10 steps for adventure motorcycling on the cheap

If an alien landed on Planet Earth tomorrow and decided he fancied seeing this strange new land by motorcycle, he could be forgiven for thinking that he needed to rustle up tens of thousands of our English pounds before he could even swing a Cordura-clad leg over his brand new BMW R1200GS Adventure.

Once the preserve of the rugged (and invariably hirsute) individual, Adventure Motorcycling has finally been hijacked by our consumerist, media-driven society. This isn’t all bad – it has opened up the possibility of motorcycle travel to thousands of people who may never have considered it within their reach, and technological advances have given us some genuinely useful kit. I’m all for the democratisation of adventure riding – it’s fun, easier than you think, and a fabulous way to see the world. But the downside of hitting the zeitgeist is the marketing people jumping on the bandwagon. And before you know it, you’re up to your axles in titanium knife & fork sets, halogen lighting solutions and tyre-pressure monitoring systems - all stuffed into some very expensive aluminium panniers.

Well, fear not folks – there is another way! In this top 10 we’re going old skool, back to basics, make do and mend - whatever you want to call it. Here are some top tips to save money and still have the wild adventure of a lifetime!