Route 66 by motorcycle. The best tips to do it on your own

If you are reading these lines it is because you are planning to do the route 66 by motorcycle. In another article we have already shared with you the route 66 road trip that we did. And that we did because we included other stops of tourist interest such as Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Below you are our main tips to make the route 66 by motorcycle on your own after our experience. Some of the tips are also valid if you are driving a car or a motorhome. Join us!

Route 66 motorcycle

1. Rent your route 66 motorcycle with EagleRider

We rented a classic Harley Davidson Electra Glide, super comfortable for 2 people. It had GPS, speakers, two side suitcases and one at the back. Eagle rider lets you pick up the bike in Chicago and return it in Los Angeles. In any case, it is very expensive, about € 3000 the 12 days we were riding, but it is once in a lifetime. We booked it with full insurance.

Make sure your bank is notified that you are going to make such a payment abroad, we had problems due to the security of the credit cards. We know there are organized group routes by Eagle Rider. However, we preferred to go on our own, so we could stop when we wanted and make some changes in the historic route 66 road trip.

2. Take your motorcycle helmet and get your Interphone

In some states of the United States it is not mandatory to wear a helmet by motorcycle. Therefore, you should know that the helmets provided by EagleRider are of low quality. That is, you have your face outside and only your head protected. Therefore, if you have a closed helmet, we recommend that you take it to the route for five reasons: cold, wind, sun, rain and bugs! You will experience huge differences in the weather during the trip, so we highly recommend a closed helmet.

In addition, if you have installed some intercoms it will surely help you during the trip to communicate with each other. or even to call someone, etc. We really recommend them if you still do not have some, since there are many kilometers and hours of road. In the previous photo, in the helmet on the right you can see ours of the brand Interphone.

3. Take removable and malleable suitcases. Route 66 motorcycle

A great tip if you are going to do the route 66 by motorcycle is to get some extractable luggage to put in the rigid suitcases of the motorcycle. They are ideal because they could be adapted perfectly to the side trunks of the Harley. Each of us had one. The good thing about the removable luggage is that at each stop we could take them out comfortably and put them in our hotel room easily. And, also, as they are waterproof, clothes were not wet when it rained. We recommend you the brand GIVI.

4. Download the app Route 66 Ultimate Guide Pro

It is free and will serve as your guide if you want to know what you should visit in each state of the Route 66. You will not miss places like this.

5. Hire a travel insurance with accident coverage

It is essential that in a trip of this type you hire a travel insurance. Health costs in the United States are huge and the risks of taking a motorcycle trip, as you know, are bigger than doing it by car. We give you a 5% discount on your insurance to the United States and to any other part of the world for being our reader.

Find below the insurance that best suits your trip and check the discounted prices of each policy.

6. Go well equipped for all type of climates

When doing route 66, you are traveling through a whole country, with which you will practically experience all kinds of climates. In our case, it was damp in Chicago, on the way to Missouri it rained and it was quite windy. In New Mexico we exceeded 35 degrees and in Arizona, arriving at the Grand Canyon, it hailed us. Therefore, it is important that you bring a good integral waterproof for the motorcycle, as well as boots that protect you from accidents, stones and rain.

7. Eat healthy at Whole foods Market

In the United States it is very difficult to eat healthy without being cheated. You practically have to have breakfast, lunch and dinner based on waffles, burgers and pizza if you do not want to spend more than 15 euros per meal. In this sense, the Whole foods Market supermarket saved us from junk food several times during the route. Here you can set your salad with several ingredients, as well as a combination dish.

The number of fast food restaurants in the country is exaggerated. There will be times in the route where you have no choice, but if you go through large cities, there will always be a Wholefoods.

8. Get your Revolut card for free

Revolut card has no fees on ATM withdrawals and card payments worldwide, you’ll enjoy the freedom of knowing you’re ready to explore, whenever.

9. Book in advance the hotels of Chicago and Los Angeles

Accommodation in Chicago and Los Angeles is very expensive. Therefore, we recommend you book your hotel in Chicago in advance. In the same way, even if you are going to get to Los Angeles two weeks later, we suggest you book your hotel in Los Angeles soon.

10. Find your flight to Chicago and return by Los Angeles

With Iberia you can search for the best combination of flights to travel to Chicago and return via Los Angeles from Madrid. Good luck!

We hope that these 10 tips for making the route 66 by motorcycle on your own have been helpful. Do not hesitate to leave us a comment for any question or send us an email to info@localguidegrancanaria.com.