How to plan the perfect motorcycle day ride
The short answer
A good motorcycle day ride is a loop on quiet, twisty roads, sized by hours rather than distance, with a stop about every hour or so, fuel planned around the smallest tank, and a finish well before dark. Leave early, pick one good place for lunch, and leave time in the plan for detours.
The best day rides feel effortless, and that's because someone planned them. Good roads, a coffee when you want one, lunch somewhere with a view and home before you're tired. Here's how to get there.
Distance: plan by time
How far you can ride in a day depends far more on the roads than on the number. Motorways eat distance. Mountain roads, villages and photo stops don't.
Start with time instead:
- Decide when you want to leave and when you want to be home.
- Take off time for stops: coffee, lunch, fuel and a few viewpoints.
- What's left is your riding time. Build the route to fit it.
If you're new, or riding with newer riders, keep the riding time short. A ride that ends while everyone still wants more is a ride people come back for.
Picking a route
Loop, not out and back. A loop shows you twice as many roads. If you must ride out and back, take a different road for one direction.
Get off the main roads early. The quicker you leave the city traffic behind, the more of the day you spend on roads worth riding.
Look for: twisty roads through hills, river valleys, quiet passes and lakeshores. Avoid: long stretches of motorway, big towns at lunchtime and gravel if your bike or tyres aren't made for it.
Check for closures. High passes close for the season and roads close for works or events. A quick check the night before saves a long detour.
In MotoBFF, Find me a route builds a route from where you are, and you can Make your own route if you already know the roads you want. Routes other riders have published are rated "Would ride it" or "Not great", which tells you quickly which ones are worth it. When you're ready, Start the ride hands the route to Apple or Google Maps.
Stops
Plan a stop about every hour, or every hour and a half on cooler days. Stops are where a day ride becomes a good day: you stretch, drink, talk about the last section and look at the next one.
A good stop has easy parking for bikes, shade or shelter, and something worth stopping for. Plan one proper meal stop, usually somewhere in the middle of the day, and keep the others short.
Fuel. Plan fuel stops around the bike with the smallest tank, especially in the mountains where fuel stations can be far apart and close early. Fill up before the ride, not on the way.
MotoBFF shows places riders recommend, such as cafés, bars, food stops and places to stay, each marked "Still good" or "Not anymore" by riders who have been recently.
Timing
- Leave early. Roads are quieter, the light is better and in summer it's cooler. See riding in the heat.
- Avoid lunch rush in popular places by eating a little early or a little late.
- Watch the afternoon weather. Mountain storms often build later in the day.
- Finish before dark, with time to spare. Delays always happen. If you might ride after sunset, read riding at night.
Riding with friends
A day ride with friends needs one more layer of planning:
- Agree the pace and pick a riding level that fits the slowest rider.
- Set a meeting point with parking and a fuel station nearby.
- Share the plan: route, stops and expected finish time.
If you post it as a group ride in MotoBFF, it shows on the map with the meeting point, time, destination and riding level, and the ride chat opens with the meeting point as its first message. Our guide to hosting a group ride covers the rest.
The night before
Check the weather, do a quick T-CLOCS check, fuel up and charge your phone. Then all that's left in the morning is to ride.
Questions riders ask
How far should a motorcycle day ride be?
Plan by time rather than distance. Decide when you'll leave and return, take off time for stops, and build a route that fits the riding time left. Mountain roads cover far less ground per hour than main roads.
How often should I stop on a motorcycle day ride?
About once an hour, or every hour and a half on cooler days. Plan one longer meal stop and keep the others short.
How do I find good motorcycle roads near me?
Look for twisty roads through hills, river valleys and quiet passes, and avoid motorways and big towns. Route planners and routes rated by other riders help you find them quickly.
Is a loop or an out-and-back route better for a day ride?
A loop is usually better, because you see twice as many roads. If you ride out and back, use a different road for one direction.