How to Plan a Motorcycle Trip in 9 Steps, From Idea to Departure

To plan a motorcycle trip, first fix your dates and the number of riding days. Then pick a destination that's in season, draft the route, and cap each day by riding hours rather than miles.

After that come overnight stops, the budget, documents, the bike check and packing. This order works whether the trip is three days or three weeks, and each step below links to the Margumi guide that covers it in depth.

This page is part of our motorcycle trip planning hub.

Key takeaways- Budget time before money. A rider handbook says experienced riders seldom ride more than about six hours a day.- Plan a stop at least every two hours.- Rules change at state lines. Seventeen US states and DC require helmets for all riders, and three states have no helmet law.- Check the bike before every ride and set tire pressure and suspension for the extra load.

What you need before you start

• A calendar with your fixed dates, including the day you must be home
• A route tool (an app or a desktop planner) plus a paper map or saved offline area
• Your bike's owner's manual, for load limits, tire pressures and service intervals
• License, registration and insurance details
• A notebook or spreadsheet for the budget and the packing list

Step 1: Fix the dates and count riding days

Write down the departure date, the last possible return date, and how many of those days you want to ride. Leave at least one day without a plan on any trip longer than a long weekend. A breakdown, a storm or a road you want to ride twice will use it.

Step 2: Choose a destination that is in season

Pick the place after you know the dates, not before. Seasons can close a route or make it miserable.

Death Valley's park service, for example, urges riders to visit between October and April and warns that moving air gives no cooling once the heat index passes 99°F (37.2°C). Thunderstorms matter too: if you can hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance, and an open vehicle is not a safe shelter.

For destination ideas by region and season, see motorcycle touring destinations around the world.

Step 3: Draft the route

Start with the must-see points, then connect them. In the US, Interstate numbers tell you the direction: odd numbers run north-south and even numbers east-west. For slower, scenic roads, the federal America's Byways program gives maps, directions and visitor information for designated routes.

Building the route in detail (daily legs, fuel gaps, alternates) is covered in how to plan a motorcycle road trip. To compare tools, read how to choose a motorcycle trip planning app.

Step 4: Set a daily limit in hours

Divide the route into days by time in the saddle. 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.

Avoid planning to arrive after dark on roads you don't know. At night the handbook advises riding slower and leaving at least three seconds of following distance.

The last three rows are our planning advice, not rules from the handbook.

Step 5: Plan the overnight stops

Decide which nights need a booking and which can stay open. Busy places and event weeks need reservations early; quiet roads often don't. If you plan to camp, read the complete guide to motorcycle camping before you choose sites.

Step 6: Build the budget

List the four big costs: fuel, beds, food and fees. Fees are the easiest to pin down early. The US national parks annual pass costs $80 for residents, and the non-resident pass covers the holder plus passengers on two motorcycles.

For a worked example on a classic route, see how much a Route 66 motorcycle trip costs.

Step 7: Check documents and rules

• Insurance. Check your coverage with your insurer before you ride.
• Helmet laws. They change at state lines (see the IIHS helmet law table). Seventeen states plus DC require helmets for all riders, 30 states have partial laws, and Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire have none.
• Crossing into Canada. The Canada Border Services Agency recommends a valid passport.
• Riding overseas. AAA issues International Driving Permits to US license holders for $20, no more than six months before the start date.

Step 8: Prepare the bike

Book any service early enough to ride the bike for a few days afterward. Then run the California handbook's pre-ride check: tires (pressure, wear, tread), fluids, lights, turn signals, battery, brake light, chain or belt, kickstand, then clutch, throttle and mirrors. With luggage on, set tire pressure and suspension to the recommended settings for the weight.

Wrong loading and wrong tire pressure are common causes of wobble.

Renting a bike? Make the same checks and learn where every control is before you leave the lot. The full list is in motorcycle trip checklist: what to check before you leave.

Step 9: Pack, load and share the plan

Pack from a list, then load the bike: keep weight low and over or in front of the rear axle, and keep the saddlebags even. Use our motorcycle trip packing list for what to bring.

Before you go, download offline map areas that cover the whole route, because offline guidance only works inside the saved area. Leave your route and nightly stops with someone at home.

Common planning mistakes

• Planning in miles only. A 300-mile day on mountain roads is not the same as 300 miles of interstate. Plan in hours.
• No buffer day. One storm and the whole plan slips.
• New gear on day one. Ride with full luggage at least once before the trip so you know how the bike handles. With a passenger, braking distance also grows.
• Trusting one device. Phones die and offline maps expire unless you update them.

Gear for the trip

Pack riding gear for the coldest and wettest day on the route. Long cold rides can cause chill, dehydration and fatigue. If you need touring clothing, Leather Collection motorcycle touring jackets come in cowhide with vents, reflective piping or zip-off sleeves, in standard or custom sizes.

FAQ

Is 200 miles a long motorcycle ride? It depends on the road, not the number. Use time instead: experienced riders seldom go beyond about six hours a day, with a break at least every two hours. On fast roads, 200 miles can fit inside that; on twisty roads it may not.

Does Google Maps show motorcycle routes? Google lists two-wheeled routing for about 40 countries and regions. The US, Canada and European countries are not on that list. Elsewhere, riders use a car route or a motorcycle routing app.

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

Planning something longer? Read how to plan a long motorcycle trip.