Seeing new sights and letting your face feel the wind, with nothing between you and the road except for your motorcycle - it's a vacation dream for many Americans. A scenic motorcycle trip is a true American experience for many bikers, and can lead to the vacation of a lifetime, but where should you start?
Motorcycle Trip Preparation
Preparation is the key to any successful motorcycle trip. Before you embark, always prepare and plan for emergencies. Many smaller routes or back roads lack roadside services or foodservice amenities. Should you encounter mechanical issues or bad weather, it's best to know where the nearest town is.
These days, many motorcycle riders use a GPS (global positioning system) unit to pinpoint their location, plan their route and identify upcoming gas stations or food service locations. A variety of manufacturers have GPS models with easy to operate controls, mounting hardware and durable weatherproof casing, made specifically for motorcycles. Some motorcycle GPS models even offer wireless Bluetooth® phone technology, as well as satellite radio with real-time weather and traffic information. If you wear a Bluetooth-enabled motorcycle helmet, you can talk on the phone hands-free, while keeping your eyes on the scenic road.
In addition, get your bike checked-up to make sure it is ready for your motorcycle trip. Don't forget to charge the battery, check the tires for proper inflation, lube the chain, and drain and refill the fuel from the carburetor. Make sure everything is working properly. If you have a touring bike, you might even want to consider adding either soft or hard saddle luggage bags for your road trip. And most importantly, make sure you are protected with good motorcycle insurance coverage.
Next is choosing your motorcycle trip. If you haven't already ridden them, consider a major historic U.S. highway for your motorcycle trip. The list below includes destinations throughout the country, and may take one day or many, depending on your vacation time and interests.
East Cost Motorcycle Trips
Spanning the entire Eastern Coast of the United States, US Route 1 starts in the north at Fort Kent, Maine (near the U.S. & Canadian border), and runs all the way to Key West, Fla. From the rustic salt water maritime coast in the North, to the tropical weather of the sun-drenched beaches in the South, Route 1 offers wide variety of scenic American skylines. Often times it runs parallel to the modern Interstate 95, but then veers further west through rural parts of South Carolina and Georgia midway through its historic 2377 miles.
If you need a break during this long trip, or would prefer to only ride one way instead of round trip, consider putting your motorcycle on the Auto Train (the only Amtrak train that accepts vehicles) between Lorton, Va. (near Washington, D.C.) and Sanford, Fla. (near Orlando, Fla.). Taking the Auto Train allows you to travel in air-conditioned comfort, while your bike is safely stored in a special train car. From either Auto Train station, you can jump on Route 1 and continue your journey while limiting extra miles on your bike and relaxing for the evening.
West Coast Motorcycle Trips
The Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most scenic historic highways in the world. It covers the states of Washington, Oregon and California and changes highway route numbers (most often Route 1 or 101) along the way.
In California, the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) covers breathtaking views heading north from Los Angeles. Often called the "breadbasket of America," the PCH passes between fields of harvested crops and scenic Pacific Ocean vistas. The route passes through idyllic Half Moon Bay and over the famed Golden Gate Bridge after continuing north through the majestic city of San Francisco.
Following the California coast, the route passes through Sonoma and Mendocino counties - the state's famed wine country. Then the PCH continues north through Redwood country and sweeps back along the Pacific Coast.
Crossing the border into Oregon, the PCH hugs the state's Western coast and offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. Much of the drive is past state parks and protected lands. At the northwest corner of Oregon, the PCH crosses the four-mile Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River into Washington.
The PCH follows Route 101 along the coast to the city of Aberdeen before heading east toward Washington State's capital, Olympia. This is the official northern U.S. endpoint of the Pacific Coast Highway. At a total of 1,540 miles, this is truly a multi-day trip, even for the experienced motorcycle rider.
Central U.S. Motorcycle Trips
As the famous 1946 song says, you can "Get Your Kicks on Route 66." The historic route 66 through America's heartland covers eight U.S. states, from Illinois to California. Built more than 80 years ago, much of the route has been overshadowed by more modern four-lane highways.
Spanning more than 2000 miles, Route 66 became the greatest connection corridor from the Midwest to California. As U.S. highway travel grew in the 1940s and 1950s, family vacationers, salesmen and truck drivers increasingly used the road to travel the most direct route between the East Coast and West Coast.
Thirty years after Route 66 was inaugurated, President Eisenhower enacted the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 providing for huge investment in modern U.S. highways. This highway modernization signaled the end of popularity for the winding rural flavor of Route 66. The locally owned motorcourts, full service gas stations and homespun diners were bypassed by Interstate Highway 40.
Route 66 still exists today, and offers a more rustic Americana version than it previously did. If you want to see U.S. back roads and rural heartland scenery, then Route 66 is a great historic highway to travel.
Of course, before you travel these scenic, historic U.S. highways, you'll want to make sure you're protected with good motorcycle insurance coverage. For more information about motorcycle insurance, including motorcycle insurance discounts, visit Nationwide.com.
Enjoy the Ride: Motorcycle Trips on Historic U.S. Highways by Melanie Broemsen
You are racing down the highway from Oregon to Washington and end up taking a wrong turn. What do you do? If you BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS on you then you don't have to do much because the GPS will take care of almost except driving the bike. One of the good things about the BMW Garmin Zumo is that it can be mounted on a bike as well as on your BMW special edition super car!
It all started one fine day when BMW introduced a helping device for drivers that could show the road map. Of course this didn't mean that people could drive in their sleep - it simply meant that even if you tried hard, you wouldn't get lost. BMW first came out with their original Motorrad Navigator GPS that caused a downfall in sales of paper maps to BMW riders. Since then several generations of the Navigator has been launched including the Navigator II, Navigator II Plus and Navigator III GPS systems.
The Navigator GPS system revolutionized a market that catered to the long distance riders. Using the Navigator especially the BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS system, riders were able to drive on longer routes without having to stop for directions. This was no mean achievement! One of the highlight of the Navigator GPS systems was that it had a water-resistant casing and could be easily mounted on a unique mounting cradle, which enhanced the overall portability as well as its operation.
The benchmark for motorcycle and long distance route finders was actually laid by the advanced BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS system. Rugged and compact, this is a GPS system that is considered to be one of the best ever manufactured by BMW Garmin and it was loaded with high end navigational functions and features, ready to use maps and a big enough display screen.
Some of the key features of the new BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS include:
A slick full black body design that looked good and felt good too
The glove-friendly touch screen made it easier for bikers to use it
Left hand controls have been designed for motorcyclists
A special programming lock can limit re-programming during driving
BMW Dealer database
BMW specific software
TMC - Traffic Receiver included with 3-month subscription
Mounting base plate compatible with BMW mounting brackets
Custom BMW caps included in three sets of designs
Water resistant and shockproof
Replaceable lithium ion rechargeable battery for use off the bike up to 5 hours (included)
Vibration-tested and built with fuel-resistant plastics to withstand the elements
Bluetooth wireless technology for phone communication
Compass feature equivalent to Navigator III
MP-3 Player for storing music
High brightness, sunlight-readable, and UV-resistant display screen
The new BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS system has been specially engineered by Garmin for BMW and it has certain proprietary features, which are unavailable on the standard Garmin Zumo systems and this includes the 3-year warranty.
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A GPS system for your motorcycle can turn your journeys, into adventures. Opening up a whole new experience, you can find amazing places to explore by planning your trips at home, and downloading your routes to your GPS device. New landscapes, destinations, and road trips await; with the security and confidence of never getting lost again.
A GPS system for your motorcycle can also help to make your journeys as comfortable, and stress-free as possible. If you fancy a break, or you're running out of petrol, your GPS can help. More importantly, your GPS unit can guide you back to safety when you get lost, or accidentally take the wrong turning. With voice guided directions, and software brimming with points of interest (POI), such as petrol stations, restaurants, service stations, and hotels; your GPS can guarantee you a journey of uninterrupted enjoyment.
Sound like the perfect toy? Well, with GPS systems becoming mainstream, and new features and models endlessly hitting the shelves, it can be a hard task deciphering which GPS device best suits your needs.
To help you out, it's worth considering the following points before you go ahead and purchase your first GPS for your motorcycle.
What Type of GPS Do You Need For Your Motorcycle?
Are Its Reception Capabilities Suitable For Your Needs?
Does the Battery Life Of Your GPS Suit Your Needs?
How Resistant Is Your GPS To Vibration & Hard Ware?
Do You Want 2-Way-Communication?
How Easy Is Your GPS To Update?
How Easy Is Your GPS To Update?
What Price Is Suitable?
What Type of GPS Do You Need For Your Motorcycle?
There are 3 types of GPS units for motorbikes; portable outdoor units, GPS units designed specifically for your motorcycle/ scooter, and GPS/PDA hybrids.
If you also enjoy outdoor activities such as mountain biking, rambling, or even camping; a portable GPS that can be taken anywhere with you would be ideal. As well as navigating your off-road persuits, versatile Sat Nav's, like the Garmin Quest 2, operate in any vehicle. As well as motorcycling, you can take it in your car, on your boat, or even on a plane with you.
GPS devices designed exclusively for motorcycles can offer you some very impressive features. Especially designed with you, the motorcyclist, in mind, units like the TomTom RIDER have tough, weather-proof casing, touch-screen options for gloves, and anti-glare screens. One of the latest features introduced by TomTom for effective communication, is a system which transmits your spoken instructions via a built-in Bluetooth audio system, using a headset that sits inside your helmet.
The final type of GPS device that may appeal to you is the PDA/GPS hybrid. Although these devices have been designed primarily with portability in mind, most come with the added bonus of having a large screen. So, like the hand-held outdoor GPS units, this type of GPS would be ideal for those of you who enjoy a range of outdoor activities. With an integrated PDA on top of this, GPS/ PDA devices, like the Mio A201 for example, can be handy for work and play. With features like Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, you will be able to catch up on work anytime, anyplace. If you prefer to listen to music on the move, play games, or store digital photos, a GPS device like this one is an ideal choice
Does the Reception Capabilities of Your Motorcycle GPS Meet Your Needs?
When selecting a GPS for your motorcycle, it is worth thinking about how accurate you want your satellite signals to be, in pinpointing your position.
A lot of GPS units available today have an accuracy of approximately 6-8 meters. However, many of the newer GPS models are designed with a WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) capability, resulting in accuracies of 3-4 meters 95% of the time. The Garmin Quest 2 for example, has a flip up external antenna equipped with a 12-channel WAAS GPS receiver; supplying position accuracy of up to 9 feet.
If you enjoy riding in dense woodlands and urban areas, it is worth noting that GPS devices incorporating the new SiRF Star III Chip Set, are units to look out for. This high performance, low power consumption chipset has superior sensitivity in high foliage surroundings. It is also worth noting that GPS units with external powered antennas are great in maintaining a signal in deep woodlands.
Does the Battery Life of Your Motorcycle GPS Suit Your Needs?
With the freedom to ride just about anywhere with a GPS; battery life is an important component to consider. Most GPS units use 2, 4, or 6 'AA' batteries, which can last up to 6 hours. GPS units with integrated rechargeable batteries are the ideal choice if you occasionally lose track of time. With GPS systems like the TomTom RIDER, you can charge your battery at home, while planning your next route, or continuously keep topped up with power, by charging your GPS directly from your bikes battery.
How Resistant Is Your Motorcycle GPS To Vibration & Hard Ware?
With the freedom to ride just about anywhere and not get lost, it is guaranteed your GPS will get a great deal of use (and reverberation). So, it is important to consider how durable your GPS is, in withstanding such conditions.
GPS devices designed exclusively for Motorcycles, like the TomTom RIDER have been designed with this in mind. Not only weather proof, its tough outer case and rugged shock proof mount has been designed to absorb any external friction.
Although most GPS devices come with a mount, it is an absolute must that you use a vibration isolated mount if your GPS will be used regularly on your motorcycle. The RAM mount by NPI, which is fast becoming the industry standard, manufacture anti-vibration ball and socket mounting systems allowing you to mount practically anything, anywhere with vibration protection and durability. This would be an ideal addition to the Garmin Quest 2 GPS if you were purchasing this portable GPS for a lot of use on your motorcycle.
Do You Want Your Motorcycle GPS To Have 2-Way Communication?
Some of the most recent GPS systems to be launched for motorcycles have taken 2-way communication to a whole new level.
If you own a GPRS Bluetooth enabled mobile phone, it is worth knowing that many Sat Nav's, like the TomTom RIDER, have incorporated a Bluetooth receiver, amongst their many features. With the ability to connect your phone via Bluetooth, and receive incoming phone calls through your GPS and Bluetooth headset, you need never have to take your gloves and helmet off to answer your phone again.
You could even use your Bluetooth enabled phones' wireless Internet, and with certain models of GPS, receive real time information on traffic conditions.
Enjoy riding in groups? It is worth knowing there are some recent hand held units that can offer built in radios that will not only allow you to communicate with other members of your group, but will also display everyone's location on your screen.
How Easy Is Your Motorcycle GPS To Update?
With Roads constantly changing, the ability to update your device easily, and at a reasonable cost, are very important factors to consider when selecting your GPS.
It is important to realize that each type of GPS will be updated in a different way, and so you need to choose which process is better for you.
Those which are attached to a PDA, like the Mio A201 for example, are usually updated via a PC, whereas dedicated in-vehicle units tend to be updated via a CD. These have to be purchased from the road map data supplier.
Some specific software vendors have solutions for preparing maps which can be downloaded to your GPS unit. Most notably, TomTom operate the TomTom PLUS service.
The Choice: Budget Considerations
In essence, your choice can be reasonably simple: Buy the most expensive GPS that you can afford, that suits your needs.
It is important, using my pointers above, to decide which features are most important to you. If you want an up-to-the-minute GPS for your motorcycle; with features like real-time, on demand traffic information, hands-free calling, turn by turn voice instructions via bluetooth headsets, alerts for speed camera locations, plus thousands of useful points of interest, GPS sytems like the TomTom RIDER start from approximately £550 inc. VAT.
If, however, you are looking for more of a toy to play with, and a GPS that will simply get you from A to B, then a hand held device could be a better choice. With a range of features, like simple voice guidance, compass mode, MP3 player, and essentially portability, GPS devices like the Mio 268 and the Garmin Quest 2 are ideal for motorcycles, and a range of outdoor activities. The Mio 268, and hand held GPS units with similar features, start from approximately £250 inc. VAT.
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