First time touring, advice appreciated.. IOM/Wales Complete

[Tay]

But, I'm off touring in a month for a coupla weeks. It's my first time touring on a any type of bike worried about the packing side of things,  as the wife struggles to NOT use a suitcase when on overnight trips to my mum in the car !!

Have full luggage (Panniers and top box) & tank bag if needs be.  I'm into my photography so will be 'trying' to take my DSLR and a couple of lenses and spare batteries etc, maybe even a small collapsible tripod. but if that doesnt happen then so be it, I'll take a point and shoot.

Any tips on that side of things would be great!

I'm a little worried about security of the bike when travelling to Liverpool stopping overnight about 80 miles south in a prem inn. then riding up to Liverpool the following morning for the IOM crossing, less worried whilst on on the Isle of Man as we're staying with friends and it'll be garaged for the most part.

What do your guys do when you're away? I have a couple of disc locks, one of which is alarmed. I have a tracker and thats about it.  I'm travelling back through Wales the following week some nice hotels and some prem inn's, so not really sure how secure they really are, all are off road.   

Is a cover advised?, Is it worth taking a big "eff off" chain etc? 

Any tips greatly appriciated
   

   

[shaggs147]

As far as packing for the trip goes, all i can say is do a dummy run by getting out what you think you need, then try to pack it in your panniers. Then when you realise you can't get half of it in, try it again with what you really need. You can always buy extra toiletries etc as you go. When I went on my trip I didn't bother with locks or chains, but just took all the luggage and sat nav off the bike when I parked up for the night.

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[beegee]

We always go in B&B (cause very familiar and more trustworty mostly) or hotel only in case of bike can be garaged indeed.  We check or ask it before we lake booking. If not possible some look for a solution anyway
Lock on brake and chain was always OK for me then

Enjoy yr trip !

[Icefever]

Packing for a trip is easy...your wife gets one pannier & half the top box....you get the other. My laptop goes in the top box, along with my DSLR, tank bag is for anything else we will need...(like paperwork when we go to France) waterproofs etc.

As for staying at hotels, I use a chain, the panniers and top box go into the room....just leave a naked bike outside. 

[doebag]

Tay
Have a read through this forum thread here  http://www.gtr1400.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=513.0

Security ? If you have room for a chain, then why not, but I always rely on the alarm and ki-pass. It's a bloody heavy bike, no one is going to pick it up to take it away.
Packing is a personal choice. I take stuff for each day [underwear/tee shirt etc] plus one extra as insurance. Share as much as you can, and you are not going off grid or away for months, you don't need a lot, and what you forget will be available in a shop. Rolling clothing rather than folding can save space and should mean less creases.
I don't know Mrs Tay, but I try and enforce a strict one pannier only and a share of the top box with Mrs doebag.
Oh, and quoting myself from the thread linked to
Quite a few years ago, I was given a packing tip.
When you come back from a trip, make three piles of the stuff that you took.
1/ Stuff you took and used
2/ Stuff you took and used, but could have left behind
3/ Stuff you took but did not need.

Next trip, take pile 1, a selection from pile 2 [ might include waterproofs for example], and leave pile 3 at home.

After doing this a few times you will have a pile of items that you always use, and no excess items. When I pack for holidays, Mrs Doebag always say's 'is that all you are taking' and the answer is 'yes, I won't need any more'

I know it does not help on your first trip, but it is worth remembering. I just noticed you are going for a couple of weeks, take a weeks worth, and either borrow your friends washing machine or have a day off from riding and go to the launderette.

[PaulB]

Having toured with my wife, the simple rule is this: she gets the left pannier. And the right pannier. And the top box. I get the tank bag.

DSLR & tripod? You should be so lucky! Point and shoot and micro-tripod (for timed selfies...)

As for security, one alarmed disc lock should be plenty. Also, parking the bike in places that aren't easily accessible is better security. For example, down a path somewhere, in an area that is barriered off (you can fit down the side on the path). Basically, anywhere that a van cannot get to. Any bike can be put in the back of a van in seconds by a few hefty blokes. Not so if the van can't get anywhere near it.

Cheers

Paul B.

[mikeyw64]

Security? what do you use at home? What do you use on your commmute to work?

Why be any different just because you're going on holiday?

[nightrider]

All you need is a disc lock ,, 

[Tay]

Thanks for the tips all that really useful has has activated the synapses. 

As for the home security aspect I'm paranoid, I know too many people in London and there is a crime wave going on right now, brazen scooter oxygen thieves nicking anything and everything secured or otherwise.

I have a garage thats way to small for the car.
I still use both disc locks, I have a ground anchor and CCTV (although thats been in there for years), the garage door is secured too (it's datataged too, but that that doesnt stop people), Last person in parks right up to the door, it has a tracker I've been testing for a few weeks, just a cheapy one but it seems to work well.   I don't commute at the moment but when I did it was in the car, as it was generally faster. 

The glove box might be suitable for both disc locks and keeps the weight forward, so I'll try that.
I was considering taking out the inner bags only, but it seems to make sense to take them all off since its so easy.

Thanks again for the tips.

[nightrider]

Don't they Nick bikes in London ,and push them along with their foot by useing a scooter,imagine doing that with a gtr ,,

[PRD]

Of course touring in a car is so much easier

[Tay]

Don't they Nick bikes in London ,and push them along with their foot by using a scooter,imagine doing that with a gtr ,,

After watching some of the videos, nothing would surprise me with those oiks.  Videos of them nicking Panegale's in broad daylight with pedestrians walking passed.  Taunting the rozzers, they have no fear despite all the rhetoric from vigilante bikers.

They would probably just set the bastard on fire to act as a diversion or 'chuck' it in the back of a van and flog the parts.  given that steering locks last 30 secs tops, the damage they do in under a minute is scary.   

[Tay]

Of course touring in a car is so much easier

Thats true. But done IOM quite a few times in the car, got the bike for it now and looking forward to it, I suspect the novelty might wear off when it pisses down everyday though !

[Mikey]

Importantly don't forget ID for the ferry.

[shaggs147]

Just out of curiosity Tay, what tracker did you buy?