Extended Motorbike Vacation Equipment Checklist

I’ve read any number of these in the past six months; here’s mine. Some ancilliary notes:

  • canvas deck shoes: cheap (10 quid?), lightweight, pack flat and vaguely washable. perfect travel shoe for bikers, but try not to keep dry before packing.
  • hat with brim: essential for non-biking times in sunny areas.
  • waterproof luggage: assume it isn’t, and store valuable / water-sensitive stuff in splashproof bags. it’s easier that way.
  • paper atlases: always have a big-picture detail map to augment a gps.
  • cable ties and gaffer tape: you – or someone else – will be glad of them.
  • water bottle: drink up to 1 litre per hour on the bike; dehydration is a pain.
  • silk sleeping bag liner: packs small, washes/dries quick, is your clean sheet in a grotty hotel, adequate warmth on hot nights, stops you sticking to your sleeping bag and getting clammy.
  • riding kit with removable thermal quilting: superb.
  • lycra skiing base layer under riding gear: looks silly, but keeps you really cool, comfy, not stuck to clothing.

Extended Motorbike Vacation Equipment Checklist

clothes:

  1. 1x belt
  2. 1x casual light jacket, waterproof-ish
  3. 1x cotton trousers
  4. 1x deck shoes
  5. 1x hat, with brim
  6. 1x long-sleeve t-shirt (for layering with fleece)
  7. 1x nylon trousers / zip-off shorts
  8. 1x polo shirt
  9. 1x posh shirt
  10. 1x posh tshirt
  11. 1x shoes, canvas “deck” type
  12. 4x socks
  13. 1x swimtrunks
  14. 1x fleece, thin, close-packing
  15. 1x towel, big
  16. 2x towel, faceflannel sized, one in tankbag
  17. 4x underpants
  18. 2x wicking longjohns / skiing base-layer
  19. 2x wicking tshirts / skiing base-layer

tankbag stuff, kept in various waterproof grocery bags:

  1. ‘buff’ neck tube
  2. camera mounting for RAM mount
  3. drivers license
  4. earplugs (spare)
  5. film camera + film / digital camera + spare media + spare batteries
  6. gps / gps memory cards with maps of route
  7. ibuprofen
  8. leatherman
  9. lipsyl
  10. money, change kept in old film canister
  11. notebook, pencils / pens
  12. paper maps / atlases
  13. passport
  14. phone
  15. sanitary baby wipes
  16. small zip bag for receipts
  17. sunglasses
  18. towel hanky

on bike:

  1. airhawk comfort seat
  2. cargo nets and bungees
  3. disk lock / u-lock
  4. medical kit, european spec
  5. security cable
  6. spare headlight/bulb kit
  7. toolkit / augmentation (torx, spanners, ratchets + sockets)

equipment:

  1. book to read
  2. bungees (spare)
  3. cable ties (misc sizes)
  4. digital camera charger / cable
  5. drinking water bottle, filled
  6. earplugs (many)
  7. gaffer tape
  8. garbage bags
  9. head torch
  10. laptop / power cables
  11. memory card pcmcia adapter
  12. nylon cord
  13. phone charger
  14. small battery radio

documentation, in splashproof folder:

  1. bike insurance certificate
  2. drivers license (*** IN TANKBAG ***)
  3. european health cover (e111) certificate
  4. ferry confirmation numbers ; spare copy in pencil in tankbag.
  5. list of motorcycle dealers in target area
  6. passport (*** IN TANKBAG ***)
  7. printout of emergency call / breakdown procedure
  8. travel insurance document
  9. vehicle breakdown cover certificate
  10. vehicle registration (v5) document

other:

  1. antiseptic cream
  2. laundry detergent tablets
  3. mosquito deterrent
  4. riding kit quilted inner liners, in small compression sack
  5. sponge bag (shampoo, soap, deodourant, razors, 6x clothespegs, 5m clothesline…)
  6. spare spectacles
  7. sunscreen, solid stick for preference

camping:

  1. drinking mug
  2. cooking stove / fuel / pots / pans (trangia)
  3. knife / fork / spoon / teaspoon
  4. matches / incendiary
  5. plate
  6. bowl (tupperware with lid, doubles as teabag storage, etc)
  7. salt / pepper
  8. sleeping bag
  9. silk sleeping bag liner
  10. soup / dried food / sardines / rations
  11. tea / coffee
  12. tent / groundsheet / pegs
  13. thermarest sleeping mat
  14. toilet paper
  15. washing-up soap

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