Top 10 Common Mistakes Adventure Motorcycle Travelers make
1. I’m a Free Spirit, I don’t need a Plan
Ironically you are more free to do what you want, and to adjust to unforeseen circumstances, if you’ve planned ahead and have the resources to be flexible.
Knowing what the regulations are, and having all the required documents for the places you intend to visit is a must. Perhaps include those for neighboring countries, in case you have to change your route and ride through a different country you hadn’t initially intended to visit.
Having a general budget (even if you are planning to earn as you go), means you know how much money you can throw at a problem, when things don’t go as planned. (Yup, that’s when, not if.)
Decide how you intend to deal with breakdowns: do you have the mechanical knowledge and will you carry tools and spares. Do you have an idea where to source what you can’t carry? Or do you just budget to have someone else service and fix your bike? Maria and Aidan set off with a manual, some tools, and a willingness to give it a go. That meant things took a little longer than strictly necessary; but time they had. And now they are much better mechanics for it.
2. Over-Preparing
Ok, so we just said you should prepare, including for unforeseen circumstances… But don’t get bogged down trying to imagine every possible scenario, or you’ll never leave. You can’t imagine them all anyway.
Set a departure date, then prepare just enough so you can truly say, “I’ll deal with it, as it comes.”
3. All the gear and no idea
There are millions of things out there, most of which seem like a genius solution to some eventuality; though some could be deemed a solution to a problem that’s yet to be invented. When Maria bought her first adventure bike, it came with plastic hard luggage that was double-walled. The idea being, that you could carry spare water. Sounded like a good idea from a weight distribution perspective. But in reality the water tasted awfully plasticky and after the first gravel scrape, there was a hole in them anyway. (She uses soft luggage now, and a water canister when needed.)
So before you spend half your budget on kitting out, ask yourself before each purchase: Do I really need that? Or am I just convincing myself that I do, because it’s such a cool gadget? Is it actually helping prevent likely-to-happen, show-stopping damage to my bike (like a solid bash plate preventing rocks from knocking a hole into the engine), or is someone trying to make a buck out of my inexperienced propensity to worry about what might happen?
4. Overpacking
Ok, this is a cliche by now, but it seems it can’t be stressed enough. Maria and Aidan are seasoned motorcycle travellers, and they still send stuff home the first few weeks into each trip! So once you’ve spread out what you’re going to take, look at the pile and for each item consider:
Do I really need this, or will I survive without?
Does this have two uses? Or have I got something else already that will do the same job? (You don’t need a dining knife and a chopping knife when you carry a penknife anyway)
Is this available in the place where I actually need it, or must I bring it from home. (Like warm clothes: do you need to cart them through Central America, or can you buy them when you reach the Andes?)
5. Overestimating Daily Distances
Less is more: the slower you go, the more you experience. So choose carefully what distance you want to cover in the time you have. Reasons why you might not cover the distances you thought you would:
Unexpectedly worse road conditions
Bad weather
More photogenic scenery that has you stop for photos all the time
You’re not feeling well
Bike problems
You don’t know where to find things in a new place, so getting organised, fuelled up, stocked up on food, finding that hotel, etc. might take up more time
Irregular ferry schedules
Border waiting times
Road blocks, road works, landslides…
Give yourself time to enjoy a place, to stop for a conversation with someone, to say yes to that invitation to lunch or even to stay by a local.
6. Not knowing what your bike’s typical issues are
Every bike has them. On the 2004 BMW F650 GS it’s the water pump cogs, for example. Know what it is, learn how to fix it and carry spares. Aidan always carried spare cogs, the gasket and the seals, and he got very good at taking the clutch cover off and changing them out roadside.
7. If it ain't broke, don’t fix it?
Wise words by our mechanic in London at the start of the very first trip. Well, it depends. After years of experience, I’d actually say the following:
Do a thorough, extensive pre-ride check
Replace all short-term consumables like chain, sprockets, brake pads
Put all fresh fluids, like oil, coolant, brake fluid, fork oil, and replace the filters
Consider where you are in relation to long-term consumables like wheel and swing-arm bearings, fork seals, clutch plates, even valve seals and the cam chain. Maria ended up replacing the cam chain in Colombia. Here you need to know your bike and the maintenance schedule. Even if it’s not quite due yet, will it become due on the trip? And would it be easier to replace in the comfort of your hometown where you know a mechanic and where to procure the needed parts?
Carry easy stuff that can be a show-stopper if broken, like spare clutch and throttle cables, spare levers - even if you’re not mechanically minded, at least you have them and can ask someone to fit them for you
8. Forgetting to check the distance vs fuel range
Maria sometimes forgot to check the route and ran out, but luckily she could always send Aidan, who has a bigger range, to fetch her more.
No matter how big your tank, know your range and make sure you can reach the next fuel station. Don’t assume there will be fuel, just because the map says there is. Fill up before you need to. And bear in mind that fuel consumption changes depending on riding style due to different road conditions, wind, altitude and even luggage load.
9. Do the trip for you
Sounds obvious, but things can get into your head. For the longest time, Maria was unhappy with herself, that she wasn’t daring to do all that crazy, gnarly offroading stuff the women who inspire her were doing. Until she finally realised it was silly to try and be someone she was not. What those fearless women are doing is fantastic. But it is also ok to just be Maria, riding the way she feels comfortable riding, and to enjoy the challenges she conquers, without comparing them to what others are doing.
The other thing is not to become a slave to social media. Unless it’s how you make a living, there’s no reason to do something just for the great content it creates, or to waste hours of travel time curating, editing and posting that content. (Yup, been there.) You’re much better off just losing yourself in the experience.
10. Forgetting about Self Care
Maria is always focusing on the wellbeing of her bike. She has fine-tuned her listening to any unusual engine noise and almost hears that rattle before it happens. But she forgets the simplest things. Only when she’s got a thumping headache and is dizzily starting to see stars, does it occur to her that she hasn’t needed a pee all day. Sweating in heavy bike gear, with the driving wind whisking away any moisture, it’s important to drink more water than what you’re used to.
The other one people don’t expect is travel fatigue. I’ve written another post about it here. But in short, remember to take breaks and schedule for down days.
