Vagabond Rider: Hope and prep

Suggestions for how to prepare for inevitable inconveniences

By Mark Keating

Riding a Harley-Davidson^® motorcycle is cheaper than therapy. It’s a wonderful way to unwind and empty your mind of life’s worries. Ride enough, though, and you will inevitably run into issues. Being prepared can be the difference between a mild inconvenience and something worse.

The basics

A mobile phone and a credit card can be the answer to most situations, in most places. Whether you experience a mechanical or health issue, lose your key fob or simply run out of gas, calling for help is (almost always) a great option.

As a HOG^® member you now have access to Deluxe Roadside Assistance, which covers up to two VINs with towing and roadside costs covered in full. This should be enough to get you out of most jams.

But calling for help isn’t always the quickest solution to basic problems. So what can you do to prepare – rather than waiting to be rescued?

Weather

The most common issue for motorcyclists is unanticipated weather. Getting wet in the heat of the summer may be a refreshing surprise. But wet accompanied by cold can be serious. Hypothermia is no laughing matter.

Being prepared is pretty simple. A simple set of rain pants and jacket is all it takes to stay dry. If you ride in climates with even more unpredictable weather – especially in the mountains – extra warm layers are also a good idea. You never know when temperatures will drop, especially at altitude.

Heat can be equally problematic – and even easier to address. Bring plenty of fluids with you, and find cool places to hide out from the heat from time to time (like an air-conditioned gas station).

Mechanical issues

As reliable and well built as Harley-Davidson motorcycles are, things eventually wear out. Being prepared for basic issues is pretty simple if you assemble a basic set of tools and learn how to use them!

As a high-mileage tourer, my toolkit is more extensive than the average person may need. In your tool roll you should have (at least) a small set of imperial wrenches, a basic set of imperial/Torx/Allen sockets, a knife and a multi-tool or vice-grips. Your H-D^® technician can help you determine the specific sizes to match your model. Duct tape and zip ties can be a godsend for roadside reassembly of something that’s supposed to be in one piece. I also carry a jumpstart battery and a tire plug kit/mini-pump.

Lastly, take a flashlight. And make sure you check the batteries at least once a season!

Health issues

If you suffer from any ongoing conditions, it’s likely already a habit to carry the necessary medical supplies. Don’t make riding your motorcycle an exception to that habit!

For more acute situations, a well-stocked first aid kit is extremely handy. Tell anyone you ride with where you keep that kit. A basic first aid course (better yet, one for remote or wilderness first aid) builds important foundational knowledge.

In addition to a core first aid kit, I’ve added a tourniquet and a mouldable splint to my own first aid supplies. Despite having no underlying medical conditions, I also wear a medical alert tag on my watchstrap and carry a wallet card that answer all necessary medical questions about me and list emergency contact info.

Navigation issues

With today’s technology, it’s difficult to imagine a world in which you could get lost. But even the best technology fails sometimes. That’s why I tuck a good map in the corner of a saddlebag. Carry one. And know how to read it!

For trips away from urban centres, extra fuel can also be super-helpful. We all occasionally make the mistake of passing a gas station thinking, “I’ll fuel up at the next one.” I carry an extra 3.8 litres of premium fuel in a container purpose-designed to slip neatly into an H-D saddlebag.

Final thoughts

Keeping your loved ones informed of your whereabouts can be of tremendous comfort to them, especially if you ride long distances. If you usually travel in areas with good cell coverage, tracking apps can show where you are (and sometimes leave breadcrumb paths of where you have been). For those of us that regularly travel long distances in areas without consistent cell service, a satellite-based tracker is a great upgrade. While the service plans may seem costly, the peace of mind makes it well worth it for me.