What motorcycle gear do you take on holiday?

When riding through the mountains, you want to be warm, but once you're in the valley, it also needs to be comfortable on your motorcycle. What clothing is best to take on a motorcycle trip? In this blog, you'll find my clothing advice for your motorcycle holiday.

 

When I first went on a motorcycle holiday, I took far too many clothes with me. Even though I have enough space on the motorcycle, it's a waste to carry unnecessary weight. This affects your motorcycle's handling. That's why I only take essential clothing.

1. The Motorcycle Suit

You can't go anywhere without a motorcycle suit. Depending on the weather forecast, you can choose between a ventilated jacket or a regular motorcycle jacket. A ventilated jacket with a waterproof Gore-Tex inner lining is ideal for all conditions. Personally, I find ventilated trousers unnecessary. I notice that my motorcycle blocks a lot of wind, so the whole purpose of ventilated trousers would be futile.

2. The Rain Suit

In addition to your motorcycle suit, a rain suit is not a luxury. Make sure you can quickly and easily stash your rain suit among your luggage, so you can access it easily. I've often been surprised by a heavy downpour. I recommend a rain suit, even if your normal motorcycle jacket is waterproof. It takes a long time for your motorcycle jacket to dry again. Nothing is as annoying as putting on a wet suit the next day. Your rain gear will be dry in no time.

3. Motorcycle Gloves

Your gloves will also get wet (inside and out). Always bring an extra pair. You can't do without them.

 

4. Motorcycle Boots or Motorcycle Shoes

Motorcycle boots/shoes come in many varieties. My advice is to buy boots with wind-permeable mesh sections. I always take one pair of boots and wear them every day during the motorcycle holiday. In that case, wind-permeable boots are a must. A disadvantage of these shoes is that they are not waterproof. Therefore, my rain gear set always includes overboots (a rain cover that you pull over your motorcycle boots).

5. Clothes under your suit

Under my motorcycle suit, I often wear a t-shirt and sports trousers. I also always have thermal underwear with me. In the mountains, it often gets extremely cold in the evening. I've sometimes been woken up in my tent because it was freezing. Brrr...

Besides riding gear, you'll also want to bring some regular clothes. Are you going to visit a village in the evening or go to a restaurant? Think in advance about how often you will go out in casual clothes. This can save you a lot of space. If you're going away for a week, you can easily bring underwear and socks for the entire week. If I'm going for longer, I make sure I can do laundry in between. I take one pair of shorts, one pair of long trousers, and two t-shirts for a week's holiday. I bought lightweight outdoor trousers. These trousers take up hardly any space and dry quickly. For cold nights, I bring a fleece jacket or an insulating jacket. An insulating jacket has a compression sack and provides a lot of warmth, ideal for travelling light. Additionally, I usually stay at a campsite, and an insulating jacket is wonderful for a walk to the sanitary block.

 

6. Shoes

Besides my motorcycle boots, I always bring flip-flops and a pair of (lightweight) shoes. I advise against only bringing flip-flops, as I sometimes go hiking or visit a bar in the evening. At the campsite, I mostly wear flip-flops.

7. Organizing

Now that you know what you need, you still have to pack your clothes. Easily organize your clothes in packing cubes. This way, you can easily find and store clothes. You can also separate dirty laundry. Your clothes stay neat and you can quickly put them in your suitcase or bag.