5 Comfort Upgrades for Long Two-wheeler Cruises

Love motorcycle cruises? Cruising on a two-wheeler is one of the most amazing experiences that cannot be described in words unless you feel it yourself. The sensation of cool wind blowing through your hair and vast vistas sweeping past the visor have a therapeutic effect that draws thousands every year to make the pilgrimage to popular biker destinations across India, and even beyond borders.

While the joys of motorcycle riding are immense, it can quickly become a painful ordeal if you are not careful about a few simple things that you need on your motorcycle before getting started on long distance cruises. In addition to riding safety gears (such as helmets, gloves and jackets), there is one more thing that you cannot ignore when you are on a 200+ kilometre ride on your motorcycle. And that is comfort!

We spoke to pro riders and discovered 5 comfort upgrades that can make a big difference when it comes to staying really comfy on long routes over undulating road surfaces. Let’s find out!

Getting the Obvious Things Out of The Way!

Okay, before we get started with our suggestions, let's take a quick glance at the obvious things that do not need a lot of discussion, but are important nonetheless. The first among them is the ‘type’ of two-wheeler that you have chosen for your trips. An adventure motorcycle has a more comfortable and upright sitting posture and that will make things a lot more comfortable compared to riding a track-focused motorcycle with an aggressive sitting position. The second thing that is obvious is the aerodynamic design of your helmet. Branded helmets have an aerodynamically-sculpted design which allows the air to pass through your head and neck section without putting a lot of pressure on your neck muscles. This significantly reduces riding fatigue. And finally, there is the matter of windshields. You may not personally like the looks of having a windshield on your bike, but it makes a world of difference especially when you are riding in cold weather or at cruising speeds when your body has to deal with the onslaught of fast wind hitting the torso.

So, three things to summarize, get the right motorcycle for cruising, invest in a good quality branded helmet and have a windshield on. Okay, now to the exciting stuff! 

1. Compression Garments

This is one of those novelties that not many people have heard of yet. It is a craze in the professional biking and adventure riding circles across Europe and America but it is yet to catch up in India.

Compression garments are specially designed clothes that help your body recover faster from fatigue and keep the amount of lactic acid in your bloodstream to a bare minimum. That is how it helps in keeping you more energetic by the end of the ride so that you can do a little bit of camping or photography, or whatever that you choose to do at the end of your rides! Compression garments are made of sweat absorbing materials so you can easily wear it under your motorcycle jacket or riding armour and still feel comfortable.

There is a common misconception that you cannot wear compression garments for long but it is a complete myth because people have ridden long distances with compression garments on their bodies throughout the day without any problem. In fact, it helps them maneuver their motorcycles much more easily because their core body mass remains stable and therefore easy to manage.

The only thing you need to worry about is the quality of the compression garment. Do not cut corners if you frequently ride very long distances because this can make a big difference in your end-of-ride energy levels. Also, it keeps the abdomen compressed, which means you are not going to have a 5-course meal while you are wearing it. But if you ride long distances, you already know that a full belly on a motorcycle is a bad idea! So, no worries there.

2. Handlebar Risers

One of the major reasons people become uncomfortable during long distance cruises is because of back pain. The culprit in this case is the aggressive riding position that many commuter motorcycles have also come to adopt just to be more attractive to the younger market. For short distances, an aggressive riding position does not matter much, but when it comes to cruising the highways and backroads for hundreds of kilometres at a stretch, this can quickly become the reason for severe back pain and stiffness in the cervical region. Thankfully, the solution is simple. Just install handlebar risers on your motorcycle. This will bring the controls of the bike closer to your body so that you do not have to lean forward as much as before. Handlebar risers come in different configurations some of them are way over-the-top and are commonly known as Ape hangers, but they are not at all comfortable for long-distance rides. You can get a simple and practical upgrade for your two-wheeler by Consulting an expert at any motorcycle upgrade shop in your locality.

3. Gel/Memory Foam Padded Seats

First of all, that takes your attention away from the road, which is dangerous. And secondly, this can become the reason for a health problem in the days to come. Prevent that from happening by investing in a gel or memory-foam padded seat for your motorcycle. These are available in pre-configured options, or you can also go for custom made seats if your budget allows it. While you are upgrading the seat make sure that it is not too hard or very soft because both of the extremes are bad for comfort as well as for your health. A happy medium is what you should be looking for!

4. Highways Pegs

Have you heard about the ‘Riding Triangle’? Yes, it's real and no, it's not like the Bermuda Triangle! The riding triangle is the combination of the positions your hands, head and hip make when you are seated on the motorcycle. This is a crucial aspect of motorcycle comfort because if the triangle is very aggressive it can cause all sorts of nasty problems such as cramps and pains. The most comfortable riding triangle is found on adventure motorcycles.

Experts agree that the riding triangle on Honda Africa Twin, BMW GS1250 and Triumph Tiger 800 are the best in business. After that, the best riding triangle can be found on the Honda Goldwing and Harley Davidson Road King. Unfortunately, all of these are very expensive motorcycles that are beyond the financial reach of most salaried professionals. But thankfully, there is an easy solution which can conveniently convert your motorcycle into a highway cruiser! All you need to do is install highway pegs that get attached to the front engine-guard section, giving you an extra place to put your feet in an extended position which is much more comfortable compared to being in a cramped position for a long time. 

It is important to note that when your feet are in the extended position on the highway pegs, it is away from the brake and gear. So, make sure that you are making a sensible decision of removing your foot away from the controls only when you are on the highway and you do not anticipate any sudden requirement to use the brake or gear levers.

5. Luggage Bags 

Where do you carry your luggage when you are on a road trip? In a backpack slung over your shoulders? On the pillion seat tied down with bungee cords? While these solutions work, they are more of ‘jugaad’ than proper solutions. The backpack technique has space limitations and it will also lead to backaches by a day’s end of the ride. The bungee cord solution is better but disbalances the bike when you are above 80 kmph (50 mph), also you can’t have a pillion rider, which sucks because sometimes the fun of being on a cruise is to be able to share your experience with someone you care about! So, let us recommend the solution: motorcycle side luggage box. These come in affordable pairs and have enough space to carry clothes and supplies for a week. If you need more space invest in a top box that sits at the back of the bike on top of the grab rails. Tank bags are also great for putting away documents, passes, permits, GPS devices, power banks and medicines – basically stuff that you need quickly. Luggage bags are made of Nylon or Polypropylene which are very affordable and are a great choice if you make a long-distance trip once in a few months or so. But if you ride frequently, and ride long, then you need sturdier options. Pick luggage bags made of aluminum and ABS which are more impact-resistant and you can easily carry them indoors at the end of the journey and put them back on again the next day.  

You would be amazed how your comfort levels increase just by being able to carry accessories and supplies in a luggage bag.  

So, there you go. Begin with the basic comfort requirements such as branded helmets, and windshields, and gradually invest in the other upgrades starting with the padded seats! Share this information with your biker buddies and let us know if we missed anything.