Essential Things You Need on a Motorcycle Tour
Packing for a trip is stressful. We get it. Packing for a motorcycle road trip can seem even more daunting, as you not only have to figure out what you will need, but also plan for your bike! So, to make sure that you are not stressed out before heading out, we have put together a basic check list for you, which you can look at and refer to every time you are heading out of the city on two wheels. We have segregated the list based on different types of tasks.
Motorcycle maintenance
While basic maintenance is one thing, road trips can often pose more mundane, yet serious problems. For starters, punctures can happen anywhere, so make sure you have a puncture repair kit and a portable air compressor handy. This is doubly more important when you are riding in the hills, as the chance of a puncture increases, and the number of puncture repair shops decreases. Oxford is one accessories manufacturer that offers valve extension adapters, which are helpful with hard-to-reach valves. It’s also beneficial to keep a tiny tool kit handy to tighten up loose bolts on long road trips, and the Oxford Toolkit Pro a lot more. It’s wise to carry a chain cleaner and lubricant also on long trips, but on most routes in India, you will come across a service station that will help you out with that.
Storage
Road trips are not possible with some possible form of luggage. No matter how light you pack, it will never be easy to take everything that you want. That is why it’s important to invest in storage for your motorcycle. Oxford makes a bunch of tanks bags, which can magnetically attach to your fuel tank. It also makes duffel bags that can strapped to your pillion seat with the help of bungee cords. All this storage is waterproof, or it can be made so using a liner.
While that sorts out your luggage requirements, what about water? Stopping and drinking water every 30 minutes can hamper your flow and storing water bottles takes up valuable space. The answer to both these problems is the Oxford Backpack which has a separate pocket for your hydration bag. Rev’it! also makes backpacks with a hydration bag pocket, so you can choose between which one works better for you. Hydration bags need to be purchased separately from the bag and need to be cleaned after a ride.
Accessories for a better experience
Nobody likes getting list, especially when you are out touring. To counter that problem, you can put the BYKE’IT phone mount on your motorcycle. It’s a highly customisable smartphone mount that can be installed in seconds, works with most phone sizes, and can even be switched from one motorcycle to another quite easily.
Another amazing BYKE’IT product for touring is the Throttle Assist. It allows you to rest your lower-palm and wrist to avoid fatigue on long highway stints.
What more?
A rider’s list of what to carry and what-not-to-carry is always evolving. Your requirements will evolve according to your needs, but the things mentioned above are a basic staple for any motorcycle rider.
