How to Prepare For a Cross-Country Motorcycle Trip

For a great many motorcyclists, a cross-country ride is their ultimate goal – both nearly tangible and seemingly just out of reach. However, this ultimate test of rider and motorcycle is one you can conquer… provided you do the research and make the adequate preparations. 

That first attempt not only feels like a monumental task, it genuinely is. But it’s one rewarding enough that those who make it happen regularly choose to do so again and again. 

The journey itself is unforgettable and the sense of accomplishment afterward does not fade with time. As a result, this is a topic we circle around quite regularly on this blog. You can do it, but it’s an epic adventure that can’t be taken lightly. So you say you’re in? Then read on.

While the following topics will require that you explore more deeply, we’ll touch on each one briefly to help point you in the right direction and give you a sense of what you’re in for:

Basic Prepwork

Your mind, body, and bike will be tested by the quest and none are likely to be up to the task without some advance preparation.

Mentally, you’ll need to do your homework, map out your routes, check the conditions you’re likely to encounter and adjust accordingly. You must get yourself in a place where you’ll have the stamina to stay focused, ride defensively, and be actively aware of your surroundings for days on end.

Meanwhile, your body will need to be ready and able to put on those miles as well. Part of that is with proper ergonomics, but equally important is being hydrated, energized, and in reasonable physical condition.

Meanwhile, your bike is the remaining variable in this equation. Is it suited to that task even in the best of times? If so, it’ll still need thorough and regular follow-up checks – tires, brakes, battery, and beyond – as well as all the maintenance work that may be required to bring it up to spec.

An excellent way to both get a better sense of your readiness and actively move you closer to your ultimate goal is by working your way up with some progressively longer rides that’ll give you a sampling of what’s to come and identify areas of weakness to be addressed.

Pack Accordingly

Once you feel like you and your ride are ready to make the journey, you’ll need to make a thorough checklist and ensure you have all that you need to complete the ride.

While you really must gear up – helmet, jacket, gloves, pants, and boots – for even the briefest of rides, this one is a bit more challenging in that you need to account for a wide range of possible weather conditions – heat, cold, rain, etc.

You’ll also need to account for your downtime. You’re going to want comfortable street clothes when you’re off the bike – shoes, pants/shorts, t-shirts, and sunglasses –  as well as your phone, charger, and toiletries.

And don’t forget to pack some hydration and calories that you can consume in a pinch between longer planned stops.

Finally, you’ll need some “break in case of emergency” items, such as a tire plug kit, basic tools, flashlight, and first aid kit.

Are you planning on camping along the way? That’s an excellent way to really immerse yourself in the journey and one that motorcyclists have been doing for well over a century as evidenced by the instructional brochure Harley-Davidson produced in 1915 entitled,  “Camping Hints When Touring a Motorcycle.”

But it’s one that requires even more in-depth inspection of your packing, which will also include camping gear such as a tent, sleeping bag, and so on, along with a way to prepare hot food, such as the ever-popular Jetboil, for example.

Pack Accordingly Pt. 2

You’ll also want to ride in a pack. This is a journey that will hugely benefit by the inclusion of additional riders. It’s an experience to be shared, and that will also allow you to lean on and support one another.

While each rider will need to do their own prep, you can bounce ideas off one another and make certain everyone is fully ready to dive in before you head out.

Plan Your Route

There are any number of ways to criss-cross this nation on a bike, and any route in which you make your way from one side to the other is going to be astonishing in its own way.

However, to make things a bit easier, we recently broke down four epic rides across the United States. You may want to revisit that entry in its entirety, but we’ll touch on them here again briefly:

Route 66

From the Windy City to the Pacific Ocean, the legendary Route 66 route connects Chicago to Santa Monica Pier. 

Great River Road

Like Route 66, the Great River Road lays bare the overlooked beauty of the nation’s heartland, but does so cutting north to south rather than east to west.

Atlantic Coast Highway

The Atlantic Coast Highway ride is another 30-hour wheels down journey. It serves as a megalopolis tour connecting Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Richmond, and Miami, as well as a showcase of coastlines and ocean towns.

Grand Circle Tour

At 20 hours of riding time, this is the shortest in terms of mileage, but we’re willing to bet it will be the longest in terms of actual duration as it connects six national parks – Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Arches National Park, Canyon Lands National Park, and Grand Canyon National Park, along with Monument Valley, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and more.