Fighting Fatigue on Long Motorcycle Rides
Experts say that fatigue contributes to between a fifth and a sixth of all car accidents. That may not be true in motorcycle accidents across the board, but fatigue is definitely an issue for riders on trips of three days or more. It's something that you need to consider and prepare for. If you are riding with other people, it is an issue that you should discuss and accommodate as you plan your trip. Different riders will have different requirements for rest, and if the trip is to be a safe one, all members of the group should be willing to accommodate each other.
Before you head out on the highway looking for adventure, follow a few steps that you can take and plans you can make to avoid having one of your adventures involve falling asleep on your motorcycle.
Rest:
Adequate
sleep can be a bit hard to come by before and during a multi-day ride. I
am always thinking of things I want to do or remember to bring as I try
to get to sleep on the night before I depart. I also have trouble
getting to sleep while traveling. Many people also have trouble getting a
full night's sleep as they get older. If I combine that with early
departures, I quickly have a sleep deficit. For that reason, I like to
plan to allow myself to sleep late every two or three days, setting no
departure time.
Don't use alcohol as a sleep aid; it actually tends to reduce both the quantity and quality of sleep. You might think that you can't fall asleep on a motorcycle, but I have known riders who simply fell asleep while riding, waking up as they bounced through a ditch or in the hospital. Riders who experienced these sorts of adventures often said they didn't even realize they were tired.
Experts say that you'll have "tired times" during every 12-hour cycle, most often between 3:00 and 5:00 (a.m. and p.m., you local time). You may want to plan to arrive by that point or stop for an early dinner. If you can or need to, take a day off just to relax and catch up on your sleep.
Physical Preparation:
Unless
you ride your motorcycle almost every day or take rides of three hours
or more almost every weekend, you may not be completely adapted to your
bike. After a full day or two of riding, you will become acutely aware
of muscles that you are using full-time to ride. You may be able to
overcome some of this discomfort by properly setting up your bike
and fitting components, such as a good aftermarket saddle, that make it
more comfortable. However, you also need to give your body a chance to
adapt. Taking breaks every hour or two, especially during the first few
days of a long ride, will help this adjustment.
Calm:
Extended
exposure to wind and sun dehydrates and fatigues you much more than
your routine two-hour weekend jaunt. Riding in a tanktop and open-face
helmet may seem like the best way to deal with the heat, but will
actually wear you out and heat you up much faster than if you wear a
vented or mesh jacket and a helmet that protects your face from the
wind. Perspiration gets a chance to stay on and cool your skin if the
wind flow is reduced but not eliminated. You will sharply reduce sunburn
and windburn and their fatiguing effects by covering yourself fully. A
windshield also reduces the amount of wind that's tearing at you but
leaves enough to cool you.
Quiet:
Wind
noise (and exhaust noise if you have loud pipes) will not only
permanently damage your hearing, it will fatigue you quickly. Both noise
sources are at their worst if you don't wear a helmet, but even a
full-face helmet that seals your ears well won't attenuate these noise
sources sufficiently on an extended ride, so you should wear earplugs as
well. If nothing else, you'll appreciate them when you try to go to
sleep at night and the roaring in your ears isn't as loud. A windshield
can also reduce wind noise.
Vision clarity can be an issue on extended rides too. About 15 years ago we did a comparison test where one bike had significant distortion in the top of its windshield. Several riders said riding it made them feel disoriented or tired or gave them headaches. If your windshield creates this problem, or if you have a face shield or sunglasses that are optically imperfect, you should find a replacement or eliminate the problem, perhaps by trimming the top of your windshield. If your vision has changed so that your prescription is no longer adequate, update it before you leave.
Caffeine and Alcohol:
A
coffee or cola can briefly boost your alertness, but isn't a substitute
for adequate rest. Having a beer before or during a ride is a bad idea
for many reasons, but especially if you are slightly tired or fatigued.
Discouraging your riding companions from having one also does both of
you a favor.
Good Habits:
Those boring admonitions about diet and exercise also apply to fighting fatigue. They increase your energy level, which
makes you stronger and more alert. Of course, drinking adequate water is
important too, especially considering that you are being dehydrated
more rapidly because of your exposure to the wind. I don't hold with the
theory that you aren't drinking enough if you don't have to urinate
every 30 minutes though.
Fighting fatigue provides benefits that go beyond safety. If you are alert and refreshed, the ride itself is more enjoyable, and you'll get more out of the sights and experiences that you came to enjoy.
In : Traveling