Planning Your First Tour

Susan Difford - Clean Green Compare Personal Lines Insurance Expert
Written by  Susan DiffordUpdated  28 April 20252 min read

Table of Contents

If you own a touring bike or plan to get one in the near future, then planning your first tour is a big step. Luckily we’re here to help and tell you all the things you should consider before setting off. An important step before you go anywhere though is to make sure you have good touring bike insurance in place.

Key points

The Most Important Steps When Planning Your First Tour

  • Destination & Route: The first step is to plan your route. This is now very easy to do thanks to things like Google Maps. You should think about the mileage, how much fuel you’ll need and any potential stops.
  • Timeline: You should also think about how long the journey is going to take in total and plan around this, including any rest days or shorter riding days.
  • Accommodation: Accommodation is very important, so you should book it well in advance, particularly if you’re travelling at a busy time of the year.
  • Crossings: If you’re travelling to Europe, you should book any ferries or tunnel crossings well in advance.
  • Paperwork: You should also ensure you have any paperwork you need, such as your driving licence, insurance details and booking details for your accommodation.

Winding road

What other things are there to consider when planning a first tour?

If you’re travelling with other people, then it’s also a good idea to think about communication while you’re riding. You should also make sure you bring plenty of snacks and drinks, particularly for longer journeys.

What insurance is best for a first tour?

You’ll need third party only insurance for your bike to be road legal but you can also get a fully comprehensive policy if you want to cover your own bike for collisions. Breakdown assistance is a very useful type of additional cover to have for touring bikes too. You’ll certainly want European cover if you’re travelling overseas too.

In Summary

  • You should plan your journey in advance as well as booking your accommodation and any crossings.
  • You should also think about how long the journey will take and bring all necessary paperwork with you.
  • You will need to ensure your bike is insured, including in any countries you’re planning to visit.

Compare Touring Bike Insurance Quotes!

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