September 8th will be here quickly (that’s when I set sail, metaphorically speaking) for the great UK. I am looking forward to my very first intercontinental trip…and the UK has a lot of genealogical significance for both sides of my family so starting there seemed to make the most sense. Well, it made sense until I realized that this first solo moto tour was going to be in a land of driving on the LEFT side of the road. I am not kidding when I tell you that I bought a red and black dry-erase pens to draw huge arrows on the left side of my fairing/windscreen. I am sure it will be something that looks like below:I hear that it should really only take a few days to get used to the change, but I’d rather be safe than sorry…and since I’ll be on two wheels with no car doors or body around me, I’ll take the extra (albeit, silly looking) precaution!
I get asked frequently as to why I have chosen to take this trip by myself. The answer is simple; going solo allows me the option to go with my flow. If one day I want to go north, I go north…If I choose to go south, I go south…if I want to stay put and rest, or take in local sights, I do that. I will be beholden to only myself.
Now that I’v got all of my main riding gear and am now just playing with packing scenarios. I was at first concerned about what to do with my luggage, but the great part about renting from Eagle Riders (specifically Spyder Motorcycle Hire, Silverstone, UK) is that all of their locations offer a secured area for all of their renters to stow luggage during trips. That has been a game changer. I will be checking one medium sized soft-sided wheeled bag that will contain my main camping gear (i.e.: tent, sleeping bag & pad, stove, etc…), and then my 60L Scout bag by Mosko Moto which will have in it my everyday riding clothes (with the exception of a day set of clothes for the first day as back-up), my Nomad Tank Bag by Mosko Moto, and a few other things. This bag will be packed down to minimal size for the trip over…and then it will house items that I will want to make darn sure to not get wet whilst riding on the bike. As a side note…I cannot say enough great things about the gear I’ve seen coming from Mosko Moto, and it makes me so very happy to celebrate and use gear from the PNW (they are based in White Salmon, WA). The kind folks at Spyder Motocycle Hire have also set me up with hard luggage on the bike, but in heavy rains you can never be sure – so the Scout will be great to have.
The bike I have chosen to use for this adventure is the 2019 Triumph Tiger 800 XRx. Just a fantastic adventure bike, and fortunately for shorties like myself…it now has three adjustable height settings for the seat, not to mention fully-adjustable suspension, and a 5-way adjustable wind screen. Aside from these great features, the best part about this bike is its beautifully tuned triple engine. She’s so nice…a great responsive engine which also has a shorter ratio first gear for better low-speed traction. I’m not going to be going cray cray (that’s for my millennial siblings), but it’s nice to know that it is there if in a jam…’cuz as I was always taught (on a bike) “when in doubt or trouble…throttle it” (courtesy of my ex-husband/enduro-motorcyclist extraordinaire, Kiefer). For more information on this fantastic bike click here.
When looking through my riding gear I found that it was simply time for an all-around update; helmet, jacket, pants, gloves…all of it! I will also say that it is the huge strides in riding gear technology that has me feeling a little bit better about being out on a bike again. I’ve heard and seen some nasty things, not to mention…have had some close calls myself, so my gear for this trip and future riding had to be aces. For my jacket, I chose Dainese’s Carve Master 2 D-Air Gore-Tex Jacket which utilizes Dainese’s own version of a wearable air bag using their D-Air technology. Next up are my Dainese Sherman Pro D-Dry Lady pants which are described “a perfect fit combined with technical content” and I would have to agree. I wore these out in some pretty warm temperatures a couple of weeks back and found them to have enough breathablility to keep me comfortable, but the waterproof qualities that will be necessary for riding in the northern UK! My gloves are two pairs of Dainese Corbins…The Corbin D-Dry and Corbin Air – the latter even comes in XXS and fits perfectly. Both of these offer great tactile feel while riding – not too bulky – while even allowing me to use my phone with them on.
I’ll post some pictures soon of all of my riding, camping gear, etc shortly… Meanwhile, take care & happy riding!
GotR-GilliganOnTheRoad 
Hey Galynne, I realize this trip is a long time coming. So excited for you. If you happen to get a wild hair and need a detour, come visit me in Switzerland. I’d be happy to host you and be your tour guide; otherwise you better plan another overseas tour again soon to come see me. In the meantime, safe travels and enjoy the ride dear friend! You’ll get used to driving on the left soon enough. Spent five years driving on the left and even after many passing years, the adjustment kicks into gear quite quick every time I visit a former colony or commonwealth country. Can’t wait to see your updates.
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You know what… I may just have to plan another moto tour for your neck of the woods!
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