Planning a motorbike tour properly – How to make every ride a success

The starting point isn’t necessarily the most scenic road, but rather the question: what is the aim of this ride? A short evening spin, a full day on winding roads, a multi-day trip or a group ride all have different requirements. If you clarify the destination, available time and group early on, you’ll avoid many typical conflicts when planning the route later on.

It’s helpful to set a rough priority: should the ride be primarily challenging to ride, scenic, relaxed or goal-oriented? A mix usually makes sense. However, every additional requirement takes time. Plenty of tight bends, passing through towns, photo stops, elevation gain and unfamiliar roads make a stage noticeably slower than a route via major roads.

Distance alone says little about how demanding a stage of a motorbike ride will be. A winding country road route with town centres, inclines and lots of stops can feel significantly longer than a greater distance on roads where the traffic flows freely. Navigation details are therefore a guide, not a reliable indication of the entire day’s ride.

Divide the route into manageable sections. For each section, it’s worth checking the nature of the road, refuelling options, possible places to stop and alternative routes. Particularly on unfamiliar routes, a map or route view can help you spot unintentionally long stretches of motorway, very narrow side roads or complicated urban sections at an early stage.

In the RideTree ‘Knowledge’ collection, you’ll find further basic information on navigation, riding technique and equipment, which can be easily incorporated into your individual tour planning.

Breaks aren’t a sign of a lack of stamina, but part of good tour planning. Concentration wanes when heat, cold, wind, noise or challenging sections of the route all come together. Regular short breaks can help to refocus your attention and spot any tension building up in good time.

Plan your breaks not just by the clock, but also according to the route profile. After a long, winding stretch, a short stop is often more sensible than waiting until many kilometres later. On group rides, it’s worth agreeing on meeting points and approximate stops in advance. That way, no one has to improvise to catch up or make risky manoeuvres whilst riding.

When it comes to refuelling, it’s better to err on the side of caution than to be over-optimistic. Find out about suitable refuelling options, particularly in sparsely populated areas, on remote mountain passes or when travelling outside normal opening hours. Your actual range depends, amongst other things, on your motorbike, load, riding style, speed, wind and elevation profile.

Weather forecasts should be checked again shortly before setting off. It’s not just the temperature at the starting point that matters: conditions can vary significantly in high-altitude areas, valleys, coastal regions and areas prone to thunderstorms. Wet conditions, fallen leaves, grit, shaded areas or restricted visibility can alter the character of a route considerably.

Having a Plan B does not make the ride any less adventurous; rather, it ensures you can adapt. This could be a shorter loop, a route through lower-lying areas, an earlier destination for the day, or the decision to postpone the ride. In the event of warnings, very poor visibility or conditions that are beyond your own ability, exercising caution is often the more sensible option.