Before you go - Preparing for Your Motorcycle Tour
So this is bit that can really make or break your motorcycle tour. That's
why you're lucky there are people like me out there who have the time to
play around on the net and do the work for you. Once you've decided if you're
going solo or going with a tour operator there are a number of things to
do like buy maps, book ferries, flights and accommodation. More importantly
though, this is the time to really peak your interest by reading up on when
you're going, loose friends by waxing lyrical about all the cool things
you are going to see on your trip and to generally just have sleepless nights
in anticipation.
There are three main areas of preparation that you need to focus on:
- Booking all the essentials of your tour
- Preparing your bike for the motorcycle tour
- Preparing yourself for the motorcycle tour
Booking Your Motorcycle Tour
Maps
You need good a quality atlas or maps - this is a no brainer! I would also suggest that you buy two, so that you can cut the maps out of the places you are going to be to of the one. The road atlas will also list toll free numbers of importance on the road.
Maps International have all you need in terms of motorcycle touring resource - really! They have waterproof road maps of Europe, travel Maps, travel books and biographies, phrase books and city pocket guides. I have personally never had any need to go further. (They also have online maps.)
If you want to look around a bit more, I have bought a couple of cheap AA road atlases from JumboGo who are one of the leading shops for travel books, guides, maps and phrase books. You can find more than 16.000 titles from all major publishers at low prices! - You can save up to 30% off ordinary retail prices on new books!!
TIP: I would however advise using their advanced search to find what you're looking for as otherwise the site can be a bit much
Ferries
It is advisable to always book your space on the ferry before you go on your motorcycle tour. This way you can be completely sure that they are actually sailing, you can be sure of the times they sail as these change all the time and lastly you can be guaranteed of space. Below you will find :
- Ferrycheap - deliver fantastic fares from all of the UK's major ports using the top ferry operators like POFerries, Eurotunnel, SeaFrance, Speedferries and many more. You select your route and they handle the booking for you
- Biker Friendly Ferries - a complete list of biker friendly ferries across Europe and the UK, all of which you can book online
Flights
Finding a good flight deal these days is like stealing candy from a baby. The airlines that I have chosen for my touring directory will cover any global destination that you are planning your motorcycle tour in:
Alternatively, if you are on a budget or if you are looking to book a package, I suggest that you check out the travel agents in my motorcycle touring directory, who always have the best deals as they are independant and have special web-robots to scowl the net for the cheapest flights and packages:
Accommodation.
If you're camping, it will help to know where the biker friendly camp sites are. Two resources will help you find what you're looking for:
- Bike Stay - the best biker friendly accommodation. resource in my opinion on the net. Search for places to stay across the globe, by country or region
- European Campsite - I have found the best biker friendly campsites in my motorcycle tour directory
- Hotel Reservations - search for a mix of international budget and exclusive hotels
As a tip, I often use Formule 1 hotels as they are dead cheap and usually located close to the main roads and so are easy to find. Although there is often not secure parking for bikes, I have always been offered to park my bike in the ground floor. You can book these through Accor Hotels. A second tip is that the Accor Hotels website allows you to search for international hotels by route, by entering your starting point and end point every day - brilliant for planning a tour if you're going without a tour operator!
Preparing Your Bike for the Motorcycle Tour
There are a few things that you cannot leave home without doing:
- Probably the most import aspect of preparation is getting the motorcycle serviced and this includes checking the condition of the tyres as the mileage soon mounts up and modern motorcycle tyres have a very short life expectancy
- I also suggest that you change all the oil and fluids in your radiators before you go
- A top tip is to fit a fuel filter on the fuel line under the petrol tap as this will catch any rubbish in the petrol before it reaches the carburetor
- Your motorcycle needs to be taxed, MOT'd and insured for the whole duration of your trip. I have a comprehensive section on motorcycle insurance with top suppliers listed, information and advice
- Do ensure that you have full breakdown insurance for your trip as well. You can compare motorcycle breakdown cover here to ensure that you get the best deals!
Preparing Yourself for the Motorcycle Tour
- You will need full travel insurance that covers you for being on a motorbike and includes medical repatriation. Unfortunately it can be a real mission finding an insurance company that actually offers travel insurance, but the few that I have found and used in the past are The AA, Atlas Direct and Travel Cover
- Try and do a couple of practice weekends before you leave for your big trip. This way you will be better able to gauge what you missed out and what you didn't use. Make a list after your practice trip and use it as a starting point for your next time
- It will also give you a chance to check that you can manage the additional weight that you have packed
- If you are going to be camping, it is also a good idea to set up camp in your back yard and spend the night there to check for yourself that everything is as it should be - if you are going to be camping for a while it will really suck to have a tent that leaks!
- Make sure that you feel confident about fixing a flat tyre - if you're not do yourself a favour and have a few practice runs before you go. This will also give you a chance to test out your tyre repair kit. (find one to sell here)
NOTE: I have heard about the Travel Buddy from a mate of mine. Apparently it is quite unique as it’s an interactive travel guide that can be used on any mobile phone via SMS text messaging. You can send a text to access any information on local happenings and specials at bars, restaurants, weather or local events or even better text them a question, and they will text back the answer. Might be worth checking out for your next motorcycle tour!