What about paperwork?
Boring but necessary. Insurance and breakdown cover give you a sensible safety net and if you’re
going further afield you’ll need to sort out visas and carnets etc. But for a trip into mainland Europe,
even over to Eastern Europe, all you really need is your driving license, passport, bike documents
(tax, MOT, proof of ownership, insurance). It’s the stuff that by law you should have with you at all
times anyway (ahem).
I can’t speak the language?
If you can say ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’, ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ you’ll be amazed at how understanding and
helpful people are. If you’re a lone biker, quite clearly lost and looking rather desperate, people will
go so far out of their way to help you that it becomes embarrassing. Don’t worry, be polite and you’ll
be fine.