Safety & Rider Gear
Safety
Thrills and Spills don’t always mix, especially when motorcycling in the mountains. Therefore, the safety of all riders taking part in PBT adventures is our number one priority. A safety briefing takes place in New Delhi, prior to start of a tour.
Purebiketours are not endurance ‘races’. They are adventures, journeys capturing the essence of motorcycle travel. Most of the roads we ride on are tough, but that’s the whole beauty of motorbiking amongst the highest mountains on earth.
The Himalayan roads conditions are fairly good, which means you ride 60% good roads and 40% off-road. However, en-route slightly more off-road riding is available; as we have a few hidden gems which other touring company’s know nothing about. So we are not saying you won’t fall off your bike, you just might and serious injury needs avoiding. This would not only spoil your tour, but may have a knock on affect on other members of your group.
Riding gear
Climate in the Himalayas can change from the very cold to the exceptionally hot. Our experiences have led us to ply caution with the environment and not overburden ourselves with every type of weather-proofing gear. We pursue durability in all given situations, thus providing us with the required protection and comfort.
Our advice for those coming on one of ours tours is: protective riding gear is a must, but don’t overdo it. You don’t need a ridiculous armoured plated jacket and trousers, made from bulletproof materials, costing the earth. Nor any need for those ‘state of the art’ all singing & dancing boots and gloves. In fact, use the gear you ride with back home, because it’s already moulded itself around you, and the benefits you derive from it, will be un-measurable.
It’s essentially about keeping warm when cold, cool when hot, dry when wet, and most importantly being ‘Comfortable’ on the ride. .
General rule-of-thumb, thin layers provide great flexibility, while winter-wear provides for the extreme conditions in the Upper Himalayas. Our rider gear list below offers suggested essentials which we feel are appropriate for Himalayan tours:
| HELMET BS kite-mark (with a good vent) |
LIP BALM – SUN CREAM – SUN BLOCK (High Factor) |
| FULLY PROTECTIVE JACKET (winter) |
WARM CLOTHING (wear after the ride) |
| FULLY PROTECTIVE TROUSERS (winter) |
LONG & SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT (wear after the ride) |
| GOGGLES & SUN GLASSES | WARM SOCKS |
| RIDING BOOTS (with shin & ankle protection) |
WARM FLEECE (top & pants for those cold evenings in the Himalayas) |
| GLOVES (both winter & summer) |
PERSONAL CLOTHING |
| ONE PIECE WATERPROOF OVER-SUIT | SLEEPING BAG |
| THERMAL UNDERWEAR | HEADSET or HANDHELD TORCH |
| CAMEL BACKPACK 3Ltrs (carrying of drinking water during ride) |
CAMERA |
| SCARF – TURTLE NECK – BANDANA (neck protection) |
CAP & HAT (hat for those cool evenings) |
| INTERCOM SYSTEM |