1. Temperature difference between day and night
Autumn often brings comfortable daytime temperatures. However, the temperature difference between day and night tends to be drastic, and it is often particularly chilly in the mornings and evenings. It is not uncommon for the temperature difference to be more than 15 degrees on some days.
Therefore, when touring, it is important to consider leaving early in the morning and returning home late, and to pay attention to the clothing you wear, such as a riding jacket or additional innerwear that can regulate your body temperature.
Also, disposable hand warmers and ankle covers are handy for cold weather when the temperature suddenly drops. In addition, it’s important to manage your physical condition as the temperature changes, so be sure to drink fluids and take breaks every 1-2 hours.
Carrying disposable hand warmers is also useful in case of emergencies.
2. Sudden changes in weather and fog
From early September to late October, there are many rainy days due to the influence of the autumn rain front, and there are also many cases of sudden rainfall in mountainous areas. Therefore, if you are going touring during this time, you should prepare rain gear.
It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on the weather forecast on TV and smartphone apps. If there’s a forecast of heavy rain, you should consider changing your touring route or schedule.
Sudden rain can also fall in autumn, so it’s important to bring rain gear.
Additionally, autumn is also a season when dense fog is likely to occur. As mentioned above, autumn is a time when temperatures drop sharply in the mornings and evenings, and fog is more likely to form as moisture in the air condenses. Dense fog is particularly likely to occur on sunny days following rain. Location-wise, it is more likely to occur in high mountain areas and around lakes and rivers.
If fog occurs at your touring destination, you should drive safely by slowing down. Incidentally, if you use high beam headlights because it’s hard to see ahead, the light will be scattered and it will be dangerous. In fog, we generally recommend driving slowly with low beams.
If fog occurs during your trip, drive safely by reducing your speed.
3. Be careful of falling leaves on the ground as you may slip or fall
One of the great things about autumn touring is being able to enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves on winding mountain roads. However, on the other hand, autumn mountain roads can be dangerous as fallen leaves often accumulate on the road surface. In particular, wet roads after rain are already slippery, and fallen leaves make it even more likely that you will slip, so you need to be careful.
In autumn, you can enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves on winding roads in the mountains. However, you should be careful of fallen leaves on the road.
Basically, it’s best to avoid fallen leaves whenever possible. If you can’t safely avoid them and you absolutely have to go through them, ride carefully and avoid sudden actions like sudden steering or braking. In particular, when coming to blind corners with poor visibility, you should slow down well in advance and keep in mind that you can deal with fallen leaves even if they appear mid-corner.
Fallen leaves on the side of the road can actually be dangerous. When you stop, your feet can slip and cause you to fall over!
4. Dusk
In autumn, when the days are shorter, the sun sets earlier. In particular, during the “twilight hours,” which refers to the hour before and after sunset, it suddenly gets dark and visibility suddenly deteriorates, which tends to increase the number of traffic accidents.
Therefore, when touring in the fall, it is important to consider sunset times and leave some leeway in your schedule. If possible, it is best to plan your trip so that you do not ride during twilight hours.
Also, if you are driving during twilight hours, one countermeasure is to wear reflective clothing, etc. You should also try to make efforts to prevent accidents as much as possible by taking measures to let other cars around you know that you are there.
Be careful during twilight hours too
5. Animal sightings
Recently, there has been a lot of talk about wild animals such as bears appearing in residential areas, and in particular in the fall, many animals become active in preparation for hibernation.
In mountainous areas and on country roads, there is a good chance that not only bears but also deer, wild boars, monkeys and other wild animals may jump out onto the road. Therefore, in areas where animals are known to be present, it is important to slow down and pay close attention to your surroundings.
In autumn, there is a good chance that wild animals will jump out onto the road. Even in Tokyo, bears and monkeys can be found in the Tama area, so be careful.
Enjoy safe and secure autumn touring
As the saying goes, “Autumn is the season for appetite,” and many ingredients come into season in autumn. Autumn touring offers many attractions, including the opportunity to fully enjoy the local flavors.
However, as mentioned above, you should never let your guard down. Keep the precautions introduced here in mind and make sure you get home safely while enjoying your motorcycle trip to the fullest.
Autumn touring allows you to enjoy seasonal ingredients in various places, but you should not let your guard down.
