If you’ve just bought or are considering the purchase of a touring motorcycle, then you’re aware of how they’re generally used: for long-distance touring trips of hundreds of miles. However, travel costs money, and even though motorcycle travel can be pretty affordable, there are ways to make it more budget-friendly for those who wish to travel more often with limited funds.

Indian Motorcycle® of Orange County in Westminster is your SoCal touring motorcycle dealer. Read on to learn some helpful recommendations for touring on a budget.

1. Reduce Overnight Costs

How much money you spend on your nightly accommodations can vary widely depending on where you go. Obviously, a fancy downtown hotel will cost much more than a suburban motel, and camping will cost even less. You may be able to do a combination of camping, Airbnb rentals and roadside motels that will be less expensive than booking a hotel room every night. The fewer amenities a place offers, the cheaper it will generally be, but don’t go so cheap that you’re wildly uncomfortable!

2. Eat For Less

If you dine out at restaurants three times a day for your touring trip, you’re going to spend hundreds of dollars on food alone. However, your motorcycle and camping setup may not make it easy to prepare a full hot dinner each night. Look for meal deals at restaurants and places you stay that might include a free continental breakfast option. All-you-can-eat buffets are also very economical. Stock up on nutritious snacks at grocery stores and gas stations that are reasonably easy to carry around with you, such as nuts, granola, dried fruit and cheese.

3. Lower Fuel Costs

Something else you can save money on is your fuel. Knowing when to fuel up can help you to spend less on gasoline; for example, holidays and weekends are the times when gas prices tend to be higher, so try to fuel up during the week. Avoid overloading your motorcycle so that you aren’t carrying dozens of pounds of weight that reduce your fuel efficiency. 

Inflate your tires to the correct pressure and make sure that they’re in good condition since low tire pressure can increase fuel consumption. Also, altering how you ride your bike can help you to lower your gas costs: riding under the speed limit by a few miles is more efficient than going over 70 miles per hour. Try to brake and accelerate slowly, also.

Ready to view some models? Come see our dealership’s inventory of new and used touring motorcycles at our Westminster, CA, location. Indian Motorcycle® of Orange County serves all our customers throughout the greater Los Angeles area and Orange County, CA.