Walk Before You Run

Imagine you decide that you want to run a marathon.  How do you go about it?  Do you continue to sit on the sofa, old t-shirt and shorts, eating yesterday's pizza until you read in the paper that a marathon is going on that day, and then head downtown and start running?  Probably not, since it wouldn't be very enjoyable and the chances of finishing would be pretty small. You'd probably want an ambulance standing by as well to pick you up 5 miles down the road.  What you would likely do, if you weren't in shape, was to start walking fast or running short distances before the actual race, then building up to longer distances until you were comfortable in running a full marathon.

Riding your Harley is somewhat similar to the above scenario.  Remember when you bought a new bike?  (If you've never bought a new Harley, maybe you should consider it; the folks at Texan HD would be most helpful.)  You had to ride it slowly at first to break it in, varying speeds, not exceeding certain RPM levels, before you could "ride it like you stole it".

This same principle can apply to a lot of things we do in riding.  In our Group Riding Class, we talk about "riding your own ride", how to handle certain weather conditions like rain, heat or cold, and riding in group formations.  We discuss ways to cut down on your risk in different conditions and ride more safely on our rides.  But how do you do this if you've never experienced some of these conditions?  Many people, especially if they haven't ridden for a number of years, don't have a lot of miles in the rain, haven't ridden for extended periods in the cold, or have never taken a 4 day trip on a motorcycle, logging a thousand miles or more.

The answer is in the preparation and the practice.  Ask yourself these questions:

Has all your riding experience been on nice sunny days?  Well, before you take that Heritage or Iron Butt ride for 300 miles or more in the rain, learn what it's like to get wet.  Pick a day when there is a light rain and temperatures are not too bad, get your gear on, and ride around your neighborhood for a while.  Pick roads that are lightly traveled, keep your speed low, and ride for half an hour or an hour.  Does your rain suit let you move your arms enough to make the turns and use the controls?  Do your goggles or glasses fog up instantly?  Do your boots leak?  It's far better to find these things out before you're 20 miles into a 300 mile day and already miserable.

Have you ever ridden in 40 degree temperatures, or on 100 degree days?  Riding can become a whole different type of marathon then.  In cold weather, all the extra clothes you have on can limit mobility.  On really hot days, you may find that every 50 miles you tend to overheat and have to stop and cool off.  If you're not comfortable, you're not safe, and that leads to increased risk for you and the other riders in your group.  Again, take the time to get out on a short ride in some of these conditions, and see how you react to them.  It gives you a chance to learn how to dress, what gear works best for you, and how you may have to adjust your riding habits to adapt to the different conditions.  Talk to others as well about what works best for them and what doesn't, since one of the best sources of information is other chapter members who are riding with you.

Never taken a long ride?  Since Cut N Shoot rides more than most chapters, we take long rides; check the schedule and you can see that.  If you don't know that you can do 400 miles in a day, find a nice afternoon and take a few friends and push your limits a little.  Ride 100 miles without stopping, then take a break and do it again.  If you're with friends, and you find you get stressed out and have to stop, you can just stop, but you find out how you and the bike handle on longer distances.

Walk before you run, and prepare for that riding marathon, so you can be more comfortable on the road and more safe.  You will find that doing that makes it a lot more fun for you (and those in your group).

Ride Safe,

John Henry