Motorcycle Travel only Take What You Need

Load as little as possible. Clothing is almost always the biggest overpacking culprit. Remember, you don’t need seven outfits on a seven-day trip – you’ll be in your motorcycle gear all day. Pack as if you’re hiking – how much would you take knowing you’d have to carry it on your back?

Some motorcycles already weigh more than 200 kilograms so you won’t notice the extra weight, right? Wrong. Every junction, every time you lift it off the sidestand and every time you push it into a parking space you’ll be feeling the load. Plus you’ll waste time packing and unpacking your bags when you should be drinking in the atmosphere.

On multiple – week trips, pack for a week and wash stuff. Don’t try to carry six weeks’ worth of underwear. Apart from anything else, imagine the smell of 42 pairs of sweaty socks…

We all love a gadget but don’t go mad and fill your motorcycle with stuff you’ll not need. A multi-USB charger is worth having as one plug can then charge your phone, camera and GPS. And a translation app on your phone cane be a lifesaver that only takes up virtual space.

The rule for tools is don’t take anything you don’t know how to use. Get a puncture repair kit and a mini compressor. Chemical metal is a life saver for fixing… Well, everything. Whatever else you pack, always make sure you take cable ties, duct tape. Pull straps and a phone.