Hey guys, I assume most of us here have toured atleast once or frequently(like me). Anyways i wanted to share with you guys some important things to do before and during a tour. Moderators if there is a similar thread like this you may link this thread to the other one. Now there are some things to take with you when you tour.
1. Helmet - The most essential thing for a tour(other than the bike and you ofcourse).
2. Riding gear - Jacket, gloves, boots etc. Never ride without these.
3. Swiss Army Knife(you may need it. you'll never know)
4. A road map of the places you'll be visiting. If possible mark your route with a marker for easy reference.
6. A mobile phone and a sim card with roaming facility(if you're on a long tour and travelling to other states)
7. Your bike's tool kit.
8. Emergency contact numbers.
9. Carry Enough cash so that you don't run out of cash in the middle of nowhere and you have nothing but your credit card. Believe me its a pain in the ass.
10. Camera - Though its not necessary you may want to record your trip to show your friends or for your facebook account or you may upload in xBhp.
Tip: Learn some basic repair DIYs like adjusting chain slackness, puncture repair etc. If something goes wrong in the highway and there are no mechanics nearby you don't have to panic. You can do it yourself with the tools you carry.
DURING THE TOUR:
1. If its a long drive you'll be carrying a lot of luggage. Place your luggage such that it doesn't affect your riding. In other words make sure you're comfortable while riding.
2. Just because you are on the highway there is no reason to rip your bike. Highway accidents are far more dangerous than i the city as there will be heavy vehicles like trucks and buses. Imagine the damage you and your bike will take if something bad happens. I would suggest speed not more than 80. Even thats fast but still any biker would be tempted on highways. While going fast be sure always that you can brake immediately in case of an emergency.
3. If you happen to see someone else involved in an accident please be kind to help them out. After all he or she is also a fellow rider or driver like you.
4. One more thing to remember is to always assume other road users to be morons(and also remember others will see you the same way) because there will be people who try to cross the road carelessly or a reckless truck driver. Be careful with people with such attitude and stay away from them. The last thing you want on your mind will be to see your precious bike in a police station and your own name in a FIR.
If you think i left out something then share it here so others may benefit from it.
Happy touring.

What are essential point we have to remember if we are going for long drive with smaller bikes (100-125cc)?
Any special care should be taken for those bikes?
what are the problems we can get?

Hi guys as suggested by rash_rp. I am listing those things which I believe are necessary before, while & after a long drive & hope that it will give a first timer an idea about how to prepare for a long drive. These points are not for bikes as I haven't ridden a bike on a long way (I mean who would call a mumbai-pune trip a long ride ) This article is generic in nature & some points of it may or may not be applicable.


Preparations Before The Journey
-------------------------------------

1) Vehicle Check up: I will skip the regular check tyre pressure, engine tune up, electricals check up stuff which all of us know.

2) Get a good Map: There are various maps & map books available, ideally get map book which will have all the states map which can be used for all of your future journeys & a big map of the state to\thru which you will be going\passing. the map books give you quick reference & an approx distance while the detailed big map will give you more details & almost accurate distances between various destinations. If possible mark your way i.e. the one which you have decided to go with a marker for easy reading while traveling. they sometime also have location of fuel pumps & eat out places (state tourism restaurants) which again can be marked. One such good map books is by 'ttk'

3) Schedule your journey: Yeah using the map schedule your days of journey how much you would be traveling in a day & where will you be putting at nights. You must schedule it in such a manner that you always reach a place where you can lodge (preferably a city) before your sleeping time i.e. avoid being mid way at nights you must be near towns at night.

What Stuff To Carry?
-------------------------
[u]
On The Road
---------------

1) Follow the signs: Very important especially in case of road diversions.

2) Driving at Nights: As said try driving at night only on the roads known to you( by that I mean where you have been before). Driving at night has its own advantages & disadvantages here they are
[u][u][u]Some of the signaling techniques used on highway</u>

a) Most of the bus\truck drivers who are going at constant speeds keep their right indicator blinking, this means that the person from behind may not need to honk & can simply overtake that bus\truck

b) Never overtake any vehicle without getting a clear signal from him the signal could be either a right go ahead signal or a right indicator, he may also ask you not to overtake & that could be due to various reasons such as an oncoming vehicle, he might himself be trying to overtake a vehicle in front of it

c) After overtaking try to give a left indicator if you are going back to the left most lane this is necessary specially in those cases where your overtaking a vehicle & the oncoming vehicle is nearing you fast.

d) an exemption to point b could be that sometimes when you can see that there is no oncoming traffic & the vehicle in front of you is not giving you any pass signal to go ahead, you can safely overtake it as he may not be giving signal due to no oncoming traffic

e) Use headlight pass switch for overtaking & also for stopping or slowing an oncoming vehicle which is overtaking & you feel is coming direct towards you

f) Use proper high or low beam while driving

g) You may keep your headlights on in daytime if you are on a road where you have to overtake frequently

h) Do not honk unnecessarily if the vehicle in front of you gets pissed then he may not let you overtake [}]


7) Maintain a trip log: Again good for cherishing the memories & very helpful for future journeys & can be used as reference by you as well as others, the thing that can be recorded are
- Fueling at respective odo readings ( will help in finding cost per Km or mileage)
- Places to eat, refuel & watch out for beautiful sceneries
- Road condition on different patches
- No of national highways covered i.e. NH-17, etc
- Time taken between various destinations & for the whole journey

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope this serves the purpose, please feel free to add your own suggestions & I will also update it as & when I remember any more points

Techno

Hey guys, I assume most of us here have toured atleast once or frequently(like me). Anyways i wanted to share with you guys some important things to do before and during a tour. Moderators if there is a similar thread like this you may link this thread to the other one. Now there are some things to take with you when you tour.
1. Helmet - The most essential thing for a tour(other than the bike and you ofcourse).
2. Riding gear - Jacket, gloves, boots etc. Never ride without these.
3. Swiss Army Knife(you may need it. you'll never know)
4. A road map of the places you'll be visiting. If possible mark your route with a marker for easy reference.
6. A mobile phone and a sim card with roaming facility(if you're on a long tour and travelling to other states)
7. Your bike's tool kit.
8. Emergency contact numbers.
9. Carry Enough cash so that you don't run out of cash in the middle of nowhere and you have nothing but your credit card. Believe me its a pain in the ass.
10. Camera - Though its not necessary you may want to record your trip to show your friends or for your facebook account or you may upload in xBhp.
Tip: Learn some basic repair DIYs like adjusting chain slackness, puncture repair etc. If something goes wrong in the highway and there are no mechanics nearby you don't have to panic. You can do it yourself with the tools you carry.
DURING THE TOUR:
1. If its a long drive you'll be carrying a lot of luggage. Place your luggage such that it doesn't affect your riding. In other words make sure you're comfortable while riding.
2. Just because you are on the highway there is no reason to rip your bike. Highway accidents are far more dangerous than i the city as there will be heavy vehicles like trucks and buses. Imagine the damage you and your bike will take if something bad happens. I would suggest speed not more than 80. Even thats fast but still any biker would be tempted on highways. While going fast be sure always that you can brake immediately in case of an emergency.
3. If you happen to see someone else involved in an accident please be kind to help them out. After all he or she is also a fellow rider or driver like you.
4. One more thing to remember is to always assume other road users to be morons(and also remember others will see you the same way) because there will be people who try to cross the road carelessly or a reckless truck driver. Be careful with people with such attitude and stay away from them. The last thing you want on your mind will be to see your precious bike in a police station and your own name in a FIR.
If you think i left out something then share it here so others may benefit from it.
Happy touring.

This may be out of topic but i wanted to know which HEADPHONE is best for listening songs at speed above 80kmph?
I found that most of the sets provided with the phone/mp3 player comes loose after 70+kmph with helmet on.
I want one which can be held inside helmet and also the one which stays there even at high speed cruising.

Thanks techno... didnt know that!

guys, I have been stopped many times up north in Goa and maharastra by cops and fined for not having Original RC/DL/Insurance. First time in Bombay by a cop for not having Original DL and when I asked what other Original docs I need to carry so that I don't get screwed again he had told me that only Original DL and Emission certificate is required. And recently got pulled in Goa (twice in a day) for not having Original RC and Insurance docs and Had to pay a heft fine! Does anyone know whether they were bullshitting or is it really required?

You may as well add this info to the original post as it is VERY MUCH required for a long drive (many states).

FYI, In southern states (Karnataka/TN/Kerala or AP) I have never been fined for NOT having Original docs.