicated fans of the film, most to the original specifications. These bikes were mostly displayed at shows, taken out on short rides or to publicity events. You don’t really see Easy Rider replica bikes being ridden, certainly not for bike miles.

But that’s all about to change, because EagleRider commissioned updated replicas of the Easy Rider bikes, to bring along on their new Official Easy Rider Movie Guided Tour. Riders on this tour will all get a shared turn at riding both the Billy Bike and Captain America, on the very same roads the originals rode! And there’s room on the back for pillions as well. Of course, a two week tour on either of these bikes would be hard work, so riders will be on EagleRider fleet bikes for most of the tour, with a support vehicle and guides. It’s meant to be a holiday, after all!

This is the only officially licensed Easy Rider Movie tour available, and takes riders on the actual route from the film, visiting many places where key scenes were shot. Starting in Los Angeles, the tour winds across the southwest, all the way to New Orleans. In addition to riding the replica bikes, riders will enjoy a wealth of behind the scenes detail about the making of the film, and see the original locations, many of which have hardly changed since the late 60′s. Of course, the “bummer” parts of Easy Rider aren’t part of this tour, so you needn’t worry about hippie-killer rednecks!

For more information about this tour, including departure dates and pricing, click the link below:

The Official EagleRider Easy Rider Movie Guided Tour

Or contact us for more information about how to Ride the Easy Rider Bikes!

Ride safe,

Jim & Tim

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We get many emails and calls from riders who want to take a motorcycle across America, which is really encouraging. Between us, Tim and myself have crossed America five times by bike, and every time it’s different. You really get a sense of how huge the USA is, and no matter how many stops you make, there are always regrets over the things you didn’t have time to see. Maybe that’s why we keep doing it!

Planning your own Coast To Coast tour, and need to hire a bike? Contact us. We can get you sorted with the right motorcycle, a spectacular route, and tips you won’t find anywhere else. We’re the USA Coast To Coast motorcycle touring experts. Harleys, Honda Goldwing, BMW and Triumphs are available to hire. One way rentals are no problem.

So…..what’s it like to ride a motorcycle across America? Taking such a long, high mileage journey on a bike can be physically and mentally challenging. Most riders usual trips are short, perhaps a weekend away, with the occasional longer tour. Coast to Coast requires at least a fortnight in the saddle (in fact we’d recommend three weeks minimum), and depending on the route you take, 4,000 miles of riding. Of course there are some hardcore, Iron-butt type riders who find this schedule a doddle, but most of us simply are not used to high mileage day in, day out, for several weeks in a row.

The reality is that you adapt. You get used to the drone of the tires on the tarmac, the wind buffeting your body. After the first week on the road, we always feel totally knackered, and we’ve learned to schedule an easy day to recuperate. Don’t make the mistake of overestimating how many miles you can do each day, especially if you want to stop and actually see things. Somewhere in the middle of your ride across America, you’ll feel like you’ve been on the bike forever, and the end of the trip seems so far away. Then the next thing you know, you’re on the opposite coast.

There are so many different ways to do this trip – Atlantic to Pacific or vice versa? NY to San Francisco or LA? Head west via the northern or southern route? The answer is, what kind of trip do you want? What would you like to see, what kind of roads do you want to ride? The options are nearly limitless. Start by deciding the things you’e absolutely like to see and do, then the route will slowly begin to reveal itself to you.

And when the ride is over? Emotionally, you’ll feel elated that you’ve accomplished the goal of riding coast to coast, but you might feel a bit gutted too! Handing over your bike and getting back to “the real world” seems very odd after 4,000+ miles. Give yourself a day or two at the end to back your revs off, maybe do something relaxing that doesn’t require much thought or physical activity. It will take a bit to process what you’ve just done.

Want some more tips on riding Coast to Coast? Click here for our 50 Tips.

A Coast To Coast motorcycle ride across America can be life changing. It will teach you a lot about yourself as a motorcyclist, and give you stories and memories to last a lifetime. And remember, getting lost is part of the fun!

Ride Safe,

Jim McDermott
The Lost Adventure

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It’s that time of year again – come on out to see us at the MCN London Motorcycle Show at ExCeL in Docklands. We’re Official EagleRider Agent, so we will be manning the EagleRider booth. Official show information and directions can be found here.

The 2013 MCN London Motorcycle Show runs from February 15-17. We’re on stand A205.

If you’re interested in doing a guided motorcycle tour, perhaps the legendary Route 66 or the very popular Wild West, come on down and talk to us. There will be discount specials running that will be valid only at the show.

Of course, if you just want to hire a bike in America and create your own adventure, we can get that sorted for you too. EagleRider has over 70 locations, so no matter where you want to start your ride, chances are there’s an EagleRider nearby. We’ve ridden in the US extensively, and can suggest routes, great roads, places to stop, eat, and stay. We’re happy to share what we’ve learned with you so you make the most of your tour.

Sometimes, when we speak to people who have never ridden in the US, we find that they tend to underestimate how big the country is. Or they may not be aware how the weather in parts of America during certain times of the year may effect their trip. Because we’ve done so much riding in the States, we’re aware of these things. So if you’re going to the show, please stop by for a chat. We always look forward to meeting new people at the MCN shows, and you’ll find that we’ve got very competitive pricing for tours and rentals.

See you at the MCN London Motorcycle Show !

Best, Tim & Jim

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Recently, one of our customers who’s going on a two week tour asked us about fitted pannier bags. He’ll be riding either a Honda Gold Wing GL1800 or a Harley Davidson Electra Glide. Both have topcases and hard panniers. Was there a fitted bag that would fit both, he wondered? The answer is well, not really. The big touring bikes all have different pannier shapes and capacities, making it impossible to find a bag that will fit all of them and not waste space. A quick Google search of the terms “fitted pannier bags” or “motorcycle luggage” reveal a dizzying array of bags that are highly specific in their application, but no “one size fits all bag”.

So if you’re going to another country on a hired motorcycle tour for a couple of weeks, what do you do about bags? Here are our thoughts on How To Pack For A Motorcycle Tour.

Firstly, if you’re on a Guided Tour (such as those we sell), you’ve got no worries, there’s typically a support vehicle that carries all your bags. Even if you have large suitcases for you and your pillion, there’s no bother, it will ride in the van. If you’re planning on staying a few days somewhere after your tour, this is all the more reason to do a Guided Tour.

But if you’re hiring a bike, especially if you’re bringing a pillion, you’re going to have to pack very wisely. Fitted bags typically don’t come with hire bikes, and they’ll waste much needed space if they’re not made for that exact model bike. We would not recommend the purchase of fitted bags for a specific hire bike (like a GL1800) unless you own that same bike back home. Fitted bags are usually quite costly, not a good option if you’re budget conscious in the slightest.

What we usually do is get a small canvas or faux leather bag that’s very flexible, with no frame, which will conform to the shape of the panniers. We bring plastic bags and put underwear, socks and other things we don’t mind getting wrinkled at the bottom of the panniers, then put the canvas bag on top. Sometimes we leave the plastic bags at the bottom of the panniers until they’re needed – so the first few days of socks and underwear on one side, some t-shirts on the other, things we’ll need sooner on top, then a canvas bag with things we don’t want wrinkled or that are fragile in the topcase.

Another way to pack efficiently is via “planned disposability”. Bring old, worn out t-shirts and underwear on your tour. When they get dirty, bin them! It’s a wonderful thing to have your load get lighter as your trip goes on, plus you have more room for souvenirs. If you need new stuff, you can always stop into a Target, Wal-Mart or K-Mart and buy everything from underwear to hygiene products, at bargain prices. And these stores are commonly located in or near most American cities.

We are all guilty of buying too much stuff in advance of a trip, then dragging it along with regret after we realize we just didn’t need it. Here are things we consider absolutely essential to pack on an extended motorcycle tour:

1) First Aid Kit: make sure you get one with sunburn creme, antiseptic, bandages and other basic First Aid necessities. We’re amazed how often our friends pack a collection of electronic gadgets, and nothing to deal with even sunburn or an insect bite. Don’t buy a cheap one, they always seem to be overloaded with band-aids and nothing else too useful. Oh, and make sure to bring sunglasses as well.

2) Maps: We’ll take a good map over a GPS unit anytime. Of course, it’s a luxury to have both, but the ability to get a larger sense of where you are and where you’re going will only be provided by a map. And we’ve seen many instances where GPS units seem to be lacking in common sense about how to get somewhere. Plus, when you get back home, your map will be written on, there will be coffee, beer, food and rain on it, and it will be a lasting treasure from your tour. We always prefer Michelin maps, as they’re utterly reliable, visually cool and printed on high quality paper. For travel in the USA, the Rand McNally Road Atlas is recommended as well.

3) Bottled Water, At Least a Litre Per Person At All Times: It is critical that you are properly hydrated when riding a motorcycle. When you get dehydrated, fatigue sets in, and it’s all downhill from there. You should not wait until you’re thirsty to drink, by then you’re behind the eight ball. Keep an adequate water supply on the bike at all times, and make stops as necessary to refresh yourself. Healthy snacks like granola bars or fruit are a good idea too. Riding in the summer? Read our article about how to deal with the heat here.

4)  Something to Recharge Your Cell Phone: This is hugely important – some of the best riding in America is in low traffic/sparsely populated areas. If you need help, you’ll need a fully charged cellphone. If you’re taking videos and photos on your smartphone, the battery will drain down quickly. There are many options on the market for recharging your cell without a wall outlet – we highly recommend you buy one for your trip.

5) Small packet of Microfiber Towels: for cleaning helmets and windscreens, nothing beats a microfiber towel. Keep a small package in your topcase, and use some bottled water to moisten the towel. The slightest moisture really helps the microfiber towels clean perspex. They’re washable, but don’t put them in the dryer, as that ruins them.

With the five things listed above, our riding kit, a pair of jeans and a few changes of underwear, we’ve ridden Coast To Coast across America. Mind you, we looked and smelled like the dog’s dinner at the end of the tour! But the point is, you don’t need to bring that much stuff with you when you tour. If you have a pillion, if your partner is along for a wonderful holiday, then again, we’d suggest a Guided Tour, as really that’s the easiest way to do a tour. Of course, don’t let limited pannier space scare you off having an adventure.

If you’re interested in hiring a motorcycle to tour America, or want to do a Guided Tour, contact us.  We’re an Official EagleRider Agent and we’ve got great prices on motorcycle hire and tours, including Route 66, the Wild West, Coast to Coast, Florida and others. Thanks for reading!

Cheers

Jim McDermott

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Route 66 is the ultimate bucket list ride for any motorcyclist. It’s a journey through time, and while it may not be technically challenging from a riding standpoint, figuring out where the road goes can be extremely difficult. Route 66 was decommissioned as a National Highway in 1985, and many portions of the road have been bypassed. We’ve ridden Route 66, and have collected a few thoughts on how to make your ride on Route 66 as enjoyable as it can be with these 10 Tips For Riding Route 66.

1) Give yourself a minimum of two weeks to do Route 66. You’re riding more than halfway across America, if you rush you’re going to miss some incredible sights. There are many museums, great places to eat, historically significant spots, not to mention the endless side journeys you can take to see things just a short distance off Route 66. Any day spent on the Mother Road can be incredibly rich – in fact, even if you do have two weeks, you’ll miss some things. Be sure to take your time, don’t rush, the slower you go the better time you’ll have.

2) Ride the right bike. On a typical motorcycle tour, you look for great roads, twisties, diamond smooth tarmac where you can hustle the bike around a bit and get your  pulse going. Route 66 isn’t like that – the pavement can be awful in some spots, you’ve got long sections of straight road, and in some places the scenery can be quite desolate. Trust us, the best bike for a Route 66 tour is a Harley, or similar big displacement V-twin. You don’t need a fast bike with razor sharp handling, you need a bike with maximum rider and passenger comfort that feels great doing 30-70 miles an hour, with lots of low rpm torque. Plus, doing it on a Harley really adds to the nostalgia of the tour, seeing all the neon reflected in the headlamp nacelle of a Road King is another sight you’ll never forget. We wouldn’t recommend a Harley for a tour in the Alps, nor would we recommend the full Charlie & Ewan BMW GS regalia on a Route 66 tour.

3) The best time to go is mid-May to mid-October. We’ve ridden 66 at various time during the year, the earliest was mid-April. We encountered freezing temperatures, hailstorms, pissing rain, howling winds, and dust storms. Luckily, we didn’t have the wives sat on the back for that one! Don’t forget, Route 66 crosses most of America, and the weather can vary depending on where you are. We’ve been in Amboy California in July and it was 118 degrees in the shade! Truly our favorite month for riding 66 is September, weather is gorgeous and there are less people on the road, but really if you go any time between mid-May and mid-October you’ll have a great time. Be sure to bring rain gear and if you’re going in the high summer then read our tips for staying cool here.

4) Plan your Route 66 tour. If you just turn up expecting to follow signs and ride Route 66, you’re going to get very frustrated and very lost. Route 66 highway signs get stolen all the time (they do look pretty cool) and in may places you’ll be going along following signs and suddenly there will be nothing. You need a good map America, we find the Rand McNally Road Atlas to be indispensable, Michelin has some great regional fold out maps as well. GPS is great and can be hired with the bike, but we’d take a great map over a GPS unit any day. We also consider the Route 66: EZ66 Guide For Travelers by Jerry McClanahan to be a must buy. Drew Knowles’ Route 66 Adventure Handbook is a great book too. Don’t wait until you’re sitting on the airplane to read these books – study them and mark down the things that you really want to see before you go.

5) Get to know the word “alignment”. Sections of 66 were repaved, diverted, extended, and widened during different periods – these were called alignments (or re-alignments). You’ll come out of a town and see three signs for Route 66, one saying something like “Historic Route 66 1921-1934″ and the others giving different years. Which do you take? There might be only one right way depending on where you are. Even before it closed, Route 66 had been “realigned” so many times in it’s history that there isn’t really just one road – it evolved substantially since it was first paved. So know going in that there isn’t really one Route 66 to follow.

6) Be sure to travel some of the “old road”. The oldest parts of Route 66, dating back to the 1920′s, are truly fascinating because they’re often hand-laid brick or asphalt, and very narrow. You really get a sense for how small American cars were before the second world war, and how little automobile traffic there was on the roads. You’ll never forget like the sound of a Harley’s front wheel thumping over the bricks on a 1921 section of Route 66.

7) Be sure to talk to locals. A huge part of the character of Route 66 is the people. The Mother Road is making a fragile comeback as more and more people tour it every year. But it’s still hard work for the people who live on Route 66; they say adversity breeds character, and the people you’ll meet while traveling 66 have character in spades. You’ll meet folks who’ve lived on Route 66 their whole lives, as well as young entrepreneurs trying to bring beautiful old motels and restaurants back to life. Take the time to talk to these people, it will make your tour a far richer experience. If you’re open to conversation, you’ll find that the people of Route 66 are friendly, helpful, and in most cases more than willing to share their stories.

8) Pay very close attention to the road. With all the great things to see, the low speeds and straight roads, you can find yourself paying a bit less attention to your riding, which can be a costly mistake. In parts of 66, the tarmac has seriously degraded, with bumps, potholes or cracks that have been filled with very slippery tar (the segment from Cool Springs to Oatman is plagued with “tar snakes” and requires special attention). And on the very old road, sometimes you’ll come over the crest of a brow in the road and find suddenly the tarmac has changed to deep gravel – not something you want to see at 60 mph (this happened to us just outside Miami, Oklahoma). Be diligent at all times when you’re on the bike, please.

9) Links to some places you must see: Route 66 Vintage Iron Motorcycle Museum, The Blue Swallow Motel, The Blue Dome District in Tulsa, OK, Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, The Powerhouse Route 66 Museum, Joe and Aggies, Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner, Cadillac Ranch, Roy’s Cafe, Galena, Kansas, Route 66 Drive In Theatre, Tower Station and U-Drop Inn, Cool Springs Camp, Motel Wigwam, Chain Of Rocks Bridge, Santa Monica Pier

10) Lastly – consider a Guided Tour. If you just want to have a good time, see all the sights, have a support vehicle carry your luggage and be guided by someone who knows Route 66 really well, it’s the smart option. Of course, you can always do a self-drive tour, where the accommodations are booked for you, you get a bike and a road book with directions. And of course if you want a true DIY experience, you can hire a bike – we can help you with all of the above, with great prices. Check for more details here or contact us for more information.

Hope these 10 Tips For Riding Route 66 were helpful – cheers and enjoy the ride!

Jim & Tim

The Lost Adventure

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Tim’s Gran astride a B.S.A.

I guess biking is in my blood. My Gran Hilda was born in 1909, and rode a bike through the late 1920′s and early 1930′s. When I started riding, she encouraged me, and always wanted to see my latest bike. She was a very special woman who lived a simple, humble life, during the most challenging of times.

She passed away in 2011, just a few weeks short of her 102nd birthday. It was very hard to say goodbye. I know she had no regrets about how she lived her life, and she was always quite happy. When we were cleaning up her place, I found this prayer amongst her personal effects. The paper was worn, as though it had been held and read many times. I have no idea who wrote them, or what their origin is. But no matter what your beliefs, I hope these words have meaning and value to you as they do me.

Hopefully we’ll all make it to 102 years of age. Life is hectic, and it’s very easy to take the good things for granted. But perhaps the key to happiness is gratitude, an appreciation for the simple things. Gratitude for family, work we love, good health, a warm day spent with friends hustling motorcycles down twisty roads. The words on my Gran’s tattered piece of paper helps me remember to appreciate these things – Tim Orr.

“Strength for this day is all that I ask

Food for my hunger and strength for my task

Health for my body, a roof over my head

And when I am weary a rest and warm bed

Give me a job and a place in life’s scheme

Give me a moment in which I can dream

Give me a hand that is willing to share

Each little happiness, that is my prayer.

Give me a glimpse of some beautiful things,

Flowers in the sunshine, a bird of the wing

Give me a mind on good purpose bent

Give me a heart that is quiet and content.

Not to have riches, position or fame

But to be useful, let that be my aim.

Look not ahead to the future

But pray for the things that we need

Day by Day.”

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What’s The Best Time Of Year To Ride Route 66? People ask us this question all the time. The season starts in May and runs through October – before or after that, you risk running into cold weather, especially in the midwest and the higher elevation portions of 66. We’re ridden Route 66 as early as the beginning of April, and had to deal with pouring rain, hailstorms, even a blizzard! Here are our thoughts on what’s the best time of year to ride Route 66:

1) Weather: Really anytime between mid-May and mid-October you should have a lovely ride. There’s always a good chance you’ll see rain, as Route 66 is more than 2,300 miles long through varied terrain. Be sure to bring rain gear, and if you’re riding in the high summer, also consider a cooling vest, which can make your ride far more comfortable and safe. And even if you’re riding in the summer, bring a warm, light base layer – it can be quite cold in the desert in the morning and evenings. And in the midwest, there’s always the risk of a tornado -plenty of excitement on The Mother Road.

Want to get an idea of the temperature in one of the highest elevated portions of Route 66? Click here for the current weather forecast in Williams, Arizona (and pay close attention to the lows).

2) Tourist Traffic: Let’s face it, Route 66 is growing in popularity, and not only motorcycles but even large tour groups in buses are traveling The Mother Road. While 66 is inherently never going to be as busy as any given Interstate in America, chances are you’ll encounter more fellow travelers in June, July and August. From the first week of September on, there will be less people on the roads as the summer’s over and people return to work. May is a good month too, although the spring weather can be more of a risk. Don’t get us wrong, a ride down Route 66 in the summer months is wonderful, just expect to see more people than you would in the off months.

3) When do you have the time? Really, this is the most important question of all. We all seem to have little things in our lives like work, family, health and other obligations that interfere with our riding! Guided tours have preset dates (click here for the current schedule we offer), but if those dates don’t work, you can always hire a bike and arrange your own trip, and/or do a self-drive tour, where the hotels are pre-booked for you. Just make sure to ride anywhere between May and October; November to April the weather is a bit too risky.

So if pressed, in our opinion, what’s the best time of year to ride Route 66? Mid September – mid October is our favorite time, but really, we’d ride it any time between May and October. It’s the ride of a lifetime no matter what the weather’s like.

Hope you found this helpful! If you’re interested in riding a motorcycle on Route 66 as part of a guided tour, or want to rent a motorcycle, contact us - we’re an Official EagleRider Tour Operator with great prices.

Best,

Jim & Tim

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