Personal Riding Gear.
The idea of riding is to enjoy it and come back alive to share the experience with others. Yes, motorcycling is dangerous. With this in mind here are some of the things you will need to enjoy motorcycling and live to tell about it.
A full face helmet.
Long sleeved jacket with kevlar paddings for protection.
Thick jeans or motorcycling pants.
Knee & shin pads.
Motorcycling gloves.
Motorcycling boots or shoes.
Ear plugs.
A rain coat.
Necessary documents & equipment.
Now that you are suited, here are some important documents you must have with you when you ride. Police and the local land transport authority often conduct spot checks. You may be detained or your bike confiscated if you cannot produce these documents.
Valid riding license.
Original or true certified copy of vehicle registration log card.
Valid insurance cover note.
Valid road tax disc.
Cash card (for toll at Singapore side of 2nd Link).
Touch & Go card (for toll at Penang Bridge and parking in Malaysia).
Here's some stuff you'll need to carry out minor repairs on your machine. An unexpected breakdown in the middle of nowhere can easily end your ride.
Tubeless tyre repair kit.
Motorcycle's tool bag.
Spare clutch cable.
Spare throttle cable.
Spare fuses.
High temperature Epoxy Putty.
Penknife.
A meter of steel wire.
10 meter nylon tow rope.
And for bikes with tubed tires; one spare tube for each tyre.
Motorcycle maintenance.
It is obvious our bikes need to be in good working condition if we want to have fun on them. So prepare your bike for the ride.
Send your machine in for its scheduled maintenance regularly.
Prior a ride, send it in for an oil, oil filter & spark plug change if the last one was sometime back.
Clean your air filter.
Check your brake pads making sure its not worn out. Replace it before the ride if it is. Your life might just depend on it.
Check your tyres. Remove any nails & repair the puncture. You do not want this nail to come out and deflate the tyre when you are speeding along the highway do you? Replace it if its surface is balding (less then 3mm). Pay attention to your tyres. You have to trust them with your life when you ride.
Sufficient foreign currency.
Mobile phone with auto-roaming.
Map of the area you are riding to.
A Compass.
1 pair of pants.
1 t-shirt.
1 set of sleeping clothes.
1 set of undergarments.
1 pair of sandals.
1 pair of socks.
A pair of sunglasses.
Washing detergent or soap.
Toothbrush & tooth paste.
Other personal toiletries.
Now that you're all packed with the bare necessities, here's some fun stuff you'd want to bring along.
Camera.
Swimming gear.
Good book.
Small portable radio.
The above is just a guide to help the uninitiated prepare for a ride.
Please do get all the Personal Riding Gear as this may safe your life should you crash.
Pay attention to the maintenance needs of your machine too.
As for the rest, well, space will determine what you can bring. If you have a big bike, even your kitchen sink can be on the list!
Note: The above is based on my personal riding experience and those of other bikers. Please feel free to send me more tips or experiences so that myself and others will learn from them.