Motorcycle Maintenance on the Road: Tips from 4 Years of Touring
One of the questions we get asked most often is how we handle motorcycle maintenance while traveling for months at a time. The short answer is: stay ahead of it, stay flexible, and never underestimate the value of local knowledge.
After four years of touring Europe, here are some of the most important lessons we’ve learned about keeping a bike running smoothly while living life on the road.
Talk to Local People First — Especially Other Riders
If you ever find yourself dealing with an unexpected mechanical issue, your first conversation should be with local people, and ideally, local bikers.
More than once, simply striking up a conversation has led us to:
• A trusted local shop
• A mechanic who “squeezes us in”
• Or a back-door referral that gets us help far sooner than waiting in line as a stranger
When you’re traveling, time matters more than anything. Locals often know which shops will go the extra mile — and which ones won’t.
Use Every Shop Visit as a Full Health Check
Any time the bike is in a shop — whether for tires, routine service, or a small repair — take full advantage of that opportunity.
We always ask the shop to:
• Look over the entire bike
• Identify anything that may need attention in the next several thousand miles
• Flag wear items before they become problems
Preventive maintenance on the road isn’t about being cheap — it’s about being smart. Spending a little extra money early almost always saves time, stress, and bigger expenses later.
Stay Ahead of Wear Items
Our general rule is simple: fix things before they need fixing.
That means:
• Tires before they’re fully worn
• Filters, fluids, and tune-ups on schedule
• Addressing minor issues early, not “one more day later”
Across all of our travels, we’ve only been truly stranded once — and that was due to a fuel pump failure shortly after buying a bike that had been sitting unused for a long time. Aside from that, we’ve dealt with things like a rear brake failure in Italy and other minor issues, but nothing that stopped the trip entirely.
Staying proactive is the reason why.
Don’t Over-Schedule Your Trip
If you’re serious about long-term touring, tight schedules are your enemy.
Mechanical issues happen. Shops take time. Sometimes you just need:
• A day off the bike
• Or a couple of days in one place to sort things out
Booking too many accommodations or activities far in advance removes the flexibility you need to deal with real-world problems calmly and efficiently. Build slack into your plans — your future self will thank you.
Communicate with Shops Before You Arrive
One of the biggest advantages we’ve discovered is communicating with shops ahead of time.
Emailing in advance allows you to:
• Bridge language barriers using translation tools
• Explain exactly what you need
• Confirm availability, parts, and tire sizes
• Arrive at a shop that’s already expecting you
We’ve successfully lined up tire replacements this way multiple times, often weeks in advance, making the actual stop quick and stress-free.
Carrying Spare Parts: Planning Ahead for Remote Regions
As we prepare to head to our next continent — where populations are more spread out and access to parts may be limited — we’re planning to carry a small selection of critical spare parts.
The idea isn’t to turn the bike into a rolling parts bin, but to identify:
• High-failure items
• Parts that are lightweight and easy to carry
• Components that could otherwise stop a trip cold
We’ll be covering this in more detail in a future Rider Tips video, but it’s something worth thinking about if you’re heading off the beaten path.
Final Thoughts
After four years of touring Europe, we’ve learned that motorcycle maintenance on the road doesn’t have to be stressful. Most issues can be handled in stride if you:
• Stay ahead of maintenance
• Lean on local knowledge
• Keep your schedule flexible
• And don’t wait for small problems to become big ones
Long-distance travel isn’t about avoiding problems entirely — it’s about managing them calmly and keeping the adventure moving forward.
Stay safe when traveling on by motorbike! Watch our YT video on the Motorcycle Road Trip Essentials!
-
The key is preventive maintenance. Stay ahead of wear items like tires, fluids, and brakes, use every shop visit as a full health check, and address small issues before they become trip-ending problems.
-
Start by talking to local riders and residents. They often know trusted mechanics who can help faster than official channels. Flexibility in your schedule is essential when repairs are needed.
-
Service intervals should follow manufacturer guidelines, but long-distance riders often inspect tires, fluids, brakes, and drivetrain components more frequently due to higher mileage and varied riding conditions.
-
Yes. Contacting shops ahead of time helps overcome language barriers, ensures part availability, and reduces waiting time. This is especially useful for tire changes and routine servicing.
-
Carry lightweight, high-failure items that could stop your trip, such as fuses, bulbs, cables, or specific components known to fail on your bike. Avoid overpacking—focus on critical parts only.
-
Local riders are the best resource. Motorcycle communities often provide referrals to reliable shops that prioritize travelers and understand the urgency of getting back on the road.
-
Absolutely. Over-scheduling removes flexibility and increases stress when maintenance or repairs are needed. Rest days allow time for repairs, recovery, and unexpected delays.
-
Yes, but understanding basic maintenance, warning signs, and how to communicate issues clearly will greatly improve your experience and reduce downtime.
🧭 Follow Our Journey
As always…
…ride along with us at:
🌍 buggyteeth.com
🎦 youtube.com/@BuggyTeeth
🏍️ facebook.com/BuggyTeeth
✨ instagram.com/BuggyTeeth
💥 tiktok.com/@buggy_teeth