Look For These Features When Shopping For Your First Touring Bike

Posted on: 2 August 2017

If you're a motorcycle enthusiast who is thinking about getting into long road trips, you should seriously consider upgrading to a touring motorcycle. This type of bike offers a high degree of stability for long runs, positions your body in an upright manner for comfort, and can comfortably accommodate two people for long stretches of time. Many leading motorcycle brands produce several lines of touring bikes, which means that you can spend a good amount of time evaluating different brands and models and, of course, taking some of them out for a ride. Make sure that you look for these features that you'll appreciate on your long road trips:

Heated Seats

Unless you're traveling in the middle of the summer, you may occasionally encounter cooler conditions on the road. This can especially be the case if you drive through patches of rain. If you have a schedule to keep, you might not want to stop repeatedly at rest areas to warm up, which makes the presence of heated seats on your touring motorcycle highly desirable. There's something magical about having a warm backside — when your buns are toasty, you'll often find that your entire body is comfortable.

Saddlebags And Trunk

If you're going to be away for some time, you need to be able to carry overnight essentials with you. As such, look for a touring motorcycle that has a large trunk and a pair of sizable saddlebags. While many riders add these things as aftermarket parts, it's ideal if you can get them built directly onto the bike. They'll match visually and will be solidly in place. With saddlebags and a trunk at the rear of your touring bike, you should have no trouble carrying a couple changes of clothes, toiletries, snacks, and any other items that you wish to have with you.

Proper Footboards

When it comes to providing a surface for your feet, many motorcycles are equipped with pegs. This feature might be fine for short trips, but pegs can be uncomfortable for your feet over long road trips. When you're shopping for a touring bike, make sure that you find one that has proper foot boards. Floorboards that are slightly larger than your feet will provide the proper support to keep your feet feeling comfortable throughout the journey. This is especially ideal if you plan on doing some sightseeing on foot at points during your road trip, as you'll feel up to it.

Contact a local motorcycle dealership for more information and assistance. 

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