Neevesy shares his tips on motorbike touring | MCN | Motorcyclenews.com

It's great to see riders touring on sport bikes. I see very few here in North America. I'm in Canada but mostly tour throughout the U.S. As I got older, I knew that my Yamaha FJR's weight would become more of a burden. I downsized to a Honda CBR1000RR and it's been a hoot. The fuel range is much more abbreviated and the typical longer distances means that there isn't always a gas station when I need one so that means more frequent stops. Thanks for the video; it's great to hear your perspective.

Great videos!

Think I disagree with the booking in advance. I don’t tour in a big group, just myself and my Dad for the past 2 decades, and we never book in advance anymore. Used to before mobiles got good in the last 10 years. And that’s mainly because with a specific destination / hotel booked, you HAVE to get there. And that’s caused problems in the past that tiredness and ‘pushing’ to get there ruins a given day.

We tend to ride until about 1-2pm, have lunch and decide how we feel. If we feel we have 2-3 hours, more maybe left in us, then we look at on of the hotel booking sites and book something that’s about that far away.

We never struggle to get a place and it has taken us to place we would never have booked in advance.

You can be guided by the routes you are enjoying and end up picking small places in the middle of nowhere.
All based on the day we are having and how we feel.

Personally it changed touring for us in only positive ways and once you have the confidence to go with it, you don’t go back.

I’m on a touring trip in Scotland right now (came from continental Europe). I followed the advice of NOT using a GPS screen. It’s a big difference, my attention used to get sucked out by the device. I still use google maps but via sound and intercom.

Michelin pilot road 4s, amazing tyre, low operating temperature, sticky sides 2ct and hard wearing middles, best sports touring tyre for my money!) Thanks for advice! Selling my 2nd bike (RSV factory 04) for tiger 1050 for some touring!

Some good sound comments and advice. Clothing wise i gravitate to textiles for touring. A good quality jacket like something from Halvardsons, or similar with an outlast liner us a must as well was with plenty of vent openings. I use a Givi tank bag as a must for phone, wallet, sunglasses etc. Panniers for clothes. Roll pack or top box with basic tools such as puncture repair kit, basic tool wrap, zip ties and gaffer tape and compact pump. First aid kit too. Spare gloves as well. For big days, comfort is essential. So vented seat cover’s good, as is not over or under dressing for weather. Sort screen out before a trip. Change it or add a flip up if needed. I quite like sat navs to get you where your end day destination is but use maps for exploring and wont be a slave to the sat nav. Tyres wise I have my favourites which include metzler Road tec O1 se’s, and Dunlop Roadsmart 4’s. Both brilliant in all conditions and offer loads of feedback and grip as well as lasting the course.

I pick up a new to me bike up this Friday and I ride to Belgium the day after. I won't have the v5, what issues will that cause please?

"In an ideal world you would have a full biking wardrobe following you..." ... Or next best thing your girlfriend in a Mini Copper S packed full of gear 😅

Inspirational thanks

In my experience there is a difference in the grinding, between getting there and getting home.
Getting there, it’s more beautiful and more exciting the further you get. The fun is just about to start, the whole adventure is still ahead of you. The real grind is the long ride home, when you’re tired, your back hurts and you just wanna get home.
One time we just did a “city trip” as a overnight stop on the way home, like a bonus party night, in Bruges. That was a great medicin for the monotony of cruncing motorway miles.

How did you not mention the Isle of Man ferry! 😆

Thank you for this, great video! My very first trip to Europe is coming up this May. I was so hyped already and now you made it impossible to wait!

I tour every year solo for the past 7 years. Even though I swear every time I won’t do it I always pack too much clothes then I’m tired from hauling it on and off the bike. You reuse so much clothes. Lighter packs a must. I will learn and adapt this year 😅

Been touring since early seventies,good tips👌❤️one tip,just go and don’t plan heavily🥰

Good video cheers mate

I want to start off by going to the Highlands in Scotland. Then I'd like to go Portugal and Spain, being a bit of a peninsula war buff.

Neevesey, if you had to choose a sports bike to travel on, which one is most suitable prior to modifications? Thank you Neevesey.

So true in many ways but touring over here in the states isa little different. We are used to more miles per day. I hear ya about the satnav.

I agree with all you said.
Bike tours with friends is such an awesome experience. They become life long memories to treasure

Great video. My top tip is check your paperwork… Two days before a solo camping trip to NL, I realised my MOT had expired!

i luv doing my long trips in calforia

Number one tip should have been Do NOT tour on a sports bike!

Bang on advice. Cant stand riding with a rucksack though, always a tail-pack for me You don,t know its there...

I disagree 100% on satnavs. I wouldn’t be without one. I get the impression that you are dismissing them because you haven’t learned how to use them to your advantage

Motorway, motorway, motorway. How awful.

Sounds about right I've not road in Europe for many years,
Done it late 1970s 80s , France Brussels Luxembourg Switzerland and many of its lakes Germany absolutely loved It Done it with a car 20 odd years when the children came along Switzerland Austria Germany Italy,
Still ride but don't think i could do those kinds of distances now , 100 miles and the body let's me know but I'm just short of 65 years old been riding since the age of 16 broke good number of bones through bikes sport and coal mining,

Ferry from Rosslare to Bilbao on the ferry then Picos de Europa on a GSA 1250, magic !!

Do every ride and tour by yourself every single time you ride, it takes the fun out of riding. I have never had the opportunity to ride with anyone else so riding to the store or riding a thousand miles it's all one long lonely ride.

I use my phone as a satnav, pretty reliable and it hasn't failed me yet in europe at least. I also download the maps offline just in case I lose GPS signal. Also I use it listen to some music on the highway, doing 6-9 hours can be boring so having something to listen to on the motorway makes life more pleasant, I don't use it when riding on twisty roads tough. One thing that made long trips more enjoyable for me on my SV650S are the little plastic thing you put on the throttle to ease your arm and those air-cushion seat cover thing, it makes my behind not feel like I have ants all over me. Thanks I've learned a few things and you are absolutely right with packing, now I get most of my stuff in my tankbag.

Great guy !

Excellent, thanks!

I thought I was the only one who hated sat navs! Bless you my son!

loved the video reminded me of why i loved my 2008 fz1 in and out of city limits in tours and trips with mates, with the wife and alone till it got stollen in december 2021. will try to get a new bike hopefully in the next years god willing

Neevesy you deserve a lot of praise for keeping things so normal and genuine perhaps no more so than in this video ...really practical , helpful and valuable tips that we all benefit from enormously. Thank you and Thanks MCN for sharing the love :)

Thank you for this wonderful video. I learned a lot

Thanks for sharing some of your experiences and great tips. Just started some travel on my Xt660z and these tips are especially NOT drinking coffee all day. I like to leave early morning on the first and last days.

Thanks for the wonderful video.

l have a trip l had planned just prior to the outbreak...
l was supposed to go down to the coast and buy a bike and work my way back seeing friends and family as l return and seeing parts of the continent l did not know. l would have gone through three countries.

So its something l still want to do but maybe in a year or two. l think the journey is about 3 or 4 000 KM one way. l would like advice on which tyres to buy? l would be riding a 900 or 1 000 CC bike probably a supernaked or something like a Tracer GT or the new GSX 1000 GT, if things go to plan.

Due to the state of the roads which vary from very good to bordering on atrocious with livestock and game at times what would be best. My main consideration is durability, weather and toughness and to a degree cost but if they meet the other criteria cost is irrelevant. l do not foresee going off road, the worst could be some smooth dust or gravel roads but not for extended periods. Possibly where there are roadworks or detours.

I tend to ride below the speed limit being anything between 100 and 120km/hr. So given what l have said can you make any suggestions of tyre choice. l do not foresee carrying a pillion or heavy luggage. l think the entire trip will last 7 - 10 days altogether.

Please advise on suitable tyres given what l have said. Thanks in advance.

Tell you a secret the rest of the world knows that Brits seem to not know. The UK is part of Europe.

Very interesting perspective .....you forgot to mention the Peak District......some great roads and scenery.

Fantastic Thanks

Don’t forget the nutrition

Be epic going on an mcn tour !

Back rucksack makes you skid on your front! Once you've been demounted.

I’ll take a nice bit of sea lol this guy loves to ride so cool

Love it. 85-90 mph on motorway! Phew. I do 60-65. Mr Slow.

Great tips! However I screwed up last touring trip since my SuperCorsa tires did not last long… Using M9RR now, lasting way way longer and way better in the rain.
You should try out west part of Norway as well, awesome mountain roads!

Nevesy, another over opinionated bike review, seems to think his audience is only European.

Super nakies? That is the most hilarious adorable name for a naked bike ever. I’ve never heard that

I laughed my ass off

Super nakies 🤣

Did my first tour in September this year from Stoke to l,estartit in North East Spain and all Mr Neeves advice was spot on. Only thing I would do differently is leave extra time to keep off motorways if possible.