5 important motorcycle touring tips you need to know

Your amazing motorcycle touring is about to begin, and you can barely contain your excitement. The motorcycle with a welcome card waiting for you with your name on it only adds to the anticipation. However, before you start packing your bags and head off into the sunset, there are some things you should keep in mind.

DiscoverAltai has years of expertise and hundreds of delighted customers can back us up when it comes to motorbike travel in Mongolia. We’ve compiled a list of our top 5 motorcycle touring tips for you to use as a guide. Whether you’re using DiscoverAltai or going it alone, we hope this checklist aids in your preparation.

This page contains a collection of touring advice that will get you started on some key preparations for your next adventure.

1. SET THE DATE – COMMIT TO IT

Someday doesn’t have to be a day that exists only in your dreams. If you’re passionate about biking, why not turn that passion into reality? Yes, it takes planning and forethought to make a motorcycle trips happen, but if you put your mind to it, anything is possible. All it takes is commitment. So set the date and go for it!

If you have flexible dates, that won’t do you any good when it comes to getting a visa or renting a motorcycle. You need firm travel dates so that you can plan everything else around it

2. CHOOSE YOUR MOTORCYCLE CAREFULLY

Although any motorbike can be utilized for touring, certain models are superior than others. Models with particular demands, especially long distance motorcycle trip, have greater capabilities. The ability to get more gas and keep your passenger comfy on a long ride is one of the most important aspects of touring motorcycles. Adventure motorcycles provide extremely high ground clearance, making them ideal for off-road excursions.

Make sure things like handlebars, footpegs, backrests, suspension, and seats are all properly set up and adjusted for your height and riding position.

If you’re joined by other riders on your motorcycle tours, feel free to split up the load of this emergency repair and basic maintenance tool kit. You won’t need more than one set for the entire team. But always keep your own essential items in your tank bag.

3. ROUTE PLANNING

There are two main options for riding anywhere:

Do a self-drive
Guided tour

It all comes down to personal preference in the end. GUIDED TOURS are more expensive, but they take care of most of the details and travel arrangements. You’re confident that you’re traveling with an educated guide who knows the area and wants to discover new territory with like-minded motorcyclists.

Every day, we are asked about the best time to travel certain routes- like our Gobi desert motorcycle tours. Your trip can be anywhere in the world, which means you will most likely face a variety of weather conditions. But for riding specifically in Mongolia, there are several windows of more ideal weather: early summer and early fall.

If you’re planning on touring unfamiliar territory by motorcycle, be prepared to do some research ahead of time so you know where to find food and lodging. Motorcycling is a great adventure, made all the more exciting by camping out under the stars. But after a few days on the road, you’ll probably appreciate being able clean up properly in a hot shower.

It’s important to consider what the roads will be like. Heck, if you’re travelling to Mongolia, we don’t even have roads at all. So, part of your route planning will revolve around choosing the right motorcycle for the job.

4. CHOOSE YOUR BAGGAGE CAREFULLY

Popular culture paints a picture of motorcycle riders as rebels or “badasses.” But the reality is that after only half an hour of riding you’ll wish you never got on the bike. You’ll be picking out bugs and dirt from your teeth and ears, and that’s the best case scenario! Everyone falls off their bike at some point, so it’s important to have appropriate safety gear to protect yourself from injury.

Essential motorcycle luggage

A properly fitting motorcycle helmet in good condition & less than 5 years old. We prefer full-face for safety.
Either a built-in sunvisor (like on the Shoei GT Air) or a dark tinted visor for sunny days
Motorcycle jacket with protection
Motorcycle trousers
Motorcycle boots
Motorcycle gloves

Extremely useful Things on a motorcycle tour:

A motorcycle lock
First aid kit
Motorcycle sat navigation
Rain gear
Emergency money/ card
Phone charger and portable powerpack
Necessary motorcycle accessories
Breakdown/ Recovery cover etc

Generally, bring twice the cash and half the clothes you think you’ll need. You’ll go through dramatic changes in altitude and temperature on a cross-country journey. Even in summer, mountain passes can be freezing cold. It’s difficult to comprehend entire climate zones at various elevations if you come from an area with no significant elevation changes. Prepare for just about everything is simple—just be prepared for anything that may occur in your long rides!

In desert areas, wear long sleeves!

It’s a popular misconception that you may ride across the desert in only short-sleeved clothing. For several vital reasons, we always advocate wearing long sleeves:

It is best to avoid having your body in direct contact with the sun. If you do, you will become dehydrated quickly and this can compromise your ability to control and balance the motorcycle safely.
Common symptoms after that (aside from sunburn) can include nausea, dizziness, muscle weakness and cramping, and many others leading up to a heat stroke
Protect your body from the sun, don’t open yourself up to harmful UV rays

5. DURING THE TRIP

Daily check of the motorcycle to be road ready
Drink enough water
Take a 20-minute break for every 1.5 hours of riding, know your limit
Keep your eye on how much fuel you have left, find a mobile app for this
Don’t lose your keys, always lock your bike
If you’re going on a motorcycle road trip, keep in mind that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You won’t gain much by driving at high speeds unless you can sustain them, and if you do, your gas mileage will go down significantly. Also remember that since you’re not from around the area, local police are more likely to pull you over for speeding.

USEFUL TIPS & TRICKS

Take the time to take a break and appreciate what you’re doing. The majority of us have a long list of things to do. Don’t let your trip be another thing on your to-do list.
Taking catnaps is crucial. If you’re trying to achieve a lot of mileage in a short amount of time, a few brief half-hour naps will generally do the trick mentally without jeopardizing your time limit.
Treat yourself. The less you want to set up camp, cook, etc., the more miles you’ll be riding. Unless you’re Iron Butting, the harder you ride, the less hard you should work on other things (with exceptions). If you’re camping each night, plan on getting off your bike a bit earlier in the evening and losing a few hours to prepare for it.
Arrange your luggage so that it’s balanced and accessible, but also so that the things you use most often are near the top. Also, keep your passport, wallet, and other essentials in a small backpack so they may accompany you into a rest area/café instead of being left on your bike.
It is critical to be able to conduct your own bike checks and simple maintenance on the road.