Cruising on the open road…
Aug 27th, 2009 by Leo
Okay I have to admit, some people are wusses when it comes to lane splitting; other people are wusses when it comes to riding in traffic, or lean angle, or speed. I’m a “wuss” when it comes to cruising for long miles on the highway. Sixty miles is the longest I’ve gone without a break. And I would only willingly do that twice in a day, and grudgingly at that. I can spend all day in traffic on a scooter, or all day at the track on a sportbike, and not feel the pain, the soreness and numbness (hands and feet) I get from cruising the highway for just an hour. Part of it’s my bike (a CBR 600RR) but a big part of it is just me…because I know who ride all day on that thing…
Now ironically my low tolerance for cruising gives me some experience in dealing with the sorts of trouble that normal people don’t experience until hundreds of miles later… Such as…
1. Stretching AFTER a long ride is more important than stretching before…
You want to make sure none of those sore muscles from the ride start to cramp up once you’re off the bike. If your body position on the bike is okay, then you should probably focus on upper body stretches (click for some examples). I find the shoulder, side and tricep stretch the most useful after a long ride.
If you’re not used to the bike and your legs get tense, then do some of the lower body stretches runners do (click click).
You can also do some accupressure if you start to feel a cramp coming on. Here’s the principle and a how-to for leg cramps. You can apply that idea to should muscles and lower back muscles too if you can reach…
2. Numbness in the hands from handlebar vibration can cause serious physical problems…
I used to think “bar end weights? What’s the point of those?” They can help lessen the vibration in the handle bars… But unfortunately in sport bikes, not really very much. The effects of vibration can be similar to the effects of cold; blood is not able to circulate in your fingers very well, and can lead to carpel tunnel syndrome. Jack hammer operators and people in construction face similar problems.
What can you do?
The best thing is if you can alternate your speed enough that the engine isn’t revving at the same speed for minutes on end… But if traffic doesn’t allow, and aftermarket bar ends don’t help, then you just have to take frequent breaks to let the blood circulate back into your digits.
3. Zoning out is your enemy…
Most US roads are idiot-proof. You can text your friends an hour after having a drink while speeding down the highway and still make your exit. But every now and then you get road construction, or an unexpected traffic development that requires swift thinking. Unfortunately, cruising is mind-numbing (as well as hand numbing) business sometimes… And all of a sudden you might not be so confident you can make the turn, and panic sets in. How do you keep that from happening?
Move around within the traffic patterns. Zoning out can feel nice, but it actually contributes to body soreness (you tend to sit in the same position for longer), and hand numbing (same engine speed, same buzz transferred to the bars). If you can move around in traffic it will keep you alert and thinking, while making you more visible to the cars around you…keeping you out of blind spots.
4. Get off the highways and take some local roads…
Most of the interesting parts of the ‘burbs’ are away from the highway. One way to move around the bike a little more, alternate your speed, and give you opportunities to stop for breaks is by taking some local roads along the way. There’s nothing like riding by rural neighborhoods in the summer and being able to smell the grass, the trees, the smell of BBQ. Soak it in because that’s what cruising is all about.
Or so I hear…
Have any more cruising advice? Share the wealth in the comments section! Cheers!
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It seems you are using the word “cruising” to refer to long distance riding.
My definition of cruising is the act of riding short distances on uncomfortable, ergonomically inadequate motorcycles, as in “Let’s go cruising from that bar to that tavern.”
If you’re looking for long distance riding advice, my #1 tip would be to invest in a custom seat, preferably a true custom seat that’s specifically made to fit your rear end. The price is high, but the benefits are worth it.
Haha. Yeah I might sometimes use your definition also.
Here, I meant “cruising” like you’d do on a “cruiser” like one of the more ergonomically sound Harley’s or the king of cruisers (in my book) the Gold Wing (it aint gold for nothing). But I suppose a chopper is a “cruiser” too – although I don’t know why.
Hydrate. Get a Camelbak so you don’t have to stop as frequently. Make sure you are drinking lots of water, because even if it’s not hot, the wind pulls a LOT of water out of you. Dehydration can really hurt your mental acuity.
Earplugs! If you don’t use them, you should. I find the noise very tiring.
Tinted visor. Like the noise, squinting at the sun really wears me out.
I find it difficult to go distances, because I get bored. I take MANY MANY breaks, which really kills my progress. I don’t think I can ride more than about 90 minutes without wanting to pull over.