When it comes to adventure riding, especially when you’re heading well off the beaten track, it pays to live by the old Boy Scout motto: Be prepared.
Riding gear, bike setup, luggage loading, navigation, tools, spare parts, camping gear, first aid knowledge and dealing with an emergency are just the beginning of the myriad aspects that should be considered before you set off on an adventure ride. The more prepared you are, the better the ride you will have and the better you will be able to deal with a crisis should things, unfortunately, turn to crap.
So let’s take a look at ten vital topics to help you be better prepared for your adventure.
1. RIDING GEAR
In the era before Ewan and Charley brought adventure bike riding into the home cinemas of want-to-be ADVers all around the world, waxed cotton jackets, denim jeans and desert boots were the riding gear of choice of two-wheeled tourers.
Nowadays, there’s a bewildering array of riding gear on the market specifically designed for adventure riding, constructed from textile and Gore-Tex fabrics and boasting removable thermal and wet-weather liners to make it suitable for a vast range of weather conditions.
Comfort, fit, features, protection and price are all crucial factors that will come into play when choosing your riding gear, but don’t underestimate the importance of the gear’s protective qualities. Jackets should include protective armour in the shoulders, elbows, chest and back, and while most pants will provide some form of knee protection, it can often be somewhat inadequate. Dedicated MX-style knee guards or knee braces are a must to wear under your pants as your knees are just so vulnerable to both roost from passing bikes and impacts with the ground when you bin it — and you will bin it. Specialist adventure or off-road boots
