{"id":197,"date":"2021-01-20T01:52:19","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T01:52:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ridemission.com\/?p=197"},"modified":"2021-01-20T01:53:22","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T01:53:22","slug":"9-safety-tips-for-solo-motorcycle-touring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ridemission.com\/9-safety-tips-for-solo-motorcycle-touring\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Safety Tips for Solo Motorcycle Touring"},"content":{"rendered":"

Solo motorcycle touring takes a whole different degree of self-reliance, awareness and planning. For better or for worse, you have to deal with any situation that comes up, so it pays to be as safe as possible while taking the calculated risks that make motorcycle touring fun.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re rolling solo, keep these nine essential safety tips in mind. They\u2019ll help you prepare for the unexpected, make smart choices while on the road and get home in one piece.<\/p>\n

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  1. Share your basic trip plan with someone you trust and check in with them periodically. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    At least one trusted person should know where you\u2019re headed on your trip. While you may not have an hour-by-hour itinerary, try to develop some check-in points at which you\u2019ll call to let somebody know you\u2019ve arrived safely.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re doing backcountry touring, especially camping, it\u2019s smart to provide more detailed information on your chosen stops, since it will help authorities to locate you more quickly in the event of an emergency.<\/p>\n

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    1. Keep your travel plans private from strangers on the road (and on the Internet). <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The flipside of the previous tip is that you also shouldn\u2019t be too eager to share your travel plans with folks you don\u2019t know. It can be tons of fun meeting new friends on the road, but it\u2019s also potentially dangerous to let a stranger know too much. Keep descriptions of your route relatively vague when making small talk with others on the road.<\/p>\n

      This tip is also true for social media, where many people aren\u2019t aware of the risks they take by sharing their locations on apps like Instagram. Rather than telling strangers your immediate whereabouts, post pictures with location tags a day or two after you leave the area.<\/p>\n

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      1. Ride during the daytime whenever possible. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Between decreased visibility, intoxicated drivers and rider fatigue, riding a motorcycle at night can present some significant hazards<\/a>. Thus, it\u2019s advisable to stick to daytime riding whenever you can.<\/p>\n

        If you care about making good time, your best bet is to start fairly early in the morning and get off the road by dusk. That requires some advance planning and a basic working knowledge of the roads and cities along your route, so familiarize yourself with travel distance between major stops and start each day by setting a loose destination goal.<\/p>\n

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        1. Never ride after you\u2019ve been drinking. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          This one should go without saying. Even a small amount of alcohol<\/a> impairs your ability to operate your bike effectively\u2014and motorcycles, as we all know, have a much smaller margin for error than most other types of vehicles. You\u2019re putting everyone\u2019s safety at risk when you ride after drinking, and that doesn\u2019t even take into account the possibility of spending thousands of dollars in DUI court costs.<\/p>\n

          That doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t hit a few bars along your trip, and the many iconic biker joints along America\u2019s great highways shouldn\u2019t be missed (if that\u2019s your scene). It just means that you need to think about how you\u2019re getting back to your lodging before you have your first drink.<\/p>\n

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          Source: Sergey Nemirovskiy\/Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n

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          1. Carry some tools for personal protection. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            While we don\u2019t advise riding around with a personal arsenal on you, it\u2019s good to carry something to protect yourself if worst comes to worst.<\/p>\n

            Some riders who are proficient with firearms choose to carry a compact handgun. However, unless you\u2019re an experienced shooter and gun owner with a CCP, it\u2019s often better to choose a lower-maintenance personal protection solution. If you do travel with a firearm, make sure that you know its safety features inside and out.<\/p>\n

            Pepper spray is a popular option for solo tourers, as are compact self-defense knives. No matter what you choose, make sure to know the laws of any state you may be in, as self-defense devices allowed in one state may not be legal in another.<\/p>\n

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            1. Have backups for your most important gear. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              You should have a plan for when your most important gear fails you. This can include:<\/p>\n