Escaping the hassles of life is easier said than done. Going on a vacation takes more than just heading out on the road. First, there is the destination planning which needs to be done, and if you are going with friends you have to sync vacation timings, then there are other matters to sort out – all of this takes the fun out of vacationing!

Thankfully, if you have a motorcycle, you probably do not have to worry about most of these things, and the icing on the cake – the vacation will cost you a lot less than going by car! We are completely in favor of motorcycle vacations, and with that in mind, we have compiled a comprehensive checklist that covers all aspects. Let’s get started.

Safety Gears

Beginning with the basics the first time that you need to plan for is your riding safety gears. If you do not already have a good quality branded motorcycle helmet, it's time you invested in one because you do not want to compromise on your safety under any circumstances during the trip. Depending upon the weather you are travelling in, go for a full-face helmet or an on open face helmet, whichever makes more sense to you in terms of riding comfort and complements your style of riding. In addition to helmets, you should also have a good pair of motorcycle riding gloves and jacket to stay completely protected against the elements of the weather as well as risks on the road. 

Essentials & Toiletries

The second thing that you need to pack in your motorcycle luggage bags is toiletries and daily essentials especially after the pandemic when you cannot be too safe! Always make sure to carry alcohol wipes and hand sanitizers along with a small bottle of surface sanitizer to keep the motorcycle handlebars sanitized daily after completing the day’s ride. Face mask and disposable clubs are also equally essential and since these do not take up a lot of space, you can easily throw them in your bag and forget about them! 

Documents

You will need the necessary documents to prove the ownership after motorcycle as well as your ability to ride a motorcycle which means, you simply cannot ignore the need to carry the registration certificate and your license at all times. In addition to that, if you are planning to cross international borders make sure to find out what the destination country requires in terms of documentation and meet all the requirements first before heading out on the trip. For post pandemic travels, many state law enforcement authorities are checking for latest health reports, especially if you are coming from a hot zone. Not having the necessary documents may force you to return back home, which is something you do not want, so make sure that you have all the necessary documents with you before proceeding any further with this checklist. 

Seasonal Clothing

One limitation of travelling by motorcycle is that you do not have a huge amount of space to dump a huge pile of luggage, which is a good thing because it forces you to plan better and carry only the essential stuff. Speaking of essential stuff, do not make the mistake of packing clothes that you are not going to use during the vacation. A good way to reduce packaging clutter is by finding out the temperature at the destination and packing your clothes accordingly. If you are heading to a winter destination, instead of packing huge fur coats, carry thinner clothing which you can layer one over another to maintain body temperature depending on the changing temperature of the environment. 

Electronics & Accessories

In the age of Instagram and Facebook, edifying memories for posterity has become essential! So, you will need to carry at least a good quality camera (or a mobile phone with a good camera), to snap photographs and make a few videos. For that, consider having fuel tank luggage bag to carry the electronics safely instead of putting them in the side luggage boxes with other rigid objects. To power the mobile phone while on the road, you will also need a couple of power banks especially if you're heading out to a destination with doubtful electrical infrastructure. The mobile phone is also necessary to find your way at an unknown destination using the GPS application on it, which uses a lot of power, so having a power bank allows you to keep the mobile juiced up while continuously using the GPS app. 

Basic Motorcycle Repair Kit

To go on a motorcycle vacation, you do not necessarily have to be an expert in repairing mechanical faults, but knowing a few simple things can get you out of trouble especially when there isn't anybody around to help you out. You can learn the basic repair skills of changing a motorcycle tire or cleaning out the chain by watching videos on YouTube or asking a mechanic in your locality to show you. To be able to make these repairs in dependently you must have a basic motorcycle repair kit (other than the one that came with the motorcycle) so that you always have the necessary tools available to you at all times. Our recommendation is to keep the motorcycle repair kit inside the top luggage box at all times irrespective of whether you are going on a long trip or not. 

Medicines

Do you have any existing medical condition? Consider speaking to your doctor before heading out on the trip and find out if he or she has any special recommendation for you, so that you can follow those recommendations to the letter. In addition to that you must also carry a few basic medications for fever, gastrointestinal distress, body pain and nausea. You don't have to carry an entire pharmacy with you because you can get common medicines at the destination as well but it might be a good idea to carry unique medications which you know is difficult to find. 

Comprehensive Travel Insurance

Never make the mistake of heading out on a long-distance motorcycle vacation without having a comprehensive travel insurance plan that covers everything from mechanical repairs to accidental compensation, theft and arson related damage. A comprehensive winter vacation travel insurance will help you manage unplanned expenses in case you happen to lose important documents and the destination and you need money to re-acquire those documents. Many travel insurance schemes come bundled with roadside assistance programs, which might be a good idea especially if you are travelling alone and you have little knowledge of repairing motorcycles. 

Things To Do Before Leaving The House

With the basics covered and out of the way, now let's find out what you need to do before leaving the house for the vacation. 

• SWITCH OFF THE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES: Always make sure to switch off all the appliances including the fridge, washing machine and television before going on the trip. The only exception to this rule is if you have smart home appliances that you can remotely switch on and off in order to give burglars a sense that there's somebody inside the home which can be a great deterrent against home invasion and burglary.  
• EMPTY THE FRIDGE & TAKE THE GARBAGE OUT: The last thing you want when you come back from your vacation is for your fridge to smell like a garbage dump! Remove all perishable materials from the refrigerator and take out the garbage.  
• TAKE CARE OF THE PETS: If you have pets make sure to hand it over to a trusted family member or a neighbor so that they're being taken care of in your absence.  
• ASK SOMEONE TO LOOK AFTER THE HOUSE (for long trips): If you do not have a remote home surveillance application installed in your home, you might consider asking a trusted friend check on your house at least once in a day just for peace of mind, if nothing else.
• DOUBLE CHECK ALL LOCKS (install a remote monitoring camera): Are all the locks on your doors and windows properly functional? If not, repair them before going out on the trip and lock them down properly. Remote monitoring cameras are different from home surveillance applications and cost a lot less which means you can easily install a couple of remote cameras facing important doors in your house which will give you the ability to check on the house whenever you take a break in between rides.  
• SET EMAIL AUTO-RESPONDER: Not many people bother with this, but setting up an email auto-responder is a professional way of letting people know that you are on vacation. If the email application does not support autoresponders, send out an email to all the important contacts informing them of your travel plans and when you will be back. It is a good idea to send this email at the last moment because people usually remember a lot of last-minute tasks when they find out about your travel plans!  

Special Packing Tips

Keeping the limited luggage space in a motorcycle, we have compiled a few special packing tips for you.

• KEEP EXPENSIVE SMALL ITEMS ON YOUR PERSON: Always keep small expensive items such as jewellery, watch, keys and wallet on your person in a safe place (which is definitely not the back pocket of your jeans!), so that you are always aware of its presence which will reduce the risk of losing them.  
• DON’T CARRY ALL THE CASH IN ONE PLACE: If you are carrying cash, make sure to place them in different locations and not all of it in one place because even if you have the misfortune of being robbed, you will still have a little left to get out of trouble and find help. Think of unconventional spots to keep the cash safe.  
• FOLD AND ROLL CLOTHES: Check out a few videos on how to do the army roll, which is a super-efficient way of packing clothes in tiny spaces that Will really come in handy, especially if you are riding during the winters when there is a lot to carry anyway.  
• MAKE USE OF SMALL SPACES: did you notice that there is a little bit of space inside pair shoes? Find more similar unused spaces in the motorcycle luggage bags and within your luggage also and maximize its utility.  
• ZIPLOCK LIQUIDS/FLUIDS: Always carry cosmetic products, medicines, and other fluids in Ziplock bags to prevent it from spilling out and damaging your clothes or electronic appliances.  
• SHOE BAGS FOR DIRTY CLOTHES: You don't want dirty shoes and socks to be mixed with clean clothes in the motorcycle luggage box! A good way to prevent start from happening is to have at least 5 or 6 empty shoe pouches which you can use to stuff dirty clothes and shoes, and throw them into the top luggage box in your motorcycle.  

We hope these tips will help you organize and plan your vacation better. Just as an added bonus tip, consider installing organizational apps on your mobile phone or printout this checklist with the headings.