First long distance (for me) Trip - any advise?

Going on my first long trip next week from Bristol to Scotland in one day. followed by 3 days riding around and then back. Not camping i've booked a hotel near Loch Lomond.
Any advise as to what to check on the bike before I go?
General advise on long(er) trips. What essentials to take /watch out for, etc?
I'll be stopping to take photos along the way and to trek to a waterfall or two - so I've decided to go with textiles not leather- good/bad idea?
I'm really looking forward to it, just never travelled such a distance before.
P

The list could be very long!
At this late stage I would make sure your bike is right with the basics, I won't insult your intelligence there!
Spare gloves are a must have. Wet cold hands are never good.
Some visor cleaner. If you wet shave, shaving gel does a good job.
Stop when you want to, don't be a hero. Two hours at one stretch is usually enough for me. And a stop sets you up nicely for the next two hours.
The M5/M6 will be horrible and you'll see just about all of it.
Stafford North services are OK as are Southwaite near Carlisle.
If you want cheaper fuel near Stafford, then get off at J13 and ride towards Stafford, fuel is only about 400 yards. Stafford town centre is OK too if that fits into your plan.
Once at Loch Lomond consider a ride to Killin ( fuel station ) it's a nice little village with great falls. You can ride around Loch Tay too.
Also a ride out to Argyle, the " Secret Coast" is good too and you can go over to Bute on a two minute ferry.
Most of all ENJOY.
Upt'North.

Sorry Paul, you asked Leather or textile?
I personally wear leather troosers and textile top.
It's all personal preference and very important this, COMFORT!
I wear leather troosers because I've got them but when they go to that motorcycle kit graveyard I will probably go textile too.
Strange thing though I never feel as protected in textile case I do in leather. That's probably just me though. Great thing about textiles though no need for rubber suits, no one can pull off a good luck in those things.
Good luck,
Upt'North.

Traveling on a bike is a lot like traveling in a car - you just cannot take as much (and eating while moving is more difficult). I usually do a more thorough pre flight check - fluids, air, brakes, etc. before a long trip. What to take? An amateur photographer will have a different list than a birder. If you do all of your own maintenace, you will have a bigger emergency tool kit than someone who does not. More important to me, is advice from someone like Upt'North - local knowledge can turn a nice trip into a wonderful one.

Stopping at Green Welly and The Drovers Inn should be on your list!
Stop often to take photos. Don't judge yourself by others. Take basic tools to prevent needing them. A small air pump and worms to fix a tire.
An open mind and a flexible schedule most of all!!!

Not that I am a world expert on the subject but I've made a few trips of several days and a few thousand miles each.

You've already got the best advice about checking the bike: check everything you'd check during either a normal maintenance session. I find it less worrisome to take care of scheduled stuff before departure, if I can and if they are within about 10 percent of the margin for needing it, so that I don't have to think about it while traveling. That last bit of wear on the tires, ("tyres" to you...) , or a little while longer on oil, coolant, and brake fluid isn't worth the mental clutter of knowing I have a change to make as soon as I get back home.

GEAR

Rain gear. Like tools, take it to avoid needing it. (So far I am 0-for-4 in that regard- I've encountered at least a splash of wet weather on every long ride I've taken.)

Depending what you ride in, alternative footwear for your pedestrian excursions, and for evenings.

Fewer changes of clothes than you'd expect. Lightweight, fast-drying fabrics preferred. Easier to wash in a sink, and much less bulk to manage when packed. Except for socks and underwear, if I air my things out for a day after wearing, that's good enough for another day on the road later on, before washing.

STRATEGY

An open mind and a flexible schedule most of all.

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YES.

Stop when you want to, don't be a hero.

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YES, again.

Read some of the ride reports (especially from HPPants) and notice how often a day starts from wherever the previous day ended, and has a general but not specific destination in mind. That leaves time and opportunity for "discovery" and unplanned diversions, and eliminates the stress of feeling as if you "have to" be at a certain place at a certain time. Be on the lookout for roadside attractions and diversions. Roadside historical markers (do you have those in Britain?) can be very entertaining and provide opportunities for short, unplanned rest breaks.

Perhaps not applicable to this trip, since it looks like you will be in transit then doing loop rides from a fixed location while in Scotland, but on other wanderings: pick your final destination partway through the afternoon of each day.

Spur-of-the-moment jaunts down inviting side roads can be very entertaining and enjoyable.

I've ridden a few miles (quite a few in the U.K.) and here's some extra items to consider -

1. If you wear glasses, take an extra pair if you have them - especially if you are blind without them.
2. Since you generally have great 'recovery' services in the U.K., I wouldn't worry too much about tools other than a compact air compressor, gummy worms and the two tools to insert the worms.
3. Hide some cash and maybe an extra credit credit card somewhere on the bike in case your wallet goes missing. That will at least let you get home.
4. You might make up a little 'chemist' kit with aspirin, anti-diarrhea pills, bug repellant, eye drops, etc. just in case. Strange things can happen on the road and it's nice to have it in your motel room if dinner goes pear shaped. ;-)
5. If the midges are out, you probably want a mesh headcover if you plan on walking about.
6. A torch (flashlight) is nice to have just in case.
7. Extra bungee cords or a bungee net in case you see something you want to bring back home that won't fit in your panniers or top case.

What I generally do is put all the stuff I'll need in the motel room in a waterproof bag and strap it to the back of the bike. That way when I arrive for the evening, all I have to do is unstrap the bag, throw a cover on the bike, and I'm good. No shuffling through the panniers and top box trying to figure out what to take in or leave. I generally use my right pannier for stuff that I hope I will not have to use, my left pannier for rain suit and stuff I might use while in route, and the top box for stuff I could use in route but probably will not.

www.unclephil.us

Your tyres. Scottish roads eat them for breakfast. If you look at your tyres before you go and think - yeah, I have probably got enough tread for the trip. Then you haven't.

I always wear textiles. Reason - on day trips when we want to stop and go for a walk, the motorbike gear can be stowed in panniers and top box and I can walk around in comfort in normal clothes.

That is about 400 miles of motorway riding - further if you take the scenic routes that you would otherwise miss. Plan to stop every 60-90 minutes for half an hour. It is a long way. Pace yourself, and beware taking too much food at one go - it can make you sleepy, which will become more of a problem as the miles tick by.

jfheath said:

Your tyres. Scottish roads eat them for breakfast. If you look at your tyres before you go and think - yeah, I have probably got enough tread for the trip. Then you haven't.

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+100 - I learned that on my second trip over!

5. If the midges are out, you probably want a mesh headcover if you plan on walking about.
6. A torch (flashlight) is nice to have just in case.

+2 Uncle Phil.
Torch invaluable, small LED just fine.
Re midgies, you could get away with it in June. If not the Green Welly stop at Tyndrum will sort you out. Either Smidge or the Avon products they sell are both good.
Upt'North.

Uncle Phil said:

my left pannier for rain suit and stuff I might use while in route,

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I put this stuff in my right pannier so I can get to it on the side away from traffic here in the USA. In the UK, Phil's right - as usual.

Thanks for all you help guys. Rode from Bristol to Loch Lomond via the Yorkshire Dales yesterday. To be honest it was far easier and more comfortable than I thought! covered around 400 miles. The only problem being (rookie mistake) having meticulously packed the panniers i forgot i just might need to store me helmet and jacket to go for a walk. Nice lady let me put them in her ticket kiosk for an hour. Now off to tour some more, Fort William here I come.

how do you tour any kind of distance anywhere where there are that many distilleries?

Dwalby, just one at a time, just one at a time.
Upt'North.

My first road trip was on my 1970 Cb750. No bags, no luggage rack. I packed three changes of clothes, razor, a spare quart of oil (bike had a chain oiler), set of spark plugs and one each signal bulbs and tail light bulb....all stored inside my sleeping bag held onto the rear seat with bungee chords. This was a two thousand mile round trip on the first bike that didn't pump itself dry, vibrate body parts to sleep or shake off important parts at embarrassing moments.

My trip gear has evolved from that point. As for spare parts, I have only needed a spark plug and a tail light bulb while on trips. We still go prepared but not to the point that we overload our bike.

Your first trip will be a similar learning experience. The members have made some good suggestions. Do what you think is prudent and build on that for your next trip.

Paul,
Re your helmet kit problem you're not on your own. I have a problem with storing the thermal liners never mind the kit.
Like Oldbikefixr says, how did we cope with less than 100 litres of storage!?! We all did.
My first trip was on a new CB550f, in blue with gold stripes. I seem to remember there was one old bag and a tent strapped onto the back.
Happy days.
Enjoy Paul.
Upt'North.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Master-Lock-719D-Laminated-Padlock-and-Cable/19869153

I use one of these to lock my helmet to my luggage rack when my cases are full.

just done Shropshire to Inverness in a day found that padded cycle shorts as underwear helped in the bottom department . the main thing is to pace your self it took us almost 11 hours as Scotland is vast and it takes time to get anywhere and the a9 has miles of roadworks and you find near the end you be travailing less and less between stops. when you get up there a must see loch ness there a boat trip and a real nice restaurant over looking the loch . pack something warm it was 25 c in the day time but at night up in hills it dropped to 5 c but most of all take your time when up there as the scenery is breath taking .safe ride

Paul_H_PAN said:

Thanks for all you help guys. Rode from Bristol to Loch Lomond via the Yorkshire Dales yesterday. To be honest it was far easier and more comfortable than I thought! covered around 400 miles. The only problem being (rookie mistake) having meticulously packed the panniers i forgot i just might need to store me helmet and jacket to go for a walk. Nice lady let me put them in her ticket kiosk for an hour. Now off to tour some more, Fort William here I come.

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Coming in late: Self coiling cable and lock. For exactly the above reason. When I travel I always carry one, it means I can lock my jacket and helmet to the bike, without stuffing them in a side bag or trunk. Also handy in a neighborhood that seems a bit shady, lock the bike to something. Seems silly, but sometimes that can mean the difference between it being your bike, or someone else's. I once rolled my bike *into* my motel room, that's how bad the area was.

Someone makes a dual helmet lock that fits behind the license plate. Not good if it rains, but it will hold the hat for a short trip. ST1300's have a hook under the seat to lock your helmet, I'm not sure what the 1100 offers in this respect. Cable lock solves the problem - unless you have a helmet w/ a quick release buckle in which case you need one of those T things with a hole for the lock.

Someone posted that a helmet locked to a bike (at a rest stop, I think on an interstate in the US) was stolen - the thief cut the strap and took the helmet. As they say, locks keep the honest folks honest.