1. 
2. Saddle bag (and bungee cords to tie them tightly) to carry all the luggage items, always remember to keep the saddle bags light and balanced as too much weight can make your bike slide when attempting to brake hard (Because of movement of centre of gravity).
3. First aid kit - Bandage - 2 rolls, Cotton-1, Crepe Bandage-1, Antiseptic liquid-1, Soframycin or Betadine ointment-1, Pain Killers and other medicines. These might take some of your space in the saddle bag but are in my must keep list.
4. Repair tools

3. KNOW YOUR LIMITS AND PLAN YOUR RIDE ACCORDINGLY

When was the last time when you rode for more than, lets say, 300 kms or more in a day. Never try to override while on long tours on motorcycles. It is advisable to ride in the comfort zone and to avoid over excitement, which may tend to take its toll the next day you ride. As stated by IBA (The iron butt association) Whether you are capable of riding 300 kms or 1300 kms in a day, the ability to make miles tends to decrease as the length of the trip increases. The tendency to ride more not only makes you tired at the end of the day but also it may take its toll on the motorcycle too. So, Plan your ride well as in how many kms to cover in a day, when to take stops (100-200kms in a stretch is fine for Indian roads), where to stay. This will make your trip a memorable one rather than being a butt breaking ride.
4. FORGET RIDING ON HIGH SPEEDS.5. USE TECHNOLOGY WHEN AVAILABLE- KEEP A TRACKING DEVICE.

A tracking device or a GPS enabled phone will make your ride comfy and to get the knowhow of the route ahead. This also helps in documenting your ride. It also lets you know about the value added services such as roadside assistance and emergency services. The most important part being to keep your family and friends informed always. They should know the your whereabouts which is an invaluable source of peace of mind for both you and those who care about you. Helps them in tracking your location in case of emergencies. These devices can be a cell based system or a satellite based system( for remote locations).
6. COMMON HEALTH ISSUES

As discussed earlier that long riding needs immense concentration and skills. But it has its limitations as well. Some of the health related issues which almost every rider encounter are:
1
Heat strokes and sun strokes : When out riding in sun even with the helmet on and prolonged exposure to sun leads to heat strokes. The symptoms are dizziness, mild headaches, fatigue, and unconsciousness. To avoid these a rider needs to keep himself/herself well hydrated after at short intervals. One should always keep himself covered and seek a cool place for rest.


2 Dehydration : Our body does not have the dehydration guage and it does not signals it before we are thirsty. As we are on the road, our body starts towards dehydration same as the fuel to our bike. The lack of water can causes mental and physical fatigue leading to soreness, cramping and headaches. Whether you feel thirsty or not, drink water at regular intervals, even in winters when you might not feel thirsty. Use of packed bottled water is strongly recommended.
3
Body Pains7. GAS / FUEL MANAGEMENT :

During regular use of bike, you should be knowing how faulty is your fuel guage. Always keep a tab on the mileage to be sure how far you can go. Always keep an eye on the fuel guage while riding. Prepare and plan your ride according to the stops and where to refuel. Carry a litre of extra fuel with you which might help in case you are out of gas. The mileage of the bike gets increased on highways by 3-5 km/l which should never be taken as a sense of complacency during long rides. Remember you are riding a machine which may act adversely anytime. Refuel your bike before you reach the edge of reserve mark.
8. STAY AWAY FROM TRUCKS TO STAY ALIVE :

Iron Butt veteran and professional truck driver Mary Sue Johnson warns, "A blowout can blast off the truck's heavy mudflap with the force of a bowling ball going 60 m.p.h."9. KNOW WHEN TO STOP :10. LEARN TO AVOID BOREDOM :

Long rides usually mean riding across areas you might not consider prime riding spots. To some riders, ride from Chandigarh to shimla and on is a beautiful one, but from Delhi to Chandigarh it can be a long, hot boring, dull highway to hell. For times like this, Keep chewing something, sing on your own, talk to yourself, do commentary about the current live road scenario. Some of the other tricks of the trade are to stock up your tank bag with a supply of tart candies that you can munch on while riding. A sour lemon drop will shock your senses and keep you going another twenty miles!


These are my 10 commandments for having a safe and memorable long ride. Adding more to this is always welcomed by the readers. So signing off and wishing all you riders a safe and a happy ride always. Cheers to motorcycling. Ride long, Ride hard.





Pictures Credits : Bikemodelsinindia motorcyclerisk .
References : Xbhp Magazine, Iron Butt Association .


Website : Sentences