The Complete Motorcycle Trip Packing List
Welcome to the Motorcycle Trip Packing List. This guide provides a complete checklist of all the essentials you may need on your bike travels.
Motorcycle Trip Essentials
By Andy Davidson
Mad or Nomad: Round the World Motorcycle Traveller
This is a no-nonsense motorcycle trip pack list. The article lists everything you may need or want to take on your motorcycle travels with links to more in-depth guides if you fancy diving deeper. All adventures are unique, to different parts of the world, climates and conditions, so adapt the list according to your personal needs as you won’t need all of this. At the end of this article, you’ll find links to more guides on packing including our RTW packing list, how to pack and more.
Personal clothing
- Lightweight down jacket (doubles up as bike thermal)
- Heated motorcycle jacket (alternative to the down/synthetic jacket)
- Thermals
- Thin trousers
- Shorts
- T-shirts
- Underwear
- Flip flops
- Light and small trainers
- Socks
- Swimming gear
Electronics
- Mobile phone
- DSLR or point and shoot camera
- Travel tripod
- GoPro / Sena / Drift
- Set of memory cards
- Adapter
- Chargers and USB battery pack
- Laptop or tablet
- Removable hard drive
- GPS tracker
- USB with backups of important info
- Emergency Satellite Communicator
Camping
- Sleeping bag and silk liner
- Roll mat
- Tent (10 Best Tents)
- Stove
- Cooking equipment including washbowl, cutlery, spices, chopping board, utensils, fire starter etc
- Camp knife
- Pillow
- Head torch
- Para cord
- Shower bag
- Towel
- Sheet
- Chair
Hygiene
- Toothbrush and paste
- Soap/ shower gel/ shampoo
- Shaving kit
- Vaseline
- First aid kit
- Hand sanitiser
- Mosquito repellent
- Sun cream
- Face mask
- Face cleanser and moisturiser
- Medication
Paperwork
- Passport and copies
- Driver’s licence and copies
- International Driver’s Permit
- Vehicle registration document
- Vaccination book
- Carnet de Passage (if needed)
- Travel insurance
- Passport photographs (can’t have enough of these)
- Emergency USD
- Bank cards
- Easily accessible paper with all important contact info on.
- Spare bike key
Tools
- Wrench and socket set
- Hex head set
- Puncture repair kit
- Air compressor and Gauge (Rocky Creek Tyre Pump Review)
- Tyre levers and wheel removal tools
- Ratchet strap
- Screw driver
- Multi-tool
- Spanners/ Allen keys
- Tool roll (Kriega Tool Roll Review)
- Cable ties and Gaffer tape
- Jump leads
- Oils, lubes, epoxy, Loctite and copper grease
- Spare parts, levers, cables and consumables like filters, O-rings, pads etc
- Check out our SBV Adventure Bike Tool Kit Review
Motorcycle
- Owner’s manual downloaded onto your phone
- Crash protection
- Motorcycle modifications for comfort, off-roading and travel
Food and water
- Hydration bladder pack
- Water purification stick/straw or tablets (we don’t carry these)
- Food / snacks / water
- Emergency dry food and snacks
- Collapsible kettle (for indoor use)
- Aeropress (for coffee lovers)
Miscellaneous
- Fuel canisters: Rotopax / fuel bladder / Overland Fuel Cannisters
- Navigation device: Sat Nav / Phone / Paper maps
- Sunglasses
- Mounts for phone case and video camera
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Read more on motorcycle packing, kit, equipment and travel gear
Thanks for checking out the Complete Motorcycle Trip Packing List. We hope you found it useful in what to take on a motorcycle trip! Here’s a few of our Guide pages that we recommend you read next. You’ll find all the articles related to a specific subject in one easy to find and read place and plenty more guides on gear and packing for a motorcycle trip.
44 thoughts on “The Ultimate Motorcycle Trip Packing List”
Fantastic guide right here. Many many thanks for putting this together. It’s going to come in very handy once we can all finally travel again. Cheers
Hi Graham, thanks very much for your comment, glad you found it helpful! Are you planning a big trip? Feel free to shoot us any questions if you need anything here in the comments, via email or in the Forum anytime! More than happy to help fellow travellers. Cheers 🙂
I am indeed, I was planning a big trip to Turkey and maybe the Caucasus time permitting for middle of next year. That’s brilliant, thank you for that. It’d be a huge help in planning. I’m still sifting through your site and have been looking at the camping gear lists today. Fantastic stuff
That’s great! We actually have loads of motorcycle guides on the Caucasus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and also on Turkey that might help you plan your tours there. You can find them under the Europe Destination Guides here https://www.madornomad.com/guides/europe/.
If you need anything specific, shout anytime!
Very useful. Just had a read of your European packing list one too. It’s obviously a lot more minimal than this one but it’s good to know all these extras in case I do decide to go further afield. Thanks guys
Hey David, thanks very much! Glad you found it useful. You’re right, the European pack list is a lot more minimal as it’s for touring so you won’t need to carry everything on this list. Best of luck with your packing! I’m assuming you’re thinking of riding into Europe? If you need a hand with anything just shout! Cheers 🙂
Hi
I never rode motorbike on mountain road but I drove car from Chiangmai to Bangkok, and 3-4 time from Chiangmai to Doisuthep, so am I suitable for this ride or not. I am an Indian and wan to wnjog that trip. Please provide me ideas about motorbike because I wan to ride Royal Enfield Mateor.
Thanks
Hi Ranjan, thanks for your comment!
This sort of question would be better asked in the Forum. If you just make an account and ask in the Thailand forum, it’ll be easier to answer there. Also, could you please provide a bit more information when you ask in the forum…. for example, you ask “am I suitable for this ride or not?” What ride? Where? and you ask to “provide ideas about motorbikes”, but for what journey, where etc?
Cheers
This an excellent guide and although I’ve done many tours I’ve found new things to consider and learn.
Thanks Steve! Much appreciated, really glad you found it helpful 🙂
Cheers,
Andy
Its Helped me soo much.. thank you Mad or Nomad.. I’m from INDIA.. and I’m planning to 22days long ride in my beautiful country.. Luv u Bro..
Great list.I made lots of copies.Thanks for saving me lots of time.
Hi Bruce,
Glad you found it helpful! All the best with your travels.
Cheers,
Andy
Awesome Motorcycle Trip Packing List.
Thanks for saving lot of time.
Once again bundle of Thanks from Pakistan.
Hi Najeeb, thanks for your comment!
Andy
Your list put many smiles on my face, being on the road for 38 years the right way (2 wheels, based in Holland). There are many tips newbies would never think of. And probably will not follow. Silly they are. All your tips are worth following.
Hi Chiel,
Thanks for your comment, and that’s incredible to hear you’ve been on the road for 38 years! 38 years of travelling or riding?
Cheers!
Andy
38 yrs travel on 2 wheels. Somewhat longer by bicycle and kayak/canoe/yaght.
Brilliant! You must have had some great adventures 🙂
Cheers and all the best,
Andy
This is my go-to resource for planning a motorcycle trip anywhere! Legends.
Hey James, thanks very much for your kind words! Much appreciated mate.
Andy
YES!!! Exactly what i needed. Thank you Mad or Nomad!!!
Hi Bill, thanks for your comment, glad you found this article helpful!
Cheers,
Andy
Hi guys, so glad to have found your resource, my wife and I are planning a round trip to India, and back via Central Asia, 2 up on the one bike, clearly Azerbaijan is putting this on hold for now.
I wonder as I don’t know how long we’ll be away, how the return visas work, I’m under the impression that it’s not easy to get them whilst away from your home country, and a printer!
Weapon of choice: Super Tenere 1200ZE
Thanks for such a super resource, I’ve been researching for over a year and this is the one resource that brings it all together.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Hi Julian!
Thanks very much for your message, I’m sat here in Guatemala working on a guide and saw your comment pop up and it put a smile on my face, so thank you! It’s good to know the website is of use 🙂
Awesome to hear you and your wife are planning a ride to India, that’s fantastic! And you are going to love Central Asia. CA is literally our absolute favourite riding region out of everywhere we’ve ever been – nothing compares, so make sure you put plenty of time aside for it.
Yes, Azerbaijan is a pain and it has been since covid. There has been no news on when the borders will be open to travellers. The way around it most people are going for is to get a Russian visa and enter Russia from Georgia. However, Russian visas are expensive and can only be sourced in your home country.
On return visas… do you mean how do you get a visa while on the road for the countries you have already ridden through? Are you riding back through the same countries? Only a few countries in the world require you to get a visa to enter from your home country – for example, Pakistan. 99% of countries can be done online or at the border. Printers are never a problem either (if you need them) and are easy to find anywhere in the world. Personally, we arrange our visas as we go. We didn’t arrange any visas before we left home on our trip and we’ve been on the road for nearly 7 years now. We only had to return back to the UK once to get a visa and that was for Pakistan and was a couple of years into the trip. In nearly 90 countries, this has never been an issue apart from that one time.
I hope this helps, feel free to reply with any questions! Always happy to help fellow motorcycle travellers.
Cheers,
Andy
Hi Andy, many thanks for a full and rapid reply. Yes, I meant visas for countries already ridden through. My original plan was to ride through Iran and Pakistan into India, but due to restrictions Iran is off the menu, besides, CA is infiniteley more interesting the more I read of peoples’ travels there. We wanted not just to get to India, but do a sort of circular tour around inner india, avoiding tourist hotspots, though the Pakistan/India border display is a must for us.
So clearly we won’t know how long we’ll be in India.
The other concern is how to get into India, I’ve heard of ‘fixers’ who’ll get you through Kashmir into India, but nothing concrete, and there’s the issue about Visa for Pakistan being only sought in UK.
The other route is Western Province of China, and this as you know involves a guide at a cost approx of £8000-£10000 if my research is correct, and yes, it can be shared with other travellers at the border, but how would we know if there’ll be any there when we get there? Maybe there always are people there, I don’t know.
After a tour of India, the plan is to return the same way, we could ship the bike back, but deffo for me, the journey is the destination.
One last thing, I’m always curious to see that The Super Tenere is not on anyone’s list for suitable long distance biking, including yours-reliable and no chain, pedigree too.
I wonder why, is there something I don’t know? 🙂
Hi Julian,
Yes, unfortunately they’re two difficult countries – Iran won’t let Brits in without an expensive guide (unnless that’s changed very recently) and Pakistan needs a visa from home. Other than that you’re good to get visas as you go!
Yes, CA is brilliant – check out our blogs from the rides there and the destination guides on CA.
Getting in shouldn’t be too difficult. If you want to visit CA then the most common route to get to India is via China.
No, it won’t cost you that much to get through China. Here’s a guide on how to transit China written by Jah who runs a transit company, we have lots of people using Jah’s services. He’s a good guy, send him an email and say Andy from Mad or Nomad sent you.
He helps with forming groups etc to bring cost down and will let you know the rough timings other riders are looking to go. Alternatively, there’s plenty of facebook groups where people form groups for crossing china.
Shipping the bike back is the easiest option – but why go back the same way? Why not go to Mongolia – you’re close! Or ship to the Middle East and ride back that way. Unlimited possibilities!
We do have a review on the Super Ten and I do know of a few folk who have done some serious long distance trips on them. But the reason it’s not a highly recommended bike is because its large, heavy and low to the ground.
Still, they’re reliable tanks and comfy long distance. No reason not to go on one if you already have the bike and enjoy it!
Cheers and keep in touch!
Andy
Many, many thanks again. I’m telling everyone I can about your info and contact details.
It’s heartening to know that China is not the obstacle I thought it was, in fact the contrary, now that you’ve recommended Jah’s services (always good to know someone who has experience when in far flung lands).
The Super Ten was chosen because of it’s reliability and shaft drive, I’m well used to it now and being a plumber-used to lifting heavy objects and having dropped it a couple of times standing still, it’s weight isn’t that much of an issue whereas its luggage and weight carrying capacity is a plus.
I recently completed a 4200 mile round trip with my son, both of us on my Harley Sportster with full camping equipment and know only too well how to conserve space and weight, so the S10 will be a breath of fresh air in comparison.
I like the suggestion and will do an off-road course as it’s inevitable we’ll see at least some gravel or dirt roads.
I certainly will keep you posted, however there’ll have to be probatory (trial) run across France, then the North of Spain to Galicia to see that my wife will be able to sit for that long on the S10 as we’ve only done short trips together so far. Fortunately, like your partner she enjoys being on the bike, so I’m halfway there..
Hi Julian, sorry for the delayed reply, wifi is intermittent on the road.
Thanks! That’s kind of you 🙂
And yeah, China will be an expense and it will take time to sort, but Jah will take away the stress and the China expense is just one of those things that overlanders have to go through when transiting Central to South Asia. Jah runs a professional outfit and is constantly taking riders across there, so he will sort your licence and everything. Plus, it’ll definitely be a very interesting experience for you to say the least!
Good reasons for the Super Ten then. And that’s brilliant you did that on a Sportster! Awesome!
Yes, off-road training is highly recommended. People always spend fortunes investing in gear and bags and clothes and fog lights for their bikes but never investing in themselves and their riding skills. There are some brilliant off-road schools in the UK. I’ve attended most of them, here’s a page where I list a selection of the best, and it has a map so you can find the closest to you – The Best Off-Road Schools in the UK
Good idea on doing a dry run, you’re doing everything right! Here’s another article on riding two-up you might find interesting. Hope the dry run goes well, sounds like a brilliant trip in itself!
All the best and catch up soon,
Andy
Great list, although I’m only doing day trips these days, I still totally forgot to bring the spare key! haha
For long trips the USB stick with important info such is a great idea. Losing your phone can be a real headache nowadays.
Hi John! Ah the old spare key haha! Glad you like the USB tip! It’s very handy for backups of all important documents. Just the other day when crossing the border to Peru from Ecuador, their internet was down and couldn’t print our forms – unless we had a USB handy! Invaluable.
Cheers and all the best,
Andy
After reading that list, I sold my bike and started looking for a used 18-wheeler to carry it all on my next trip. Oh, and you may want to add Preparation H to the list of medical stuff. It sounds funny, but sitting on a seat and riding for hours each day can have that unwanted effect as well. It’s no fun having to stop at the hardware store to try to find an extra large metallic pipe cleaner to deal with that itch and discomfort.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the comment! Haha, yeah — it’s definitely a thorough list. The idea is to cover everything you might possibly need, whether you’re heading out for a weekend ride, crossing continents or riding around the world. That way, readers can pick and choose what’s relevant to their trip.
Interesting tip on Preparation H! I hadn’t really thought about hemorrhoid cream before, but you’re right – an extra large pipe cleaner does not sound fun!
Cheers
Andy
Andy and Alissa, it has been such a joy to get to know you guys after racing ahead of you in South America, and finally catching up in Africa. I may frame that photo of you on my bike in Zambia. 😁 Wow, three years into our RTW and I’m wishing I’d found your website before we started. Good thing I ride a tank to carry all my excess gear, and I’m glad I have horse packing experience to be able to lash so much stuff to my poor mule. 🐴 Your guides are so helpful and clear, the photos are crisp and illustrative, your stories are fantastically written and are only better in person. If we can’t meet up for Xmas 🎄 we have to make it happen for New Year’s. 🌍 We miss you guys. Brandon and Katherine
Hey Brandon, thanks so much for the lovely comment and kind words! Much appreciated.
Hope you’re having fun in Uganda, and a Happy New Year from Rwanda!
All the best,
Andy
Howdy,
I’m planning a third trip around Lake Superior this summer and found your list online. I found some additional items to pack from your list. Thank you!
Sean
Hi Sean, thanks for the message, glad to hear you found this guide helpful!
Have a great trip around Lake Superior! It’s on our to do list, so please do report back and let us know what the ride is like.
Cheers
Andy
Hi Guys ,
I understand this is quite a difficult question to answer as I know everyone travels differently.
But I’m trying to find out total luggage weights of a RTW motorcycle ride including camera gear, laptop , drone, cameras , batteries,accessories, tent , sleep bag, mat , cooking, gear , chair etc .?, please .
Rackless system
Cheers guys 🙏😊
Hi Adie, thanks for reading.
So, you’re asking how much a full round the world luggage setup weighs – with absolutely everything included, all camping and cooking gear, food, tools, electronics, clothes, spares, parts etc?
If so, yes, you’re right, it’s a very difficult question to answer as everyone travels differently with different needs and on different bikes that are capable of carrying different loads. Also needing to factor in an off-road rider would need to pack far less than a road biased rider etc.
But, I can provide a very general guidance here to help…
Here’s a rough list of approximate weights…
Ultra lightweight – 10-20kg
Lightweight – 20-30kg
Medium – 30-40kg
Heavy- 40-50kg
Very heavy – 50kg+
Hope it helps,
Andy
Hi Andy , 👋😊
Hope you’re enjoying your journey .
Really appreciate your answers and feedback
How much are you carrying ?, please as a guide line as I know you do a little of everything on/ off road and you camp to .
I think I’m near 32- 34 kilos which includes all camera, accessories , cooking, sleeping etc.
P. S What do you recommend for keeping your chain in good stead?
What oil ? How much you carry – ease of use , where you stash it . Any thoughts ! please
I was just thinking a 80w-90 Gear Oil, toothbrush 🪥 and use diesel to clean chain first which is everywhere ?
Hi Adie,
I carry 30kg of luggage (including the luggage itself). And so does Alissa.
In my opinion, we are very light for a long-term round-the-world trip, but we could always be lighter.
We carry laptops, DSLR, multiple lenses and this takes up a lot of space and weight. We then also have good camping gear, pots and pans, tools, spares, tubes, books, clothes etc. This is everything.
We’ve been on the road for over eight years, so we’re happy to pack a little more for luxury and actually living on the road.
Someone else reading this may say that’s way too heavy and they could get their pack down to 15 or 20kg, but their trip might be for one year, they might not need a laptop and charger, might be taking their photos on their phone, might only be in one type of climate and not need both a heated jacket and summer gear.
I know people who carry over 70kg of luggage. And I know others who carry sub 20kg. For us, on our CRFs, 30kg is a sweet spot where we can balance comfort for long-term travel with the necessities we need – as well as being light enough to travel off-road.
Hope that helps.
Regarding chain maintenance. A chain brush is always a good idea – you can cut it in half. Makes life much easier than a toothbrush.
Yes, gear oil is a good option and one I did for a long time, but it’s gunky and flings off – doesn’t last as long. Then again, chain lubes are sticky and most of the time horrible and gunky to use. If you can be bothered to clean with the oil and brush every so often, i’d say it’s the better option – especially if you’re riding off-road often because lube would stick and you’d have to clean that all off before riding dirt.
Cheers
Andy
Hi Andy ,
Thanks so much for your time and very thoughtful answer this helps me a lot , thanks .
I guess I’ll go over my luggage again and think about what’s really needed or not 😊
Again really appreciate this , your a big help.
You’re welcome, Adie.
Best of luck preparing for your trip.
Cheers,
Andy
Good job Andy
useful article i love It
Keep going !!!