European motorcycle tour – 20 Countries in 20 Days (Chapter 2)
Simon Hayes - European motorcycle tour
Getting ready for the adventure
I left the European motorcycle tour meeting with a lot of excitement but also trepidation and a lot of anxiety. I didn’t have a bike, I didn’t have any kit, I wasn’t prepared in any way, shape or form to embark on such a trip. It was going to be hard graft, getting ready for 2 tours within a month, sorting out any business issues and having the time to get away.
The training business was in good hands, there was a manager and some good trainers in the company. It was well established and just needed to tick over really. There weren’t many problems that could arise that hadn’t happened before, so I took the opinion that it was in safe hands with the office staff being brilliant at what they did.
The new business venture that I was working on was VideoBiker, it was still in its pre-launch stage. I’d done pretty much everything I could do on my part and at that precise moment in time was just waiting for my partner to get the website launched, so that we had a working business. Because the timeframe wasn’t imminent I made the decision that I could take the time out without causing too much stress and with this trip being a chance in a lifetime, my mind was made up (nearly).
The problem now was finding a decent enough bike that would do the journey and get me there and back during the European motorcycle tour. My budget wasn’t huge as I’d be dipping into savings to embark on the trip. I needed a bike first, so without wasting any time or money on other stuff I needed to purchase the bike. I would use my Kawasaki ZZR 1400 for the Portugal trip and this would give me some room for movement to find a bike in the week between Portugal and Asia. This decision was far from ideal but if needs must, I was looking to get a bike at around the £5000 mark (which was my budget), but I’d have to do a bit of searching.
I called a few dealers that I knew and there were loads of these bikes for sale, lots were quite expensive as they were only a few years old. They were big money which I wasn’t prepared to spend for just one trip. I’m not an adventure bike rider and never have been. I like to try a bike properly before deciding on such a big expense. I needed to decide which bike I wanted, the GSA or the GS, and I didn’t know if the guys I was going away with had the big or smaller tank.
A few messages later I found out it was one of each, that settled it for me. Ginge would be filling up every 150-200 miles so I’d opt for the smaller tank too. The bikes were also much cheaper by going for this option. Then I had to make a decision on luggage, what I really needed and what could I get away with. Many bikes came without luggage and a few had the lot, up to £1000 difference because of luggage on the R1200GS. This was not going to be an easy choice, I’d have to research, find one and go for it as it seemed everyone had the same idea.
I wondered why there were so many for sale, was it because they were too big as a normal bike? Do people like the idea of doing an adventure but never really do one? Is the bike considered as a toy, just to say you’ve got one or are they that big people are frightened of them and find them difficult to ride and manoeuvre? Lots of unanswered questions, but all I kept hearing was that they were brilliant bikes! Would they be good enough for the European motorcycle tour and 20 Countries in 20 Days!
Get a copy of ’20 Countries in 20 Days’ HERE.
I popped into Arden Motorcycles in Alcester as I usually did for the training business, either to pick stuff up that had been ordered or take a bike in for repair. I stood at the counter and asked Simon if he knew of or had heard of a BMW R1200GS for sale. He looked at me a bit oddly and said, “What, like the one behind you!”
I turned around and saw the bike, a blue/grey 1200GS with the luggage, on an 05 plate with a good service history and clean for its age. Arden had looked after the bike for the previous owner and it hadn’t been ridden since he bought it and it had just had a full service.
The only thing I needed to do now was sort out the cost and the payment and whether the owner was going to sell it, as I was told that he wasn’t really that bothered about selling it. I put in my offer, very close to the asking price because it was so tidy and had everything I needed for my trip. The offer was accepted, so I made a bank transfer immediately to secure the purchase and started thinking about getting the bike and the rest of my gear ready for the trip.
I decided to have the rear final drive bearing replaced as I’d heard they can give problems around 45,000-50,000 (ish) miles. I didn’t fancy getting down to the bottom of Eastern Europe and needing the final drive bearing replacing. It could take a while to sort out and then there would be the added cost, because I’m a tourist who needs it repairing to get back home.
The bike had a full service a year earlier, it hadn’t done any mileage since and had now got a full MOT. I decided to use the bike to go on the Portugal Tour to test it out and make sure it would do the job on the second journey forecast for Asia. I would rather break down in Spain or Portugal than Hungary, Romania or Albania!
Get a copy of ’20 Countries in 20 Days’ HERE.
Testing the bike out
The decision to go to Portugal on the bike wasn’t an easy one, I was happy on the Kawasaki ZZR 1400 and it was a much quicker bike. Sometimes a bit of extra speed or acceleration is needed to get back in touch with the group if you’ve dropped off slightly or if you need to get back to the front for whatever reason. Another instructor would ride the Kawasaki and I would put the BMW through its paces to ensure it was up to the job for Asia.
The BMW didn’t need anything doing to it for the first trip but I’d booked it in for a full service, tyre change and check over as soon as I returned. But on checking over the bike before the Portugal trip, it was found that the rear top box rail was sheared at the base of the lug that attaches to the rear frame. This ended up being a mammoth task and needed drilling and tapping. The tap sheared too which caused even more aggravation, the chisel also broke which meant a new part had to be machined on the lathe.
The mechanic Neil Bolton from NB Services was an absolute star and repaired the bike at extremely short notice. He also gave it a thorough going over and booked the bike in on the bank holiday Monday, for a full service and tyre change which was only a week before my departure for Asia.
During the Portugal trip, the bulb light kept going on and off and the brake failure light came on a few times, which meant the brake servo stopped working and the brakes became difficult to operate. It would sort itself out if I stopped, turned the engine off and reset the system but this was not an ideal scenario that I would accept on a 5000+ mile journey to Istanbul and back.
A guy I know who has ridden a R1200GS for years, did some research through a forum he was part of. He said he’d read that the brake servo and braking system should be bled to eliminate the problem of brake failure, the servo also continued to work after the front brake was released. The fault here was a corroded connection at the brake light switch, my guess was the bike had been stood for too long, it needed a good ride and the faults sorting out by a qualified mechanic.
It didn’t cause any issues on the trip to Portugal, it was just annoying that these fault codes were occurring and I was hopefully heading to Asia on the bike in a few weeks time. I logged all the faults and reported them back to Neil when I arrived home. He was ready and waiting with all the stuff that had been ordered, collected and dropped off with him by one of my training instructors.
I arrived home from Portugal at almost midnight and was due to be with Neil at 07:00 am the following morning. First I had to go to the office to collect a couple of things, so it was an early start. I arrived at Neil’s and he was ready to get going straight away, he asked what faults I’d come across and got stuck in immediately.
The brake system needed bleeding from the servo as well as from the caliper, meaning it had new fluid in the whole system, both front and rear, the clutch fluid was also changed. The tyres were changed, although there was still plenty of life in them, I wanted new rubber and the bike had a full engine service ready for the big trip. The engine oil was still clean from previously but I wanted it and the oil filter changing all the same.
The bike was now ready to go to Istanbul but during that week whilst riding it, a fault code kept showing on the dash. It was the rear tail light bulb on the display, Neil wasn’t available so I took it to Arden. Nick plugged it in on the diagnostic machine and investigated the rear light cluster, he must have moved something as the fault code disappeared. I was informed by many people, including mechanics, that this particular model had faults with the canbus system and nearly always showed a fault code. If you can’t see anything wrong, just ignore it and carry on was the advice! I wasn’t too happy about that but when a mechanic suggested covering up the warning code with some tape, I realised this was extremely common.
The bike was now ready for the trip, just a few bits to purchase for camping and for the possibility of any breakdowns or punctures and I’d be ready to go.
Loading the bike - European motorcycle tour
What do I take? This is always a hard question, especially for new travellers as they always take too much stuff with them. They take everything they can possibly fit on the bike and fall just short of taking the kitchen sink.
Unless you dump stuff during the journey, you will never be able to load your bike the same as just before you leave. The reason is, that in the comfort of your own home, you can tightly pack everything and fit more than you need into panniers. Taking a female pillion is far more demanding, especially for their changes of clothing and matching accessories that need to be different every evening (tongue in cheek of course – lol). So it was a good job I didn’t have a pillion passenger, the fact was, I wasn’t taking a passenger anyway!
The way I pack for a big journey is as follows:-
Tank bag
I put valuables in my tank bag, along with things I’m going to need that day and some electric items too. I have my passport, driving licence and vehicle documents to hand for going through passport control if travelling through borders.
My waterproofs are close to hand (2 piece gore-tex walking gear that are more expensive in comparison to biking stuff but I find much better) with possibly a spare pair of gloves in case it rains. A few tools, like a screwdriver and pliers lurk at the bottom of the bag with a roll of electrical tape.
Get a copy of ’20 Countries in 20 Days’ HERE.
In their own little bag are electrical charging leads and adaptors for Europe. I carry a 2 meter phone charger cable which I use on the bike, a smaller one for when I arrive at my destination and a mini USB lead to charge other electrical devices. I even carry a portable battery pack in case I need an emergency charge. All of these items can be plugged straight into the bike’s USB charger.
A bottle of water, ear plugs, spare ear plugs, visor cleaning kit with an E-cloth, 2 meter wire rope to secure helmet and clothing to the bike and a side stand puck. The plastic rain cover also lives in its own compartment along with waterproof outer mittens for extreme weather and cold. Finally I carry a packet of painkillers, sun cream if it’s hot, lip balm along with anything else I might need, which could be a silk top just in case it gets cold during the ride.
On top of the tank bag I carry a map of the area I’m riding at the time, along with a notebook and a couple of pens. The sat nav, if I use one, would be on display, with a handwritten simple route card for the day. The sat nav case would also be close to hand as it doesn’t stay on the bike when left unattended. The tank bag also has a combination lock. It isn’t brilliantly secure but it stops unwanted people from unzipping it quickly.
Clothing
If I’m catching a ferry or know I’m only doing a flying visit, like arriving late in the evening and leaving first thing, I’d have some sort of overnight kit. It would either be in the tank bag or its own small overnight bag, that way I would not be carting all my belongings off the bike. They would stay on the bike securely, either in a locked top box or panniers.
I would also carry 5 to 6 pairs of underwear, along with the same amount of t-shirts, a couple of long sleeve tops, a short sleeve shirt or two and a hoodie or warmer top just in case it was cold during the 20 Countries in 20 Days ride.
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I would usually wear a clean t-shirt in the evening after a shower and use it the following day along with the same underwear. I’d be banking on stopping in a hotel that will turn laundry around overnight to refresh my clothing. Or if stopping in one location, say an apartment, I’d wash my own stuff for the return journey or for the next phase of the tour.
Breakdown equipment
Necessary for a European motorcycle tour and 20 Countries in 20 Days.
From previous motorcycle tours and knowing the kind of things that can go wrong, I carry a fairly comprehensive toolkit. Also part of the armoury is several ways of sorting out a puncture, rubber plugs along with the tools, green slime that blocks holes and as a final result a small can of tyre weld. I always carry radweld because I’ve seen two radiators leak whilst touring abroad.
The tools consist of various sized spanners, ratchet with sockets, assorted screwdrivers and pliers, a small hacksaw with cable ties, electrical and duct tape. Spare bulbs and rubber gloves with a small tube of hand cleaner. There are other useful bits and bobs in the tool kit but these items are down to preference and space. An air compressor is strongly advised between the group.
Camping gear
Camping isn’t something I usually do on a trip but if you want a decent night’s sleep, you will need to think about how much space you have and how much you are willing to carry.
A tent is a big consideration, it needs to be big enough for you and your valuables, tank bag, clothing, helmet and anything else you want to put in the tent overnight. The rest of your stuff left outside of the tent needs to be secure, there is nothing worse than having something stolen whilst you are sleeping!
A good sleeping bag that will keep you warm on a chilly night, a good air mattress for comfort and some kind of pillow if you are used to having one. I’ve never carried cooking equipment with me because it means cleaning and messing around when you could be up and off to a local place for coffee and a bite to eat. If you are on a camp site, they usually cater for the basics anyway.
A camping holiday is certainly different to touring big miles, I would have a plate and a knife and fork though, just in case I wild camped and had purchased some food from a local supermarket before stopping at the end of the day.
All of my camping equipment fits in its own bag which means it stays together and gets strapped to the back of the bike. The bag will fit into the pannier or top-box when stopping at a hotel for security.
What to wear and carry
Depending on the location of the trip and the weather conditions that are forecast for the European motorcycle tour and 20 Countries in 20 Days. I prefer to wear two-piece leathers that zip together but if I’m travelling to hotter places, I’d opt for textile trousers and jacket, preferably that zip together too. The textiles will be vented with perforations to allow air to pass through to keep the body cool if its hot. But if it’s cold, I’d bulk up on thin layers and wear my two piece waterproofs to keep my body warm, for comfort and concentration.
On my person I would usually carry my mobile phone but if it’s being charged it would be powered up while it’s in the tank bag. My wallet is always on me with my money and credit cards, it lives in a plastic bag most of the time. I may have some spare change lurking in one of my pockets along with the keys for the bike when I’m not riding.
Extras
Whatever your journey or tour, you will no doubt have something in mind that you personally want to do or achieve. I will always take a camera with me, it will either be the phone or a bigger camera for stills.
A video camera is also a must, my phone does pretty good off-the-cuff filming and so does the DSLR that I’d take if I have space. But I’d also take an action camera to capture on board footage.
Get a copy of ’20 Countries in 20 Days’ HERE.
Personally I prefer to use maps, they give a better representation of where you are, where you want to go and how you are going to get there. Most mobile devices do have decent maps now and at times I rely on a combination of sat nav, GPS location and a map on the phone or the good old fashioned paper map. The maps I carry are of the whole journey for European motorcycle tour, the trip to Asia cost over £80 to purchase a map of each country we rode through.
There may be specific things that you personally need, for comfort or other reasons. So make sure they are essential and will be used, it’s amazing how little you really need as most people don’t use half of what they take with them anyway.
The final preparations - European motorcycle tour
In the week between arriving back from the Portugal Tour and leaving for Turkey (European motorcycle tour and 20 Countries in 20 Days), it was just a matter of the final preparations to be ready for departure day.
I’d been over to spend an afternoon with Mike to have a catch up, as we’d not met since the briefing day. He was an old sweat and had left 8 Regiment before I arrived but he did know a chap named Tosh Ferrie and a few other people who I knew from AFCENT in Holland. It’s a very small world when you start talking to people about where they’ve been and who they know, peoples paths cross in mysterious ways.
Get a copy of ’20 Countries in 20 Days’ HERE.
I’d gone over my kit list a number of times and was busy laying it all out ready to pack. I use a kit list and place everything out on the floor or a spare bed and tick it all off. And then as I pack it, I ensure it’s crossed off the list. The reason for this is if you get a bit blasé about packing what you normally take, you always forget something.
I know a chap who always goes through the same routine getting ready for a short flight back to the UK from Europe. He checks his house key, wallet, credit card and passport every time just before he leaves home. Only one time he knew his passport was there, as it always was but when he arrived at the airport after a train journey to get there, he couldn’t fly because he didn’t have his passport! It doesn’t hurt to double check to make sure you have the important things with you, if you’ve got a passport you can travel and if you have a credit card you can purchase anything you’ve forgotten.
I usually lay the clothes out and wonder how I’m going to live for so many days with so little stuff. But because you live in motorcycling clothes all day, you don’t need much and it’s going to be hot in south eastern Europe so shorts will do. Usually the clothes are worn for an evening meal and then taken off after a couple of hours, so they don’t really get too grubby or dirty anyway.
The clothes are usually the first thing to get ready, I then go through my tank bag stuff to ensure all valuables are sorted out. This includes vehicle documents, insurance, breakdown cover, medical insurance and any phone numbers that might be needed. This time, without our partners knowing we added 2 contact details, one was our partners and the other was someone we knew just in case one of us was killed while away. We decided it would be better coming from someone who knew our partner, who would go round and tell them personally, rather than by a total stranger over the phone. Our partners knew the names of the people we were going away with but didn’t know them personally and none had ever met.
Next was the bike repair kit and tools. Because I travel fairly often I have a container full of kit that I take with me, along with other useful items. It was just a case of a quick look over this stuff to make sure it was all there and re-acquaint myself with what I had. I didn’t need to add anything to it except a new can of tyre weld as that had been used on a previous tour and I hadn’t replaced it since.
Then the camping gear was next for the European motorcycle tour, I had to go and purchase a few items for the trip. So a couple of hundred pounds was spent getting ready for the odd night camping, of course you have to put the tent up in the garden just to check it’s all there before your departure. There’s no point getting there and finding stuff missing as it’s too late then and you don’t want to look stupid not knowing how to put it up either. Luckily everything was there and it was time to pack it up in the bag that would fit on the passenger’s seat. Everything else was pretty simple really, after spending 13 years or so in the Army, a couple of overnight sleep outs in a tent could not be too difficult, or could it?
Then the DSLR camera, along with the 4k drift camera was going to be sorted out and the settings were changed so that video producer Calum Barre could edit the film when we got back. I took a day off to pop up to Shrewsbury to see him, he had a look at the cameras and adjusted the settings to idiot mode and I was under clear instructions not to change them. Then I just had to get as many micro SD cards together as I could, so that it would be easier to keep track of, produce and edit when I returned from the European motorcycle tour.
Get a copy of ’20 Countries in 20 Days’ HERE.
The bike was the final thing to get ready, it had been to the mechanic for a full service and one last look over, a few rides out on it was enough to give me the green light of satisfaction. I only needed my Euros now and I was ready for departure, the money is separated and put in different locations on the bike and around my body, so if I get robbed or the bike gets stolen I don’t lose everything. During he European motorcycle tour anything could happen!
Always remember to have a second set of documents photocopied in case one set gets stolen and as a total backup on a web based email account that you can access from anywhere in the world. I have all my documents scanned and saved in a folder just in case I need to access them in an emergency.
And finally me, make sure I am well rested, feel ready to go and have any medication with me that I may need in case I’m in the middle of nowhere and need some tablets for something. Paracetamol, Anadin, Ibuprofen, Germolene, TCP and antibiotics all have a place in your first aid kit, if you usually need it, make sure you take it. Right, now I’m ready…
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20 Countries in 20 Days…