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Let’s ask the tough question first: You have a big motorcycle tour planned with your special someone and suddenly the weather turns iffy. Do you still go?
Mere mortals might cancel. Others might head for the nearest Hertz rental counter, but not you. You’ve been looking forward to this trip for months, maybe even years, and there’s no way a little water is going to ruin your trip. Someone might call it stubborn. I call it dedicated. You made the plans, now it’s time to follow through.
Earlier this year, I found myself facing this same decision. A trip Laura and I had planned to the Beartooth Highway, “the most beautiful drive in America,” called for 80 degrees and nothing but sun. Time-crunched and smog-drenched, we fled Chicago for a quick getaway. We chose to fly (it cut nearly a week off of our trip) and there’s a handy Eagle Rider rental counter at Yellowstone Harley-Davidson just minutes from the Bozeman, Montana airport.
As the shop crew prepped a Heritage Classic for us, they mentioned that not only was “the pass” (as the locals call the Beartooth Highway) closed, it was due to a massive, unexpected snowstorm. The day before, six riders ignored the forecast and tried to climb nearly 11,000 feet but hit snow so thick they abandoned their bikes roadside and hitchhiked back down.
I did not want to be those guys. But I was still determined to ride. They advised we take the only open alternative, the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. The byway was still open, and with a slightly lower elevation should stay mainly rain and not snow, they said. (They turned out to be mainly right.) With a bit of worry, we bundled up and headed off.
Over the next five days, we rode two-up through some absolutely terrible weather, but we had a lot of fun. We (mostly) kept talking to each other, rode some amazing roads, and got back safe and sound. I'm not sure what motorcycle God I pissed off so much (maybe it has something to do with owning both a cruiser and an SUV), but almost every big ride I've made this year has been in terrible weather. I would say 75 percent of the miles I did this year were in either rain or snow. So while some of these tips have appeared in similar form on Common Tread before, here's what I've learned through cold, hard, and recent experience.
Choose your words (and your pillion) carefully
If you’re riding with friends, but especially if you have a pillion, agree beforehand what your rain plan is. Are you okay pulling over or rerouting for a few hours, or even days, to stay dry? Or must the ride go on no matter what? Our path in Montana took us on a single road up in the mountains — one way in, one way out — so we knew once we entered there was nowhere to go except to get through. That determined mindset made our ride a lot more fun.
Throw away any non-waterproof moto-luggage you own
If all you ever use is waterproof luggage, your gear will always stay dry. Simple. I would rather deal with the hassle of a rolltop bag than end up with soggy clothes and ruined electronics, so I always ride with waterproof luggage. I’ve become a huge fan of thin, roll-top liner bags, too. They provide some extra protection and help keep everything organized inside your main bag. If you pick up some extra stuff on the road, they can be taken out and strapped on for expanded luggage space. They’re also cheap and can double as a camp cooler or can be stuffed full of clothes for a pillow.
Layers, layers, layers
I hate the liners to my riding suit. They seem to always get lost, they’re a pain in the ass to zip in and out, and 99 percent of the time I pack them I never touch them. But on this ride, they were a lifesaver. Any time there's a chance I could hit freezing temps, I've learned to embrace the suit and the liners. If I’m leaving the suit, home I’ll generally pack a thin rain suit, that little extra layer can be the difference between uncomfortable and miserable. Stay warm and stay dry.
Know the difference between stubborn and stupid
Being wet, cold, or uncomfortable on a ride tires you out fast. Fatigue and bad road conditions are a bad mix, especially if you've got a passenger. I made lots of stops on this ride, partially made easier by the fact that it wasn’t getting dark out until well past 9 p.m. The stops gave me time to move around, warm up, and give my brain a rest. Plus you can check in with your pillion and remind them how much fun they’re having, or ask them to tie plastic bags around your hands because you’re an idiot and left your dry spare gloves in the last hotel room.
On one day of this ride, we ended up hitting rain, freezing temps, and then hail. Even though it meant an expensive, unplanned stop, we swallowed our pride and hunkered down in Cooke City for a night of luxury at the Days Inn. We felt we were too tired, and the road conditions too poor, to continue safely. Our ride the next day was a lot easier after drying off and getting a night's rest.
Have fun
Enjoy it. Even with bad weather, riding two-up is a blast with the right attitude. We had a moose in camp (fun/terrifying), slept next to the Madison River in West Yellowstone, and found our new favorite bar, a lakeside dive called Happy Hour. Remember, if you wanted to stay bored, warm, and dry, you would have driven a car.
