Lotsa planning pt 2: Itenery

[Trylski]

Carrying on from the route planning thread. This is a rough itenery. Again scrutiny please.

Keys
Wallet
Passport
Bank cards
Debit cards
Log book
Insurance + photocopies
E111 health insurance deely
Bungies
Disc lock
First aid kit
Gloves
Textile jackets
Textile trousers
Boots
Jeans
T shirts
Underwear
Socks
Wind up torch/radio
Roll on deodorant
Cables ties / duct tape
Spare clutch/throttle cables
Oil
Phrase books
Tyre seal or plugs
Phone
Neck warmer
Swimming stuff
Tooth brushes / paste
Towels
Bike manual
Spare bulbs
Chain lube
3 man tent
2x sleeping bags
Leatherman
Rider to pillion radio
Sat nav
Digital camera with big mem card and batteries

Reckon I could get all that into a top box and soft panniers?

Anything there I dont need?
Anything I've missed?

Whats a basic tool kit to take?
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Current Bike: Suzuki Bandit N600 '99,
- CBT: Passed 02/2008 - Theory : Passed 24/02/09 Test: Passed 09/03/09 - 2011 33bhp over

[MaybeGuy]

music player

you could probably get away with taking every tool you could need for your bike. go around finding out what size bolts etc.

important ones are sparkplugs and wheel spindle nuts.
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!!
Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[Itchy]

For a 2011 tour isn't this a tad premature?,

Me thinks you are planning too much anyway, I didn't use most of my stuff bar the camp site finder book , namely as most of it fell off the back
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[MaybeGuy]

oh yeah, and one of those cigarette lighter things cars have.
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!!
Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[Trylski]

[Phoenix]

Don't forget your ID card, sub-dermal transponder and behavioural inhibitor, they'll all be required for EU travel by 2011 I believe.

[Itchy]

But some costs you can't budget for , in that the £ WILL slide against the Euro further meaning anything you budget for now will become irrelevant come 2011.


but if you camp park your bike OUTSIDE camp sites and or camp wild and cook your own food you can manage on about £35 a day. As an old man I met in Spain told me.

But personally I never managed to spend less than £65 a day, but then I went somewhat heavy with beers never cooked anything myself and I ride everywhere at high speed.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[dodger]

[map]

Remember to scan your passport, licence, etc. and upload and/or email to accessible site so can be downloaded if required (originals lost/stolen). All you need is an internet cafe. If you're that worried a list of UK embassies and consulates too.

If you want to take a debit card then maybe a Visa Electron type (like from the Post Office). Load up with funds beforehand and protect access to your actual bank cards. Also if you leave the magic numbers with someone in the UK (eg family!) they can top it up for you here if required.

If you take a mobile phone don't forget the charger!
...and an international/european adaptor plug for the UK plug.

Don't bother with the bike manual. Just get yourself familiar with the bike beforehand. Make sure you can do a service (oil, filter(s), brakes) and take the tools to do that, including what's required to remove any panels. You'll service your bike before you go so that should be good for the trip (wear in new brake pads). Know where your fuses are and how to access/replace. Know how to change your bulbs, including tools for that job. Get the tyre seal gel stuff so you don't worry about punctures (still can happen but don't get paranoid). Know how to adjust the chain (add that to the tools list) or get a bike for touring with shaft drive . Your list of tools shouldn't be that big but you'll know it'll do the jobs.

Make sure on the life expectancy of your tyres before you go. If you need new ones allow some scrubbing in time. Depending on length of trip maybe budget for replacements en-route.

...and, I think this been tried to be said above, don't overcomplicate or overthink this. It's meant to be fun and IMO it's best to be adaptable and spontaneous. At the end of the day, you're just going for a ride out on your bike.


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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Phoenix]

[map]

Just looked through your list again.
As a momento of the trip a digital camera (with large memory card(s)) might be an idea. So maybe add to that rechargeable batteries and charger for it.

You mentioned top box and panniers. Maybe also think about a small tank bag for immediate stuff (passport(s), money, camera, map, etc.). Get one that you can unclip when parked to take it with you (somewhere to put SatNav when off the bike too - they can get nicked as most are on clip-on mounts as standard). Depends what you want.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[dodger]

[EuropeanNC30R...]

Bike theft in France and Italy is supposedly a fair bit higher than here.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Loo roll.
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[map]

[Trylski]

[EuropeanNC30R...]

She could be bald by the time you go

[Phoenix]

[RidersRest]

It can be just as much fun planning a trip as actually riding it, if as is stated you cannot get out before 2011 then at least planning and re-planning can almost be as interesting as the trip itself, plus you then get to know the route (location) and once familiar with it you can then chage it over and over again. And it whiles away the cold winter nights.

There is a lot of merit in just grabing your passport and Visa card and hopping on the chunnel and going where ever the road takes you, but it is equally nice to have a plan, and nothing wrong with speculating and dreaming either.

But if you ask you will always find as many different ideas as there are replies - at the end of the day you have to go on your own judgment and half of the adventure is surviving on what you brung.

I would strongly reccomend going out for a couple of weekend tours around your area to see what is worth taking and what is not worth taking.

You also have to consider the "Must Have" items required for the country you are visiting.

so a minimum requirement would be:

V5C doc (UK MoT Road Tax this is required to validate your UK insurance)
Insurance (relevant for the countries you intend to visit)
Passport
Driving License + paper part
Credit card and or cash

Some countries require you carry:
1st aid kit
Fire Extinguisher
Spare bulbs and fuses
Warning Triangle
Hi-Vis Jacket (EU approved)

So appart from the above the rest is entirely up to you... Personally I would pack light - ensure the bike is properly serviced New tyres, break pads, etc and all you kit is in perfect working order. and go enjoy yourselves.

here is my bike packed for two of us on a 21 day trip to South Turkey...

https://www.whereistonynow.co.uk/tour2cure/Image281.jpg

here is the link to the rest of the pictures from the trip...
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RidersRest Bikers only B&B in the beautiful Central Massif - France
Touring France not sure where to go? Central Massif on a motorcycle...