Motorcycle Touring Guide
Possibly the most exhilarating thing you can do with a bike is motorcycle touring. Guided or not and whether you do it for the riding pleasure or whether you do because you like to explore and see new things, it's sure to get you hooked!
Planning your trip will depend on the type of person you are, how long you're going to be going for, where you going and how you are touring. Although it's not that much different from planning any trip, there are some important considerations that you need to think about that will affect your comfort and safety on your bike. The motorcycle touring guide that I have put together will take you step by step through the basics and have you on your planned route in no time!
You need to consider the following things in this order, and I have covered them in enough details in my motorcycle touring guide:
International Motorcycle Touring - Where to Travel?
I can probably guess that your decision to tour locally or in a foreign country comes down to budget and time. This section of the motorcycle touring guide covers foreign touring mostly, so if you are going to be touring locally you can probably skip this section and go straight onto how to travel but if you are thinking of going to a foreign country it is essential that you go no further. This part of the motorcycle touring guide explains, in detail, all the documents you will need to take with you if you are going abroad. It also gives you the low down of the various continents - with special attention to Europe - that you may choose to tour in.
How to Travel?
To go alone or not to go alone - that is the question. This section of the motorcycle touring guide discusses whether you should go alone or go with tour operators. It is has a comprehensive list of tour operators across the globe that you can use to find what you're looking for.
Of course you also need to think about which type of bike you'll be riding, and I also cover this briefly here in the motorcycle touring guide. For more information on the types of bikes available however, best you go to my Motorcycle Buying Guide to get the bigger picture.
Preparing for Your Motorcycle Tour
I personally think that apart from the actual tour, that this is the most exciting part of the motorcycle touring guide. You will find comprehensive listings of flights, travel agents, accommodation and ferries to book from. I also take you through the pre-trip preparation that you need to go through, and the pre-trip preparation that your bike needs to go through.
Packing for Your Motorcycle Trip
I know how tempting it can be to take the kitchen sink and I also know that empty feeling of forgetting an essential item like a spare key or even a towel. You'll find one of the most comprehensive packing lists on the net, with explanations on why the more obscure items may come in handy to make sure that whatever you decide to pack, you'll be sure to not to leave anything of importance behind.
No motorcycle touring guide would be complete without a look at the pros and cons of hard vs soft luggage or without a section on camping tips.
None of this is of much use however, if you don't pack right, and so of course you'll find some advise on packing your machine as well in this motorcycle touring guide.
The Actual Trip
To be honest - there is not that much all to say here, except "enjoy the ride and can I come with?" For this reason, this section of the motorcycle touring guide is short and sweet with a few life saving tips for while you're on the road!
If you would like to have your own copy of a motorcycle touring guide or even just to read further on the topic, Instant Gearhead's Motorcycle Touring Guide (Everything You Need to Know)