How to Plan a Motorcycle Road Trip Route: Roads, Daily Legs, Fuel and Backups

To plan a motorcycle road trip route, fix your start, end and must-see points first. Next, choose the type of road for each section and split the route into daily legs by riding hours. Then mark fuel and rest stops, and save a backup you can follow with no signal.

This page covers only the route. For the full process (dates, budget, documents, bike prep), see how to plan a motorcycle trip.

Part of our motorcycle trip planning hub.

Key takeaways- Mix road types on purpose: fast roads to cover ground, slow roads for the riding you came for.- Size each day in hours. A rider handbook puts the usual ceiling at about six hours a day, with a stop at least every two hours.- Offline maps only guide you if the whole route is inside the saved area.- Have a weather plan. If you can hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance.

Pick the road type for each section

Most good road-trip routes mix road types. Use this table to decide which sections go on which kind of road.

The "best for" and "trade-off" notes are our planning view, not data.

1. Set the anchor points and the shape

Mark three things on the map: where you start, where you must end, and the places you will not skip. Then choose the shape:

• Loop. Start and end at home. You won't need a one-way rental or shipping, and you can shorten it on the way back.
• One-way. It covers more new road, but you'll need a way to get the bike home.
• Out-and-back. Simple, but half the miles repeat. Use a different road for the return when you can.

Crossing the whole country? The contiguous US has four standard time zones, from Pacific (UTC-8) to Eastern (UTC-5), one hour apart. Riding east, each zone line costs you an hour of clock time, so plan those days shorter.

For a coast-to-coast plan, read how to plan a cross-country motorcycle trip.

2. Cut the route into daily legs by hours

Measure each leg in riding time, not miles. The California DMV motorcycle handbook says experienced riders seldom ride more than about six hours a day and should stop and get off the bike at least every two hours. So a six-hour leg needs at least two planned stops in the middle.

End each leg before dark where you can. At night the handbook advises riding slower and leaving three seconds or more of following distance, which makes the last hour slower than your app predicts.

3. Mark fuel stops and service gaps

Find your bike's tank size and typical consumption in the owner's manual, then work out a cautious range for each day. Mark a fuel stop well before that range runs out, and earlier on remote sections.

Some areas have few services and little or no cell signal. Death Valley's park service, for example, warns there is no cell signal in most of the park.

Long-distance riders plan fuel tightly. The Iron Butt Association's coast-to-coast 50cc Quest, for example, requires a gas stop at least every 350 miles. That's a rule for that ride, not a target for a road trip.

4. Build the route in an app, then make a backup

Use whichever planner you like for the main route; our guide on how to choose a motorcycle trip planning app lists what to compare. Don't rely on Google Maps for motorcycle-specific routing in North America or Europe. Its two-wheeled routing list covers about 40 countries and regions, and the US, Canada and European countries are not among them.

Then make two backups:

1. Offline map areas. Google Maps offline areas only guide you if the whole route is inside them. You also get no traffic info or alternate routes offline, and saved areas must be updated before they expire.
2. A paper map or printed turn list. It doesn't need a battery. See choosing a map for a motorcycle trip.

5. Add alternates for weather and closures

For each day, note one shorter alternate and one bad-weather alternate. Lightning is the main reason to stop: there is no safe place outside in a thunderstorm, and an open vehicle such as a motorcycle doesn't count as shelter, while substantial buildings and hard-topped vehicles do. Mark places along the route where you could wait out a storm indoors.

Heat matters too. On desert sections, the Death Valley park service advises riding before 10 a.m., taking shade breaks and staying hydrated.

6. Adjust the route for a passenger or a group

A passenger slows the bike's responses and lengthens braking, so plan a slower pace on twisty sections.

Groups take longer at every stop. The handbook says groups larger than four or five riders should split, everyone should know the route, and long rides need frequent stops. Share the route file with every rider before the trip.

7. Ride the first leg as a test

If you can, ride the first leg, or any similar road, with full luggage a week before you leave. Check that your timings hold and that the load stays put. Rider handbooks advise stopping regularly to make sure the load hasn't worked loose.

What to load is covered in our motorcycle trip packing list.

Gear for long days on the road

Choose gloves for the hottest and the wettest days on your route, not the average day. Leather Collection motorcycle gloves are made in 0.8-0.9 mm (about 0.03 in) cowhide, in styles from vintage to race and summer gloves.

FAQ

How do I map out a motorcycle trip? Mark the start, end and must-see points, choose a road type for each section, split the route into daily legs by hours, and add fuel stops and a backup map. Each step is explained above.

How many miles can you comfortably ride a motorcycle in a day? No agency gives a mile figure, and comfort depends on the road. The California handbook gives a time limit instead: experienced riders seldom ride more than about six hours a day.

Does Google Maps have a motorcycle route planner? Only in some countries. Google's two-wheeled routing list does not include the US, Canada or European countries.

What is the 12-second rule on a motorcycle? Riders use it for how far ahead to look. We haven't checked a primary source for the 12-second figure. The California handbook says at least 10 to 15 seconds ahead.

Planning weeks rather than days? Read how to plan a long motorcycle trip. Wondering what changes when your road trip is on two wheels instead of four? See how to plan a road trip by motorcycle.