Preparation for Motorcycle Touring

Before you set off on a long trip, prepare yourself and your motorcycle. If you’ve just bought your motorbike, take it for a long ride before you set off on your world tour, preferably loaded up with the same luggage you plan to take. That way, you can iron out any small niggles before you go. It’ll also tell you if you can see the road over all that camping gear, and how many miles you can do between tea stops!

Do some basic motorcycle maintenance – check the tyre pressures and oil levels, for example, and make sure all your indicators and lights are working.  France and some other countries require you to carry a full set of spare bulbs with you.

Check your insurance and any recovery service – if you’re going abroad, you may need to let your insurance company know first. Within the EU and most of Europe vehicles can move pretty freely, but some other countries will want to see documents proving you own the bike before they let you bring it across the border. Check that your travel insurance covers you for motorcycle touring too.

And prepare yourself. If you’re a new rider, or haven’t ridden for a while, this is a great time to do a spot of advanced training and polish up your skills. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.