https://foc-u.co.uk/mybb/ Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:43:41 +0000 MyBB https://foc-u.co.uk/mybb/showthread.php?tid=55775 Sun, 09 Jan 2011 20:47:41 +0000 Farjo]]> https://foc-u.co.uk/mybb/showthread.php?tid=55775 Originally posted by Nooj 30/5/2009

While my old heap was being MoT'd earlier today (yes, it did pass… eventually) I took one of those new XJ6 Diversion things out for a test ride.

Walking around it, it looks OK, nothing too offensive or overbearing jumping out at me. Not super sexy, but quite a tidy design. The only thing I didn't like was the spindly swingarm which I think looks out of place with the fairly chunky angular appearance of the rest of the bike. It's the only bit that looks really cheap.

Key in, start it up… "That's a loud starter motor, very rough sounding" I thought for an instant, before realising that it was actually the engine idling! Quiet is not the word, next to a busy road and with earplugs in I doubt you'd even hear it.

Sitting on it is a nice feeling, a low seat height like the FZS600 meant I could have both feet flat on the floor with my knees bent, which hardly ever happens on a bike! The seat is also slim like the FZ6 so it doesn't splay me knees out which the old Fazer does. With a bit more padding than the FZ6 it's not quite as hard, but still nicely supporting rather than squidgy soft. The bars are a nice width, maybe a little narrow for me, but literally by a couple of centimetres, I could easily live with it. The bar position is very comfy, feeling closer to the rider than the FZS600, but not as high as the FZ6. The pegs are low, a little lower feeling than the FZ6 and much lower than the FZS600, so cramped knees won't be on the cards, even if you're a Wookie. Getting the bike off the side stand is very easy, virtually no effort required at all, either this thing weighs nothing or the centre of gravity is extremely low!

Pulling away is dead easy with plenty of steering lock, the throttle is light, smooth and precise and the clutch is also light, all be it with a fairly narrow biting point. This is something I sometimes struggle with on the FZ6, with the throttle feeling quite heavy and reluctant and the clutch being a bit of an 'all or nothing' affair for me. It also lacks the unsettling, juddery lurch of my old FZS600 when pulling away which was nice. It's one of those few bikes you pull out onto the road on and feel instantly comfortable and completely at home with.

The R6/FZ6/XJ6 motor in this state of tune is extremely smooth at low revs and pulls cleanly, if a bit sedately, up into the midrange. Throttle response is excellent, super smooth and linear feeling. Easily the best I've ever experienced on a stock bike, the fuelling map feels superb at low to medium revs and proves that there is no excuse these days for jerky fuel injection on a new bike.

So it has all the qualities that will make it an excellent city or novice bike, but what's it like on the open road, does it GO?

Yes, sort of, it does feel a bit, well… slow. Trying to keep up with the sales guy from the shop on an FZ1, being caught in the wrong gear on an uphill section of dual carriageway out of town, it just wasn't going to happen. With the throttle pinned to the stop in 3rd and 4th right in the midrange this bike is supposed to have plenty of, he became a rapidly disappearing figure. I'll be ready for some more 'progressive' speeds and pick a lower gear next time then.

I caught up with him again at the top of the hill waiting at a busy roundabout. We cut through the traffic and negotiated a tight turn onto the next section of road without drama or thinking "Shit, what's this thing going to do here??" No handling terrors or peg grinding, but a little wallowing. Hmm, not much rebound damping then.

Turns out it can be a bit of a rocking horse when throttling on and off to negotiate a succession of tight-ish bends or roundabouts at a brisk pace and requires some very smooth throttle control. This is something that could catch the enthusiastic new rider out; a clumsy throttle hand could see some panic inducing lurching and wallowing on tight or lumpy bends. Smooth throttle rolling off and gentle feeding in keeps everything under control though. The bike can be made to do it, but at a reduced pace. The FZ6 definitely has the edge over it here, with a more controlled ride it is much happier to be thrown into a corner and fired out again.

Anyway, down to the next roundabout we go, fairly heavy braking on a slight left hand bend at the bottom of the hill sees the speed reduce at a good controlled rate. With the same brakes fitted to the XJ6 that the original FZ6 had, they are a known quantity to me; plenty of bite and feel for the Diversion, well suited to it. Coming off the brakes and leaning over sharply to the right while pulling away across the roundabout saw a bit of under-damped wallowing again, but nothing un-nerving. The steering was completely neutral, no tucking in, no running wide.

The ride is very comfortable, better then the FZS600 with its crashing, bouncing, over-sprung rear end. The front and rear suspension work well together with only some gentle bouncing over the bumps on the long 50mph straight section that takes us up to the A34. Nipping past dawdling cars is easy. At these speeds and conditions the XJ6 is perfectly behaved, it'll make a top commuting machine.

Just a couple more roundabouts to negotiate before the A34, then I get to find out what it's like at motorway speeds. Same as before for the roundabouts really, neutral steering but some wallowing, easy to cope with if taken gently though, giving a second or so for the bike to settle before you ask another speed/direction change of it. Banking to the left while accelerating away on the entrance ramp saw it getting a bit flouncy as it went over a pointy lump in the road which set off a bit of bucking and weaving.

Keeping the revs up near the redline saw some decent, if not exhilarating, acceleration and introduced a subdued raspy exhaust note to the engine's usual quiet whirring noise. The XJ6 feels as if it's just shy of the FZS600 in top end performance, but is quite a bit slower than the FZ6. At instant ban speeds the screen does a top job at keeping the wind off and any turbulence is quieter than my stock MkII FZS600 screen. 10,000 revs in top gear gives just over 120mph on the clocks, redline is at 12,000.

At sustained motorway conditions this would be a very comfortable bike to be on for long distances, much like the first FZ6 Fazer with no noticeable wind blast for someone my size, but perhaps a little more leg room on the XJ6. A lot more leg room and less wind blast than my FZS600 though!

So that was pretty much it, back into town and back to the shop. Only one other minor thing I noticed, slowing to a walking pace approaching a mini roundabout the steering felt rather twitchy and uncertain. Nothing nasty, just that it was suddenly noticeable. Once moving on again the feeling disappeared.

So what's the verdict then? It's a good bike, better than I was expecting it to be, but there are some things I'm not keen on.

If you want something with a bit of an edge that will commute AND thrash, that will slog up the motorway in comfort AND flick through nadgery country roads like a sportsbike, then I don't think the new Diversion is for you. Due to the lack of damping and the soft power delivery it lacks the hooligan edge of the FZ6. Unless you're getting on a bit and prefer to cruise about the place rather than hoon around (fair play if you do, nothing wrong with that), you'll find yourself getting frustrated and bored pretty quickly with the new XJ6.

However… It's very comfortable. Everything is in the right place. It should give no aches and pains, no pins and needles, no stiff necks etc. It's very easy to ride. I got on it and instantly rode it as if I'd owned it for months, all the controls are smooth and predictable and you can tell what the bike's doing at all times. It looks good as well. It doesn't look old and dated like the Bandit, it doesn't look over-styled like the new Hornet and it doesn't look bland and podgy like the CBF600. The XJ6 Diversion will be a top seller, it's an awesome first big bike for the freshly passed novice, it's a great little motorway mile muncher and it'll go down a storm with rural and city commuters alike. If your old FZS600 is getting a bit shabby and long in the tooth and you want to replace it with something the same but new, this could well be the bike for you.]]> Originally posted by Nooj 30/5/2009

While my old heap was being MoT'd earlier today (yes, it did pass… eventually) I took one of those new XJ6 Diversion things out for a test ride.

Walking around it, it looks OK, nothing too offensive or overbearing jumping out at me. Not super sexy, but quite a tidy design. The only thing I didn't like was the spindly swingarm which I think looks out of place with the fairly chunky angular appearance of the rest of the bike. It's the only bit that looks really cheap.

Key in, start it up… "That's a loud starter motor, very rough sounding" I thought for an instant, before realising that it was actually the engine idling! Quiet is not the word, next to a busy road and with earplugs in I doubt you'd even hear it.

Sitting on it is a nice feeling, a low seat height like the FZS600 meant I could have both feet flat on the floor with my knees bent, which hardly ever happens on a bike! The seat is also slim like the FZ6 so it doesn't splay me knees out which the old Fazer does. With a bit more padding than the FZ6 it's not quite as hard, but still nicely supporting rather than squidgy soft. The bars are a nice width, maybe a little narrow for me, but literally by a couple of centimetres, I could easily live with it. The bar position is very comfy, feeling closer to the rider than the FZS600, but not as high as the FZ6. The pegs are low, a little lower feeling than the FZ6 and much lower than the FZS600, so cramped knees won't be on the cards, even if you're a Wookie. Getting the bike off the side stand is very easy, virtually no effort required at all, either this thing weighs nothing or the centre of gravity is extremely low!

Pulling away is dead easy with plenty of steering lock, the throttle is light, smooth and precise and the clutch is also light, all be it with a fairly narrow biting point. This is something I sometimes struggle with on the FZ6, with the throttle feeling quite heavy and reluctant and the clutch being a bit of an 'all or nothing' affair for me. It also lacks the unsettling, juddery lurch of my old FZS600 when pulling away which was nice. It's one of those few bikes you pull out onto the road on and feel instantly comfortable and completely at home with.

The R6/FZ6/XJ6 motor in this state of tune is extremely smooth at low revs and pulls cleanly, if a bit sedately, up into the midrange. Throttle response is excellent, super smooth and linear feeling. Easily the best I've ever experienced on a stock bike, the fuelling map feels superb at low to medium revs and proves that there is no excuse these days for jerky fuel injection on a new bike.

So it has all the qualities that will make it an excellent city or novice bike, but what's it like on the open road, does it GO?

Yes, sort of, it does feel a bit, well… slow. Trying to keep up with the sales guy from the shop on an FZ1, being caught in the wrong gear on an uphill section of dual carriageway out of town, it just wasn't going to happen. With the throttle pinned to the stop in 3rd and 4th right in the midrange this bike is supposed to have plenty of, he became a rapidly disappearing figure. I'll be ready for some more 'progressive' speeds and pick a lower gear next time then.

I caught up with him again at the top of the hill waiting at a busy roundabout. We cut through the traffic and negotiated a tight turn onto the next section of road without drama or thinking "Shit, what's this thing going to do here??" No handling terrors or peg grinding, but a little wallowing. Hmm, not much rebound damping then.

Turns out it can be a bit of a rocking horse when throttling on and off to negotiate a succession of tight-ish bends or roundabouts at a brisk pace and requires some very smooth throttle control. This is something that could catch the enthusiastic new rider out; a clumsy throttle hand could see some panic inducing lurching and wallowing on tight or lumpy bends. Smooth throttle rolling off and gentle feeding in keeps everything under control though. The bike can be made to do it, but at a reduced pace. The FZ6 definitely has the edge over it here, with a more controlled ride it is much happier to be thrown into a corner and fired out again.

Anyway, down to the next roundabout we go, fairly heavy braking on a slight left hand bend at the bottom of the hill sees the speed reduce at a good controlled rate. With the same brakes fitted to the XJ6 that the original FZ6 had, they are a known quantity to me; plenty of bite and feel for the Diversion, well suited to it. Coming off the brakes and leaning over sharply to the right while pulling away across the roundabout saw a bit of under-damped wallowing again, but nothing un-nerving. The steering was completely neutral, no tucking in, no running wide.

The ride is very comfortable, better then the FZS600 with its crashing, bouncing, over-sprung rear end. The front and rear suspension work well together with only some gentle bouncing over the bumps on the long 50mph straight section that takes us up to the A34. Nipping past dawdling cars is easy. At these speeds and conditions the XJ6 is perfectly behaved, it'll make a top commuting machine.

Just a couple more roundabouts to negotiate before the A34, then I get to find out what it's like at motorway speeds. Same as before for the roundabouts really, neutral steering but some wallowing, easy to cope with if taken gently though, giving a second or so for the bike to settle before you ask another speed/direction change of it. Banking to the left while accelerating away on the entrance ramp saw it getting a bit flouncy as it went over a pointy lump in the road which set off a bit of bucking and weaving.

Keeping the revs up near the redline saw some decent, if not exhilarating, acceleration and introduced a subdued raspy exhaust note to the engine's usual quiet whirring noise. The XJ6 feels as if it's just shy of the FZS600 in top end performance, but is quite a bit slower than the FZ6. At instant ban speeds the screen does a top job at keeping the wind off and any turbulence is quieter than my stock MkII FZS600 screen. 10,000 revs in top gear gives just over 120mph on the clocks, redline is at 12,000.

At sustained motorway conditions this would be a very comfortable bike to be on for long distances, much like the first FZ6 Fazer with no noticeable wind blast for someone my size, but perhaps a little more leg room on the XJ6. A lot more leg room and less wind blast than my FZS600 though!

So that was pretty much it, back into town and back to the shop. Only one other minor thing I noticed, slowing to a walking pace approaching a mini roundabout the steering felt rather twitchy and uncertain. Nothing nasty, just that it was suddenly noticeable. Once moving on again the feeling disappeared.

So what's the verdict then? It's a good bike, better than I was expecting it to be, but there are some things I'm not keen on.

If you want something with a bit of an edge that will commute AND thrash, that will slog up the motorway in comfort AND flick through nadgery country roads like a sportsbike, then I don't think the new Diversion is for you. Due to the lack of damping and the soft power delivery it lacks the hooligan edge of the FZ6. Unless you're getting on a bit and prefer to cruise about the place rather than hoon around (fair play if you do, nothing wrong with that), you'll find yourself getting frustrated and bored pretty quickly with the new XJ6.

However… It's very comfortable. Everything is in the right place. It should give no aches and pains, no pins and needles, no stiff necks etc. It's very easy to ride. I got on it and instantly rode it as if I'd owned it for months, all the controls are smooth and predictable and you can tell what the bike's doing at all times. It looks good as well. It doesn't look old and dated like the Bandit, it doesn't look over-styled like the new Hornet and it doesn't look bland and podgy like the CBF600. The XJ6 Diversion will be a top seller, it's an awesome first big bike for the freshly passed novice, it's a great little motorway mile muncher and it'll go down a storm with rural and city commuters alike. If your old FZS600 is getting a bit shabby and long in the tooth and you want to replace it with something the same but new, this could well be the bike for you.]]> https://foc-u.co.uk/mybb/showthread.php?tid=55718 Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:57:46 +0000 John Silva]]> https://foc-u.co.uk/mybb/showthread.php?tid=55718 Originally asked by Eastriding2002 on 23/01/2004


So what kit should we take and what should we leave at home?
Can the foccers help build up the definitive tourers baggage?


Passport
Tickets
Foreign cash
Credit card(s)
Driving licence
Log book V5
Green card from insurance company
E111. This provides cheap or free medical cover abroad. Get the form from a post office; you'll need your NI number.

Maps. Take an 'overview' map for the long journeys and some more detailed ones of the places you will be exploring. You can always get maps once there.

Breakdown cover. Make sure you have the number to call from the countries you are visiting.

Mobile phone. Check with your company that it'll work abroad. Another option is to buy a sim card abroad (your phone must be 'un-locked'). Consider taking the charger and a Euro plug converter.

Earplugs
Waterproofs (it *will* rain)
Winter gloves. It's cold up mountains, and you can wear them when your normal ones are soaked.
Chain lube
Pressure gauge
GB sticker
Disk lock / chain / whatever
Clothes. Plan what to take, and then get rid of half.
Guide book, reading book, journal.
Condoms
Alarm clock
Toothbrush
Addresses for post cards!
Spare bike keys
A leatherman or similar multi tool
Tape and ratchet ties
Small torch
Basic first aid kit
Puncture repair foam or kit.
Cable ties
Carrier bags. (folded, up, not screwed up - much less bulky that way). Come in handy for all manner of things.
Gaffer tape
Spare bungies and a cargo net.
Spare bulbs
Documents - take the originals and a photocopy. Plastic bag the originals at least!
Spare battery for your alarm key fob.
Pair of marigold rubber gloves
Phrasebook
Marker pen, blank paper.
A 2 litre safety petrol container
FOC-U Calling cards
Radweld
Disposable Latex gloves
Spare nuts & bolts of assorted sizes
A rag,
Spare fuses and an electrical tester

Don't forget your wallet or purse
]]> Originally asked by Eastriding2002 on 23/01/2004


So what kit should we take and what should we leave at home?
Can the foccers help build up the definitive tourers baggage?


Passport
Tickets
Foreign cash
Credit card(s)
Driving licence
Log book V5
Green card from insurance company
E111. This provides cheap or free medical cover abroad. Get the form from a post office; you'll need your NI number.

Maps. Take an 'overview' map for the long journeys and some more detailed ones of the places you will be exploring. You can always get maps once there.

Breakdown cover. Make sure you have the number to call from the countries you are visiting.

Mobile phone. Check with your company that it'll work abroad. Another option is to buy a sim card abroad (your phone must be 'un-locked'). Consider taking the charger and a Euro plug converter.

Earplugs
Waterproofs (it *will* rain)
Winter gloves. It's cold up mountains, and you can wear them when your normal ones are soaked.
Chain lube
Pressure gauge
GB sticker
Disk lock / chain / whatever
Clothes. Plan what to take, and then get rid of half.
Guide book, reading book, journal.
Condoms
Alarm clock
Toothbrush
Addresses for post cards!
Spare bike keys
A leatherman or similar multi tool
Tape and ratchet ties
Small torch
Basic first aid kit
Puncture repair foam or kit.
Cable ties
Carrier bags. (folded, up, not screwed up - much less bulky that way). Come in handy for all manner of things.
Gaffer tape
Spare bungies and a cargo net.
Spare bulbs
Documents - take the originals and a photocopy. Plastic bag the originals at least!
Spare battery for your alarm key fob.
Pair of marigold rubber gloves
Phrasebook
Marker pen, blank paper.
A 2 litre safety petrol container
FOC-U Calling cards
Radweld
Disposable Latex gloves
Spare nuts & bolts of assorted sizes
A rag,
Spare fuses and an electrical tester

Don't forget your wallet or purse
]]> https://foc-u.co.uk/mybb/showthread.php?tid=55717 Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:56:41 +0000 John Silva]]> https://foc-u.co.uk/mybb/showthread.php?tid=55717 Originally posted by Gtpete on 06/01/2008


The following is a few pointers to those who haven't done a bike touring trip. All those that have extensive experience of such need not reply to that effect and this guide is formulated using experience I have gained through a couple of years of European trips.

Use it as a tick list or however you like, if it's helpful then great, if not, then do your own thing.

Items to Pack for (longish) summer trips

Clothing
2 T shirts
1 Sweat shirt
1 or 2 pairs of light weight trousers
1 pair of lightweight swimming shorts (depending on where you are going)
5 sets of undies
1 very light weight jacket
1 small or hand towel ***
1 pair of light weight and comfy shoes

Must haves
All your bike and insurance docs, ferry tickets, AA recovery and passport in a water proof wallet and stashed to be quickly retrievable.
1 Set of stash-able waterproofs
2 small bottles of water 1 or 2 litre
4 or more handy packs of tissues
1 or 2 Travel adaptors *
1 medium bottle of shower gel **
1 de-odorant
1 pack of BIC razors - smaller and easier than an electric shaver
1 pack of Ibuprofen or similar
1 small pack of plasters (for blisters)
1 phone charger
1 small battery charger and batteries if you have radios
1 plastic mug/cup and plastic cutlery and a tin and bottle opener/cork screw
1 pen knife
1 small tin of chain lube or engine oil
1 small road atlas covering your route - don't rely on satnav

Tips
* I have made up a 4 gang trailing lead with a French plug instead of an English plug, which is better than adaptors.
** You can wash your hands and hair with shower gel in a hand basin, and soap bars get very messy. You can also use it to wash out any clothes/undies etc in a hand basin.
*** The towel will come in useful. If the hotel doesn't supply them, although most do, then you can be smug that you took one. You can always use the towel as seat padding for long trips, I know someone who did that and it saved them from arse ache big time. And if you find a beach or a public pool, you are sorted! If you take a pair of light weight swimming shorts, you can use them as shorts for swimming, those hot days out round town, or as a spare pair of undies if you need em.

I always write out emergency numbers for break down recovery, personal insurance details with phone numbers and policy number etc, ferry details and booking ref, local maps of where the hotels are with the hotel phone number and a Google earth image of the hotel area. I laminate the above so it won't get destroyed if it gets wet. If you are running short of storage space for the above, you can put them under yer seat or stash em down your front in your jacket.

I keep loose change in the top of my tank bag for road and bridge tolls.
I wrap my wallet and phone in polythene bags in case they get soaked.
I wrap important clothing in carrier bags to make sure they stay dry. Dry kit is important if your trip is a wet one.
The Undies can be packed into the spare shoes to save space.

If you find you still have space to spare, a small travel kettle and tea/coffee makings is good, because Formule 1 and Premier Classe hotels only have drinks machines which are foccin horrible and cost a fortune if you like to guzzle.

You can actually drink the tap water in France and Germany etc; it won't hurt you so you can top up your water bottles before moving on. Water bottles are good for drinking, cleaning your visor and washing your hands with shower gel if you need to.

When you pack your gear, make sure to fill in any small gaps with small items, there is loads of space available in a top box if you pack it right. I always pack mine at least the day before I go to give me time to foc about with it. Take your time and try different items in different ways to get the most out of the available space. If only going for a week or less you can remove a T shirt and pair of trousers, or even leave the jacket out. I never take a jacket, but a sweat shirt is a must for cooler evenings. Jumpers are too thick really.
Your clothes may well get creased after being packed for so long, if so, hang them up in the shower room when you go in and the creases will fall out (hopefully)
Of course I am assuming that you don't have a pack horse type luggage set up, if you do then you will have loads of space, the above list is for Tank bag and back pack/top box set up.
A tank bag with clear map pocket is essential, I think most of them have a clear top pocket nowadays though, and you don't have to spend a fortune on one. However, remember that they are not as water proof as a top box or good back pack. I hardly ever stash clothes in my tank bag, or if I do they get wrapped in carrier bags. Also, tank bags can lift at high speed, even when full, so be aware that at 120+ you may receive a tank bag in the face, so bare that in mind while bombing along the autobahns.

If you do have a little nook or cranny left, slip in a phrase book. It won't teach you the lingo, but you can pick out salient words to use and build up from there.

I hope the above will be helpful to newbies; it has taken a couple of years to hone my packing list down. It’s up to the individual what to leave out or add to it.

If you do have a little nook or cranny left, slip in a phrase book. It wont teach you the lingo, but you can pick out salient words to use and build up from there.

I hope the above will be helpful to newbies; it has taken a couple of years to hone my packing list down. Its up to the individual what to leave out or add to it.
]]> Originally posted by Gtpete on 06/01/2008


The following is a few pointers to those who haven't done a bike touring trip. All those that have extensive experience of such need not reply to that effect and this guide is formulated using experience I have gained through a couple of years of European trips.

Use it as a tick list or however you like, if it's helpful then great, if not, then do your own thing.

Items to Pack for (longish) summer trips

Clothing
2 T shirts
1 Sweat shirt
1 or 2 pairs of light weight trousers
1 pair of lightweight swimming shorts (depending on where you are going)
5 sets of undies
1 very light weight jacket
1 small or hand towel ***
1 pair of light weight and comfy shoes

Must haves
All your bike and insurance docs, ferry tickets, AA recovery and passport in a water proof wallet and stashed to be quickly retrievable.
1 Set of stash-able waterproofs
2 small bottles of water 1 or 2 litre
4 or more handy packs of tissues
1 or 2 Travel adaptors *
1 medium bottle of shower gel **
1 de-odorant
1 pack of BIC razors - smaller and easier than an electric shaver
1 pack of Ibuprofen or similar
1 small pack of plasters (for blisters)
1 phone charger
1 small battery charger and batteries if you have radios
1 plastic mug/cup and plastic cutlery and a tin and bottle opener/cork screw
1 pen knife
1 small tin of chain lube or engine oil
1 small road atlas covering your route - don't rely on satnav

Tips
* I have made up a 4 gang trailing lead with a French plug instead of an English plug, which is better than adaptors.
** You can wash your hands and hair with shower gel in a hand basin, and soap bars get very messy. You can also use it to wash out any clothes/undies etc in a hand basin.
*** The towel will come in useful. If the hotel doesn't supply them, although most do, then you can be smug that you took one. You can always use the towel as seat padding for long trips, I know someone who did that and it saved them from arse ache big time. And if you find a beach or a public pool, you are sorted! If you take a pair of light weight swimming shorts, you can use them as shorts for swimming, those hot days out round town, or as a spare pair of undies if you need em.

I always write out emergency numbers for break down recovery, personal insurance details with phone numbers and policy number etc, ferry details and booking ref, local maps of where the hotels are with the hotel phone number and a Google earth image of the hotel area. I laminate the above so it won't get destroyed if it gets wet. If you are running short of storage space for the above, you can put them under yer seat or stash em down your front in your jacket.

I keep loose change in the top of my tank bag for road and bridge tolls.
I wrap my wallet and phone in polythene bags in case they get soaked.
I wrap important clothing in carrier bags to make sure they stay dry. Dry kit is important if your trip is a wet one.
The Undies can be packed into the spare shoes to save space.

If you find you still have space to spare, a small travel kettle and tea/coffee makings is good, because Formule 1 and Premier Classe hotels only have drinks machines which are foccin horrible and cost a fortune if you like to guzzle.

You can actually drink the tap water in France and Germany etc; it won't hurt you so you can top up your water bottles before moving on. Water bottles are good for drinking, cleaning your visor and washing your hands with shower gel if you need to.

When you pack your gear, make sure to fill in any small gaps with small items, there is loads of space available in a top box if you pack it right. I always pack mine at least the day before I go to give me time to foc about with it. Take your time and try different items in different ways to get the most out of the available space. If only going for a week or less you can remove a T shirt and pair of trousers, or even leave the jacket out. I never take a jacket, but a sweat shirt is a must for cooler evenings. Jumpers are too thick really.
Your clothes may well get creased after being packed for so long, if so, hang them up in the shower room when you go in and the creases will fall out (hopefully)
Of course I am assuming that you don't have a pack horse type luggage set up, if you do then you will have loads of space, the above list is for Tank bag and back pack/top box set up.
A tank bag with clear map pocket is essential, I think most of them have a clear top pocket nowadays though, and you don't have to spend a fortune on one. However, remember that they are not as water proof as a top box or good back pack. I hardly ever stash clothes in my tank bag, or if I do they get wrapped in carrier bags. Also, tank bags can lift at high speed, even when full, so be aware that at 120+ you may receive a tank bag in the face, so bare that in mind while bombing along the autobahns.

If you do have a little nook or cranny left, slip in a phrase book. It won't teach you the lingo, but you can pick out salient words to use and build up from there.

I hope the above will be helpful to newbies; it has taken a couple of years to hone my packing list down. It’s up to the individual what to leave out or add to it.

If you do have a little nook or cranny left, slip in a phrase book. It wont teach you the lingo, but you can pick out salient words to use and build up from there.

I hope the above will be helpful to newbies; it has taken a couple of years to hone my packing list down. Its up to the individual what to leave out or add to it.
]]>