11 Ways to Ride More
411 information about how to be a motorcycle commuter, sort-of-approximately-in-general-order-of-some-kind-of-loose-priority:
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Know the weather as soon as you wake up.
Look out your bedroom window if it is daylight already, and have an indoor outdoor thermometer. If you want to get fancy, also have a barometer and a weather radio, or use commercial TV and Radio weather reports. -
Have more than one weight of rider’s glove.
I can get along with two. Elkskin and Insulated Elkskin Roper. For some commutes and in some climates you may need more. Locate all on dedicated shelf near bike and other gear. -
Set up a place near your bike dedicated to your gear.
Wall hangers for helmets and this shoulder saver hanger. -
Have a couple of mid-layers at-the-ready, available at the same dedicated location as the rest of your gear.
For my commute and weather I have a microfiber shirt, a 100wt microfleece pullover and an electric bib. -
Keep a backpack or courier bag at-the-ready.
I use both, but for different missions, and they are kept together, on a small chair out of the way in the corner of the dining room/kitchen area. Backpacks and Courier Bags are faster, simpler and easier to use and more reliable than bungees, cargo-nets and straps. -
Have extra ‘overload’ carrying capacity.
A Lightweight Portable Bag is always inside both my Courier Bag and my Backpack. And there’s an Adjustable Bungee on the bike. Both are essential for grocery stops and other mid-commute procurement errands. -
Have a one piece riding suit.There’s a mail-order company that makes a pretty good one called ‘Aerostich’. The suits are too expensive but one of them has been my every day, every mission over-suit coverall for more than twenty years. They last a reasonably long time and make it possible to ride to any destination, in almost any weather condition. For my mostly surface-street commute, the R-3 Light model works best.
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Have rain booties or over-boots for bad weather days.
If the rest of you can ride dry in rain, you’ll need these, too. -
Have a tiny garage door opener remote.
(Skip this if you don’t have a garage or powered garage door.) Here are a few if you do have a garage with a power-door. Mine is on a mini-carabiner that attaches to the shoulder strap of my backpack. And transfers quickly to a riding suit pocket or the Courier Bag if needed. -
Have face-shield cleaner station.
I keep a bottle of this and a roll of paper towels on a shelf near my helmet. This is used about once a week. - Have fun, every day, no excuses.
