Mounting your motorcycle might mean it’s time to let everyday worries and concerns drift away behind you.  Be careful how far you’re taking this though.

As Rob Piddington of Sensorcom Ltd. recently explained in Adventure Bike Rider Magazine, the 100 decibels of wind noise & buffeting that is typical inside helmets at 65mph is enough noise to cause permanent hearing damage after just 2 hours of riding.  This is of course an “approximation,” as aerodynamics, helmet fitting, riding conditions, and many other factors go into creating those in-helmet sound levels.  

Aside from parking our motorcycles permanently, or never enjoying the speed that they are capable of, the best thing we can do to protect our hearing is to use earplugs.

“But those custom earplugs…..they’re so expensive!”  

Yes, compared to over-the-counter options found at most major drug and hardware stores, custom-made earplugs are extremely expensive (often over $200 per pair.)  With a typical price of $3 per dozen for the cheap drugstore options, the purchase or potential misplacement of custom earplugs might be too much for some riders to digest.

In a recent visit to Dr. Earnest C. Riley, an Otolaryngologist near Atlanta, GA, we were informed that many of these cheap over-the-counter foam and plastic earplugs offer the same 15-25 decibel reduction of the custom fit earplugs that his office sells.  Provided they are fitting properly, (sealing off the ear canal fully) these disposable foam earplugs can be re-used repeatedly, but should of course be swapped out for new ones when they become dirty or a factor in potential infections.

On various motorcycle forums and blogs, riders have reported that the “1 thing they can’t ride without” is their pair of custom earplugs.  Recognizing that custom earplugs are probably more comfortable than the over-the-counter options, it’ll be up to each of us to decide their value when purchasing.  Might be worth your time & money to try the cheap version first though.

Hey Adventure Motorcycle Riders, don't wait too long to book your Patagonia riding adventures!

(Above, looking out through the Andes Mountains near Santiago, Chile, riders can now find dependable BMW Motorcycle rentals instead of shipping their bikes internationally.)

RIDE Adventures recently had the pleasure to work with a premier authority on the topic of preparing motorcycle travelers for their upcoming trips.  (Those of us who have ever been sick during a vacation before might appreciate this!)

On the long list of “important things for successful and enjoyable motorcycle riding” is your physical endurance.  All prods toward maintaining strength, flexibility, an agility through physical training aside, this post is about staying hydrated.

The hours and miles can slip by quite quickly on the bike, and before you know it, the combination of excitement, heat, air circulation, and not stopping enough to sip from a water bottle can have you physically dehydrated.  As any physician would tell you: Being dehydrated slows your mental and physical reactions, and adds to the number of factors that could lead you to injury.

Where will you hide your spare key during long distance motorcycle travels?

(Above: The “lowest” of all seats…the kind with frost on it as we start a cold day of riding in Argentina, heading into the richness of Patagonia further south.)

We as motorcycle guides are often asked "which is the best motorcycle to rent" as inquiring travelers plan their adventures with our services. Choosing the right size bike can be as important to your overall riding experience as any other factor, so often riders are concerned about the seat height. While intuition tells us “a larger engine means a larger bike and taller seat,” however as you'll see below, this is not necessarily true across the board. 

As such, we’ve been inspired to list for you below the seat height specifications for some of the most common motorcycles people are renting from us around the world:

What are motorcycle tours and the terrain like in Patagonia?

Motorcycle riders once again have the opportunity to “Follow the Dakar Rally” by guided motorcycle tour or rental, as the famed race will return to South America for it’s 4^th straight year.

Another RIDE Adventures video review was posted on YouTube today, this time complimenting our earlier review of dual sport helmets:  AGV's AX-8, the Shoei Hornet, and the Arai XD3.