#MotorcycleTour

One day is good, but more is better. Words to live by if you appreciate consecutive long days of motorcycle touring. With thousands of kilometers of roads spider-webbing across Ontario, Canada, putting a memorable multi-day tour together is time-consuming. Lucky for us, the  GoTourOntario.ca website can get you started but allow us to make it even easier with this collection of five Ontario motorcycle routes you don’t want to miss.

Motorcycle touring, traditionally, means we’re sticking pretty much to pavement. Though you can wear any of these for Adventure riding, we have a whole other list of  suits more suited to life off the beaten path, designed for the most part with even more freedom of motion and impact absorption. Every suit here, from the one-piece Aerostich to the jacket/pants combinations of the others, are a bit closer-fitting for reduced drag at highway speeds, with plenty of ventilation but not too much, and with enhanced abrasion resistance as well as armor. When you’re caught out in the rain after dark, you’ll be glad to find yourself inside any one of them.

Going out for a long multi-day motorcycle trip is my favorite type of riding. Whether it be on or off-road, the idea of exploration, seeing new sights, and having new experiences is what keeps me going. Anytime life starts to get me down, I begin planning my next excursion. Where do I want to go? Where haven’t I been? What could make the journey as exciting as the destination? I enjoy planning, it’s kind of like daydreaming in the beginning and it’s all part of how to plan for a motorcycle tour. 

Ask any well-traveled motorcyclist who has spent time touring on his steed what to pack and you’ll likely hear something along the lines of: take everything you’re planning to bring and cut that in half, and maybe halve it a second time.

In 2004 the TV miniseries Long Way Round was released and totally changed the world’s perceptions about motorcycle trips. Were people doing insanely long trips before Long Way Round? Of course. But Long Way Round brought this idea to the whole world, not just motorcycle nuts.

If I were given free reign to design the perfect motorcycle route to suit my riding style and personal travel tastes, it would include wide-open roads free from traffic and stop lights, with each unique route connecting distinctive small towns with local charm and friendly people with a total lack of pretension. Well, lo and behold, I recently discovered that such a place actually exists – less than three hours from my home in the mind-numbing colonial grid of southern Ontario that often proves to be a frustrating experience for a motorcyclist.

This fall I was invited to ride a newly created motorcycle route in the Explorers’ Edge region of Ontario, Canada, with three other riders.

Temporary insurance can be purchased. If you are visiting the US and wish to have insurance for a short time you can purchase coverage for 30, 60 or 90 days. The coverage options are much the same as any other policy. It is best to plan ahead as it may take a bit longer to get these types of policies in place, and if you are touring you will want to have the proof of insurance with you. Typically they can be paid for with a credit card.