Preparing and Upgrading Adventure Motorcycles for Long-Distance Travel

There is nothing more interesting for a biker than going on a long-distance trip. It is among the best experiences that one can ever have, especially if they love outdoor riding experiences on different terrains. The travel experience becomes more fun and joyful if you choose to go on an adventure motorbike.

The adventure motorcycles are the face of adventure riding. The trend of long-distance traveling has shifted quite a lot, and more riders are now opting for adventure motorbikes. The reason is very clear. Riders want more fun and versatility from their bikes. To cater to their versatile needs, ADV motorcycles are a more preferred option.

However, just like any other motorcycle requires a bit of preparing and upgrades, adventure motorcycles also need a bit of touch-up and attention before you take them on long-distance travel. Continue reading this article to learn how you can prepare and upgrade your adventure motorbikes for long-distance travel.

It depends on your personal preferences whether you find your stock seat comfortable or not. Most stock ADV motorcycle seats are a compromise between comfort and performance, due to which they are not very soft and cushioned.

If you wish to use your adventure motorbike for long-distance travel, you must opt for a comfortable motorbike seat with gel or memory foam. Long-distance traveling requires riders to ride their bikes for extended periods of time. Also, if you plan to do adventure riding on gravel and dirt, your seat must not be either too soft or too hard.

While choosing the aftermarket seat, you must also consider your size and height. Most of the time, changing the seat results in a small change in the seat height due to the thickness of the new seat.

For long-distance travel, the seat must be fairly soft and well-padded. If you want to do more off-roading than on-roading, your seat must be slightly extended to ensure that you can move or adjust your body.

If your adventure motorcycle doesn’t come with a stock luggage rack, make sure not to install the seat yet. It is because most aftermarket luggage racks require you to unmount your seat for installation. As the seat is removed, install the luggage rack in the right place.

While putting the bolts back in their place, make sure to use some Loctite on the bolts. This will ensure secure mounts.

As the luggage rack is installed, it will add more space on our adventure motorbike to mount more luggage. For a long-distance journey, it is important to have a well-balanced luggage mounting system so you have more space to add luggage.

You cannot carry luggage on your adventure motorcycle effectively without the luggage rack. It allows for the installation of multiple luggage bags at once without compromising the balance and stability of the motorbike.

A complete luggage system is an all-in-one solution to add enough storage space on your adventure motorcycle for long-distance travel. It comes behind your adventure motorbike. The ADV touring luggage system is basically a whole set of multiple luggage bags. It is better than other options because it sits tightly on the bike and is soft enough, ensuring a low weight.

A luggage system features two side bags on each side of the motorbike and an attached tail bag, making it a pack of three. Viking Bags' adventure touring luggage system uses strong construction material, including ballistic nylon. It also offers easy installation with secure mounting straps. Above all, the luggage system offers more than enough storage space on your ADV motorcycle for long-distance adventure touring.

On the other hand, if you want solid and more secure luggage bags for your adventure motorcycle that fit tightly, hard side cases are the best option. Considering adventure motorcycles are also meant for off-roading, they require strong and hard luggage bags.

The hard side cases are not flexible. Instead, they remain fixed in a place, which proves to be useful while off-roading on an ADV bike.

Hard side cases also offer various advantages over other luggage options. Firstly, they offer better safety to securely store your luggage on a long-distance ride. They are also very easy-to-mount luggage options for your motorbikes. All you need to do is securely mount the installation brackets on your bike, and then you can easily attach and remove these hard cases whenever you want without using any tools.

To further improve the storage space, you will need a top case that fits on the rear of the motorcycle on the luggage rack. The hard top case is almost similar to the side case but has more storage space due to its size. These hard top cases and side cases are made of sturdy material, perfect for harsh off-road conditions.

These top and side cases are a better alternative for the ADV touring luggage system. However, they are more rigid and are firmly attached to the motorbike’s frame. On the other hand, the luggage system requires more straps and hooks, and they are more prone to deformation.

ADV panniers are another alternative for hard luggage bags. These are soft luggage bags that are flexible and have lots of storage space. They usually have hard mounts on the side facing the motorcycle’s frame that fit easily with the bracket installed on the motorcycle.

A tank bag is a very handy luggage item to install on an adventure motorbike, especially for long-distance travel. It may not provide as much space as other bags, but it ensures very easy access. Riders can have access to the tank bag even during the ride. A tank bag is a good place to store items that you require more frequently.

A motorcycle backpack is usually not something that attaches to a motorcycle. Instead, it is usually carried by the rider on his shoulders. It also comes in very handy as a luggage item, as it is carried by riders and remains with them throughout the journey.

Even if you are not closer to the bike, you still have access to the backpack. Riders usually carry the most essential and frequently used items in the backpack. It is also the most secure luggage option, considering it is carried by the rider.

Most adventure motorbikes come with stock engine skid plates to keep the engine safe from mud, flying rocks, and other hazards. It is one of the most useful items installed on adventure bikes and other off-road motorcycles. However, most stock skid plates on ADV motorcycles aren’t tough enough to bear extreme off-road conditions.

To keep your engine safe from external risks and damages while maneuvering on off-road terrains, it is better to opt for an aftermarket strong and reliable engine guard or plate. It must be rigid and tough enough to overcome strong off-road beating or any obstacle that comes in the way while off-roading.

A strong engine skid plate can improve the life of your engine and help in avoiding any damage to it.

If you are going on a long-distance trip on an adventure motorbike, you must have the GPS navigation on hand. Find the best phone mount that is compatible with your motorcycle and phone. Other than listening to music and attending phone calls, mobile phones can help you provide navigation or direction so you can ride with more peace of mind.

Make sure to install the phone mount right in the center. It must be placed at a good height so it doesn’t restrict your vision. Also, you do not need to look down at the gas tank for navigation. It is likely to distract you and may result in a motorbike crash.

Mobile phones are considered to be one of the biggest distractions while riding. However, at the same time, they are the most necessary tools for long-distance journeys if you use them for the right purposes.

Side mirrors play a crucial role in making your rides safer, especially if you are going on a long-distance on-road trip. As you may spend most of your time on roads, it is good to have bigger and more stable side mirrors.

You must replace your adventure motorcycle’s side mirrors if they don’t provide you with enough back view. Also, if they rattle a lot during riding and provide a blurred vision of the rear view, you must opt for bigger and better side mirrors.

If you are going for long-distance travel on your adventure motorcycle, you will need to park your motorcycle many times on different terrains. Sometimes, the stock kickstand on your adventure motorbike features a small kickstand plate or base. It is often sharp, which makes it unsuitable for parking on soft ground.

Therefore, installing the bigger kickstand plate helps your ADV motorcycle to stand firmly on the stand. It keeps your motorcycle stable and upright. It also helps in preventing the bike from falling.

On top of installing a strong engine skid plate, it is important that you install crash bars, also known as engine or frame guards. These guards help keep the motorcycle’s body, engine, side body panels, and frame safe from getting damaged as a result of a motorcycle crash. If you plan to go off-road on your long-distance adventure trip, you must use these engine and frame guards to avoid damage to the motorcycle. If the off-road challenges get tougher, you are very likely to drop your ADV motorcycle.

If you plan to stay most of the time on open roads and highways, you must have adequate wind protection on your adventure motorcycle. A bigger windscreen can help solve the problem. You are likely to find a taller windscreen to replace your small stock windshield.

Most ADV motorbikes usually come with small windshields. It is usually because they are not solely made for on-road performance. If you don’t want to replace the stock windscreen, you can also add wind spoilers and deflectors on the stock screen, providing additional height and width to the stock screen.