Motorcycle trip checklist

A good trip starts days before you turn the key. Most roadside problems — a slow puncture, a dead battery, a missing document, a soaked jacket — are things a short checklist would have caught. Use the lists below the week before, then again the morning you leave. Your owner's manual has the exact values for your bike: tyre pressures, oil grade, chain slack and service intervals.

1. Pre-ride inspection (T-CLOCS)

T-CLOCS is a well-known way to remember a pre-ride check: Tyres and wheels, Controls, Lights and electrics, Oil and fluids, Chassis, Stands. Do it with the bike cold and on level ground.

Tyres and wheels

• Pressure checked cold, set to the manual's figure for a loaded bike
• Tread depth above the legal minimum, with enough left for the whole trip
• No cuts, bulges, embedded objects or cracking in the sidewall
• Wheels spin freely; no loose spokes or damaged rims
• Brake pads have material left; discs free of deep grooves

Controls

• Levers and pedals move smoothly and return on their own
• Throttle snaps closed when released, with the bars turned both ways
• Clutch and brake cables (or hydraulic lines) not frayed, kinked or leaking
• Mirrors clean, tight and adjusted

Lights and electrics

• Headlight low and high beam
• Brake light works from both the lever and the pedal
• Indicators front and rear, and the hazard lights if fitted
• Horn
• Battery terminals tight; battery charged, especially after storage

Oil and other fluids

• Engine oil at the correct level
• Coolant level, if liquid-cooled
• Brake fluid level in both reservoirs
• No drips under the bike after it has stood overnight
• Full tank of fuel

Chassis

• Chain or belt tension and wear; chain cleaned and lubricated
• Sprockets not hooked or worn
• Suspension feels right; no oil on the fork legs
• Steering turns freely lock to lock
• Nuts, bolts and luggage mounts tight

Stands

• Side stand and centre stand spring back fully
• Side stand switch (if fitted) cuts the engine as it should

If a long trip is close to a service interval, get the service done before you leave.

2. Riding gear

• Helmet that fits, with a clean visor; a spare tinted or clear visor for changing light
• Jacket and trousers with armour, suited to the weather you expect
• Gloves — a summer pair and a warmer or waterproof pair
• Boots that cover the ankle
• Rain suit or waterproof layers
• Base and mid layers you can add or remove
• Earplugs for long motorway stretches
• High-visibility vest or layer

3. Documents and money

Requirements depend on the country, so check them for every country on your route before you leave.

• Driving licence for the right motorcycle category
• Vehicle registration document
• Insurance certificate — check that it covers every country you'll ride in
• ID card or passport, plus any visa you need
• Breakdown cover details and the phone number
• Payment cards and some cash for tolls or fuel stations that don't take cards
• Photos or copies of all documents, stored separately from the originals

4. Tools and spares

• The bike's own tool kit, plus anything it's missing for your bike
• Tyre repair kit suitable for your tyres, and a way to inflate them
• Tyre pressure gauge
• Spare fuses and bulbs, if your bike uses them
• Cable ties, tape and a multi-tool
• Small bottle of chain lube on longer trips
• Spare keys, kept somewhere other than on the bike

5. Motorcycle touring packing list

Pack light. Every kilo changes how the bike brakes and turns. Lay everything out, then put a third of it back.

• Heavy items low and close to the centre of the bike
• Weight split evenly between left and right panniers
• Nothing blocking lights, the number plate or the exhaust
• Straps and nets secure, with no loose ends near the wheel or chain
• Waterproof bags or liners for clothes and electronics
• Phone charger, power bank and cables
• Toiletries and medication you take regularly
• Compact clothes for the evenings

After loading, adjust tyre pressure and suspension preload for the extra weight, as the manual recommends. Take a short test ride to feel the difference before the trip.

6. Route planning

• Daily distance you can ride comfortably, with time to spare
• Fuel stops planned within your bike's range, with a buffer in remote areas
• Breaks every hour or two
• Weather forecast and road conditions for the whole route
• Mountain passes and seasonal roads checked — some close in winter
• Offline maps downloaded for areas with no signal
• Overnight stops booked if it's busy season

Looking for roads worth the trip? Browse motorcycle routes with distance and corner count. Riding with friends? Read our group ride rules.

7. Emergency plan

• Emergency contacts saved on your phone and written down
• Medical info (allergies, blood type, medication) somewhere a first responder can find it
• First-aid kit you know how to use
• Someone at home knows your route and when to expect you
• Local emergency number for each country on your route
• Phone charged, with a power bank as backup

GOEZ can help with the last steps. Pick a Ride Buddy and they can follow your ride live, in their browser, no app needed. Add emergency contacts and keep SOS ready: hold the button, wait for the countdown and your messaging app opens with your message and location link — you tap Send. GOEZ doesn't detect crashes, so it supports your plan; it doesn't replace it. See live location and SOS.

8. The morning you leave

• Quick T-CLOCS walk-around: tyres, lights, leaks
• Luggage checked and straps tightened
• Phone charged and mounted or stowed
• Ride recording started — how to track rides with your phone
• Ride Buddy sharing on, if you use it

Then go. Ride the first half hour gently while you and the tyres warm up.