How to Ride and Avoid COVID-19
Is Motorcycle Riding Legal During The COVID-19 Pandemic?
The short answer is, Yes. You can ride your motorcycle in Colorado. There are still restrictions of groups no more than 10 people gathering and you must still practice social distancing. People from the same household can ride 2 up. It is still recommended that people wear face masks or bandanna’s, wear gloves when touching things, don’t touch your face, and thoroughly wash your hands. If you stop to go into a store or gas station, you’ll still need to wear your face covering. Be aware, there are still gas stations that do not have restrooms open to the public. If you live in any other state, other than Colorado, you need to be sure of any restrictions IN YOUR STATE.
I can’t stress enough, this is only my view and opinion from what I’ve seen, read, and heard from the same State, City, and County officials that you’ve heard it from. But I tell you what, if you have the virus and don’t know it, you give it to somebody else and they get sick or die and it’s traced back to you, well that’s on you! I don’t want to be the person that somebody tries to blame for a virus related death! Is the risk worth the reward? I’m extra careful about keeping my face covered around other people while I’m in public places, I wear my gloves when I get fuel, I stay at least 6 feet apart from others and I wash up and change clothes when I get home! I would recommend the same for my touring buddies! This is all about being safe and avoiding COVID-19 and not spreading the virus while riding.
I’m not sure and won’t really speak about dirt riding or back country riders on dirt bikes or ATV’s. From what I’ve seen and heard, there are still a lot of closures to public, state and national forest areas. It is best to call or check the official website of the area you want to ride. A couple weeks ago I rode through Red Rocks (paved roads) and this week, they have it closed off. So be prepared to change direction or plans during this time of uncertainty.
Also remember, just because there is less traffic on the roads and more breathing room, doesn’t mean we can be speeding and driving recklessly! This is the time of the year when people are getting out on their motorcycles and our numbers are growing but those driving cars and trucks aren’t watching for us yet. I am surprised how much speeding I hear on the roads near my home!
Motorcycle Riding To Other States?
As quoted directly from the CDC.GOV website, “The COVID-19 outbreak in United States is a rapidly evolving situation. The status of the outbreak varies by location and state and local authorities are updating their guidance frequently. The White House’s Opening Up America (Official document- https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/) plan means some parts of the country may have different guidance than other areas. Check with the state or local authorities where you are, along your route, and at your planned destination to learn about local circumstances and any restrictions that may be in place.” (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html)
So, what it boils down to is you can travel across state lines At Your Own Risk, but you better check the state, city and county’s you’re traveling into for any restrictions before you leave. Don’t travel if you’re sick! If you get sick while you are traveling, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible to prevent spreading the infection. Some medical facilities may be closed or overwhelmed with patients in areas that you’re traveling as well. If you are planning an over night stop, be sure to check if there are hotels/motels open in the area before you leave. Also, there are many local, state, and national parks that may be temporarily out of service. The planning and preparation for traveling long distance on a motorcycle is very important to begin with, now it’s going to be critical! Me, personally, as bad as I want to start traveling, I will not do it… yet! I don’t want to get stranded somewhere that has a major outbreak while I’m hundreds of miles from home! There are plenty of places nearby where I can get my wind therapy!
Motorcycle Riding To/From Neighboring Countries?
Well, let me put it this way, you should check before you try! From what I’ve seen, Canada and Mexico still have closed borders. All I can really find is that everyone is saying “Essential Travel Only”.
Canada’s official website states specifically “How COVID-19 is affecting applications to visit, work or study in Canada; If you meet the criteria for the travel exemptions, and you want to apply to come to Canada, there are changes to the application process. Learn more (and be sure to read the #1 footnote at the bottom of the page). You can travel to Canada only if you are exempt from the travel restrictions and are coming for an essential purpose”.
It is not Illegal for you to ride your motorcycle in Colorado or even out of state. But you would be going against the request for “only essential travel”. Is getting wind therapy “essential”? It is for me! There are a lot of things you can do to and places to go that you can be safe, keep distance and still reduce your chances of getting the virus, but it is everywhere, so travel at your own risk. Check out my Shopping, Resources and Tools page for great get away ideas.
As I said earlier, this is only my view and opinion based on what I’ve seen, heard and read. I’ve provided many links to data for you to check and decide for yourself if you want to go for a ride or not.
At the time of this post, Colorado was entering into a “Safer at Home” phase that eased up on some parks, cities and counties but there are still restrictions for restaurants, bars and other businesses, so check for any news or changes before you head out on the road. Remember, you don’t want to be surprised and get turned around or get a fine for being somewhere you shouldn’t be.
Stay Healthy, Stay Safe, and Ride On!