Cross-Country Harley Trip: Costs and Bike Gear

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics you should be considering as you plan a cross-country trip on your Harley. Whether in solitude or with one or more other people, long-distance motorcycle trips are a fun and simple way to see the country and get away from it all -- and ensuring you're properly outfitted and prepared is important. 

At Advanblack, we're proud to offer a wide range of Harley and other motorcycle tour gear, touring bags, tour pack luggage setups and many other items that are ideal for long-distance biking trips you may be taking in the near future. We're happy to help clients in several areas, from outfitting their machine to preparing themselves if this is their first cross-country trip. What are some other important areas to evaluate before setting off? Here are several.

General Trip Costs

Like any other vacation or long trip, it's important to take some time to calculate your general expected trip costs. There will be numerous factors that play into this, from where you'll be going and what you'll be doing to the likely duration of your trip.

It's a good idea to determine how long you plan on being gone, as well as what cities or regions you want to visit along the way. Figure out what your pace will be for various parts of your journey -- will you be spending more time in some places, taking short breaks regularly and long ones at night?

And what will you be doing? Will there be a lot of sightseeing along the way? Or can you expect to stay mainly at hotels? Determine roughly how much your lodging and fuel will cost, as well as allowances you'll need for food and entertainment.

Once you have a good idea of what your expenses will be, it's time to plan a realistic budget for the trip. Doing this early in your planning process allows you some wiggle room if you find yourself being surprised by unexpected costs before it's time to go.

Gear and Accessories

We went over motorcycle acquisition in part one, but it's also vital to ensure your bike is outfitted with the proper gear and accessories for your trip. In particular, various tour packs, saddle bags or other specific bags can be a great addition, and we're happy to offer a wide array of these at your convenience -- speak to our team about which is best for your bike, plus how much storage space you need and how you'll fit everything in a compact space. 

In addition, we recommend a tune-up for your bike prior to beginning a cross-country journey. You'll want to ensure you're in safe working order, plus any issues will be handled before you set out so they don't become a headache while you're away from home.

If you have additional questions about traveling with your Harley or what touring gear is best for the trip, give Advanblack a call today to learn more about any of the products on our website.