Touring tips?

[Bretty]

Hi all,
the suns out and it looks like plenty of people are off touring this weekend. So lets have your tips and advice, and recommendations for good bits of kit!


Brett

[BBROWN1664]

Get a givi rack and top box. Pack light (just one pair of jeans, a few t-shirts etc) and take a credit/debit card to pay for hotels/fuel along the way.

Don't bother with tents etc, enjoy the ride rather than waking up cold and having to put damp kit on.

[joebloggs]

I'd say a tent is essential when touring, you meet more people on a campsite than you would staying in digs, just try to find interesting locations so you don't end up packing your tent away every morning. If your kit gets damp you have the wrong tent.

[celticdog]

Get a givi rack and top box. Pack light (just one pair of jeans, a few t-shirts etc) and take a credit/debit card to pay for hotels/fuel along the way.

Don't bother with tents etc, enjoy the ride rather than waking up cold and having to put damp kit on.

There's alot to be said for this kind of touring, particularly if your going out the country.

I'd say a tent is essential when touring, you meet more people on a campsite than you would staying in digs, just try to find interesting locations so you don't end up packing your tent away every morning. If your kit gets damp you have the wrong tent.

I like this too, i'm now not sure what's best 

[Bretty]

Get some vacuum pack bags. You can reduce the size of your clothes and luggage and also keep things dry if it rains or you're camping.

[Kenbob]

Get a givi rack and top box. Pack light (just one pair of jeans, a few t-shirts etc) and take a credit/debit card to pay for hotels/fuel along the way.

Don't bother with tents etc, enjoy the ride rather than waking up cold and having to put damp kit on.

There's alot to be said for this kind of touring, particularly if your going out the country.

I'd say a tent is essential when touring, you meet more people on a campsite than you would staying in digs, just try to find interesting locations so you don't end up packing your tent away every morning. If your kit gets damp you have the wrong tent.

I like this too, i'm now not sure what's best 

There's only one way to ind out.

[BBROWN1664]

If your kit gets damp you have the wrong tent.

Or got wet the day before whilst riding and wouldn't dry in a tent

[dickturpin]

Camping for me every time....Small stove....Small tent...A few clothes... Compressible sleeping bag....Led lights wired from bike battery....Can't beat it 😁😁

[slappy]

When I used to go to touring in France and Germany I took my worst pairs of undies and socks and then wore them once and then threw them in bin, saved putting the stinky ones back in  my bag.

[mr self destruct]

Practice filtering. Have you seen the traffic today? 

[Dudeofrude]

Camping for me every time....Small stove....Small tent...A few clothes... Compressible sleeping bag....Led lights wired from bike battery....Can't beat it 😁😁

You can....... with a nice hotel room haha
Steam shower, Jacuzzis spa tub, king size bed, flat screen tv and most importantly... heating.
Sorry but I really don't get the appeal of sleeping in a nylon sack under a tarp in the middle of a field. Not my cup of tea at all

[joebloggs]

Camping for me every time....Small stove....Small tent...A few clothes... Compressible sleeping bag....Led lights wired from bike battery....Can't beat it 😁😁

You can....... with a nice hotel room haha
Steam shower, Jacuzzis spa tub, king size bed, flat screen tv and most importantly... heating.
Sorry but I really don't get the appeal of sleeping in a nylon sack under a tarp in the middle of a field. Not my cup of tea at all

I once had to dig a hole in the snow to pitch my tent on a beach on the Scottish borders, was lovely and cosy, you're a bloody light weight 

[dickturpin]

Camping for me every time....Small stove....Small tent...A few clothes... Compressible sleeping bag....Led lights wired from bike battery....Can't beat it 😁😁

You can....... with a nice hotel room haha
Steam shower, Jacuzzis spa tub, king size bed, flat screen tv and most importantly... heating.
Sorry but I really don't get the appeal of sleeping in a nylon sack under a tarp in the middle of a field. Not my cup of tea at all

All sounds a bit girly to me! 😋

[lew600fazer]

Plan ahead , booking.com, cheap and cheerful. Pack everything you think you will need , then leave 3/4s of it at home.
Most important item, a puncture repair kit , mushroom type plugger + at least 3 CO2 gas cartridges.

[Bretty]

Instead of co2, I carry an electric air compressor under my seat...
I actually saw one of these at a service station last week. Super small and could fill an airbed also. Weirdly enough it's smaller than it looks in the photo?!


https://m.mymemory.co.uk/product?p=46765&products=&gclid=CLGT-tyuotMCFUk8GwodIFIBQQ

[Bretty]

Don't forget chain lube/wax (if you don't have a scottoiler).
A dry chain will stretch after 500 motorway miles.. Enough to jump a tooth on your front sprocket and snap your clutch push rod. (lesson learnt the hard way)

[Bretty]

These security mesh bags are handy and come up cheap every now and again. Good for shoving your jacket or helmet in when leaving the bike parked up, or shoving your soft luggage in if you are camping or stopping in a dodgy hostel.


it wouldn't stop a determined thief but gives a bit of piece of mind and will stop the opportunist.


available in various sizes too.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/PacSafe-Secure-Protector-Backpack-Bag/dp/B000FGVFP8

[Bretty]

Wet wipes. A million uses... particularly good for getting the dead flies off your visor.

[Bretty]

If touring somewhere remote a spare can of fuel can give you piece of mind.


I had two of these which were a godsend when I found myself in France last year during the fuel crisis, bear in mind many of the petrol stations on my satnav were not open on Sundays or open only 9-5?!


https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0068O6XUS/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[lew600fazer]

A lot of petrol stations here in France have autopay pumps 24hrs you can use a bankers debit/credit cards, but be careful as they may bill your card minimum €150.00 for a fill up and a week later refund the balance to your account. Reason I mention it is if you mile munching you may just hit your weekly credit limit.

[bludclot]

Check pockets, bags and panniers are all closed properly before setting off every time. It's frustrating to see belongings flying away in mirrors, more frustrating to arrive at the next stop and realise that you didn't see belongings flying away but they are gone anyway.

[celticdog]

• Fool the local theives into thinking your bike has an expensive alarm fitted. Achieve this by waking hourly each night and sounding the horn for one minute at regular intervals.
• Beat the Credit card companies at their own game. Run up a massive bill on your credit card and then kill your self before the statement arrives, thus avoiding re-payment.
• Take plastic bags with you. They may come in useful and eventually you'll save the planet from destruction from over pollution eventually.

[Carlsv8]

If you are going camping  for a good few days, have a b&b, hotel etc stop in the middle.

[caretaker]

clean t-shirt, socks, pants and a credit card for B&Bs! job done.

[robbo]

And a job.....to pay off the credit card.  Some poor old pensioners have to camp. It's that, or stay at home.(Cue the  violins).