This post is brought to you by Best Western; all opinions are my own. This post does contain affiliate links.
If you have ever been on a Harley motorcycle for a very long time, you know it’s one of the most enjoyable experiences. There is nothing like traveling on a motorcycle, riding down a long, twisty mountain road without a care in the world, or even cruising down the highway with nothing between you and the open road but your helmet and the clothes on your back. The feeling of the wind, fresh air, and riding with some pals—there is just nothing like it. When my husband and I go on long trips on the Harley, I never drive. My husband doesn’t let me drive our truck on road trips; there is no way he’s going to let me drive the Harley. On long road trips, I prefer sitting on the back of the bike; not a care in the world; it’s when I work out all the world’s problems and feel the most at peace.
10 Things You Should Know Before Traveling On A Motorcycle
Can you tell I am super excited? It’s the last time my husband and I will travel on a motorcycle until it warms up again, and then we will hit the road until the weather gets nicer. Until the weather warms up, we’ll stay close to home. So this run is extra special and extra fun, and this year we have a lot of friends we will be meeting about an hour outside of town.
Remember, be safe. I just had to say it. I have seen people be totally careless, and it always scares me.
Flying rocks: Wear your helmet. I really don’t think this needs too much discussion. Other than protecting you from the obvious, you’ll be glad you’re wearing it if the car in front of you kicks a rock at 60 mph.
Equipment: There is other equipment you should wear for safety: safety glasses or a face shield, because you don’t want to get a big eye. OUCH! Protective clothing is a good idea when you’re traveling long distances—jeans, jackets, riding boots, and gloves. Wearing helps, and there are reasons for it. Having a look at the best motorcycle Bluetooth headsets is also key to staying in touch with family, friends, and other riders! You can also check out Five Pieces of Gear No Traveling Motorcyclist Should Be Without for great advice.
You’ll feel younger – I don’t know if it’s me, but riding our Harley’s makes me feel young and free again. I love the weekends when we’re able to send the kids to Granny’s and just ride!
Routine Maintenance: Keeping up with routine maintenance will not only make your ride more pleasurable but also more safe. It’s also a good idea to check your bike before you leave. Maintenance might be boring, time-consuming, and cost a little money, but it’s 100% necessary.
You’ll have more friends, & so will your bike. Once you start riding, you’ll notice how many more people talk to you and wave at you. Which is great because bikers are some of the most awesome people you’ll meet. Be nice to your fellow bikers too!
Wave: When you’re on your bike, people will wave to you; just be nice and wave back. There is no reason you should try to figure out who it is, because it’s likely you don’t know them. Even if they were not on a bike and they waved to you, I’m going to bet they own one or wish they owned one. Oh, or maybe they’re checking out your bike.
Cruising is cool again – Okay, so when you were younger, you used to drive just to drive. Well, you’ll find yourself doing that again. Only this time, it’s better!
Smart Packing: Once you get the hang of packing, you’ll be surprised at how much your Harley can carry. Check out Secure Your Gear When You Travel by Motorcycle for great tips..
When attending a bike event, make reservations at Best Western early as possible. If you’re planning to attend a biker rally, which I highly suggest doing at least once to get the feel for it, be sure to make your reservation with a Best Western hotel as early as possible. We make our when we check out for the next year, because the rally is always the same weekend, and if something comes up it’s easier to cancel than find a room last-minute. Okay, I am really excited about everything Best Western is doing for bikers. So excited that I visited the Best Western Rider Program, joined, and changed our reservations for our upcoming rally in Ruidoso to a Best Western Hotel. I worried they wouldn’t have a room, but thankfully they did. However, they did tell me they were filling up quickly.
My husband and I are gearing up for our last bike run of the summer; we’re going to traveling on the motorcycle to a rally in Ruidoso, NM. If you haven’t been, it’s beautiful and totally worth the trip. We have several rallies we ride to every year, but Ruidoso, NM is my favorite. Maybe it’s because I grew up there, maybe it’s something about riding our motorcycle through the mountains, and breathing the fresh air, or maybe it’s meeting up with a bunch of awesome people who have something in common – the love to ride.
My husband and I used to camp out, but things happen, we get older, and a little spoiled, and well sorry I spend 3 weeks out of the summer, plus several weekends camping with the family, it’s not going to happen when the hubs and I are out enjoying some adult time on the bike. Plus, it’s cold in the mountains. We both prefer a nice warm room, like at a Best Western.
Did you know there are more than 1,200 Best Western properties in the United States and Canada, which are identified as “rider friendly,” which means riders have access to amazing amenities important to them. Oh you didn’t know about Best Western’s Ride Rewards? It’s okay, I am just learning about them too, if you ride, or plan on riding you’re going to want to join the Ride Rewards Program with Best Western. Check this out..
Best Western’s Ride Rewards Program
Best Western® is not only known for their great rooms, and hospitality, but now you can enjoy their Western Ride Rewards® program, which is designed for Harley-Davison® enthusiasts. If you’re someone who loves hitting the pavement, now can do so as a Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, or Diamond Elite member and receive points for every US dollar you spend on qualified hotel room stays, and receive a discount of 10% or more because you’re part of the Western Ride Rewards Program.
Best Western Ride Rewards® members are automatically upgraded to the Gold Elite status so you can early points faster, and receive 10% bonus points on each qualifying stay at a Best Western hotel.
H.O.G. Members
Did you know you can register with your H.O.G. member number and take advantage of the Platinum Elite status? You sure can, so be sure and register if you are able.
How many rider friendly hotels will you find? Oh only about 1,200, lol I know that’s a lot of rider friendly hotels WORLDWIDE! Yes, I did say worldwide. Best Western has thought of a few things you’ll appreciate, like:
- Washing Station
- Wipe-down Towel Available at all Rider Friendly® location
- Bottled water for riders upon arrival
- Enjoy Best Western’s motorcycle travel articles by enthusiast Jason Fogelson on the blog YouMustBeTrippin.com.
- Plan your next trip easily with Harley-Davidson’s Ride Planner tool, which features Best Western Hotels.
- You can contact Best Western Ride Rewards® customer service at 1-888-BW2-BIKE
Best Western Rider Rewards®
Easy; you’ll earn 10 points for every U.S. dollar you spend on qualifying Best Western hotel stays. You can also earn points by using a product or service from one of their partners. Once you have enough points you can use them on a nice choice of awards, from free room nights at Best Western hotels worldwide, to airline miles, gift cards, entertainment, and dinning.
If you’re a Harley-Davidson owner or motorcycle enthusiast, you can register for BW Ride RewardsTM, which is totally free, by visiting BWRider.com.
Be sure to visit Best Western’s travel blog You Must Be Tripping, which features travel writer and motorcycle enthusiast, Jason Foglson. Everything you find on Must Be Trippin is personal stories, suggestions, packing tips, ideas and more. To check out the blog visit MustBeTrippin.com.
So what do you think, will be traveling on a motorcycle or joining Best Westerns Rider Rewards program?
