When it comes to a motorcycle rally - and especially the annual MOA National Rally - you can never be too prepared. Here's some tips for anybody planning on going to any rallies anywhere this year!
Plan where you're going to stay as early as you can. If you want to camp on the Rally site, this is typically no problem. You can register for the next Rally as soon as this one ends, usually at a discount, and that's a pretty good time to start thinking about where you're going to sleep when the time comes next summer. If you're an RV person, you'll want to register for your RV spot as soon as you can - typically the first of January - and the same goes if you want an Overland Site. If you'd prefer to stay in a hotel/motel off the rally grounds, make sure you secure those reservations as soon as you know your travel dates. The MOA Rally runs from Thursday through Saturday, and if you're volunteering on Wednesday to help set up or Sunday to help clean up, you're looking at between three and five nights in the motel of your choice. For bigger rallies like Daytona Bike Week or Sturgis, you'll want to plan a year or more in advance.
Prep your bike for an extended trip. Many - perhaps even most - of us who attend the MOA Rally every year ride our bikes to get there. You'll want to make sure your bike is up to the task of riding what could amount to a couple thousand miles in a week or two. Don't plan to do maintenance on the road unless you're 100% positive you'll be staying someplace that won't mind an oil change in their driveway. It's OK to do your routine maintenance a little ahead of schedule, and then do it again when you get home if you've hit that 5,000-mile mark. Same thing with tires - we can't guarantee somebody will be at the Rally selling and installing tires, so put on your new tires BEFORE you leave home! If you haven't changed your air filter since before last year's rally, now's a good time to do that, too, and don't forget to check your valve clearance on a cold engine.
Stay hydrated. Riding in the summer can sap your body of its moisture quickly, and if you've got a sturdy and compact way to store and carry fresh water, you'll be that much more inclined to drink it regularly. A good target is to drink about three (women) to four (men) liters of water per day in temperate climates. Add a bit more to compensate for fluid loss from sweating in hot weather. According to experts, you get about 20% of your water through your food, so you'll need to drink about 2.4 (women) to 3.2 (men) liters of liquids to get the rest. Note than "liquids" here excludes alcoholic treats! You'll want to drink anything without sugar in it - water, coffee, tea, low fat milk even. You can increase that 20/80 split between food and fluids by eating whole fruits like watermelon, oranges and melons. If you are drinking alcohol, experts recommend drinking as much water as you do alcohol, as the alcohol acts as a dehydrating agent. You can have sports drinks as well, but look for ones without sugar or high fructose corn syrup. If that's all you can get ahold of, dilute them 1:1 with water. You can also use electrolyte packets to add to regular water for enhanced hydration in environments where you're sweating a lot.
Electronics! Let's face it - it's the 21st century and the days of setting out for the Rally on the other side of the country with nothing but a few paper maps and a wristwatch are long behind us. Many of us travel with just a smartphone, but others will add a smartwatch, tablet and laptop to the mix - plus a GPS unit or two! Maybe even a still or video camera as well. Plan on updating every one of your devices before you leave. Make sure you have charging cables for every one of your devices, and bring along a spare for anything absolutely critical. You'll also want to make sure you have a robust charger; the more devices you want to use it for, the bigger capacity it should have, up to about 10 watts of charging power. Consider bringing along a portable charger as well; look for something providing at least 2000 mAH of capacity and again - ensure you have the right cables to both charge your battery and charge *with* your battery. If you've got a USB port on your bike, make sure it's functioning properly before you leave. Keep in mind there usually isn't public WiFi at the Rally, so if that's critical to your life, you'll want to invest in a personal hotspot.
Bring ear plugs with you. Not only are they great for reducing the damaging power of wind noise while you're riding, you'll benefit from having ear plugs at the Rally as well. The evening concerts can get loud, especially if you're up close to the stage. If you're camping, you're going to have neighbors and they WILL snore. If you want a good night's sleep, you'll need ear plugs. Grab a pack of foam ear plugs at a drug store or visit one of the vendors making custom-molded ear plugs at every Rally, like Big Ear Inc or Fit-Ear.
Pack for a variety of conditions and temperatures. Cramming everything into your side cases, saddle bags, duffels, etc. can seem overwhelming, so it's worth your time and effort in the weeks before the trip to evaluate your clothing needs and how you'll fit them all on your bike. You'll be wearing your riding gear, and that jacket can help keep you warm on a cool evening or morning, but you might want a lighter, more flexible fleece or hoodie-style mid-layer for those situations. Since our Rally is always in the summer, you'll want some shorts and lighter shirts; cotton T-shirts aren't great at wicking away moisture, so maybe two or three nice performance fabric shirts will do the trick. There are many on the market which pack down small and even have anti-microbial treatments to help tamp down on body odor. The same goes for your base layers - cotton undies on a hot, sweaty ride can result in all sorts of skin irritation to your more delicate bits. You don't need a fresh outfit for every day; even small towns often have a coin-op laundry where you can freshen up your clothes. Bring a hat to keep the sun off your face and consider bringing some shoes or sandals that pack flat so you don't have to clomp awkwardly around the Rally grounds in your motorcycle boots for three or four days - that is, as long as you don't ride an ADV bike. If you're an ADV rider, you're required to wear full-on knee-high armored motocross boots at all times, even in the shower.
Documentation is key. Of course you have your driver's license in your wallet or purse, but think about what other paperwork you might need on a trip. Your vehicle's registration papers and proof of insurance are important, and required to have on you at all times in some states. One thing you can consider is taking these things to an office supply store and making a couple copies of them (all on one page). You can stash one copy under the seat of your bike and another in with your toiletries or something like that. If you're traveling outside your home country to get to or from the Rally (or just for fun), be aware of any paperwork you might need for your bike or yourself - a passport or carnet spring to mind, and you might need a vehicle permit or local insurance as well. Also consider bringing along copies of your eyeglass prescription (if needed) in case something happens to your glasses during the trip. If you take medications, it doesn't hurt to have a copy of those prescriptions or at the very least the phone number or business card from your doctor's office should you need to replace any medications while on the road. (By the way, talk to your doctor about getting any necessary refills *before* you leave, so you have plenty of doses to carry you through your trip.)
Take advantage of everything going on at the Rally. There are seminars on a huge variety of topics and other sessions taking place throughout the three days of the Rally, but there's so much more, too! Every Rally is different, but in general, you can take advantage of the BMW Demo Truck to ride any of BMW's newest models, opportunities for both on- and off-road training offered by the top facilities in the country, Brewfest, fantastic evening entertainment on the main stage, additional seminars in the Exhibitor's Hall, movie nights and even off-site tours of fantastic attractions in the area surrounding the Rally site. Plus you can just go for a ride and see the country a bit. The 2026 Rally is happening near Burlington, Vermont, and other rallies have been in or near cities such as Nashville, Tenn.; Richmond, Vir.; Great Falls, Mont.; Salt Lake City; Hamburg, N.Y.; St. Paul, Minn.; Gillette, Wyo.; and Flagstaff, Ariz. The point is you won't have to go far to experience something different than what you're used to at home. SEE THE RALLY APP FOR MORE INFORMATION
Check over your riding gear. Popular wisdom says not to embark on a long trip with brand-new gear, so a few weeks out from the Rally is a great time to evaluate your existing gear and determine if you need to replace anything. Maybe your helmet's liner is caked with salt from six sweaty summers ... well, you should probably replace THAT helmet, but sometimes you can get away with just replacing the liner and cheek pads. Summer gloves and jackets, rain gear, boots - go over all of it and replace what you need to with plenty of time to test it out and break it in before you head for the MOA Rally.
Be social. This may be tough for some of us, but at every Rally you have the unique opportunity to meet people from all over the US, Canada, Mexico and abroad. Strike up a conversation with that lady who has an interesting bike or that guy wearing an odd hat. Put yourself out there just a little bit and you might make a new friend! If you find it difficult to just start talking to a rando, we've got you covered - you can volunteer! The Rally doesn't happen without the efforts of thousands of volunteer-hours of work before, during and after the three days of the Rally. By volunteering, you not only make the Rally better overall, you also give yourself a great opportunity to meet folks from all over. On top of that, volunteers can access the Rally site on Wednesday!
Equip your tool kit. Whether you want to be able to get back on the road quickly after a tire puncture or do a major service in a parking lot somewhere, be sure to bring all the tools you might need with you. At a minimum, traveling with a tire puncture repair kit and a way to re-inflate your tire is great insurance against a ruined trip. (Make sure you know how to use them, too - practice on an old tire.) It never hurts to have a credit card with some room under the limit, too, if something serious happens on the way. Signing up for a roadside assistance plan is also a solid idea - whether it's the MOA's program, a plan managed by your insurance company or one offered by companies like AAA or Good Sam.
BONUS TIPS
Bring half as much of the stuff you plan on packing and twice as much money as you think you'll need.
Having a half-cover for your bike won't prevent it from getting stolen by a dedicated thief, but it will keep prying eyes, curious hands and some rain off your bike.
If your bike was made before keyless ignitions, tuck a spare key in your wallet or a jacket pocket or tie one into your boot laces.
Leave a little empty space in your side cases or saddle bags for anything you might buy during your trip. You can also mail anything you pick up to your home and avoid carrying it with you altogether.
Give people the benefit of the doubt. You're on vacation, so try to slow down a bit. Cut that waitress a little slack. Smile at the clerk in the motel office. Say hi to a little kid. Ruffle a dog's ears (with permission from their human, of course).
You can probably buy anything you need while on the road, so don't sweat it if you forget something at home.