You want to know what you need to go touring? I'm here to help, for this is something I have 40 years of experience with, travelling across town, states, countries… So, put on your riding gear, then head for your bathroom. On foot would probably be best at this stage, I'll get to the riding soon.
In your bathroom, pick up your toothbrush, slide it into the inside pocket of your jacket. Next, dig out your wallet or purse, check it has your riding licence and a credit card. Mount up onto your bike and ride… what else do you really need?
ENOUGH OF THE COMEDY
While touring with a credit card and toothbrush is a great way to go, it's fairly impractical and very wasteful — buying new underwear wherever you want to change would get very tiresome, very quickly — but the truth is the lighter you can travel, the more convenient so many aspects of a trip become. Like most things, however, moderation is called for; take too much stuff and you'll upset the handling of your bike, packing will be a nightmare, finding what you need will be troublesome… it can quickly impact your enjoyment of being on the road.
IS YOUR BIKE SUITABLE?
Any bike can be a touring bike. Personally I rode a Yamaha FZ750 across the Nullarbor Plain three times… but when your body ages out of its 20s, the idea of riding a sportsbike for 10 hours a day starts to lose its appeal. I've also ridden swathes of Vietnam on a 175 and across parts of the USA and Australia on Grand American Tourers, so almost any bike can be used for touring.
If your bike isn't all that comfortable, get an Airhawk or SW Motech seat cushion, plan shorter days, and spend more time exploring off the bike. Another great comfort tip is to wear padded bicycle shorts under your riding pants.
NPlan your route to suit your bike — Grand American Tourers aren't great on dirt roads, and small adventure bikes aren't fun on freeways.
LUGGAGE
There's an old story about how you pack for a bike trip: put only the absolute essentials on your bed. Then dump half of that on the floor, putting the other
