Coastal Riding in the South Bay: What Every Motorcyclist Needs to Bring Along On PCH

The section of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) that lies within the South Bay attracts motorcyclists year round. With its ocean views, close-to-the-cliff curves, and varying traffic speed (from a slow crawl to an open lane), the route is appealing. However, the coastal environment puts unique stresses on motorcycles and motorcycle accessories compared to what you’d find on inland routes.

Why the Coast Places Different Demands on Your Bike Than Inland Roads Do

Salt spray mists the marine layer that blankets much of the South Bay in the early morning hours. Over time this salt gets into linkages, brake caliper pistons, exposed bolts and any area where paint is chipped. Links become tighter due to increased friction caused by reduced lube in coastal environments; if chains aren’t maintained regularly, even new ones can have tightened links in just thousands of miles. Faster corrosion occurs on battery terminals and grit forms on older bike’s electrical systems after a rainy season.

Temperatures cause another level of wear and tear on your bike. For example, a ride may begin in Manhattan Beach at 55°F at 7 am and be in the upper 80s by 9 am while going north past Pt. Dume. This temperature swing causes variations in tire pressures as well as how tires behave on damp vs dry pavement.

What You Need To Carry As a PCH Rider

You don’t need to carry a complete tool box to fix anything that might go wrong. All you really need is a “twenty or thirty” piece kit containing tools designed to handle all the common roadside repairs – most of which will result from a loose bolt, a bad connection or a slow leak. There are several compact motorcycle tool kits available for purchase, designed for two-wheeled applications. These kits contain the commonly used bolt sizes and drivers needed to repair most Japanese, European, and American bikes and take up much less room than a multi-purpose garage kit. 

At the very least a coastal riding kit should include:

• Metric hex keys: 3 mm thru 8 mm
• Torx bits: T-25, T-30, & T-45 (found on many modern fairings and brakes)
• Combination wrenches: 8mm thru 17mm
• Small ratchet w/ shallow sockets
• Phillips & flat screwdrivers
• Standard pair of pliers & needle-nose pliers
• Compact flashlight/headlamp

If you’re running an older carbureted bike, consider adding a spark plug socket that fits your bike’s spark plugs plus a spare plug wrapped in cloth. Although fuel-injected bikes almost never need spark plug removal on the roadside, the socket still comes in handy during scheduled service.

Road Conditions and Debris

Most debris on PCH can be found in areas with construction activity, beach parking lot exit ramps, and sections of road that run parallel to the cliffs south of Palos Verdes where road maintenance seems to occur at random intervals. Most flat tires reported by South Bay riders are attributed to nails, staples from pallets being shipped and/or broken glass.

Tubeless plug kits w/ CO2 cartridges or small hand pumps work well for the majority of punctures encountered on PCH and allow you to get to a shop. Practice using such a kit once at home before relying on it in a Malibu turnout with cars zipping past at 55 mph is not the best time to try reading the directions. Tube-type tires, like those seen on adventure bikes and older cruisers, typically require patches & a way to release the bead – making them slightly more difficult to fix than tubeless tires and usually best left to a mobile mechanic.

Weather and Low-Visibility Issues

Fog can significantly reduce visibility on PCH to less than a quarter mile without significant warning during late spring and summer when the marine layer remains low into the afternoon. Many experienced South Bay riders keep a clear visor stowed away in their tail bags plus some sort of light water-resistant shell that folds down to fit inside a book-sized envelope. Even when the day begins sunny, a trip from Leo Carrillo can finish with a cool/damp ride back for anyone without a spare layer.

Using reflective material(s) attached to your jacket or helmet makes a noticeable impact when riding in low-viz. While drivers along PCH are distracted by the view, an invisible rider wearing solid color clothing against grey fog is nearly impossible to see — especially considering how small vehicles appear. High viz tape strips applied horizontally across the back of a jacket or around the edge of a helmet will cost you next to nothing and pay dividends each time you’ve got to commute home in fog.