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Continental Touring - Hints, Tips and Advice

The following hints, tips and advice have been provided as a guide and aide memoir, you will no doubt add to or take away from the items listed, but one essential that must be adhered to is to ensure that your luggage (whether hard or soft) must be totally and safely secured on the bike and the bike must not be over loaded.

Jobs to do Before Departure

• Get bike serviced – if needed
• Check oil and water level/s
• Check tyres for wear/damage/pressures
  • Ensure there is enough tread on the tyres for the entire trip
• Adjust and oil chain
• Adjust suspension for passenger (or luggage)
• Check all bulbs are working
• Mask / adjust headlamp

Bits for bike

• Luggage – panniers, top box, tank bag etc
• Loading straps (Tie downs)
• Bungees (various)
• Paint protection sheet (Oxford do it – stops luggage and straps damaging your pride and joy)
• U-Lock/chain
• Spare Keys (for bike, alarm & locks) and spare alarm fob
  • (Swap your spare keys with somebody you are travelling with)
• Spare alarm fuse & Alarm instructions
• Spare bulbs & Fuses (legal requirement on the continent)
• Bike Owners manual
• Bike tool kit
• Electrical block connector
• Small roll of wire
• Chain oil (for those without Scottoilers)
• Batteries/chargers for intercom
• Nylon rope
• Duct tape
• Multi-tool (leatherman or similar)
• Reflective jacket (mandatory in some countries for breakdowns)
• Helmet bag
• Spare cables
• Compass
• Ear plugs (for when fellow bikers snore!)
• Puncture repair kit
• Pad for side stand – for when parking on soft ground

Stuff to pack

LESS IS MORE……Pack less…..enjoy more.

Don’t take enough clothes to last for every day of the tour…it’s too much, they’ll get in the way, get dirty and smelly without even wearing them and you’ll end up throwing something away!

Two of anything is enough- you can give light clothing & undies a quick wash when you shower at night & you will have nice fresh clothes every day without having to carry a ton of kit.

Use lightweight clothing and take a fleece layer for when it’s cold. Lightweight anti moisture walking socks are great…the ones with some kind of moisture resistant coating that lasts for years…worth every penny.

Carry something plastic to cover anything you leave on the bike + a little bit extra to cover the seat when it’s pouring with rain….that way when you come to ride out…dry bum!!!

Leave some space in your luggage….” if your cup is already full, there is no room for any tea “

• Waterproofs
• Mobile phone, plus charger
• Credit/Debit Cards (not always accepted abroad)
• Bum bag or body belt (to keep valuables safe)
• Foreign money (for fuel, tolls, croissants, vin rouge, coffee etc)
• UK Cash for ferry (tea, beer, butties etc)
• Camera/film/memory card/batteries/charger
  • A small camera is only useful if you can access it without having to keep jumping off the bike, so get a small camera case and attach it to the cockpit somewhere safe and secure.
• MP3 player/travel speakers/batteries
• Maps (Pocket map of route)
• Sunglasses & case
• Visor cleaner/demister
• Travel Tissues - Wet Wipes (don’ ask!)
• Small torch
• First aid kit
• Medication (including pain killers, diarrhoea pills etc)
• Clothes (not too many – pack once, then halve number of items)
• Trainers and/or sandals (flip-flops take up little space)
• Washing stuff - travelwash/shaver/deodorant/toothbrush/paste
• Towel (travel towels pack small)
• Swimming kit
• Sun screen/lipsalve
• Hat/cap
• Insect repellent and after-bite stuff (Boots own brand works OK)
• Pen/pencil
• Glasses for reading/seeing generally/contact lenses etc.
• Phrase book/s

Camping Kit (if appropriate)

• Tent (check it’s all there and ensure its waterproof)
• Sleeping bag
• Bed roll/camp bed/travel pillow
• Stove (gas or petrol)
• Kettle/saucepan/s
• Cup/plate
• Knife/fork/spoon
• Can/bottle opener/cork screw
• Coffee/tea bags/powdered milk/sugar (in sealable plastic bags)
• Water container (although most places you can buy it in bottles)
• Matches/lighter/igniters (in sealable plastic bags)
• Torch/Lantern/head lamp
• Toilet roll/tissues/wet wipes (in sealable plastic bags)
• Camping seat

Other stuff (if you have room)

• Mains Electrical adapter
• Frisbee/Inflatable beach ball or a tennis ball
• Binoculars
• Games (cards, crosswords, Sudoku, Gameboy, etc)
• A good book

General

• Leave plenty of time to get to ferries/Channel Tunnel – expect the unexpected
• On the ferry, leave bike in gear, on the side stand and lock the front break using tape around the lever
• Pack the bike so don’t have to cart stuff around the ferry (lock helmet to bike and leave less valuable stuff behind)
• If possible wear shorts etc. under bike gear so that you can strip off easily when you stop for a break in hot weather
• Hard luggage allows you to leave more kit with the bike when you go exploring on foot (beach visits etc.)
• Make sure you know who the Ride Leader and Tail End Charlie are.
• Make sure you have been briefed on the routes and group strategy before departure
  • Write edited larger road numbers / exit points / destinations and keep on permanent display, either on tank or attached to your arm.

Riding

• Your Riding, Your Safety is YOUR Responsibility.
• Always ride for yourself and within your own capabilities.
• You are required to ride within the legal requirements of the country you are riding in.
• Get into the habit of always reminding yourself “ride on the right”, particularly when resuming the ride after a break….REMEMBER….“ RIGHT IS RIGHT “
  • Put some coloured tap around the right hand mirror to remind you which side the kerbs are on the Continent.

Sat Nav

• Try to get one and get used to reading it whilst riding to the point where you can glance down at it and know what everything means without distracting you from riding.
• Waypoints are useful for ensuring that the routing does not try to take you on too direct a route. Use Sat Nav in conjuction with an overview from a map for best results, ensuring that the machine does not take over the tour!
• Bluetooth headsets are useful, especially in busy towns and cities, but get used to using the Sat Nav without the voice commands.

Breakdown and Accidents

• In a case of motorcycle breakdown or accident any repair or service will be the responsibility of its owner. Knights Templar Motorcycle Touring club cannot accept any responsibility for transporting your bike, you, or your pillion to any alternative destination in a case of breakdown or accident.

Breakdown Recovery

• If you suffer a serious breakdown and you are not covered it could cost many Hundreds of pounds to recover your bike back to the UK.
• You are highly recommended to take out your own motorcycle recovery policy. If you are not covered then make sure you take out cover.

YOU ARE DEEMED RESPONSIBLE AND IN CHARGE OF YOUR MOTORCYCLE AT ALL TIMES.

Knights Templar Motorcycle Touring Club, or any of their representatives, cannot accept any responsibility for violation of those requirements and cannot be responsible for any traffic or road conditions on each day of travel or the manner in which you decide to ride the roads.

ENJOY YOUR TOUR…..RIDE SAFE…..KEEP GOOD COMPANY