Sturgis rally is fun but leaving for it is an adventure itself. Your journey and adventures along the way would be pleasant and pleasing when you are prepared. When you are going on a trip, tours, adventure or anything or such sort everything always does not goes how you planned it. So, it is better to be prepared for the unexpected. If you have never been to Sturgis Rally before then you need this. But if you were at all previous rallies then just tag along with us and you might find something useful. 

What is the Sturgis Rally?

Sturgis Rally is one of the world's biggest rallies that is held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota, USA. This rally offers Harley Davidson, BMW, Honda and other motorcycles riders to come and enjoy. There is lots of entertainment, games, rides, and beauty to discover during the rally. This year marks the 79th anniversary of it. Every year the rally celebrates the biking culture, music and more. If you are going to attend the rally you are going to travel a long distance. But before you do that here are some tips on how to prepare for your ride to Sturgis motorcycle rally 2019.

Safety is always first

Either you are riding in the city or going to Sturgis, safety, and protection should be first on the priority list. If you have ever been in a motorcycle accident then you know how important it is to wear proper gear. The first and most important thing is the helmet. Believe us it protects you a lot. Covering your face and eyes protecting them from particles and from any incident is that not enough? Then comes the real part, motorcycle jackets are also very important and necessary. Textile and leather are two famous types of riding jackets. Even though you are riding safely and with caution but you do not know when it happens. 

It is always better to be prepared for it! Best motorcycle jackets are the ones that are made of animal hides and have protective armor. Animal hides are the best protection material against scrapes and abrasions in case of accidents. Among all hides, the kangaroo and deer are best but expensive, while cowhide is cheaper and very good but slightly less than the former. Protective armor is to guard your vital body parts from severe damaging. CE approved armor is reliable and the best one. Protection does not end here and you should also be wearing gloves and motorcycle chaps to protect your hands and legs too! 

Trip insurance is something you should definitely pack when going on a trip. As there are not always going to be riders around you. So, if you are in some sort of trouble or some other situation then your insurance company will come to help on a call. Travel insurance is another thing that assists you to reach the destination helping along the way. This might not seem like safety to you but it will really help you out in trouble and save you plenty of time. Keep the emergency number on the go.

Check everything before leaving

If you are going on your bike then it is mandatory to check everything before leaving once. It is sort of a pre-trip checkup for your bike. There are many things to check before leaving like 

• Break oil
• Engine oil
• Tires
• Lights
• Side-stand
• Controls
• Chassis
• Breaks
• Flat pad for the kickstand
• Master cylinder
• Clutch
• Chain

And this is just the beginning, this would be a general checkup so make sure you do not miss anything. Doing these yourself can take up a lot of time so you can go to professionals.

You would not want to save some pocket change now and find yourself in some alone place searching for help. Getting worried or finding a mechanic on tours and rides is no fun. Check and see if there are some weird noise or sings and fix them accordingly. Even if you do not know what to check and replace your mechanic does, or do they? That is why we recommend going to some trusted professionals.

Rain protection before it comes! 

Just having a rain suit would not protect you from rain you have to wear it. What is the point in waiting for the rain constantly keeping your eyes and brains to the sky? This way you could not focus on the road and enjoy your journey. We suggest that you wear your rain suit before it rains. If you think it will rain just wear the suit and go on and when you are sure to take it off just take it off. Stopping on the road to wear your suit when it starts raining has many safety hazards and dangers. Waiting under an overpass, under some tree by the road or some other place just ruins your joy, doesn’t it? If it rains hard and you cannot ride, even then rain suit will protect you from getting wet until you find some safe shade. 

Prepare before the trip

If you know that you would have to replace tires during the trip then do it beforehand. What is the point in getting a few more miles from it but wasting a lot of time replacing then during the trip? You can spend that time on sleep or rest which will give you the power to go forward. You can do it at home yourself if you feel like it but that will not cost you much compared to going to a mechanic. So, plan everything accordingly before going and do all the work you need so that you do not have to do it on the way. 

Things to avoid

Where there are some things that we recommend here are the ones you should avoid. If you have changed your tires and/or other things in your bike do not take the trip as a test drive for it. Just test it before that. If your bike is asking for last-minute changes and new parts then you should go for it. Even then make sure everything is working perfectly fine. The bottom line is to avoid doing long trips right after because it is not the time to test parts, accessories, and maintenance work. 

Fill gas beforehand

Stop for gas when you can and fill your tank. You would not even notice that you ran out or are running low on gas and now it is time for searching. The search can take up a lot of your time, you did not stop for gas to save time and now you are searching for it wasting a lot more than that. Spending 10 or 12 minutes to pump gas can be crucial. But at the same time gas stop can waste a lot of time if you do not manage it properly. 

We are not suggesting to stop at every gas station or to keep your tank full. There can be few miles between two gas stations so it is better to full your tank when it is half or less than half. Keep cash and multiple cards with you just in case if one does not work you would have other options. Sometimes banks shut down your system because of sudden heavy usage.

Bring supplies

Now, your bike is all ready and packing supplies is what’s left. Packing your supplies is a major part in preparing for the trip, if you do not have the right things with you the weather can get troublesome around you. Here are basic things that you would want to pack for the trip to Sturgis Rally. 

• Sun-block
• Sunglasses
• Clothes (shirt, undies, pants, socks)
• Drinking water
• First-aid kit
• Rain suit (jacket, pants, gloves) 
• Cell-phone charger
• Toothpaste and brush
• Deodorant
• Road map (not every area has cell coverage)

Wise packing

Now that you are doing your packing make sure you pack wisely. The basic rule is to pack the most required things at an easily accessible place. Get a tank bag if you can and get items you need most like sunscreen, skin lotions, eye drops, flashlight, maps, etc. where you can get them easy and quick. This is important because if you must stop and find you would never use it. For instance, the sun was burning your skin but you didn’t know where the sun-block was and now you have roasted skin. Anything is not enjoyable now and you hate this trip. South Dakota is a place where it rains often and heavy so make sure to keep your rain suit in an accessible location. Insurance, license, and registration could be kept in such a place which is waterproof even if it takes time finding. Meanwhile, you can talk and convince the officer that you are a law-abiding responsible citizen.

Don't waste time 

Most important on such trips, like the one to Sturgis, is that should not waste your time on things like shopping, stopping un-necessarily.  You are not out for shopping and testing out places to drink, relax, and eat. But if you are you can do it with all your heart. Also, make sure you have everything on you before leaving the house, you can do this by maintaining a checklist. Take what you need with you so that you do not have to stop here and there. If you feel like taking along snacks, candies, sweets, and other things along do so because finding them on the way would consume your precious time. We already mentioned having a first aid kit with you. But do not forget to put your medicine, pain killers, and you know what you need. Toothpaste, toothbrush, and deodorant could prove to be very helpful as well. 

Plan trip according to your limit!

Riders know how much they can ride in a day. It is not worth to test your limits in a multi-day trip, the one like a route to Sturgis Rally. If your trip is long but one day then you can take yourself to the edge. We suggest not doing that even if it is a one-day trip unless you are running late and doing so would save the day. 

Stopping from time to time and stretching out will pass oxygen to the brain and muscles. Stretching your body and back and taking a nap will give you the power and will you need to go further. Maintain a speed limit that you feel safe at riding according to the trip and distance. We recommend allotting a little extra time to each divided trip. This way even if you run short or fall behind you know you have the extra time to cover things up. Again, taking rest is very important!

Bonus

Avoiding boredom

On long rides getting bored is common, even if the route is scenic. This happens more often when riding alone. For one rider if a route is boring to others it might be interesting, beautiful, and joyful. What you can do in this condition is to avoid boredom. Listening to music, eating some candy, and other things like it will keep you on road. If you are falling asleep because of boredom, then do not worry because it happens. Eating a sour dip or lemon drops will keep your eyes open and you can easily go an extra mile. Take some pictures if you have the time and energy.

Staying hydrated!

Water intake is very important, even if you do not feel like it. Just like your bike the body needs fuel to run too! The fuel it needs is food and water. Of course, no one wants to get dehydrated and go to a hospital when they got out to have fun. Bringing more than one bottles would be a good idea!