Top Ten Tips For A Successful Motorcycle Tour
You chose a country that you thought would suit you, you carefully packed your luggage and your maps, you meticulously planned the route, but still the holiday is a disaster. What more could you have done to ensure the success of the tour? Here are the top ten tips for motorbike touring.
YOUR BIKE
It sounds obvious, but youd be surprised how many people set off on a long tour without making sure that their bike is in the best possible condition it could be. Having your motorcycle serviced before a long tour could save days of heartache, especially if you are planning a trip abroad. In some countries, garages arent always as motivated as you are, when it comes to getting your bike back on the road. Sometimes, the whole holiday can be taken up waiting for repairs. Dont forget to carry spare bulbs.
YOUR CLOTHING
Make sure you have the right clothing. Even in summer months there is a possibility that mountain roads can be subject to inclement weather. It could be forty degrees or it could be less than ten, and its a guessing game that you would be wise to avoid. This is when a guided tour with a luggage carrying back-up vehicle comes into its own. Another advantage of a back-up vehicle is the access to water if it does become very hot.
DONT BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW
Dont try and cover too much ground in one day. Many people who set out on their own, forget to allow time for refreshment stops. Theres nothing worse than arriving at your planned destination in a state of exhaustion, then quickly eating and climbing into bed. A few consecutive days of this will see you wanting to ditch your bike and catch a bus. Be reasonable with your itinerary.
RIDE WITHIN THE LAW
Is it a race or a motorcycle holiday? Another downer that could happen whilst on tour, is being pulled by the local police and hit with a huge speeding fine, and in some countries I mean huge. Always, but always respect the traffic laws and speed limits, and this applies if youre touring in your own country too.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE SENSIBLY
When planning your route, make sure you go somewhere interesting. Its all very well spending the day on fantastic country roads, but when you wash up in that one horse town and youre sitting in bar all by yourselves, youll wish youd put a little more thought into the route. Again, if are travelling with a guided tour, someone else will have done all the homework for you.
WHEN ARE YOU GOING?
What time of year are you planning to take the tour? Bear in mind, especially if you are travelling to a mountainous region, that even when the sun is shining on the coast, it can snowing in the mountains. In summer, youre probably going to be fine if you remember to carry the right gear, but be careful in spring and autumn, or you may just have to pack a snow shovel.
DRINKING?
I know that youve been set free and are determined to enjoy yourself, but believe me (here speaks the voice of experience), its no fun crawling to your bike with a raging hangover, a mouth that feels like a monkey slept in there and a splitting headache. For your own sake and the sake of the people you are travelling with, go easy on the booze.
HOW ARE YOU?
Weve talked about the condition of your bike, but what about you? You owe it to yourself to feel as well as you can during your tour. Im not talking about launching into some kind of marathon training before you embark on your trip, but the better you feel, the more youll enjoy yourself, so if it means shedding a few pounds, its well worth it. Besides looking after yourself, its also a good idea to keep an eye on your travelling companions during the tour. Its always worth asking how someone feels, especially if you know them well and feel theyre not quite on the ball.
DONT FORGET YOUR CAMERA
Youre in an incredibly beautiful mountain pass, the high peaks have a coating of pure white snow punctured by the most graceful pines youve ever seen, and guess what; you forgot you camera. This scenario is not as uncommon as you might think. Before you set off, and I dont mean in the hour leading up to departure, make a list of all the things youre likely to need on your trip. I know you want to travel light, but you can always cross things off the list, but you cant magic them out of thin air once youve started.
FRIENDS
This could be the most important one. Go with friends wholl understand when you get lost, tired or irritable. Better still go with a specialised tour company.
YOUR BIKE
It sounds obvious, but youd be surprised how many people set off on a long tour without making sure that their bike is in the best possible condition it could be. Having your motorcycle serviced before a long tour could save days of heartache, especially if you are planning a trip abroad. In some countries, garages arent always as motivated as you are, when it comes to getting your bike back on the road. Sometimes, the whole holiday can be taken up waiting for repairs. Dont forget to carry spare bulbs.
YOUR CLOTHING
Make sure you have the right clothing. Even in summer months there is a possibility that mountain roads can be subject to inclement weather. It could be forty degrees or it could be less than ten, and its a guessing game that you would be wise to avoid. This is when a guided tour with a luggage carrying back-up vehicle comes into its own. Another advantage of a back-up vehicle is the access to water if it does become very hot.
DONT BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW
Dont try and cover too much ground in one day. Many people who set out on their own, forget to allow time for refreshment stops. Theres nothing worse than arriving at your planned destination in a state of exhaustion, then quickly eating and climbing into bed. A few consecutive days of this will see you wanting to ditch your bike and catch a bus. Be reasonable with your itinerary.
RIDE WITHIN THE LAW
Is it a race or a motorcycle holiday? Another downer that could happen whilst on tour, is being pulled by the local police and hit with a huge speeding fine, and in some countries I mean huge. Always, but always respect the traffic laws and speed limits, and this applies if youre touring in your own country too.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE SENSIBLY
When planning your route, make sure you go somewhere interesting. Its all very well spending the day on fantastic country roads, but when you wash up in that one horse town and youre sitting in bar all by yourselves, youll wish youd put a little more thought into the route. Again, if are travelling with a guided tour, someone else will have done all the homework for you.
WHEN ARE YOU GOING?
What time of year are you planning to take the tour? Bear in mind, especially if you are travelling to a mountainous region, that even when the sun is shining on the coast, it can snowing in the mountains. In summer, youre probably going to be fine if you remember to carry the right gear, but be careful in spring and autumn, or you may just have to pack a snow shovel.
DRINKING?
I know that youve been set free and are determined to enjoy yourself, but believe me (here speaks the voice of experience), its no fun crawling to your bike with a raging hangover, a mouth that feels like a monkey slept in there and a splitting headache. For your own sake and the sake of the people you are travelling with, go easy on the booze.
HOW ARE YOU?
Weve talked about the condition of your bike, but what about you? You owe it to yourself to feel as well as you can during your tour. Im not talking about launching into some kind of marathon training before you embark on your trip, but the better you feel, the more youll enjoy yourself, so if it means shedding a few pounds, its well worth it. Besides looking after yourself, its also a good idea to keep an eye on your travelling companions during the tour. Its always worth asking how someone feels, especially if you know them well and feel theyre not quite on the ball.
DONT FORGET YOUR CAMERA
Youre in an incredibly beautiful mountain pass, the high peaks have a coating of pure white snow punctured by the most graceful pines youve ever seen, and guess what; you forgot you camera. This scenario is not as uncommon as you might think. Before you set off, and I dont mean in the hour leading up to departure, make a list of all the things youre likely to need on your trip. I know you want to travel light, but you can always cross things off the list, but you cant magic them out of thin air once youve started.
FRIENDS
This could be the most important one. Go with friends wholl understand when you get lost, tired or irritable. Better still go with a specialised tour company.
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