How not to fall asleep on a motorcycle?

[rojoracing53]

Ok so I'm planning on some long rides on the Ninjette to Mtb races in other states but I have this problem of falling asleep if I get bored. Its not your normal after an hour of driving you start to get sleepy, it's more like if I'm going slow enough in a canyon for it to not be at least a little dangerous and engaging I'll be nodding off within mins. This happens to me during group rides all the time when we catch slower riders or a car. I always get asked at the next regroup about why I was shaking my head, I always get an odd look when I tell them I was trying to stay awake. Its not limited to just riding and driving ether, I can normally sleep just about anywhere any time, I just need to stop doing anything for a bit. It ironic I can run or Mtb for 24hrs strait with no sleep with little to no problems but put me on or in a vehicle in a strait line for more then a few minutes and instantly dozing off. One of the reasons I only do certain running and Mtb races is because I know the course needs to be challenging the whole time or else I'll give up or be sleeping off the side off the trail.

I can make my trip from NorCal to SoCal ok because my route is mostly twisty roads and canyons so it keeps me engaged 90% of the time but that won't be the case when heading out to Utah and Colorado. While driving my car or truck down interstate 5 I've seen riders just cruising along down the endless strait path and I think how can they manage that.

So do any of you guys have any tips to staying awake during long strait rides or suggested routes to Utah or Colorado that may help me out.

Thanks

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

I always get asked at the next regroup about why I was shaking my head, I always get an odd look when I tell them I was trying to stay awake.

I wonder how many riders have walked away insulted not realizing your issue. lol

I got nodda on your problem, in fact I have the opposite issue. I can't fall asleep on/in anything moving.

[choneofakind]

Coffee. Coffee with redbull.

You should be able to. See. Sounds.

[tfkrocks]

Fidget a lot. It's how I deal with horribly boring classes that rely on powerpoint.

Do you have a bluetooth headset?

[DEFY]

I know that feeling I shake my head to stay awake to. I have fallen asleep riding a bicycle before and got a concusion from crashing because of it. Just keep moving about is how I keep myself awake. I have yet to have this feeling on a bike though.

[NevadaWolf]

Going with the title I was going to suggest some things to keep you awake against tiredness. Such as moving around, stretching, caffeine, music/audio books, whatever.

But if its just cause you are bored with the ride conditions then I think you alone are going to have to find what works for you to keep your mind engaged. Roads are flat, roads are straight, roads are boring in between the fun bits. Other traffic is going to slow you down, conditions will slow you down.

I'm not so sure advice from others will help given your need to keep the ride exciting to keep you alert. Since that is so personal, what works for one person may not come near working for you.

[Sirref]

I have a similar problem while driving in a straight line for extended periods of time 2+hrs. ****'s just boring, My solution has always been to have a co-driver to make sure that I'm awake and reasonably alert. I've never had that problem on a bike but I can absolutely see myself running into it down the road. All I can think of is to avoid coffee/redbull since they cause a crash over time and that will make the problem worse. Possibly just make sure that you eat a hearty potassium based breakfast and from there swerve around a bit whenever you notice yourself dozing off a bit.

[rojoracing53]

Yeah I listen to music almost any time on on the bike, I don't think it helps much because when I forget to charge the battery and it dies I don't seem to get any more or less tired.

I realize I'm a bit of an odd ball even among the odd people that participate in my endurance sports. I've never come across anyone as picky as me when it comes to a course or route needing to be a certain level of fun in order to consider doing it. I know most other peoples solutions won't help me but it doesn't hurt to toss some ideas around, that's how new ideas are born after all.

There was this one time I had to ride close to three hours from San Diego to Simi Valley at 1am through LA and I kept zoning out and nearly falling asleep. I was also freezing my ass off because the fog rolled in and I didn't have my warmer gear on me. So what I did was pull over every 30 mins and did like 50 jumping jacks then hopped back on for another 30 mins. Sure I looks ridiculous on the side of the road doing jumping jacks in a full face helmet but it got me through the trip. I guess I could try coming up with a schedule and make quick stops for a single exercise then get back on the road. I could even get a little creative and change up the exercise on each stop for a full body workout.

New question, what exercises can you do in 30 seconds with full gear on?

[Sirref]

Jumping jacks, calvies, can't think of much more.

[tfkrocks]

Burpies

[Sirref]

oh god, burpies are the devil hahaha

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by tfkrocks

Burpies

Not sure what a Burpie is but depending on what I had for lunch I can get out a few Belchies, although I'm not sure how that's going to keep me awake

[NevadaWolf]

Pushups, jogging/brisk walk, squats, calf raises, maybe creative sit-ups if at a rest stop with concrete picnic tables. Anything arm related may have too restricted mobility to work.

Though I suppose you could try a modified lat pull if you use your bike and pull it up off the kickstand then lower it again. Depending on how you brace yourself you may be to get the right form to mimic the seated row style machines.

[rojoracing53]

Tagging @greenaero because he's a pro at long strait boring route for mpg testing. Also tagging @Alex because he to has a few screws loose doing that iron but rally and might have some input.

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

Not sure what a Burpie is but depending on what I had for lunch I can get out a few Belchies, although I'm not sure how that's going to keep me awake

They are an evil exercise hahaha. Maybe do it without the pushup because of the helmet possibly hitting.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[rojoracing53]

yeah and I thought I looked retarded doing jumping jacks, if CPH saw me doing these on the side of the road in full gear I'm sure a drug test would be in order.

[Sirref]

I consider it a fairly common exercise on group rides w/sport bikes. It gets the blood flowing really quickly through your body. That applies less to 250s unless you have clip ons though.

[alex.s]

here's a thought? know your own limits and don't drive when you're tired. stop when you get tired and rest until you aren't tired. if you're in a group, make sure you're in the right group for you. if you're in a group going further, faster than you are comfortable going, don't go with them.

[choneofakind]

Burpies are just a warm up. 50m pool sprints are where it's really at. Hardest **** I've ever tried, swimming is.

[Sirref]

I've never tried to swim for the exercise, just laps for fun at a comfortable pace. I would say that whatever the exercise using a football field where you run 10 yards back 20 yards back 30 back and so on until you sprint the full 100 yards and back before counting back down by 10 each time. Last 10 people to finish in the group (about 100ppl) had to do 100 pushups by the end of the day. The few days where I couldn't run quickly enough were brutal.

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Burpies are just a warm up. 50m pool sprints are where it's really at. Hardest **** I've ever tried, swimming is.

But you can do burpies anywhere. Last I checked, I don't keep a pool in my back pocket.

Now I'm imagining @rojoracing53 pulling out a pool from nowhere on the side of the road and doing laps

[Ducati999]

When I was younger I would have to ride from New Hampshire to Connecticut every weekend after I worked till 2am. The system I used to not fall asleep was to watch for the Mile marker signs and calculate my speed based on time between the signs. I used the clock on my dash and the signs then divided the distance by the time to equal out velocity. you can check your answer with your speedo!

[choneofakind]

Nah, jason can't swim. He sinks

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Nah, jason can't swim. He sinks

I'm sure he'd be awake for a while from that kind of excitement

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by alex.s

here's a thought? know your own limits and don't drive when you're tired. stop when you get tired and rest until you aren't tired. if you're in a group, make sure you're in the right group for you. if you're in a group going further, faster than you are comfortable going, don't go with them.

Yeah well my current limits are limiting me to 30 mins tops of strait hwy so that's going to make for long 900 mile trip

I guess once I get my tapered roller bearings installed next week I'll attach a cruise control device and just play games on a portable the whole time.

[kush452]

moving around seemed to help me. I find that it doesn't have to be huge movement but bouncing a leg slightly

[csmith12]

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by csmith12

hahahahahahaha omg malik is even watching the imaginary gameboy

[csmith12]

Sheeeeet mang, BC just got da high score!

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

Yeah well my current limits are limiting me to 30 mins tops of strait hwy so that's going to make for long 900 mile trip

I guess once I get my tapered roller bearings installed next week I'll attach a cruise control device and just play games on a portable the whole time.

maybe you could try riding along on the back with someone until you get used to it

[Alex]

I would have trouble doing extreme long-distance in a car, especially alone. It does lull you to sleep over time with so little stimulation. But on a bike I've never had that issue. 24 hours at a time is never a problem. Yes, it is somewhat harder if much of it is on the highway rather than a more fun road, but it's still quite doable. Keeping hydrated and fed throughout helps as well, so a drinking system on the bike is useful. If I find myself really past my limits, typically by noticing the bike weave a bit or having more trouble maintaining a constant speed, I will pull over for a quick regroup. Jumpingjacks, or just running around the bike a few times usually helps for a quick pick-me-up.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

Ok so I'm planning on some long rides on the Ninjette to Mtb races in other states but I have this problem of falling asleep if I get bored. Its not your normal after an hour of driving you start to get sleepy, it's more like if I'm going slow enough in a canyon for it to not be at least a little dangerous and engaging I'll be nodding off within mins. This happens to me during group rides all the time when we catch slower riders or a car. I always get asked at the next regroup about why I was shaking my head, I always get an odd look when I tell them I was trying to stay awake. Its not limited to just riding and driving ether, I can normally sleep just about anywhere any time, I just need to stop doing anything for a bit. It ironic I can run or Mtb for 24hrs strait with no sleep with little to no problems but put me on or in a vehicle in a strait line for more then a few minutes and instantly dozing off. One of the reasons I only do certain running and Mtb races is because I know the course needs to be challenging the whole time or else I'll give up or be sleeping off the side off the trail.

I can make my trip from NorCal to SoCal ok because my route is mostly twisty roads and canyons so it keeps me engaged 90% of the time but that won't be the case when heading out to Utah and Colorado. While driving my car or truck down interstate 5 I've seen riders just cruising along down the endless strait path and I think how can they manage that.

So do any of you guys have any tips to staying awake during long strait rides or suggested routes to Utah or Colorado that may help me out.

Thanks

Bring a nymphomaniac with you!

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Bring a nymphomaniac with you!

I think we have a winner

[algs26]

Wrist watch buzzers (set alarm every ten minutes) or sleep sensing ear buds maybe?

[simook]

Stop riding on the street?

I used to have the same issue back when I was riding with groups or on long boring freeways. My only only solution was to stop riding on the street as it's just too dangerous up here in the northwest. That and I would rather be on a track

[adouglas]

Sounds like you may have poor sleep habits in the first place. Your body is telling you that you need rest because you're not getting enough.

Go to the root of the problem. Hit the sack earlier. Sleep later.

When riding, stop once per hour, get off the bike and walk around. This is HUGE for combating fatigue.

Engage in mental stimulation. Listen to an audiobook. Think actively about something rather than just zone out. Focus your mind.

If you start to doze, STOP and take a catnap. 5-15 minutes does WONDERS for you.

Buckminster Fuller (brilliant engineer who invented the geodesic dome) was able to get by on very little sleep. He did it by simply stopping whatever he was doing when he felt sleepy and nodding off for a few minutes. He let his body tell him when and how much to rest, rather than some artificial schedule.

[Aggrotech]

Stop somewhere and do a mini workout? jumping jacks/sit ups/push ups?


and alot of monster/redbull.

[tfkrocks]

Oh yeah the additional benefit of excessive energy drinks; you'll have to stop often anyway because you gotta pee. Or maybe you'll stay awak better when you gotta piss like a racehorse!

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Sounds like you may have poor sleep habits in the first place. Your body is telling you that you need rest because you're not getting enough.

Go to the root of the problem. Hit the sack earlier. Sleep later.

When riding, stop once per hour, get off the bike and walk around. This is HUGE for combating fatigue.

Engage in mental stimulation. Listen to an audiobook. Think actively about something rather than just zone out. Focus your mind.

If you start to doze, STOP and take a catnap. 5-15 minutes does WONDERS for you.

Buckminster Fuller (brilliant engineer who invented the geodesic dome) was able to get by on very little sleep. He did it by simply stopping whatever he was doing when he felt sleepy and nodding off for a few minutes. He let his body tell him when and how much to rest, rather than some artificial schedule.

I'm not sure if its sleep patterns because no matter how much or little I sleep or wether I'm on the road traveling or at home its always the same deal. It also doesn't matter what time of day. I could have just gotten the best 8hrs of sleep even and feel refreshed enough to go run a marathon but 20 mins down the hwy and I'm fighting to keep my eyes open.

[Jono]

Run open headers.