Top 5 tips for motorcycle holiday preparation

Motorcycle touring in Japan

1. Plan your route. Allow ample time for unexpected hold ups and allow time for plenty of comfort and rest breaks.
2. Check your bike. Make sure your servicing is up-to-date and give your bike a thorough once over. Don’t forget our essential motorcycle maintenance checklist too.
3. Pack and load your bike. It’s best to take only the bare minimum on a motorcycle holiday. Try and distribute the weight evenly across the bike’s centre of mass. Some essentials to take with you include first aid kit, tool kit, torch and a map.
4. Make sure all your documentation is up-to-date and take it along with you. This includes MOT, insurance, road tax and driving license. If you are travelling abroad you will also need to check you bike insurance covers you in your country of travel, as well as making sure you have with you an EHIC card, passport, travel insurance, breakdown cover and V5 registration doc. It is a legal requirement to be able to produce the original V5 registration document in a number of countries.
5. If you are travelling abroad check the legal requirements for country of travel. Be familiar with local speed limits before you travel, too.

Finally make sure you are dressed in comfortable, weather-appropriate protective clothing and have enough fuel and currency for your journey.

Motorcycle holiday resources we like:

Highland Motorcycle Holidays – Nigel provides self guided tour document of motorcycle holiday routes, hire advice and accommodation in the Highlands.