All You Need To Know All You Need To Know About Planning A About Planning A

Motorbike Trip Motorbike Trip

Introduction

trip ITINERARY

Picking A MOTORCYCLE

WHAT ALL will One NEED?

estimated TRIP COST

I have covered details of my motorcycle trip in January 2015, right from planning to funding it.

It excites me to see loads of adventurous people exploring India through biking trips.

I am compiling some great tips that will help you plan your long motorcycle trip in India or anywhere else in the world.

A lot of people think that a long motorcycle trip involves them getting a Royal Enfield or a Bullet.

I would recommend that you ride a motorcycle you are comfortable with and not a motorcycle that others recommend.

Make sure you have the experience of driving the motorcycle beforehand so as to know how to control it in tough conditions.

India is a massive country and it will be a daunting task to build an itinerary.

 My recommendation would be to pick a well defined route with a focus on what one wishes to explore such as Ghats, Himalaya, wildlife hotspots, beaches, mountains etc.

This will help you get an idea of the destinations that you can possibly explore as well as derive estimates for the same.

Motorcycle: If you already have a motorcycle, then well and good. If you don’t have one, you can consider the following options -

If you have enough money, then buy a motorcycle of your choice (Royal Enfield, Hero Motorcycles, Yamaha, Harley Davidson, etc.).

If you don't have enough money, buy a used Motorcycles. This will cost you between 30,000 to 60,000 INR depending on its condition. 

Motorcycle Luggage Gear:

I personally prefer a saddle bag and a magnetic tank bag.

Both these can be easily removed from the motorbike and taken to the hotels easily.

These can be bought online from http://www.cramster.in/ for about 6,000 INR. 

Crash Helmet:

Make sure that the helmet is a good fit, allows enough Ventilation to go in

It covers your entire head and Jaw and has a clear visor. 

Motorcycle Spares and Tools:

You never know when and where you existing bike spares will run out. I am saying this out of my personal experience.

It is absolutely mandatory to carry some basic spares like a clutch cable, accelerator cable, tubes, battery fuses, headlight bulb, etc.

This helps make sure that you are never stranded and are well equipped to see your trip through all the way.

It comes specially handy when there are no technicians or repair workers in the near by area.

First Aid Kit:

As a thumb rule, all travelers carry a first aid kit.

Some of us carry full fledged ones while others carry light ones. This might depend on the nature of your trip.

My generic Medicines kit such as:- antibiotics, pain relief medicines, medicines for infections and for digestive disorders.

Personal Gear : This is purely optional and depends on the rider.

Waterproof Armored Motorcycling Jacket (contains thermal layer for cold weather) Armored gloves (material can vary depending on riding conditions) Knee safety guards Boots or good pair of rugged shoes Bathroom slippers Sunglasses Full sleeve cotton shirts T shirt

Other Mandatory tools that need to be carried:

Foot pump  One tube each for both your front and rear tires (not applicable for tubeless

tires)  Tubeless repair kit (not applicable for tires with tubes)  Rod to separate tire from rim (helps while fixing punctures/flats)  Clutch cable: 1 piece  Accelerator cable: 1 piece  Spare Headlight Bulb: 1 piece  Spare bulb for rear brake light: 1 piece  Battery fuse: 6 pieces  Chain link locks: 2 pieces 

Tube Adhesive and tube stickers (for fixing flats) Standard tool kit of vehicle plus spanners to remove rear and front wheels  Medium size scissors and pocket knife  Strong duct tape  Fuel cans: As required  Oil cans: As required  Brake shoe: 1 piece (if using a rear brake)  Brake pad: 1 set (if using a disc brake)  Brake shoe springs: 2 pieces  Multi-function screw driver and plier  Helmet  Balaclava or bandana to be worn inside the helmet GPS Device, if you don’t like referring to a map (not necessary) Short distance radio to stay in touch with fellow riders (not necessary)  Waste rags to clean vehicle of oil spills 

Documents and Important Accessories for your Trip:

Motorcycle Papers along with insurance documents  Valid Driving License Cash. credit and debit cards as required  Road Atlas book with detailed maps Contact details of service stations on your route  Toiletries kit with two rolls of toilet paper 8 Passport size photographs  Electronics and chargers as required 

According to my personal experience, these expenses can be broken into food, accommodation and petrol -

Food: 1000 INR and upwards per day depending on your Choice. 

Accommodation: 1000 INR and upwards per day depending on your standards

Petrol (Gasoline): 300NR per day assuming a daily ride of 200 kilometers 

Thank You