A question for the long distance tourers

This was me loaded up for 2 weeks (Jerez MGP 2012)
Tank bag (yes ) for all those bits you want to get to easily/quickly
Clothes in Kreiga bags attached to top of panniers (each side). Don't take too many. Stuff that is easy to wash & dry. Old Teeshirts are good (wear and chuck away). Some travel wash liquid and a line for drying.
Food and cooking/eating equipment in the pannier (not the exhaust side).
Sleeping bag, pillow (inflatable), hard ground tent pegs (you'll likely need these in Spain), tools, 1 pair of walking shoes etc in the other pannier.
Tent (tuck a claw hammer in there with it. Perfect for hammering in and pulling out tent pegs), sleeping mat & chair (essential IMO) across the top.
Other small items in the top box (eg. 1st aid kit). That's a small rucksack strapped to the top of mine, so I had something to carry stuff around in on the non-bike days.
Wet weather gear lashed where easy to get to.

If you do a list of what you think you'll need, it'll definitely contain things you won't use.
Obviously, keep the weight as low and as far forward (over the back wheel) as possible.

If you want to bounce ideas, ask away

 

for 2 weeks abroad I just take my rucksack. Its ok loading up but if your on a sportsbike going from hotel to hotel its pointless loading the bike up like a mule. The holiday for me is about the roads and the riding, if my jeans are creased etc, well I don't care. :wink:

 

I don't mean to be rude but if I needed all that gear as in the pic above I would take the car.:smile:

 

I travel light. Kreiga R15 rucksack, a U10 or U20 rear tailpack depending on how much I need. I am more than happy to scum it if I have to as hotels have wash basins for kacks and t shirts. I never use tank bag.

 

A couple of thoughts... A mate of mine goes to the IoM TT every year - he takes nothing on the bike at all, just packs all his kit in a box and posts it to the hotel about a week before he leaves, then posts it all home again on the last day. Obviously this only works if you're staying in a hotel... Second, unrelated, thought - If you use a magnetic tank-bag make SURE you fasten the safety lanyard / strap / cord / whatever that goes around the headstock - I forgot once and the bag got whipped off the tank by a strong cross-wind in the pouring rain on a busy dual-cariageway. I spent about 20 minutes looking for it to no avail - it was handed in to the local police station the following day by a bloke who found it about 50 yards from the road... From your original post iot would appear to me that you've got it pretty well sorted - just go with the minimum that you think you'll need...

 

But that defeats the object, surely ? If you're touring and camping, what on my list DON'T you need ?
The Guy is asking about Bike/camping/touring. I guess NOT on a sport bike either.

Of course, if you're using hotels, you'll need a fraction of the stuff.
And....if you're happy to tour in a car, then do that. Doesn't really answer his question though, does it ?

 

Tank Bag is a touring essential to put your passport, wallet, phone and change in. If you're on a toll motorway you want these as easy access as possible. After two weeks touring Italy I had the 'pull up - clutch in - glove off - card out - pay - card back - glove on - ride off' routine pretty down pat.

I'll be honest, I don't see the point of camping if you're going to Barcelona for the GP, just ride to the circuit and stay in a hotel. Staying in a hotel means you can leave towels and shower gel - the hotel will have them. If you've had a long day in the saddle - why bother to sleep somewhere that isn't a nice bed?

Junk the walking boots and take trainers, you'll save a kilo and a lot of space!

Take enough clothes for one week, then go to a laundrette in the middle. Wash and tumble dry takes about two hours out of your time, which you can spend having an ice cream and a wander round.

I'd always take a topbox - provides more secure storage for your bike kit when you park up for lunch. Carrying round a lid is a pain, and depending how big it is you could stick more of your kit in to make life more comfortable.

 

I read it as he does not know yet, unless he is actually going to pitch a tent in a hotel? " I think we will be staying in hotels and camping there".

Each to his own, that's what biking is all about although I cannot see myself ever heading abroad riding a bike that weighs the same as a motorhome.

Are you being serious when you say "what on my list DON'T you need"? A feckin clothes line? Do you have a foldable clothes line prop and a miniature peg bag LOL?

No offence meant, I am typing in a funny mode!

 

Hang on, that's a blitzkrieg tractor your riding, I understand you now.

 

No offence taken .....but I do wonder why you....Aww fuck it...let it lie :tongue:

 

We travel really light. Single tank bag for my stuff + her washing gear and maybe a pair of her sandals. The gf then has a small backpack for her clothes. Even on 2 week hols we can manage with that. We take football shirt material tops, they dry overnight and don't crease. I take 3 sets plus what I'm wearing a fleece and a pair of lightweight jeans. A vacuum compactor keeps it all small and dry. I use waterproof hiking boots for riding and walking so no shoes to carry. Lightweight waterproof leggings and overmitts and a waterproof cordura jacket keep me dryish for an hour or so. Toiletries pack down to a make up pouch, I cut down a toothbrush so it fits. Toothpaste and deodorant are samples and for shaving I use a small bottle of shaveoil,. Spares and tools are clicky strapped to the bike frame under the fairing.

 

You got panniers? Agree re tank bag, easy access for important stuff. Dry wash for pants n socks, walking shoes nice compromise and can be waterproof, one piece jonny suit just in case its torrential

 

Ah! A gratuitous excuse to post touring photo

Always travel light and love using just one Givi 40 ltr drybag that works for a week away. Fully waterproof, on and off in 30 secs, easy to carry, simples! If I need a little more room I use a Kriega on the seat.

Now if I took the trouble and strife it would be very different.....

 

LOL I agree! :smile: Al get mi coat..............

 

It's all about having really light stuff, as weight is the enemy of fun.
It depends on what bike you have. If you have a Multi with panniers and a top box, it should all be pretty plain sailing.

I have a 999, so it isn't, or it wasn't, but I have it down pat now.

I hate tank bags on a sport bike - they get in the way of the riding position dictated by clip-ons and destroy the airflow. I have a miniature magnetic tank bag which contains the iPhione, wallet and possibly sunglasses. Invaluable for motorway tolls, and you don't know it's there when you are riding.

In the tailpack go jeans, t-shirts, perhaps one real shirt, lightweight shoes, toiletries, book and a fleece/jumper, socks underwear and maps. I can get my waterproofs strapped to the top of the tailback. I take a miniature chainlube and a bungey for emergencies. That's it. No tools. The bike is well maintained; it may breakdown, but I have breakdown cover. I'm not going to start carting around a Snap-On toolkit trailer. If it can't be fixed with a Swiss Army Knife, I'll phone someone.

Naturally I don't camp, I choose cheap family run hotels or friends, so I don't even have to take a towel.
I do take a good quality Abus disk lock, but no chain - once again, it's all about trade-offs vs. weight.

It's basically about stripping out all the nice-to-haves and leaving yourself with the bare essentials. It's a biking holiday after all.

 

Camping is dead easy in Europe. Not many places allow you to just "wild camp", but hey...just wing it if you're really stuck.
A book of campsites is useful to take (eg. AA Caravan & Camping - Europe), but honestly you'll pass signs for camp sites all the time.
In France you can't go wrong with the Municipal sites BTW. Usually less than €10/night and all have clean hot showers, toilets and a small shop (+sometimes a drying room). They're secure too.
In Spain the campsites are generally excellent and many.

Don't over think this trip. It is Europe, so you're hardly likely to suffer for the lack of taking something you later find you need/want.