While some prefer riding close to home, many of us purchased our dual sport or adventure bikes for long-haul travel off the beaten path.  So how do you set up your bike to do that?

You can buy a used bike that’s already set up for travel, or even a new bike that comes with all the accessories you need from the factory. If that’s not the case, if you’re starting from scratch—here’s a rough guide on what parts you need, in the order you need them. Based on what kind of riding you want to do, and where you want to go, you can fine-tune these tips to suit your usage case.

Note: This write-up assumes you have a bike that roughly “fits” you, and with proper tires for the style of riding you are doing. For an in-depth take on selecting tires for your adventure bike, click here.

Protection/Maintenance

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The old saying in racing is that “To finish first, you must first finish.” The idea is, you won’t achieve your moto goals if you’re broken down. This is also true in the world of travel. Here’s where to start:

Skidplate

Your motor is the most expensive part of your bike; protect it with a skid plate. 

A lot of dual sports and adventure bikes come from the factory with chintzy plastic skid plates that protect the bottom of your engine. These are becoming more and more rare these days. Some higher-end adventure bikes come with decent skid plates from the factory; other OEMs offer a factory skid plate at extra cost. These vary in quality, but many of them are smaller, wimpier and more expensive than aftermarket solutions. 

A good skid plate will offer some protection to the side of your engine as well. You can get separate crash bars for this, but a skid plate can offer much of the same protection with only a bit more added to the price tag. A separate set of engine crash bars will cost you a lot more in the long run, and presents a wrestle-to-fit conundrum for routine maintenance tasks. 

Whatever choice you make, remember that you can buy armor for just about any part of your motorcycle, but this is one of the most important pieces you need.

Handguards

Handguards not only protect the rider’s hands, but they also protect the clutch and brake levers. Despite their utility, riders have various opinions on handguards; including those who think they can be dangerous to a riders’ wrists in a crash. 

It’s your choice, but if you want the most protection for your bike and knuckles, a set of wraparound handguards built with a metal core will be the strongest setup. It’s hard to ride without a clutch lever or a brake lever, and it’s very easy to break them without handguards. An added bonus: They also shelter your hands from wind and rain while riding. They’re incredibly useful, so install them soon after buying your bike. Just remember: You’ll save money buying generic handguards, but they can be incredibly finicky to fit safely and correctly. Bike-specific handguard kits from companies like SW-Motech make the job easier.

Crash Bars

Many riders add extra crash bars that protect their bike’s engine and bodywork. Don’t rush to add these; consider their utility first, and your bike might not even need them. Some machines like KTM’s new 790/890 Adventure models have rugged gas tanks with additional armor and other bits that protect your engine.

Crash bars cost a lot of money, they add weight and they can be a pain to work around when it’s time to maintain your motorcycle.

If your bike is lightweight and compact, like a typical dual sport, your skid plate may be sufficient. If your bike is big and heavy, with lots of bodywork, a set of crash bars are much more necessary. For example, a big-bore ADV like an R1300GS, Stelvio or Super Tenere really needs a set of crash bars to avoid damage on even a simple tip-over.

One major plus of engine crash bars: They’re a good place to mount auxiliary lights and tool bags.

Toolkit

A very simple issue can disable your bike if you don’t have the tools to fix it. From the factory, your bike came with a toolkit for simple trailside fixes. The OEM toolkit usually isn’t very good, but it’s better than nothing. You should add to the factory toolkit to cover more breakdown scenarios, or if the factory toolkit is gone, you should build your own.

There are several guides to this online, and it’s worth paying attention to what specific tools your bike needs. A KTM 790 Adventure will require different tools than a Kawasaki Super Sherpa. 

You can also buy a ready-built replacement toolkit, if you don’t have the time or interest to build your own. CruzTOOLS has brand-specific or generic kits with lifetime warranties and reasonable pricing. If you’re on a small bike, Motion Pro’s MP Tool is a good starting point. Add a Leatherman or other multi-tool, and you’ve got most of the basics covered.

No matter what bike you’ve got, you should include basic tire repair tools in your kit. An inflator, patches for tubes if your tires use them (or plugs for tubeless tires), tire irons/spoons, and some way to get your bike’s tires in the air – this depends what bike you have, but you need to consider it. Also make sure you have the wrenches or other tools necessary to get your wheels off the bike. Ideally, you should change your tires at home with these tools, to make sure you’ve got everything you need.

Mirrors

Unless you remove them every time you go off-road, your mirrors are some of the first things to break in a fall. Replace them before that happens; you’re going to spend the money sooner or later anyway. There are cheaper options out there if funds are tight but Doubletake mirrors are considered the best by most dual sport riders. 

Comfort/Fuel Range

With the basics sorted, you need to consider how far you can ride the bike with its current fuel tank, and with its stock seat.

Seat

Some bikes come from the factory with plush sofa-like saddles. Others are more like sawhorses and a full day’s ride is torture. A new seat can transform a bike’s feel and rideability, but they’re generally expensive. 

Typically, you can spend a few hundred bucks on something like a Corbin with confidence. Otherwise, if you’re looking to keep costs down or unsure about the purchase, you have three options: First, you can try a bodge fix with the stock seat. Some riders do a good job of this, and it’s usually affordable, as they mostly reuse the factory parts, stuffing in some gel inserts or otherwise modifying the stock foam.

Second, you can add a seat pad. Many dual sport riders have added an ATV seat pad to the top of their saddle. This isn’t a perfect solution, but for less than $40, it’s a low-cost way to make your bike a lot more comfortable.

Third, you can order a DIY motorcycle seat kit. Various companies sell these; they ship you the foam and a new cover for your seat, and you do the job yourself. It’s not that complicated, usually, and it’s usually a lot more affordable than an all-new saddle.

Fuel Tank

If you’re planning on doing serious miles away from civilization, you can’t rely on having a gas station around every corner. You need a bike with adequate fuel range.

Some bikes come with a large gas tank. This is a hallmark of the BMW GSA series, and on the other end of the budget spectrum, it was long a favorite feature of the Kawasaki KLR650. But if your bike gets 150 miles to a tank, or even less, then you should consider adding fuel capacity.

Many riders just bolt on a bigger tank or add an auxiliary tank. This used to be easy on dual sports and older ADV bikes, but thanks to the increased bodywork on new bikes and generally added complexity, it’s not as simple as it used to be. 

There are other options, if you can’t find a gas tank to upgrade your bike, or the cost is prohibitive. You can haul extra gas in a can. Aerostich Tank Panniers were designed to haul a 1-gallon jerry can on both sides. You’ll have to pull over to refuel, but it’s better than running out of gas. You can also opt for Rotopax fuel cans, which have a locking mount to secure them to your motorcycle. These solutions are inelegant, but when you’re not on a long-haul tour and don’t need the extra fuel range, you don’t have to haul the cans around. 

Another trick, which may not be strictly highway-legal in your area, is to use an Armadillo bag. Giant Loop doesn’t sell these as fuel storage containers, but many riders are using them in that role.

Windshield

A windshield or screen will make it easier to cover distance, keep you out of the weather. However, a windshield or screen can also direct turbulent airflow directly at your helmet, causing a lot of noise and discomfort. Generally speaking, this is a very helpful upgrade, especially if you’re riding in rain or cold, but be aware they can have drawbacks.

Taller- or shorter-than-stock screens can solve the turbulence issue, and adjustable screens allow you to fine-tune your setup (Madstad is a go-to for many riders). Windscreens will drastically improve your comfort at highway speeds, but this comes as a trade-off, because if you get off balance or fall off the bike while off-roading, a big windscreen can injure you. Many riders prefer a smaller windscreen if they’re doing a lot of off-roading for that reason, or a screen that adjusts lower.

Heated Grips

Heated grips are available on most expensive ADVs as factory equipment or an option. They’re worth adding to bikes that don’t have them. Sometimes they can be a bit finicky to install, but if you do them at the same time you add the handguards, it’s not bad. They aren’t just for riders in colder climates. They make rainy rides, early-in-the-morning rides and late-at-night rides more comfortable everywhere. If you live in a place that gets a lot of cold weather, they can extend your riding season considerably. Oxford is a popular brand for aftermarket heated grips, and Koso has good offerings for reasonable money.

Hauling stuff

If you want to set up your bike to haul gear properly, here are some considerations.

Straps

Straps are usually used to attach soft bags, or to attach items (boots, tent bag, rainfly) to the exterior of panniers. However, be wary of bungees as they allow loads to shift or fall off, and some people have had eye damage when a bungee comes loose and snaps them in the face… or worse. Get a better strap system. 

Rok Straps are some of the best out there, thanks to their adjustability. Rigg Straps are superior in some conditions – if you’re using MOLLE daisy-chains as attachment points, Rigg Straps get a tight fit, and don’t come loose. Green Chili ADV Gear has a wide range of straps for different applications as well.

Standard cam buckle straps are a useful solution because they can be used for more than luggage; if your trip involves a ferry, you can also use them as tie-downs for your motorcycle in a pinch. 

You can buy any old cam buckle strap at a store, but a popular choice among overland riders have long been BMW packing straps, which come from the crates BMW uses to ship their motorcycles in. They’re cheap, if you know where to find them. Other brands also use these straps sometimes. Ask your local Euro dealer if they have any. But your typical Amazon cam buckle straps are certainly sufficient.

Remember that any of these strap systems can cause a serious accident if they are not set up properly and come loose. Always exercise care when strapping bags to your bike and ensure that any slack in the strap is properly tucked and tied away so that it doesn’t get caught in the wheel. And even if you have hard luggage, you should bring at least one strap, because if a bag mount breaks, you can use that strap to keep your luggage attached to the bike.

Bags

Riders have been hashing out the soft luggage vs. hard luggage debate for decades. There are good points for both designs so choose wisely based on your travel plans. The general rule is that hard luggage (metal or plastic cases)  has a lot of advantages on the street, (it’s more secure from thieves, and it’s easier to get in and out of).

Soft luggage has advantages off-road; it often weighs less, and is less likely to injure you in a minor crash. Plus, you can get soft luggage from companies like Nelson Rigg or Kriega or Giant Loop or Mosko Moto or Wolfman or GIVI or Turkana that does not require the addition of a rack. Speaking of which…

Racks

You don’t need a rack to travel long distance. Some soft bags work just fine without a top rack, and riders looking to cut weight or save money should consider this option. But a top rack behind your rear seat makes it much easier to mount a bag on the tail section; even wraparound tail bags often mount much easier if you have a small top rack on the back of the bike. If you plan to use your motorcycle for a lot of miles, especially if you’re commuting, a rack on the tail is always going to prove a useful, sensible purchase in the long run,

As for side racks, you need them for hard bags, no question. But as mentioned above, some soft saddlebags can mount without racks. Saving cash and reducing weight always sounds like a good idea.

However, remember that rackless luggage can scuff and scratch your plastics. A careful coating of Gorilla Tape or similar product over the plastics can help prevent that.

Electrical bits

You don’t need these parts to lay down big miles, but they can make the ride safer and easier.

GPS

Increasingly, even the most affordable bikes come with TFT screens that can integrate turn-by-turn navigation from your phone. Otherwise, you can add an aftermarket or OEM GPS system… or use your phone’s screen for navigation. Companies like Touratech sell fancy-pants mounts, but many riders have covered a lot of miles simply using a RAM mount to attach their satnav to their handlebars.

Garmin and Trail Tech are probably the best-known moto GPS systems, but other companies make competing units too, and you can even re-purpose a GPS unit intended for a car or a handheld intended for hiking. Or you can use your cellphone; most phones are compatible with apps like Gaia, OnX, Rever and others that allow moto navigation, even if you aren’t connected to the Internet, thanks to offline map downloads. Be careful with the cell phone option, because vibration from your bike can sometimes hurt it. However, the cell phone option is the cheapest and often the most practical for many riders, given that most of us already have one and the apps are cheap or free.

Auxiliary lights

These greatly increase your safety—you can see dangers on the road or trail in low light conditions, and other motorists can see you more easily, day or night. Also, they add some redundancy; if your bike’s headlight conks out, you aren’t helpless. Depending which brand you buy and how you wire them in, this can be an easy job, or a hard one but they add a level of safety that can’t be denied.

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There you have it – a rough guide to what parts you need, and the general order to install them. Keep in mind that these are not hard-and-fast rules, and what you need might be a bit different based on your usage case. For instance, if you’re sticking to street riding only on your trip to Panama, then maybe crash bars and a skid plate are less useful than a good set of auxiliary lights. But with this guide, you can at least get started on setting up your bike for adventure travel.

Photos Spencer Hill, Ken Morse, Simon Cudby and Stephen Gregory