Whatever your destination, you will need standard motorcycle safety gear along with a few additional items for comfort.
Required safety equipment:
- full-finger gloves,
- jacket with back and elbow protection,
- waterproof boots which cover the ankles,
- and most importantly, a good helmet.
In addition, you'll want to pack:
- a scarf,
- a neck gaiter or suitable mask to protect you from dust,
- a good pair of sunglasses and sunscreen.
- rain gear.
AIRBAG JACKETS: Transport and aviation regulations
Airbags are perfectly acceptable on our tours. However, it is crucial to check the rules in force concerning the transport of pressurized gas cartridges.
These cartridges are considered regulated items, and their acceptance depends on each carrier's policy.
We therefore advise you to check with your airline and the airports through which you travel.
🧳 In my suitcase: the full packing checklist
Travelling with the right gear is one of the keys to a successful trip. Here are our team's tips so you don't forget anything.
Bags
- A duffel bag or a soft suitcase. Avoid rigid suitcases.
- A padlock.
- A luggage label with your contact details.
- A small 10/20 litre rucksack for the day (camera, creams, etc.).
Travel light, it makes handling your luggage much easier (try to keep it under 20 kilos, and check your airline's baggage weight limits).
Pack a few plastic bags to protect the contents from the rain, or a waterproof duffel bag.
Clothing and personal equipment
- Trousers for the evening.
- T-shirts and shirts depending on the length of the trip.
- Long-sleeved T-shirts for destinations exposed to the sun or mosquitoes.
- A sweater or a jacket.
- A swimsuit.
- A decent pair of sunglasses.
- Something to cover your head, a cap or a hat.
- A pair of light shoes (trainers).
- A pair of sandals or flip-flops.
- A torch.
- Snacks, cereal bars and biscuits to complete the ordinary meals.
- A water bottle or a rucksack with a water bladder.
Highly recommended riding gear
To ride on a Vintage Rides tour, you must wear gloves and an approved helmet with eye protection (visor or goggles). Pilot or pillion, safety comes first: the better equipped you are, the better protected you will be against unexpected weather or a possible fall.
- Approved full-face helmet, or a helmet with a chin bar.
- Motorbike boots with malleolus and ankle protection.
- Motorbike jacket with back or airbag protection, elbow pads and shoulder pads.
- Pairs of reinforced motorbike gloves.
- Trousers with knee protectors.
- A rain suit.
- A dust-proof neck tube or scarf.
- Sunglasses or a mask.
Check with your airline whether you can take your helmet and airbag jacket in the cabin or in the hold.
Altitude travel: temperatures can vary considerably over the course of a day. Bring mixed-season clothing with a warm lining, a second pair of gloves and a second pair of socks, for cold weather and possible rain or snow.
Destinations above 25-30 °C: ventilated summer jacket, summer gloves, light boots.
Recommended personal first-aid kit
- Total sunblock.
- Moisturising lip balm.
- Aspirin and paracetamol.
- Diamox if you travel above 3,000 m (altitude sickness).
- Anti-diarrhoeal.
- Bandages and Elastoplast.
- Skin antiseptic.
Put your first-aid kit together with your doctor, depending on your destination and your medical history.
Bon voyage!