Touring advice

The first week in June, me and two buddies will be doing a 5 day tour of Scotland.

I have done a few day trips here and there but not any length of time before.

I was wondering if anyone could offer any advice on things like:

Pictures of your touring set up (I currently have nothing on the bike as I usually just carry a backpack so wondering if I can get away with a tank bag and a dry bag bungeed down)

What to pack

What spares/tools to take

Useful tips/hacks to make life easier

Or in fact anything that you would consider to be helpful, I am all ears.

Thanks in advance,

Luke

size 8-14 sockets with ratchet, adjustable spanner, a canister of petrol as in scotland petrol stations after very few and far between apparently, a very sharp knife of some kind, string, a power bank to keep your phone charged unless you have a usb on your bike.

If you're camping, A 12v inflator and an air bed!

A spare clutch cable.

If you run out of fuel, lean the bike right over to the left, to get what's left over the tap!

Hi and welcome to the site. There are some threads about on what tools / stuff under the seat other riders have, take a look.

My experiences with touring on my cb5 are all pretty good, and good advice so far. The cb can take the miles easily and your mpg will be pretty good too. It'll do 80 plus all day, your neck won't though.

If your mates have faster bikes a team talk on standard speed, meet ups/stops would make for a less stressful tour. Know your route and have it handy. Stop every hour or so if you can for a few minutes.

Peace of mind if the bike is serviced, decently tyred and has no gremlins aboard and if you are comfortable in your day to day riding gear.

Weight, keep it off you and on the bike or you'll get tired so keep the bike balanced with some kit on the back seat and some in a tankbag. Travel as light as you can and have a set of non biker clothes for evenings out.

Fairings are good and even a little headlight cowl is real bonus.

Don't rush, or be rushed and you must wear earplugs!

atb


muttley1

Sound advice from all, although for a trip to Scotland, unless you like doing mechanical fixings, I would make sure you have a good breakdown cover and cut back on the tools. Muttley's tips are spot on about keeping weight on the bike not you, wearing earplugs and making sure your peers are aware you might have a smaller machine, so keeping the speed reasonable and rest stops. I had a tour of south of England a couple of weeks ago camping. Tent, sleeping bag, chair, air bed, 2 soft panniers, top box, tank bag etc. Bike performed really well with all my kit. The weak spot was me. Had a great time with no issues from the stead (apart from some miss firing in the pissing rain one day). Getting it wrong can be part of the experience, but really not a big deal in this country. Parts, tools, mechanics are abundant in this country, so focus more on the equipment you need to enjoy your trip (inflatable pillow, tea bags, bottle opener......) rather than what you will need to fix something that probably won't break. I can email you some pics of my bike loaded if you want to see. Just send me your email address. ENJOY!!!!!!! :-)

We all want to see your loaded pics - can you post them up here?

I'll go and find the thread on how to add a photo and see what I can do.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153934513448891&set=a.10153934514413891.1073741829.706498890&type=3&theater

Fuelled up and loaded up. Ready to go!!! :-)

Pack a can of tyre weld!
Here's mine fully loaded, and this was two up going to the Isle of Wight a few years ago:

Llewelyn's pix

How many months did you go for?!

Pile up all your stuff up before you go then sort it all out and leave half of it behind due to lack of room.
If you are going camping as against hotels. Roll up each days clothes in a roll inside a carrier bag like a long tube. Packs easily one per day! Only one pair of biker jeans and only one pair of jeans  to change into.
A must is a pair of trainers and shorts(one pair only). If camping buy disposable BBQ's as you can cook chicken and heat up tinned pots etc or if not go down the pub.

sullivj wrote:

Llewelyn's pix

How many months did you go for?!

Ha! Only a week. Took stuff that made it more comfortable like a chair, a table. Was expecting a mixture of cold and wet weather intermingled with some warm and dry stuff, so more clothes than I would normally have. I also have a breathing machine for sleep apnoea which I had to have., so yes, way too much stuff really.

Llewelyn1965 wrote:

sullivj wrote:

Llewelyn's pix

How many months did you go for?!

Ha! Only a week. Took stuff that made it more comfortable like a chair, a table. Was expecting a mixture of cold and wet weather intermingled with some warm and dry stuff, so more clothes than I would normally have. I also have a breathing machine for sleep apnoea which I had to have., so yes, way too much stuff really.

'Way too much stuff' - possibly, but you did it and, I assume, had a good trip. So probably not 'too much stuff' in some ways.

How much to take is a very personal thing, if you've been hiking before you'll have some idea of what you can (personally) 'do without' - it's not quite as bad on a bike as you don't have to carry it all on your back, but a lot of similar principles apply. You don't want to take so little that you are unhappy.

Personally I like to take a set of basic tools/supplies - spanners in the common sizes, pliers, knife, screwdrivers, puncture repair kit, chain lube - not too much, will easily fit in the under the seat compartment. I just don't want to be reliant on some breakdown service for some really minor reason.

If your bike is well-serviced and you've given everything a good look over before going you will probably be fine.

You can strap a drybag down onto the rear seat using the hook things that flip out from under the seat.

eternally_troubled wrote:You can strap a drybag down onto the rear seat using the hook things that flip out from under the seat.

I've been looking for those little hooks - my bike has none. No luck.

Any advice on where I can find them?

stormbringer wrote:

eternally_troubled wrote:You can strap a drybag down onto the rear seat using the hook things that flip out from under the seat.

I've been looking for those little hooks - my bike has none. No luck.

Any advice on where I can find them?

If you look under the seat towards the rear then you would see if they were there. They are secured to the underside of the seat.

My seat came with them :) I suspect (although I haven't needed to try it) you could get a bungee or ratchet strap under the seat and achieve the same effect.

This is what mine looks like with full luggage although I'd strap a waterproof holdall to the top of the topbox using cargo netting for carrying a tent.

Thanks for all the advice

Will be heading out on the 30th May

Does anyone have any touring kit for sale? Rack, panniers soft/hard, tank bag, dey bags etc?

I don't have any luggage for sale but I did buy one of these the other year when I needed something to strap to the seat:

http://www.getgeared.co.uk/LOUIS_International_Speedbags?sc=28&category=3016527

It got rained on but didn't leak. 'Nuff said really...

I have a similar thing in black with my sleeping bag in on my picture further up the thread. Got rained heavily on but didn't leak at all.