Tips for Commuting on a Motorcycle
Not all Harley fans are weekend warriors. It's possible to commute to your job — even your office work — on your motorcycle. After all, why ignore your ride five days of the week? To make sure your commute is fun and lets you stay professional, we’ve compiled our best tips for commuting by motorcycle:
- Stay visible with the right clothing: The morning and evening commute are filled with sedans, SUVs and other vehicles. You’d think that would make you stand out, but frantic drivers sometimes overlook motorcycles. Commutes offer a chance to break out your most eye-catching gear to make sure others can see you.
- Wear the right gear: For commuting on your motorcycle, you’ll want to have a helmet, pants, a light and waterproof jacket, a heavier waterproof jacket at times if you’re in a four-season environment, boots, gloves and a rain suit. Make your gear visible and choose wisely — a hot day can turn cold and rainy fast, and you want to be ready for anything.
- Think about your motorcycle's condition: You may need to step up service of your motorcycle and maybe even get roadside assistance or a tool roll in case you get into trouble. Make sure you have sport touring tires or tires that offer dry and wet traction with ease and enable you to handle your motorcycle well. Keep in mind that daily use and lots of stops and starts can put wear and tear on your ride. Check the tire air pressure and overall condition of your motorcycle regularly.
- Contact your insurance provider: If you wan to start riding to work, you’ll put extra miles on your motorcycle. It’s time to call your insurance company if you're making a switch from weekend riding.
- Get extra storage space: You don’t have a trunk anymore, so you need a safe and dry space to store papers, your phone and anything else you need for work. Backpacks, saddlebags, tank bags and top cases are all ways to stash your extra gear. What you choose should be based on your budget, storage needs and personal style.
- Consider a change of clothes: If you can, stow an extra change of clothes at work or in your motorcycle storage space, especially if you work an office or corporate job. You never know when an errant bit of mud or a sudden rain shower will make your commute more interesting.
- Think about the weather: Weather conditions will play a larger role in your commute if you ride a motorcycle. No more hiding in the bubble of your car. Get into the habit of checking the forecast before you ride, and set up an alert on your phone so that you’ll be warned of changing conditions. Have a Plan B for getting to work dry, or at least figure out where you can change into dry clothes once you get there. If there’s a chance of rain, make sure you put on waterproof gear — even the smallest drizzle will be uncomfortable if you’re riding without protective clothing.
Need Some Help Getting Your Motorcycle Commute-Ready?
Fat Head Cycles offers in-shop services that can help if you need to get ready for your commute. Our store also has everything you need to customize your ride with style.
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Harley-Davidson owners can all agree on one thing — owning a Harley means more than having a motorcycle. Owning a Harley introduces you to the Harley-Davidson lifestyle that owners know and love.
Chris Rutter
Author