6,000 mile road trip Published April 12, 2007 By Greg Perry Public Affairs LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Every motorcyclist looks forward to hitting the road, whether for the commute to work, or in my case, a 2-week vacation to visit family in Maine. I knew the 6,000-mile round trip from Arizona and back would be a road trip of a whole different magnitude; especially solo. I planned my route, keeping to the interstate highway system. Following is some information I developed as a result of my trip, and some lessons learned from the experience. Pre-Trip Musts: Be VERY familiar with your motorcycle, its capabilities, handling characteristics, and idiosyncrasies. I had logged more than 24,000 miles on this motorcycle before the trip. If you have never taken a rider course, or if it's been several years since your last class, sign up for a refresher. It will help re-establish good habits and eliminate some potential bad habits you may have developed. Have the motorcycle checked by an experienced mechanic, making sure the oil has been changed and the drive mechanisms (chain, belt, or shaft) are in top shape. If the bike is water-cooled, have the cooling system serviced. Ensure the tires are in good condition. Replace the brake pads and brake/clutch fluid, if needed. Replace the spark plugs and have the air cleaner serviced or replaced. If the battery is more than a year old, replace it. Bottom line: Your motorcycle is your life line. You take care of it, and it will take care of you. Plan your route thoroughly. Write down all major route changes and highway loops around major cities. Review the plan daily to know what is coming up. I recommend a membership with a national agency, such as Rand Mc- Nally, that provides up-to-date information regarding road construction. Obtain emergency road service coverage. I use the Honda Riders Club of America. For a nominal annual fee, I can obtain emergency road service and towing nationwide. Other agencies such as AAA offer similar services. Packing Tips: Caution: Don't overload the bike. Too much weight, especially with a high center of gravity, can cause handling problems. Bring extra everything: spark plugs, engine oil, all sizes of fuses, two flashlights, extra batteries, second cell phone, extra ignition key, and battery charger. Take a well-thought-out tool kit. My motorcycle is metric, so I needed a complete set of metric wrenches and sockets, as well as Allen wrenches, spark plug wrench, slip-joint pliers, snips, screwdrivers, adjustable wrench, pocket knife, a tire-patch kit, and duct and electrical tape. Miscellaneous items: camera, rain gear, tie-down straps, bungee cord, sunscreen, road atlas, sunglasses (two pairs). Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): This cannot be overemphasized! Riding a motorcycle is one of the most dangerous activities a person can engage in. Protecting yourself and being visible helps keep you safe. A helmet is the single most important piece of equipment you can wear. I prefer a full-face model. A rugged riding jacket made of leather or synthetic material with built-in armor will afford added protection in the event of a mishap; so will steel-toed boots, leather chaps or pants, and full-fingered leather gloves. Bright-colored clothing or clothing with reflective striping help with being more visible. Wearing ear plugs reduces situational awareness when riding a motorcycle. The correct choice is to replace the "loud pipes." Riding Strategies: I learned the acronym "SIPDE" in a riding course I took 7 years ago: Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, and Execute. Scan all the time. Identify what is going on; is the vehicle behind you going to pass? Predict what each of the vehicles around you might do next. Decide the actions you will take IF they do as you predict, and then Execute your plan. I practice the principle of SIPDE continuously. Spacing: try to keep a reasonable distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead. A good rule is 2 seconds. If you can't see their side mirrors, chances are, they can't see you! What about passing? I don't spend a lot of time alongside tractor-trailer rigs as they are big and dangerous. Wind buffeting and debris from a blown tire are potential hazards. I always give vehicles I'm passing a wide berth, moving to the left third of the passing lane. Bad weather and night riding: I encountered fog, high winds and thunderstorms. When possible, take shelter until conditions improve; however, if you ride it out, stop, put on rain gear, and most of all, SLOW DOWN when traveling in unfavorable conditions! NEVER stop at an underpass -- except for emergencies. What about riding at night? Don't override the illumination of the headlamp. Slow down to quickly react to hazards such as animals, tire pieces, and gravel in the road. Lessons learned: - Rest often. Riding a motorcycle is not only physically demanding, it's mentally fatiguing. You have to be 100 percent mentally focused all the time. I must stop to refuel every 120 miles, so I got off the bike, walked around, and stretched. - Keep hydrated. Every time I stopped for fuel, I drank a bottle of water. - Eat breakfast AFTER the first 100 miles. It makes the day seem a bit shorter. - Stop when you're tired. I ended each day no later than 4:00 p.m. - Check the motorcycle frequently. Check the engine oil and tire pressure at every stop, and make adjustments as necessary. I spent about 2 hours each day refueling. This affected my trip plan and resulted in an extra night's stay on each leg of the trip. - Have cash (especially coins) easily available for tolls. - Above all, ride safe and keep your bike shiny side up! Reprinted courtesy of Road & Rec magazine. Did you know? - Motorcycles have a death rate nearly 32 times higher than cars. - Men between 21 to 24 years old who drive motorcycles between midnight and 4:00 a.m., have a road fatality risk 45,000 times higher than normal. Other interesting tidbits: - The highway death rate for cautious 82-year-old women is 60 percent higher than for risk taking 16-year-old boys. - New England is the safest region for drivers. - The safest passenger is a youngster strapped in a car seat and being driven during morning rush hour. - Young male drivers, ages 16 to 23, have fatality rates four times higher than average. - Drivers in their 40s and 50s tie for the lowest risk of dying in an accident. - Large vans have less than half the death rate than the national average for cars. - School busses have a death rate that is 1/50th that of the average passenger vehicle. - The most deadly hour to drive is 2:00 a.m. - Fewest deaths occur at 8:00 a.m. Statistics courtesy of AAA