Fighting Fatigue on Long Motorcycle Rides

Fighting Fatigue on Long Motorcycle Rides

Before you head out on the highway looking for adventure, coniser 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.

Clear:
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 faceshield 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.....

( From PSRC site )

Mukhang preparation na ito para sa long rides ng LMC ha. Kelan ba?

Hintay natin ang plans ng mga bagong RD's.

abangan nyo na lang.....ang susunod na kabanata...

parang narinig ko na yan ah??? di ba sa channel 2 yan ni teysi tomas at sino ba yung isa?? hehehe! joke!

O OT na naman kayo, isusumbong ko kayo sa mod nito. teka ako pala yun, lipat na OT section no.

Makakatulong to keep awake is ung kumanta kahit ng (national anthem) subok na nakakarejuvinate/nakakagising ng isip, nakakalibang at nakaka alis ng inip. un nga lang katagalan wala akong natatapos na kanta.

Energy drink has its disadvantages, obserbasyon ko lang kapag continous ang intake, feeling ko nakaka immune, after few hours para akong hinihele bumabagsak ang talukap ng mata. kahit sa mesa nakakatulog .

Experience ko lang po after three days riding with less than 6 hours of sleep.

Mas lalong makakatulong ito kesa don sa tip ng sinundan kong post...

Pag may long ride matuog na maaga..wag masyadong excited kasi hindi ka makakatulog..isipin mo lang na wala kang lakad kinabukasan...yung energy drink mag lipovitan na lang kayo kasi its get you going...wahehehe!

Boss syang tunay. Walangdyo kinontra mo na agad si Alvin.

May point kayo pareho dapat may enough rest bago bumyahe ng malayo then dapat konti lang intake ng energy drinks dahil lahat ng sobra ay masama!

Boker wrote:Mas lalong makakatulong ito kesa don sa tip ng sinundan kong post...

Pag may long ride matuog na maaga..wag masyadong excited kasi hindi ka makakatulog..isipin mo lang na wala kang lakad kinabukasan...yung energy drink mag lipovitan na lang kayo kasi its get you going...wahehehe!

nakows..ayos ito kaso talagang laging EXCITED kaya hindi tuloy makatulog.

Ganito ako kapag may ride eh.

Boker wrote:Mas lalong makakatulong ito kesa don sa tip ng sinundan kong post...

Pag may long ride matuog na maaga..wag masyadong excited kasi hindi ka makakatulog..isipin mo lang na wala kang lakad kinabukasan...yung energy drink mag lipovitan na lang kayo kasi its get you going...wahehehe!

para naman hindi tayo nagkakasama during long rides... right after work eh derecho long ride... tama na ang pagpapanggap lotion boy... might as well get out of your closet har.har..har...

Both rider and bike dapat talaga nasa condition. Isa lang ang wala sa kundisyon dyan at manganganib ka na sa long ride.

squire wrote:Both rider and bike dapat talaga nasa condition. Isa lang ang wala sa kundisyon dyan at manganganib ka na sa long ride.

tama ka dyan Sir, ideally it is strongly advised na mag comply sa ride requirements, with few exceptions.

ahtablizo wrote:

squire wrote:Both rider and bike dapat talaga nasa condition. Isa lang ang wala sa kundisyon dyan at manganganib ka na sa long ride.

tama ka dyan Sir, ideally it is strongly advised na mag comply sa ride requirements, with few exceptions.

Honga, lalo puyat galing sa work or night shift.

squire wrote:Both rider and bike dapat talaga nasa condition. Isa lang ang wala sa kundisyon dyan at manganganib ka na sa long ride.

Oi bro! Sali ka na din sa LMC! Masaya din dito. hehehe.

driedmango wrote:

squire wrote:Both rider and bike dapat talaga nasa condition. Isa lang ang wala sa kundisyon dyan at manganganib ka na sa long ride.

Oi bro! Sali ka na din sa LMC! Masaya din dito. hehehe.

Oo nga si Trebs nagyaya sa akin. Katuwa, iba-ibang ang motor at manufacturer brand. Last Saturday kasama ako sa tambay.
Sama rin ako sa ride God willing.

Sama ka rin sa ride Bro para may isa pa akong kakilala na kasama sa ride.

Admin, sorry po ha. ot lang muna. last na promise.

Di ako makakasama bro squire. Preggy si sniper kaya di ako makaka-gala.