Successful Motorcycle Touring

Successful Motorcycle Touring

One of the joys of motorcycling is the freedom of the road, exploring new places and adventuring - but expeditions like this can be painful experiences. I'll set out some notes to help you avoid pitfalls and to minimise the dangers and problems, and to help you plan and carry out a successful bike touring holiday .

I welcome contributions and comments - please manually remove the extra 'z' from the email address.

Return to the Deauville or CX500 Web Resources

The Ride - Getting There

The ride is what these trips are all about. We all want to get to places, but it's all too easy to be carried away and plan a trip which is simply too many miles. This puts pressure on you to complete the journey, and can force you to ride faster for longer than you should. What Tom considers to be a day's ride is just down the road for Dick and a three day adventure, with overnight stops, for Harry.

I advise that for a beginner, unused to the greater distances of European roads, an average of 150 or 200 miles a day is a sensible figure and even this can be beyond reach if you want to dawdle at some particularly interesting location. On an eight or nine day tour, anything more than a total of 2,000 miles means long hours in the saddle and a great deal of highly dull motorway work. We have done as much as 2,700 miles in nine days, but we saw far too much tarmac and not enough of our boots through the bottom of a beer glass. European roads are wide, scenic and empty, with picturesque villages and countryside where - believe me - ambling along at 55 mph in top gear with the engine running at a gentle purr gives you time to relax in the saddle and and just soak up the scenery, and is a sheer delight. Almost every village will have its bar / restaurant, invariably a friendly place where locals meet up to pass the time.

Sure, blast along toll motorways at 85 mph "just to get there" but do a lot of dawdling as well. It's worth it. What mileage you plan to clock up depends on your personal preferences. I warn you that to wake up on Thursday morning in Andorra and realise that you have to catch a ferry in Calais on Friday evening is not going to be amusing. This didn't happen to us because we plan a great deal before we go, but it could have done and it's an easy mistake to make. Certainly the more experienced types, used to the greater distances of European roads, can easily cover an average mileage well in excess of 200 a day. It's up to you and what kind of bike holiday you wan to structure. But as a beginner, don't underestimate the distances compared to UK roads. It still takes me by surprise. Plan your trip (see later down the page).

The longest leg I have completed in a day was 478 miles and although this had some generous stops, it was mostly non-motorway (Ulverston, Lancashire to Portree on Skye, via Fort William and the Skye Bridge) and on arrival I was riding raggedly and feeling completely knackered. If you want a tarmac holiday, I won't argue with you but take it from me you will see lots of places where you will say afterwards - "I wish we'd stayed a while at St-Wherever-Sur-Mer 'cos it loooked like a nice place to stop over." So plan a rest day into your timetable, and be prepared to sacrifice one or more of your destinations if time goes against you. A puncture can swallow half a day.

Where riding is concerned, it's also disturbingly easy to get personally dehydrated. This problem creeps up on you like an alligator and then hits you hard with back and kidney-area pain, dizziness and general malaise. If you are feeling thirsty, you are already dehydrated. We constantly prompt each other to drink liquids and we always drink at fuel stops - not fizzy drinks - we've found that chilled Lipton's cold tea is the best, and this is widely available at fuel stops. Always use the toilet at fuel stops, even if you don't think that you need to go.

If you have to put on foul weather kit, be especially aware that emerging from a rain storm into European summer sun will make you physically overheat inside your wet weather gear in less than fifteen minutes; this has happened to me. We'd covered thirty or forty miles in the rain and then hit bright sunshine. I was suddenly aware that I was hot, then very hot, then the greyness came creeping in at the corners of my vision. This all happened in ten minutes. I managed to dive down a side road and just got the stand down before I more or less collapsed and managed to get my bike clothes off just in time, but it was a close call and I almost fainted. It was half an hour before I had cooled down enough to continue riding.

Preparing your motorcycle

The last thing you need to happen on a tour of this nature is a mechanical breakdown, so you will need to take every possible precaution to prevent this. First of all you must ensure that you have recovery insurance cover so that you can summon help if needs be. This may simply be a breakdown van which can get a punctured tyre to a bike dealer, or it may be a complete trailer recovery to where you live. Many insurers provide this cover with their normal policy but it's worth double checking that the cover extends to whichever countries you intend to visit or pass through. You can buy add-on insurance if your policy doesn't cover Europe, or doesn't cover breakdown at all. If you set out without breakdown / recovery insurance you must be completely bonkers.

Next, your bike needs a full and complete service immediately before departure; oil, filters, and so on. Whether you do this yourself or have it done at a dealer's is up to you, but many DiY servicing tasks are covered by my Deauville or CX500 Web Resources. Take particular note of your tyre tread depth because this should still be legal when you arrive home. Wear rates depend enormously on so many factors, but if you allow 1mm of wear for every 1,000 miles of your planned journey, you can't go much wrong. Let's say that you have 4mm tread before departure and you plan a 2,000 miles tour, you'll still be OK when you get back. But if you have just 2mm of tread before you leave then you are going to have to replace that tyre half way round your trip. This aspect of preparation is easy to overlook.

If you plan a seriously long trip you may even have to make an oil and oil filter change - are you going to carry a spare filter? You can almost certainly get the oil at a service station but are you going to do a roadside change, or find a dealer and put the bike in, with the associated delay to your itinerary? Have you the tools necessary to do a roadside job?

In terms of spare parts I would carry anything which constitutes a roadside repair. Anything more than this is either a workshop or recovery job. Here is what I would normally carry: new clutch cable / new throttle cables / front brake lever / clutch lever / a full set of all electric bulbs / fuses / electric insulating tape / tyre sealant aerosol / long tie wraps. Plus a toolkit comprehensive enough to fix anything that isn't a workshop job.

Crossing the Channel - Ferry or Tunnel?

If you are in a hurry and you don't mind the extra expense, use the Tunnel. A more bland way to travel has yet to be invented, but it's logistically easy and it's quick - less than an hour. We've never had the least hint of seasickness on a simple Channel Ferry crossing, but there are those for whom the idea of getting on a boat cannot be contemplated. In such a case, the Tunnel is your only alternative. Like all such journeys they are booked most economically well in advance.

I'd argue that if you've had a long ride to Dover, the rest period afforded by a Tunnel crossing is too short and doesn't give you the opportunity to have a meal or a good rest before continuing into France. You ride your bike down the 'platform' and directly onto the train carriage, park it and wait until you arrive. There is nowhere to sit and nothing to see; there are simple onboard toilets. You can book Tunnel journeys here - remember the prices are EACH WAY not RETURN.

All Ferry or Tunnel costs for a bike vary a lot, but £70 for the Tunnel and £40 for a bike, on a 10 day return, would be a good guide. As a sailing day approaches, the ferry companies raise the prices if the vessel gets full. Conversely they lower the prices if the vessel is emptyish. I have heard rumours that you can troll up on a bike on spec and get on a crossing for a tenner or less - if you can substantiate this, let me know! We prefer to book our crossings to ensure that our timetable isn't disrupted.

A ferry crossing takes 90 minutes plus embarcation and disembarcation. Bikes are generally loaded and unloaded first, and you will be directed either into side bays or to the extreme front or rear section of the vessel. The ferry crew no longer strap your bike down, although they do provide kit and advise you on how to use it. The securing kit is a strong adjustable strap with hooks at each end which engage in deck loops. In the middle of the strap's length is a thick rubber cushion. You park on the centre stand with the legs of your stand just forward of the line between two deck loops and with the cushion directly on the saddle, fasten the strap, pulling the click-action lever to thoroughly tighten the strap so that it holds your bike hard onto the rear wheel, with the front wheel off the deck. So mounted, it can't roll forwards and topple off the stand. We've never seen a bike fall off its stand but it's fair comment to add that we haven't been across in anything more than a gentle swell. If the bike does fall over, it's your responsibility, not the crew's.

Remove tank bag and all non-secured luggage and carry these with you into the passenger area as you won't be allowed onto the vehicle decks during the voyage. You have at least 90 minutes for the crossing so there is no need to rush to join the long meal queues. First grab a comfortable seat, and then rest while the mad herd of those who can't wait get their food; the toilets will be quiet now and busy later.

If you are travelling eastwards after arrival in France, use Norfolk Lines Dover-Dunkirk rather than P&O / SeaFrance's Dover-Calais. Be warned that you will probably incur a surcharge if you travel earlier or later than booked. P&O once said to us on arriving five hours early, "The ferry is full but if you pay £30 each we can fit you on." On other occasions thay have said nothing and let us on. Pot luck.

This is a good ferry booking site for ALL UK-Europe destinations. Your travel insurance should cover you for switching to the Tunnel if your Ferry crossing can't be made due to weather or the blasted French fishermen throwing their teddies out of the pram again. In such a case, get a signed chit from the ferry company, and stop buying French wine.

Personally I take the view that in the event of a disaster I stand more chance of surviving a ferry sinking than a tunnel fire or rail crash. But more importantly we feel that a ferry crossing is a psychological start and finish to our adventure, rather than a soulless Tunnel trip. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

Riding / driving in Europe

The first time you contemplate this, it can feel scary - don't worry, this is a normal reaction. Abroad, in a right-hand-drive car your vision and general awareness of other traffic is substantially reduced, and that's why it's a good idea to have an experienced pair of eyes in the left hand seat, to help you slot in at junctions and slip roads. On a motorcycle, you'll find that being on 'the wrong side of the road' comes very much more naturally. In general terms you follow the bloke in front and do what he does - believe me you'll soon lose that scared feeling. But, there are three dangerous situations I should warn you about.

Throughout Europe the signage and traffic conventions have become progressively more standardised. The old and completely barmy French rule about having to give way to vehicles entering a main road from a side road ("priorité à droit") is almost completely dropped, and if not, is clearly signed. Good thing too, as it's a killer idea which must have cost many lives.

In a group situation, riders new to foreign roads should at first be following the more experienced types - let the grizzled veterans show you how it's done.

OK, the reasonably easy one first. Roundabouts. I've seen UK cars approach the urban motorway exit to the shopping centre at Calais - this is a dual carriageway slip road descent to a roundabout - in the left hand lane, indicating left, and then do a left turn clockwise round the island, with French cars scattering like confetti to avoid a head-on collision. Now that's scary. But you'll fnd that this sort of mistake is actually hard to do, even on autopilot, as the roads physically merge in such a way that going the wrong way requires a major effort. In fact if you think about it - our junctions are designed to achieve the same effect. So you have to do things in what appears to be a mirror of normal. I have never met a roundabout in France, Spain, Germany or Andorra where a driver actually on the island has to give way to anyone wanting to enter it, as used to be the rule in many countries; nowadays the priorities work like ours.

I'll assume a dual-carriageway approach. For a first exit - right turn - approach in the right hand lane, indicating right, stay anti-clockwise in the right hand lane, and exit. Very easy. For 2nd exit - straight on - approach in the right hand lane, anti-clockwise, and indicate right after the previous exit. Another easy one.

The third exit - left turn - is where the 'mirror effect' happens. It's rare to find lane markings on the island itself, so mentally divide the island into lanes. Approach in the left hand lane, indicating left and go anti-clockwise around the innermost lane of the island. Indicate right after the exit previous to yours, do your lifesaver and then exit. This can shake you the first few times but where traffic is present you can just follow the vehicle in front, doing what he does. If there is no traffic you have to think a bit harder about it. I suggest that you mentally practice this before you have to do it for real. If you are still flustered, park up by a busy island and watch the locals to get the flavour of how it works.

The second danger area is one which will catch you out several times until you get used to it. In France particularly, traffic-light controlled junctions do not have repeater lights on the far side of the junction. Also, the lights on your side are often on an overhead gantry, with a set of small repeater lights on the pole at about head height. Consequently if you stop on a motorcycle with your front wheel right on the stop line, you won't be able to see the lights at all! You'll only know they've changed when you hear impatient hooting from local cars behind you, or another rider behind you in your group tells you over the inter-bike radio.

So, at red lights, come to a halt half a bike length before the stop line, or otherwise in such a position where you can clearly see the lights.

The third one is the most dangerous, it's so very easy to make, and can be fatal. In the UK you are used to making a left turn without any conflicting traffic; you just indicate left and complete the turn. In Europe this can kill you in the blink of an eye, because you have to cross the other stream of traffc to make the turn, and there are likely to be be other vehicles coming towards you. It's so dreadfully easy to go on autopilot and swing round into a left turn, and then get hit from the right hand side. You can appreciate I am sure than such a collision will have serious consequences for you.

I'm afraid there isn't an easy answer to this one, so you just have to concentrate that much extra. Switch off the autopilot and think about these left turns. Whilst you are still in the UK, in the weeks before you leave, train yourself to make that right hand check before turning left. Stick a prominent Post-It note on your windscreen. You can also ask other riders in the group to shout a warning over the radio if they see you shaping up for a left turn and you're not giving that obvious helmet movement to show that you've checked for oncoming traffic.

I guarantee that as a newcomer to European roads, you'll make this mistake at least once. Hopefully you'll either realise in time and be able to stop, or there won't be any oncoming traffic. If not, I hope you took out travel and medical insurance.

One of our party always puts a red stick-on stripe over his right mirror, to constantly prompt him that he is on European roads.

We have used the toll ("péage") motorways in France "just to get there" and found them convenient for fast transiting, prices for bikes are not excessive and they do have very regular rest areas and service stations. Keep a supply of coins and low denomination notes handy in your tank bag pocket. If you don't understand the money, let the cashier take the correct amount from a handful of coins or notes. Bikes MUST pass the barriers one at a time ("un par un"), even if one person pays for several bikes. But all motorways are boring, and no way to see the countryside.

Stick to the lesser roads and you'll have better riding, as well as seeing more places where you will want to dawdle over coffee and croissants.

Carlos the Jackal adds "On Spanish motorways drivers will not flash if you indicate to move into the fast lane to overtake. From my own experience they do expect you to pull out and will slow down if a slower moving vehicle does pull out, without any horn blowing or other unpleasantness that we often see in the UK. Accomodation wise Spain is excellent. The guide books will tell you that the term Hostal, Pension and Hotel are used to denote the standard of accomodation. From what I've seen they are pretty much interchangeable. If you're approaching a big city on the autovia or any other main route some services have tourist information offices. Most of the staff speak good English (They'll have a union Jack or Stars and stripes on their name badge). They can book you a hotel room, if you need one and help with specific requirements like garaging. Both France and Spain are fanastic, bike friendly places to visit on a bike. Local bikers will always chat and keep you right if need be."

DaveS comments that "Here in Southern Spain in the Costa del Sol area there such roundabouts, where once on the roundabout you have to give way to traffic exiting from a more major road. There will be a solid white line across the road but watch out as it may well have faded a lot. I also find in my area that Spanish drivers do not know how to use a roundabout that is two lanes wide. Many of them go round it all the way on the oiutside so if you are on the inside and wish to take an exit, watch you don't get cut up by the guy on the outside." This problem is starting to be widely experienced on UK roads, too, as ignorant or impatient drivers make "the Telford Turn" by going all the way round the outer lane of an island to turn right.

Refuelling

It's very easy to overlook the fact that distances between locations in Europe are substantially greater than in the crowded UK.

You must be familiar with your bike's mpg and range on a single tank. In a group situation, all riders should always fill their tanks at the same time, regardless of their possibly different fuel states. If you don't adopt this strategy, you'll be "leapfrog stopping" as Tom who didn't bother to tank when Dick and Harry did, runs low on fuel on the next leg of the trip.

You probably know your way round the UK map-wise but European distances are much greater. Calais to Paris is about the same as Birmingham to London, and Paris is just 1/4 of the way down France. John O'Groats to Land's End is about the same as Calais to the bottom left hand corner of France. Then about the same again to southern Spain.

Here are some sample road distances, in miles, using the fastest route and assuming crossing at Dover-Calais where necessary:-

From/To

Edinb'h

London

Dover/Calais

Paris

Mar'lle

San'der

Andorra

Berlin

Zurich

Prague

Dresden

Rome

Am'dam

Hamburg

Vienna

Munich

Co'hgn

Go'burg

Edinburgh

397

467

649

1133

1277

1179

1044

980

1168

1094

1491

698

940

1279

1080

1129

1322

London

397

261

748

890

792

657

587

781

707

1103

310

553

892

693

741

935

Dover/Calais

467

182

669

810

713

578

513

701

627

1024

231

473

813

613

662

855

Paris

649

261

182

479

630

534

650

412

656

877

313

558

768

517

747

940

Marseille

1133

748

669

479

582

303

957

467

880

879

559

768

927

845

628

1116

1309

Santander

1277

890

810

630

582

403

1278

893

1281

1280

1112

942

1187

1392

1081

1375

1569

Andorra

1179

792

713

534

303

403

1148

846

1071

833

846

1091

1114

846

1280

1473

Berlin

1044

657

578

650

957

1278

1148

519

218

120

936

407

181

420

363

241

435

Zurich

980

587

513

412

467

893

846

519

443

442

541

505

543

459

191

732

925

Prague

1168

781

701

656

880

1281

1071

218

443

816

539

392

202

244

469

663

Dresden

1094

707

627

656

879

1280

1071

120

442

853

456

309

295

286

371

564

Rome

1491

1103

1024

877

559

1112

833

936

541

816

853

1029

1055

692

571

1152

1345

Amsterdam

698

310

231

313

768

942

846

407

505

539

456

1029

291

713

514

479

673

Hamburg

940

553

473

558

927

1187

1091

181

543

392

309

1055

291

682

482

195

388

Vienna

1279

892

813

768

845

1392

1114

420

459

202

295

692

713

682

270

770

964

Munich

1080

693

613

517

628

1081

846

363

191

244

286

571

514

482

270

579

773

Copenhagen

1129

741

662

747

1116

1375

1280

241

732

469

371

1152

479

195

770

579

196

Gothenburg

1322

935

855

940

1309

1569

1473

435

925

663

564

1345

673

388

964

773

196

Throughout France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Andorra, Poland and the Czech Republic we’ve had no problems at all with finding petrol and using the refuelling facilities; the quality of fuel was perfectly OK. The self-fill petrol stations work exactly like ours and on main routes they mostly have minimarkets for snacks and consumables. You may find some which accept banknotes at the pump, but usually you fill up and pay by cash or credit card at the till, just as you would in the UK.

Always remove your helmet before entering a pay kiosk or shop. If language skills are not up to speaking the pump numbers, smile and hold up so-many fingers. Should you be uncertain of the currency denominations, tender banknote(s). Coins are handy to have, as most service station toilets are payable, and you'll need a coin to give the attendant or feed into the automatic barrier. In France it is not uncommon to have a female attendant for the male toilets, don't let this faze you – they've seen it all before!

We've found that paying for fuel, oil and so on at services using a credit card is the simplest way, and again these work like the PIN terminals at home. Using a credit card saves finding and carrying a lot of cash. The ATMs also work like ours but they mostly have a language selection on the introductory screen and you can choose the Union Jack icon to get English. Many self-fill pumps with credit card slots also have this feature.

At an attended filling station, ask for:-

In France, "le plein de sans-plomb"

In Spain, "completo gasolina sin plomo"

= fill up with unleaded. Perhaps a linguist would kindly let me know the equivalent in other languages?

Romo adds "With regard to fuel in France. Some garages are unmanned and have pumps which take credit cards only they seem to refuse British credit cards, at least they wouldn't take mine. Also, one Sunday last June, somewhere in rural France, I was desperate for petrol. I eventually found a garage, but it was one of the unmanned variety and it would not take my cards. Luckily, after half an hour another motorist arrived and I managed to persuade him to use his card to buy my petrol. As he claimed to have no change he profited very nicely on the deal. As for me, I was very grateful to him as rural France can be dead on a Sunday evening and overnighting on a garage forecourt, is something I would prefer not to do. Be warned."

Carlos the Jackal amplifies this by saying "I has a similar experience to Robo with the card operated pumps in rural France, where they took only French cards. This was confirmed by my uncle who was at the time a French resident as he'd had to apply for a French credit card specifically to get round this problem. A 40 minute wait for a local to arrive followed by the international mime for "My credit card doesn't work, please can you buy me some petrol Madame?" solved the problem for me. Although caution is advised if you approach a middle aged farmers wife waving a 20 euro note."

Planning is all part of the adventure

Some people can throw a few items of spare kit and a tent into panniers and head off into the wild blue yonder with nothing more than a vague plan and a credit card. It's a fine strategy for those with a bottomless credit card which can dig them out of any problems, but it doesn't work for me. Whether you are the type to fix a rock solid itinerary or have nothing more definite than a start and finish place, advance planning will pay off in spades once your holiday is launched.

Whilst satellite navigation is a massive aid - if only for telling you where you are - you cannot hope to manage on unknown roads without printed maps. Buy a road atlas, and either scan and print the parts you need, or just cut them out - road maps are cheap enough. But now double-side and laminate them, because they will probably get wet, and finally trim or cut them to a size which easily fits into the clear panel of your tank bag. This is usually considerably less than A4 size.

Google Earth is a wonderful resource for planning routes, stop-over sites and visits. Use the Street View feature to familiarise yourself with your destinations, and you can also print and laminate the high-definition screens to give you additional maps. Microsoft's Autoroute is cheap, easy to use and lets you plan your holiday in easy legs or stages.

Don't even think about a trip of this sort without taking out travel insurance to cover you for loss of kit, accident or medical emergency. This year one of our party was hospitalised in St Malo with a very severe bout of gastro bug. We had to leave him behind and without travel insurance, his hospital and 'extras' bill would have been steep. And ensure that your driving licence, insurance, breakdown cover and other documentation is valid for the countries you plan to visit or pass through. For EU countries you need the NHS 'EHIC' health reciprocal coverage card, available online from the NHS Direct web site. Whilst touring I wear a metal 'dog tag' on a neck chain, showing name, address, blood group and next of kin contact numbers. Just in case I am involved in an accident and can't account for myself.

If language skills are low or non-existent, take photos on your mobile phone of useful locations like petrol station, cash dispenser, toilet, chemist, police, ambulance etc. Or, have a linguistic friend write down useful phrases for you.

It can be extremely handy to be able to 'phone a friend' who is at home and who has access to Internet resources, and can look up things you need to know, on the fly as as you need them, book accommodation, etc. Your most useful non-Internet source of information is always the local Tourist Information Office, slap bang in the middle of any town or city centre. The staff there will usually speak enough English to help you and they will have a wealth of data on camp sites, B&Bs, local places of interest, parking, buses and taxis etc. So head straight for the TIO and capitalise on their local knowledge.

If you are carrying a passenger then your logistics options are limited. You can do the camping scene but due to the amount of kit you need to carry (ie two sleeping bags) you are best advised to B&B. Yes, camping can be done two-up on a week away, but you'll need to buy new clothes every couple of days as your personal luggage will each be restricted to what would fit in a Tesco plastic shopping bag. Not easy.

Inter-Bike Radio (PMR or Private Mobile Radio)

If you are travelling in a group, inter-bike radio is a must. We use inexpensive Cobra personal mobile radio (PMR) handsets with Intaride helmet headsets. Don't buy the cheap Maplins headsets as they are not very robust. Any headset and radio handset you use must have compatible plugs. You will all need to agree a common radio channel ... and for Heaven's sake turn off the roger bleeps!

Personally I find the gun-button type of press to talk (PTT) is better than the under-grip rubber knobble one, and worth the extra money. We've all found that it's easy to hit the horn instead of the transmit, and vice versa, especially in a panic! Don't use the voice operated (vox) microphones or transmit devices, as there will be enough wind noise even inside a helmet to keep the transmit on all the time, much to the annoyance of your fellow riders. There are different versions of headsets, earphones and stick-on or boom microphones to suit every helmet type, full-face, open, flip etc.

If you think you'll need to use the audio satnav and the PMR at the same time, nip along to Maplin's and buy a splitter, which takes two inputs and delivers one output. The whizzy ones can give split the output - satnav to one ear and PMR to the other ear. Some of the clever modern helmets have onboard Bluetooth, which most satnavs and mobile phones also use. I suspect that Bluetooth as an inter-bike radio would be rather too short-range but if anyone finds differently please let me know.

We've found inter-bike radio to be a lifesaver in unfamilar traffic zones, especially if one of the group becomes separated by red lights or other reason. Also it hugely simplifies navigation at junctions, as everyone can be informed as to which exit to take. Also anyone with a problem can easily let the others know.

Logistics - what to take with you

Travelling alone, you have to be self-sufficient. In a group, you don't and there is no need to double up on kit, especially if people share a tent. You can share devices like phone chargers and if there are several bikes of the same type you need not all carry essential spare parts. I will work on the basis that you have a top box, fixed or soft removable panniers and a tank bag. Anything that won't go in here will need to go in a waterproof 'ditty bag' strapped to the pillion seat. Link here to eBay throwover panniers and here to tank bags.

One school of thought argues that if in a group, every rider is totally self-sufficient, anyone can drop out via illness or mechanical problems, without affecting the 'sharing' situation. There is some merit in this argument but I still believe that intelligent co-operation between members of the group can make the trip - especially if camping - more comfortable.

Bear in mind that when visiting somewhere like a city centre you will have to leave your bikes unattended unless you take it in turns to stand guard, so you don't want to leave anything nickable on it. You'll have to carry your tank bag as well as normal bike kit and believe me it's no fun trudging round a city centre in a heat wave, wearing leathers, bike boots and riding kit and carrying helmet and tank bag. (Somewhere like a Museum will almost certainly let you leave tank bag and helmet behind the reception counter.) Be prepared to have anything stolen which is being carried externally and unsecured, especially in the backwaters of poor countries like Poland and in the Czech Republic. But opportunist thieves haunt busy tourist spots as well, where the pickings are easier.

We adopted the policy of carrying personal vital documents and cash in a shoulder-holster type bag, with the zip opening from the front. Nestling under your armpit, this is not an easy item for a pickpocket to dip into. We advise against bum-bags unless they lie across the belly and even these are not as good as the underarm type.

In the tank bag for rides go all your documentation - passport, insurance / MoT / V5 and travel insurance; maps; camera, satnav and its leads; PMR radio kit; sunglasses; visor cleaner and cloth; a little ready cash for any road or bridge tolls; spare glasses. When using it as a backpack ensure that the zip fastener is either secured closed, or faces upwards so that items can't fall out. In the tank bag, use a set of those opaque clip-top takeaway meal containers to secure phones, leads etc against damp or just to keep things tidy and manageable. I put my phone and its bits in one and satnav and its bits in another. Very handy things those containers, and ideally sized for tank bags but you can use them everywhere to keep your kit in order.

If your camera uses disposable batteries, such are easily bought at fuel stops. But if the camera is the built-in battery type, it's easy to overlook the fact that you'll need the charger and mains adapter.

If you're in Spain and wear glasses, you are required by law to carry a spare pair - a sensible rule no matter where you are. I always take a bike cover because I love my bike and I don't like to leave it parked, especially overnight, in the rain; and enough elastic bungees or spider cargo nets to secure externally carried items, and a couple of spare bungees as well, plus a security cable lock.

For security, the long flexible cable lock scores high in the touring situation, because it can be threaded through helmets, arms of bike jackets and so on and still secure at least one bike as well. It doesn't have to be super-heavy, just nylon-covered and flexible. When leaving helmets unattended, always leave them secured in some way and - important - the right way up. If left upside down, rain or unmentionable animal deposits can easily get in. <Shudder>

Personal kit has to be kept at a minimum. In 2009 we adopted the policy of taking old clothes and throwing them away after two or three days' use. This didn't save much space, but it did save trouble in managing used dirty clothes and keeping them separate from clean ones. We'll do it this way again. You do need your toilet bag with whatever toiletries you require. Fully charged razor, or disposables. I manage with one medium sized towel and keep it in a Tesco bag. Drying it after use is always a problem but given decent weather you can peg it up over your bike and let the ambient temperature or engine heat dry it. Any medication you expect to use, including painkillers, sun cream, Band-Aids, Immodium, mosquito repellent or one of those handy battery operated buzzers - yes they do work. You can restock non-prescription medication at any chemist. I take shower gel and use that as shampoo, to save space.

Take a pair of comfortable soft shoes so you can park and then change out of bike boots. To keep your feet dry on the bike and off it, use Tesco bags inside your bike boots or soft shoes. At night in a tent I change into tracksuit bottoms, an old shirt and a fleece if necessary, and sleep on a camp bed which dismantles into short metal pieces and is better I think than a roll-up or inflatable mattress. This bed and a small tripod camp stool are the only items I have to carry externally on the Deauville, not counting the tank bag. A sun hat is essential, as is a telescopic briefcase-sized umbrella.

You'll each need a mobile phone which works in the destination country, make sure everyone has shared all the mobile phone numbers with yourselves and anyone back home. Text messages are ideal for exchanging information. Don't forget the charger, whether accessory-socket or mains type. Turn the phone off whilst riding and this will massively extend battery life. Remember that on many tariffs, incoming calls from abroad are expensive for you to receive. There are ways around this - try the 0044 service, I use this with a spare mobile phone handset, and it works very well, with free incoming calls and good rates for outgoing calls and texts.

Camping kit : tent, sleeping bag, inflatable pillow and a bed of some sort - collapsible, inflatable, foam, it's up to you. Inflatable beds are a pain to deal with night and morning, but you can take an electric pump, and a group of riders could share one. Lots of Tesco bags to put clothes and wet things in and keep everything easily carried about from bike to tent. Clothes pegs to hang up wet clothes or towel. Mallet to drive in tent pegs. Wind-up torch and a head lamp type LED torch, very useful for finding the ablutions at night or for general illumination.

Riders should each give a fellow in the group a spare set of keys for their bike, especially if yours has the high-security chipped key. If you lose yours, get taken ill or suffer an accident, the spare set will be invaluable. We use lanyards to secure keys when they are not in use. If you mislay your keys, look first on the magnets of your tank bag. Don't ask me how I know this.

Scan your vital documents before departure and email them to yourself (or a trusted friend), so in an emergency, they are still available.

Camping

If you are new to camping, a weekend away with a new or borrowed tent will pay dividends before you set out on a serious journey. First of all you'll find out if you like, or can tolerate, camping and you'll also find out whether or not your tent is (a) waterproof; (b) easily erected and dismantled; (c) big enough for you and your kit. Remember that the "two man" bubble type tent in motorcycle terms is really only big enough for you and all your bike kit. It certainly isn't big enough for two people with full bike gear, especially if you have soft panniers which need to be brought into the tent at night. Whilst the two man type tent will fold down to a very small size, if you are taller than 5'8" you are going to have to sleep with your knees bent unless you buy a bigger tent. Here is an eBay link to two man tents.

Tents are always a tradeoff between weight, the size when it's packed down and the size when it's erected. Many bubble tents pack down small enough to easily fit in a top box or pannier, but If you plan to carry your tent strapped on externally or in a ditty bag, be aware that it's easy to steal whilst you leave the bike unattended.

Practice erecting and dismantling it on your lawn at home, and after the first time you successfully erect it, use coloured insulating tape to colour-code the places where the elastic-linked tent rod ends mesh with the tent's base. This will save much frustration later.

Buy a tent with a small "lobby" at the entrance, so you can put bike boots and wet bike waterproofs outside the main tent body but still under cover. Don't even consider one without a built in groundsheet, and the type which has a detachable inner lining is better than the single-skin ones because condensation will soak the inner face of the outer skin, and run down the fabric. Touch this and you're wet. The inner lining helps prevent - but does not completely solve - this problem. However these are bulkier than single-skin tents and can be more trouble to erect. Once fitted, the inner lining is best left attached to the tent outer. Modern tents are, however, waterproof.

It's a bad idea to economise on a sleeping-bag. A hot day can easily turn cold at night, making sleep difficult or fitful, and if you are too hot you can just unzip the bag and use it as a duvet. All clothes and sleeping-bag are best stored in roll-up vacuum bags, which reduce the size of their contents by between 50 and 75 percent. These bags are excellent for campers as they also keep your kit dry. Link here to see eBay sleeping bags.

If you are camping there is usually no problem in finding accommodation. Our policy is to start looking about 16:00. In France, Spain and Germany, camp sites are extremely frequent and we've had no problem at all in finding one we liked, without pre-booking. Exit at any main road junction near civilisation and look for CAMPING signs stuck on the verges. If you don't like the look of the first one, there are always lots more.

On arrival at reception, take off your helmet and be friendly, shake hands and introduce yourself. Ask if there is available space. We haven't met any anti-bike prejudice at any campsites. Ask for the pitch rate per tent per night - does this include hot showers? Is there food and drink available onsite? If not, where can you get a meal and something to drink, how far is it? Some site managers will want to see ID such as a driving licence or passport, and may photocopy them.

If the site manager indicates a tent area and invites you to help yourselves, never settle for the first pitch you see. Take a walk round and choose the pitch that suits you most. Do you want to be away from a family, with maybe noisy children? Do you need to be near the ablutions, will human traffic to and from there pass by your pitch and disturb you? Which way is the prevailing wind, do you need a sheltered pitch? Is there hardstanding for bikes, is the ground hard enough for safe parking, and does the site look tidy, clean, peaceful and problem-free?

As a guide to suitability, inspect the ablutions - the toilets and shower block. These should be clean and well lit, with hot showers included in the pitch rate. It's best to carry your own kitchen roll, to double as both general mop-up and toilet paper. Most sites will have perfectly normal pedestal toilets as well as the old-fashioned squat type, but particularly in France, the male urinals may be in a semi-public area, poorly screened from others using the ablutions block. Some sites have key or keypad entry to the ablutions. Sneaking your female companion into your male shower stall won't raise any eyebrows as long as you are both discreet (and quick) about it.

Most showers work on a timed button basis but you can press the button as often as you want. Shaver points should be present but you'll need the European mains plug adapter. After a ride in foul weather, sleep in dry clothes and put your damp ones on the next day, because drying a sleeping bag is very difficult once it gets wet.

Bear in mind that finding a suitable campsite, registering, choosing a pitch and erecting tent and so on can disappear a substantial part of the evening, and again in reverse in the morning. If you work on a two hour margin for finding and setting camp, and an hour for striking, you won't go far wrong. But we found that to get away before 9 am in the morning means having to hustle, which some in your party won't want or be able to do. 10 am departure is more realistic. Don't underestimate the spending level on food - at 2009 prices, at least £30 a day.

You can take as much cooking and mess kit as you like; we've done this in the past and never used it! In a group what I suggest is that whilst you each have unbreakable plate, cup, knife and fork etc, just one of you carries a stove capable of boiling water or soup, even if this is a chuck-it-all-in hash as a scratch meal. Any more comprehensive kit than this is difficult to manage. An all-fuel stove which can run on petrol is a good idea as you can draw off a cupful of two star from anyone's tank. Certainly a hot drink after a long wet ride is extremely welcome. Carry sachets of coffee, soup, sugar etc in those opaque clip-top takeaway meal containers. All of us use hip flasks for a late nightcap - usually Jameson's Irish Whiskey, which we all like, the codeword for this being "Blimey O'Reilley" !

Remember that the managers are well used to foreigners with poor language skills , but it would be sensible to have learned enough of the local language to be able to ask for a pitch, and how much it is. And afterwards to say thank you and goodbye.

B&B / Guest Housing

Camping has its fun aspects but in bad weather you can't beat a warm, comfortable bed that you haven't had to erect yourself. Do you want to ride in the rain, put up a tent in the rain, try and sleep through a rainstorm, strike camp and then ride in the rain? No, I thought not. What I recommend is camping where the weather is reasonable or good and B&Bing when it's foul.

The Formula-1 network of accommodation in France - like Travelodge in the UK - provides no-frills, phone or internet booking and is good value for rmoney, especially for a group of riders. In fact you can book the next one from the one before, daisy-chaining the accommodation if you don't mind tying yourself to an itinerary.

Conventional guest house type B&Bs are generally found just off the town or city centre and within the outer and inner ring road zones, if you can follow that analogy. You'll find them near main road and motorway feeder roads to and from the city centre. Language skills permitting, you can ask any police officer to direct you. But the most useful source is the good old Tourist Information Office.

As with a campsite, does the B&B look clean and tidy? Can you park your bike in a safe location? Does the room have an ensuite? If you are sharing a room, is it twin bed or double bed? Can you get a meal, if not, can the manager recommend the nearest hostelry, how far is it? Managers will want to see ID (driving licence, passport) and may keep these until you book out. Don't expect a cooked breakfast in Europe as mainly you'll get a serve-yourself cereal, bread, cold meat and juice / tea / coffee arrangement. It's bad form to sneak some of this into your pocket for later.

Remember that the managers are well used to foreigners with poor language skills , but it would be sensible to have learned enough of the local language to be able to ask for a room, and how much it is. And afterwards to say thank you and goodbye.

The "Base Camp" holiday

Another strategy is to choose a destination which has enough places of interest within easy riding distance, which can fill your time. Let's say that you decide on a location which is 500 road miles from Calais - that's a two day ride with a B&B in between, each way. But you travel very light, without camping gear and have reserved a chalet or caravan at the destination. Now you have a warm, dry centre of operations. You mount day trips hither and yon, but return to the base afterwards. Given that the base has simple cooking facilties and you find a local supermarket, this will save you a fortune on meals.

There are two other major benefits. Firstly, if the weather is really foul you don't have to go anywhere at all, and a well chosen site will have onsite facilties to pass the time - much better than lying in a tent all day waiting for the rain to stop. Secondly, when you go on a day trip, you can carry comfortable clothes in otherwise empty panniers and change out of heavy bike kit on arrival, leaving your leathers and helmet securely locked away whilst you wander off in shorts and a t-shirt.

The disadvantage is that the location and nature of the base camp is of paramount importance, far more so than with a full-blown touring holiday.

Group Dynamics

Whilst you can quite successfully complete a solo trip on a long weekend's excursion, for serious touring taking longer than that there is a great deal of truth in the old saying "safety in numbers". Being in a group of like-minded bikers is simply more fun than being alone. In pure and simple terms, problems such as sudden illness and mechanical failure are far more easily dealt with in a group situation. Also it's pleasant to sit over a beer of an evening and talk over the day and the trip, exchange photos and so on.

However - and this is important - the very fact that a group exists creates problems of its own. Can you share tents, or B&B accommodation? Who smokes and who doesn't? Who snores? Who can spend a half day examining a famous cathedral, and who prefers exploring semi-derelict wartime bunkers? Who just wants to ride somewhere and sit in a bar or camping site poolside, drinking beer? Who wants to blast down endless motorways, and then sit and wait whilst more staid riders arrive an hour later? Who's a good leader, unflustered on foreign roads, able to shepherd the group through a busy city centre?

Who speaks French / German / Spanish / Dutch / Polish / Czech ?

In a group situation your most important aspect is SIMILARITY - of interest, of bike, of mind. Why are you going where you are going? What are the key points of interest? Is there something for everyone, and are you prepared to visit (and pay to enter) a site that you aren't really interested in, and wouldn't normally go to, just because someone else in the group wants to go? Are you prepared to ride faster - or more slowly - than you normally do, to preserve the group cohesion? The difficulty of preserving group harmony is exponential to the number involved.

I have personally found that visiting a site I thought I wasn't going to have the slightest interest in has usually turned out to be educational and absorbing, especially if the member of the party who wants to go there is clued-up on it enough to give you the benefit of his knowledge or research.

A tour like this is best done in groups of two or three good friends. You can do it with four or more, but the more people involved, the more difficult it is to find a route and places to go which will suit everyone. All the members need to have a completely equal say in not only the various destinations and what you all want to do when you get there, but the routing and general logistics.

All members of the group should take it in turns to take the ride lead, because it's much easier to follow than lead. Heading up a group of riders in unfamiliar road layouts and having to navigate, watch a satnav screen, traffic and others of the group can be a very stressful experience. The last thing you need at such a time is backseat driving and arguments over the inter-bike radio about which way to go. Fred may know or see a short cut but if Tom is leading, everyone follows Tom. If he cocks up, it doesn't matter - the satnavs will always get you there in the end, even if they take you all round the houses in the process.

So - the golden rule of navigation is - whoever is leading is always right, even when he's wrong. Always follow the leader, and keep quiet unless he asks for help. Tomorrow it might be your turn in the hot seat, and when it is, it's no shame to pull into a layby or side road and get a fix on where you are, and to check your route - or simply as a breathing space after a while of fighting the pressures.

For the benefit of those unfamiliar with group riding : you agree a riding order as each leg of the journey starts and you NEVER overtake the rider in front - maintain your line of sight to both the rider in front and the one behind. If the one behind is not there, you slow down, or stop - and so on up the chain. The Tail End Charlie, if he can't see the leader, should briefly announce himself when he's clear of a junction, roundabout or other traffic situation, so that the leader knows that all is well behind. A good leader will live with one eye in the mirror to ensure that everyone is there. And it's handy if the Tail End Charlie wears something very conspicuous, so that he's easily seen. Leading is not easy - as you will find out!

The following camp sites are recommended as having been used within the last 4 years.

Country	Name	Location	Visited By	Comments
Belgium		Ypres	Author	May 2009. Very good site just off the south-east of the ring road, within walking distance of the town centre. Good facilities. Google Earth
Czech Republic	Camp Drusus	Trebonice, 15 miles west of Prague, just inside outer ring road	Author	May 2007. Simple clean site with bar/restaurant and very helpful owner, but watch out for tent thieves visiting whilst you are away, and during the night. Very good local bus and then Metro service into Prague. Google Earth
France	Camping Robinson	Bourges	Author	May 2008. Friendly family site on the south side of the city, with good facilities and easy to find. Google Earth
		Arras	Author	May 2009. Situated at Plouvain about 7 miles east of Arras. No-frills site with basic facilities. Google Earth
		Formigny (near Omaha Beach)	Author	May 2009. AVOID! Major rip-off! Cider Farm site to the north of the village. Mangy facilities. Google Earth
		Aren / Saucede	Author	May 2008. Riverside no-frills camp in very quiet location; nip into the centre of adjacent village of Geus and find the old coaching inn for your meal. Google Earth
		Chartres	Author	May 2009. Large camp to the south of the city, very spacious and with good facilities. Google Earth
		Rennes	Author	May 2009. Spacious camp to the north-east of the city, noted for the many grazing rabbits. Pleasant location, good facilities. Google Earth
	La Ville Huchet	St Malo	Author	May 2009. Outstandingly good site about 6 miles south of the town, bar/restaurant, pool and play area, owner most hospitable. Very highly recommended. Google Earth
	La Vignogue	Chanac	Author	May 2008. Very quiet spot nestling in hillside village. BBQ places, walk up to the village for food. Google Earth
	Camping Piscine	Bourg d'Oisans	Steve Adcock	July 2008. Bottom of Alpe d'Huez, so crazy if the Tour de France is coming through.
	Metz Plage	Metz	Steve Adcock	July 2008. Magnificent settiing beside Moselle, and 5 minutes from the Cathedral
	Val Joly	Watten	Steve Adcock	June 2009. Convenient for Calais / Dunkerque. Very quiet. Chip van in centre at weekends.
		Le Bez	Author	May 2008. Largeish secluded site rather off the beaten track, no frills but clean and respectable. Google Earth
Germany		Eder Lake (Edersee)	Author	May 2007. Fine site well to the east of the lake, bar/restaurant, good facilities and quiet. Google Earth
	Waldbad	Colditz	Author	May 2007. Tidy forested camp with simple facilities well placed to visit the famous Castle. Google Earth
	am See	Lindau	Steve Adcock
	City Camp	Frankfurt	Author	May 2007. Excellent, large bar/restaurant and facilities. Riverside, close to rail line but quiet. Google Earth
Spain	Collegats	La Pobla de Segur	Author	May 2008. Excellent riverside site in an olive grove, accommodating owner, pool, bar/restaurant. Stunning scenery and perfect for the Pyrenean mountain roads, Google Earth
Luxembourg	Op dem Deich	Vianden	Steve Adcock	June 2008. Site of 2 DMD's. Beautiful setting.