It’s a nice sunny afternoon so you decide to go for a ride away from the maddening traffic. There are still some things to look out for.
Road surfaces
Country roads don’t carry the traffic of metro roads, so they are often dirtier – covered with debris that can make your life unpleasant. Watch out for leaves, particularly in autumn. They fall on the road and get wet, making them slippery. Look out for leaves and bits of tree after a strong wind. Bits of road shaded by trees are slower to dry.
If you are approaching a dirt road intersecting with the road you are on you can expect gravel through the intersection. In winter there can also be mud. This also applies to driveways, tractors in particular can drop large amounts of mud on a sealed road.
Overtaking
If you are following a car that overtakes another you can come unstuck if you follow. Quite often they will back off as soon as they are past, in some cases they will even use the brakes if they think they are exceeding the speed limit.
Drivers in the country can sometimes be inattentive, off in a world of their own. Don’t expect them to be aware of your presence, some drivers never look in the rear vision mirrors while on the open road (OK, in the metro area as well, but that’s another story). Take care when overtaking any vehicle, expect the unexpected.
There can be slow moving traffic. Farmers moving between properties often travel slowly, checking their crops or stock as they drive past. They often will make sudden changes of direction, pulling into the gate to the next paddock.
Approaching traffic might not be able to judge how fast you are travelling, particularly if they are overtaking. If in doubt, back out of the throttle. When safe, roll it on again. Most bikes will be back at cruising speed in an instant.
Wildlife
Wildlife, and farm animals, can ruin your day big time. Wildlife can be a danger at any time, hitting a ‘roo or wombat can cause major damage. The risk is greater around sunrise and sunset. It’s not a bad idea to stop around these times for something to eat.
Trucks travelling the other way can disrupt your line with the buffeting that follows, trying to blow you off the road. Pointing your right knee towards the truck can help offset the effect by creating wind drag to counteract that from the truck.
It’s worth considering it’s not so much speed that kills but difference in speed. If everyone is travelling at 100 kilometres per hour it is relatively safe. But if you’re travelling at 100 and come across a vehicle doing 60, the 40 KMH speed difference places you in greater danger. Try not to have too great a difference in speed in relation to the vehicles you are sharing the road with.
Motorcycle
Motorcycle headlights, particularly stock, are usually pretty bad. You can change the globes for something that puts out more light. It won’t make much difference in how far ahead you can see, but it does increase the amount of light, particularly on the edges of the beam. If you go down this path, blue/ white light (although it looks good) isn’t as good as white/ yellow light. This doesn’t apply to LED of course, they naturally have a bluer light. If you increase the wattage of your globes it is a good idea to use the existing wiring to energise a relay, rather than the new globe. You can then run heavier gauge wire to power the new bulbs.
Wind noise can also be a problem in the country, travelling at higher speeds for a lengthy period can affect your hearing. Some helmets are better than others, and if your bike has a fairing that too can make a difference. Consider wearing earplugs, they make the trip far more comfortable. Some riders even claim it makes them a smoother rider because they base their throttle and clutch actions more on feel than noise.