[drrod]

Have you thought about shipping your luggage ahead of time??? I've never tried that tactic, but I've heard others say it works great.

Expensive and the possibility of lost or delays is probably equal to the airlines.

I go on a couple of overseas trips per year, usually 2-3 weeks at a time. This is what I do, and it has worked so far:

• pack all riding gear (including helmet) into a gear bag and check it (touch wood, have not had any issues yet even through some pretty sketchy connections). If you bump up against the weight limit (leave some more stuff at home but you can always wear your riding jacket on the plane (pants and boots also for that matter)
• carry-on contains all my non riding clothes (don't forget you are wearing a complete outfit so you don't have to pack it)
• relatively small back pack that contains my electronics (usually includes a tablet), food for on the plane, etc, etc. Make sure you take compatible plugs and chargers. Too large a back pack becomes cumbersome on the bike.
• if the bike has no luggage, I take a 30-40 l dry bag and Rok Straps. That combined with my backpack has always been sufficient. I managed just using a 20l bag on my IDBDR ride last summer and it, along with my backpack, was sufficient for my non riding clothing.
• if the bike has panniers and a topbox I do not take a dry bag. I have found that BMW luggage can hold a lot. At most, I may take smaller stuff sacks so I can segregate what goes in each pannier and the topbox. Saves taking the hardbags off every night and makes it easier to find stuff.
• I do not take a tank bag. Anything that I would normally put in it goes into my backpack or pockets of my riding suit.

As for clothing....as was mentioned, take only 1/4 of what you think you need. Comfortable walking shoes (I take deck shoes mostly). But; and this is the best tip I can give; use light weight merino wool blend base layers and socks. Warm in cold weather, cool in hot weather, can wear multiple days without washing and it dries quickly. You do not have to spend a lot of money to buy name brand stuff. Costco's Paradox line works just fine.
I ride in a waterproof Goretex suit. Saves packing a rain suit and struggling to put it on when needed.

Something to consider.....depending on where you are going, security can be an issue. If the bike has hard luggage, it is easier to secure when you leave the bike to go exploring. Soft bags/tankbags are somewhat risky. If you can get everything into the hard luggage, it removes a lot of worry. You usually end up carrying your helmet but I have used cable locks as well for that.

Perhaps the best thing you can take is a credit card you can use overseas. You can always purchase anything that you forgot or need to replace.

And last, but certainly not least, take a good attitude. You are not at home. You are in someone else's country where things may be done different. Go with the local flow and you will have a great time. I LOVE riding in Europe.

 

[drrod]

I have ridden quite a bit in the Dolomite area. Based on my experience here is what I would take if I was you:

• jacket - Klim Latitude
• pants - Road crafter
• a "puffy" down vest that packs down small
• heavier sweatshirt type top for cooler temps
• long sleeved extra base layer top (merino blend) for cooler temps
• long johns (merino blend) for cooler temps

The light weight merino blend base layers pack up next to nothing in size.

• your boots are fine.
• glovers - Hmmm.....I used to take 2 pair with me. One light and one heavier leather/goretex but recently I acquired some Held Air 'n Dry gloves so now I only take them. Check if your rental bike has heated grips. If it does, I would just take the lighter leather gloves and if you have room, take the waterproof over gloves,

The ability to layer up or down under the waterproof jacket and pants will accommodate 95+% of the temps and weather you will encounter. If your outer layer blocks the wind and keeps you dry, and can be vented, it is a lot easier to control your comfort. Also, this combo of jacket and pants means you don't have to fuss with carrying rain gear or doing the one legged dance trying to put it on and take it off. I find waterproof liners are a real pain. In my experience, there is no need for mesh gear there.

If you haven't done it recently, wash and "revitalize' your goretex gear before you leave to make sure it is still waterproof.

For the possible 5% of the time that the above list may be a bit inadequate.....stop in one of the many, many nice little coffee shop/restaurants and wait for a short time. Like most mountain environments, conditions usually change fairly rapidly.

 

[drrod]

I have stood sheepishly in hotel/motel foyers, dry inside, as the water continues to dribble to the floor from the outer layer of a waterproof suit.

The newer Goretex Pro fabrics impart wateproofness to the outside layer. The Klim Latitude is a 3 version. The water sheds off the outer layer which mitigates the issue you are talking about.

As long as the garment has not been abused, Goretex guarantees the waterproofness for as long as you own it.
BTW - I am not affiliated with GT in any way but after going through several iterations of suits, I bit the bullet and bought a Goretex Pro fabric suite (Klim Latitude). Wish I had done it sooner. It would have been cheaper in the long run.

 

[drrod]

Backpacker makes a very good point! Unless you can repair your own punctures, waiting for the rental outfit to do it can really throw a wrench into your plans and schedule.

 

[drrod]

Not to mention your wallet. They had a sign up at Eagle Rider what a tow truck would cost you for a variety of nearby places. Apparently they were not simply calling the AAA on your behalf, but drove a truck of their own from the nearest Eagle Rider facility to pick you up. I remember the highest quoted number, if uninsured for this, was 1400 dollars. Not very surprising since we were at some point a full days drive from ER away. Add in the drive back and you could be looking at two engineer days wasted. If it happens on a weekend, there's also overtime pay to consider. 1400 dollars does sound reasonable in that case.

And it's not just a day waiting for the tow, and the daylong tow itself. You are going with the tow truck to the nearest ER facility. Which could be in the wrong direction so you need a third day to get back to the point where you got the puncture and continue your journey.

Straying a bit off topic here but what are the odds that ER is trying to scare people into buying the overpriced insurance? A triple A membership will get you 100 miles free tow to a bike shop that will fix your tire for you. For $1400 you could tow the bike yourself, replace the tire yourself, only lose a day (maybe) and still be money ahead.
The more I hear of ER, the more I am sure I won't use them again. Made the mistake once.

 

[drrod]

Is AAA 100 miles now? I don't think it used to be. AMA membership gets you free roadside and 35 mile towing for all vehicles and family; have used it once on a trip and it worked well.

With my Canadian CAA membership (RV Gold) I get (and have used) the 100 mile tow while in the US.

Can you get an AAA membership as a foreigner with no registered US address, for a short (one week or so) period?

Don't know but there may be reciprocity between countries . eg. CAA *Cdn) and AAA (US) have reciprocity.

 

[drrod]

Maybe one of our Euro members can chime in with information on whether or not there is the equivalent of AAA or CAA available in Europe. I would expect there is.
I did find this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARC_Europe#:~:text=ARC%20Europe%20Group%20is%20the,the%20area%20of%20roadside%20assistance

.

 

[drrod]

TS does not need ANWB /ADAC he rents a motorcycle
In case of breakdown, rental company arranges help
I have it in triplicate
ANWB,Suzuki and insurance company
I leave it as it is, call it laziness
😏

As has been pointed out, relying on the rental company to "rescue" you can lead to lots of lost time. It depends on what the "emergency" is, where you are in relation to the rental base, etc. Sending a truck to retrieve the bike, take it back to base, and then return it, simply for a puncture, can involve 2-3 days. DAMHIKT. Having a relatively inexpensive backkup plan can salvage a trip, especially if the trip is only a week long.

 

[drrod]

vacuum bags are a game changer for travel

What do you use to collapse the bags each morning on a trip and for the return home?