How to ride comfortably on long motorway journeys

Motorway miles are harder than they look

A twisty B-road keeps you busy: you're braking, tipping in, picking a line, and the miles tick by because your brain has plenty to chew on. A motorway asks almost nothing of you. You sit at a steady 70, the engine drones, the white lines flick past, and after an hour you realise your shoulders are up round your ears, your right hand has gone numb and you're fighting the urge to close your eyes at the exact moment you most need them open.

The problem isn't boredom so much as the accumulation of small irritations: wind noise, vibration, a screen throwing buffeting straight at your helmet, a grip you're holding far too tightly. Sort those out and a 300-mile day becomes genuinely enjoyable. Here's how to go about it.

Set the bike up before you set off

Five minutes of fiddling in the driveway is worth an hour of squirming at the services. The screen is the biggest single factor. Ride a short stretch at 70 and pay attention to where the airflow hits you. Ideally the slipstream should skim over the top of your helmet, leaving your visor clear and your head stable. If you're getting a constant drumming on the crown of your helmet, the screen is too low or angled too steeply — try raising it, or fitting a clip-on deflector. If your head is being pushed forward and your neck aches, it may be sitting too high.

Next, the controls. Roll your levers down so your wrists stay flat and your fingers fall naturally onto them; levers set too high force your hands into a cocked position that will have them tingling within 40 miles. Check your mirror stalks and footpeg position too — anything that makes you twist or reach adds up over a long day.

• Screen height adjusted so the airflow clears the top of your helmet
• Brake and clutch levers angled so wrists stay straight
• Mirrors set with a small head movement, not a shoulder twist
• Bar risers or a different bar bend if you find yourself leaning on your hands

Earplugs are the best money you'll spend

Wind noise, not engine noise, is what damages your hearing and drains your concentration. At 70mph the roar inside a helmet can easily exceed 95dB, and two hours of that leaves you tired, headachy and slower to react. A pair of decent filtered earplugs knocks that down without muffling traffic or your own engine.

Look for a reduction of around 15 to 25dB. The very strongest plugs, which cut 30dB or more, can leave you isolated from sirens, horns and the sound of your own bike — not what you want in heavy traffic. Moulded plugs are the most comfortable for all-day use, but even a few pounds spent on foam ones will transform a long run.

Loosen your grip and vary it often

Numb fingers and aching wrists almost always come from holding on too hard. Think of holding a screwdriver rather than a hammer: firm enough to control the bar, light enough that blood keeps moving. Your elbows should stay slightly bent, which also lets the suspension work instead of pummelling your shoulders.

Then keep changing things. Rest two fingers on the lever for a few minutes, then wrap all four round the grip; open and close your fingers at a steady rhythm; drop your elbows, roll your shoulders back, stretch your neck side to side. A throttle rocker or wrist rest takes the strain off your forearm on long, steady stretches, and cruise control where it's fitted is a genuine fatigue-killer.

Move your body, too. Shift your weight forward and back on the seat every few minutes, tuck your knees in against the tank, then let them out again. On a quiet stretch, and only when it's safe, stand on the pegs for ten seconds to let the blood back into your backside.

Plan your stops — don't wait until you need one

Riding tired is worse than driving tired because there's no passenger to talk to and no roof to hide behind. The rule that works for most riders is a proper stop every 60 to 90 minutes, or roughly every 100 miles, whichever comes first. A stop means off the bike, helmet off, a walk, a drink. Sitting astride at a pump while you eat a flapjack doesn't count.

Motorway services are convenient but often crowded and expensive. A lay-by, a supermarket car park or a small café a couple of miles off a junction can be quieter and give you somewhere to sit properly. If you're covering big distances, plan your stops around junctions rather than leaving it to chance — knowing the next stop is 30 miles away is much easier to handle than wondering where the next one might be.

• Stop every 60–90 minutes or 100 miles
• Get off the bike, remove your helmet, walk about
• Drink water — dehydration makes you sluggish long before you feel thirsty
• Go easy on heavy meals and save caffeine for when you really need it
• If you're yawning or your attention keeps drifting, stop properly and rest

Dress for the temperature you'll actually meet

Motorway riding is cold riding: constant windchill at 70mph is equivalent to a temperature roughly 10°C lower than the still air. Layer up, keep your neck covered, and use heated grips or gloves if you have them — cold hands lose fine control long before you notice. Keep your visor clean, since low sun and a smeared visor is a miserable combination, and carry a spare pair of thin gloves for warmer spells.

None of this is complicated. A well-set screen, a pair of earplugs, a relaxed grip and a sensible stopping rhythm will turn a draining slog into the part of the trip you barely notice. Do the small things right and you'll arrive fresh enough to enjoy the roads that come after the motorway.