Touring on a motorcycle is a fun and rewarding experience, but it also takes a fair amount of work to make sure that you are setting yourself up for having a good time. After all, you never know what you might need when you hit the road, so it’s best to be fully prepared. It can be hard keeping track of all the essential items to bring on a motorcycle trip, which is why we created this brief guide to make your process smoother. Keep reading to learn more! For all your motorcycle needs, feel free to get in touch with us at CalMoto at one of our locations in Mountain View and Livermore, CA.

Pack Smartly

Packing for your motorcycle tour can be challenging because you don’t have a great deal of cargo space. Plus, you don’t want to unbalance your bike with too much weight. Pack all the basic necessities and try to reduce weight wherever you can. If you’re camping, go for lightweight and compact supplies. While you can add saddlebags or other forms of storage, you should try to keep weight down as much as you can.

Food & Water

Your bike doesn’t have a lot of room for supplies, but you should still have a little food and water on hand in case of emergencies. If you’re stranded miles from town, you’ll be grateful you thought to bring these things. Get a refillable water bottle and fill it at every stop instead of packing multiple bottles. Don’t forget to carry some high-calorie, energy-dense foods like granola bars.

Spare Clothes

You should always be prepared for whatever the weather might bring. If you’re climbing into high altitudes, a lightweight fleece jacket under your riding jacket will keep you warm. Having waterproof gear for wet weather is helpful, as is a change of shirt and socks in case you do get drenched. Wearing a riding suit will protect the clothes you have on in most conditions, so consider investing in one if you don’t already have one.

First-Aid Kit

You never know what you might encounter on a motorcycle trip, which is why you want to have some safety essentials on hand. A well-stocked first-aid kit is an absolute necessity. Pack bandages, gauze, ointments, painkillers, your normal prescription medications, and anything else you think you might need.

Emergency Tools

As you ride, no matter how well you might have inspected your bike before you left, you might need to perform some minor repairs or adjustments on the road. A repair kit with some wrenches, a multi-tool, screwdrivers, and a flashlight will go a long way in an emergency.

You could get stranded or injured and might need to call for help, so having your phone available is super important. Plus, you can use your phone as a camera for capturing all those scenic views, awesome selfies, and memorable moments!

Important Documents

Last but not least, you don’t want to head out without all the documentation you may need. You’ll need to carry your bike’s paperwork. The documents to bring include your driving license, registration, and insurance papers. Keep these things in a secure location, so that you can easily access them whenever the need arises.

We hope that this guide has been helpful. If you are still looking for your dream bike, get in touch with the staff here at CalMoto in Mountain View and Livermore, California. We will be happy to show you all the motorcycles we carry, so you can figure out the perfect one for your needs. Our dealership welcomes all those in San Francisco and San Jose.