| Making long journeys with motorcycle takes money, | | | | All these numbers would make the total budget for a |
| something that is not always in abundance. Gasoline | | | | two weeks trip range from 420EUR all the way to |
| and food need to be bought, its hard to try to save | | | | 1700EUR or more. For many the difference of |
| on these two subjects. There are however ways to | | | | 1300EUR will make or brake their change to do it. So, |
| keep your budget moderate, assuming that you are | | | | what can you do to keep the cost down? |
| not expecting five star hotel services each night. | | | | Obviously, one of the biggest expenses is |
| Let me state as a first thing, that no sane person will | | | | accommodation. It is also one of the easiest to save |
| start counting how much it costs to have a | | | | on. Cheapest option is to get a decent tent with |
| motorcycle and to do trips with it. Cost is not the | | | | water-proof cover, they can be bought for |
| point, but when on limited income, you simply have | | | | 30-70EUR. Depending on where you live, a tent can |
| to estimate a budget for the trip, so that you can | | | | be erected almost everywhere where it is legal. Just |
| make a longer one, or a more luxurious one, | | | | try to get on high ground near water and you'll be |
| depending on your needs. | | | | okay. Sleeping on a tent for several nights requires a |
| What is a long journey depends on who you ask. For | | | | possibility to take a shower or a swim frequently, |
| some it is 2-3 nights out, for others it is couple of | | | | either on a camping ground or on a suitable lake etc. |
| months living off your bike. Lets assume a trip of | | | | Also public swimming halls do provide a change to |
| two weeks for an average value. | | | | wash up. A GPS is very handy here, camp grounds, |
| Average price for a litre of gas on EU is about | | | | swimming halls etc can be found with ease. |
| 1.20EUR. Lets say you ride 400 km (250 miles) per | | | | Camping grounds charge about 10-20EUR per night |
| day (yes many people do ride more). An average | | | | for a tent, which is not too much for the shower and |
| bike consumes about 5.5 litres on 100 kilometres. So | | | | electricity they provide. Of course on minimal budget |
| about 370EUR would be needed for gas. Depending | | | | you just have to put your tent somewhere where it |
| on how you like to eat, cook with a trangia on your | | | | is free. |
| camp, or eat at a good restaurant, cost of eating for | | | | Food is another possibility of keeping costs down, |
| two weeks would be from 50EUR to 350EUR or | | | | however, you're gonna need good food or it will start |
| more. I haven't done it, but I assume that anyone | | | | effecting on your general morale. Good thing is that |
| who eats trangia foods for two weeks, would like to | | | | with a trangia it is possible to make much nicer meals |
| have a decent restaurant meal every so often. | | | | than it looks capable of. Get a cooking book and |
| Cost of sleeping for two weeks is about from 0EUR | | | | you'll see. |
| (sleeping in a tent in a forest) to 200EUR (sleeping in | | | | Of course one option is to plan your route so that |
| a tent in a camping ground) to 500EUR (sleeping on | | | | you can sleep and eat with relatives or friends, but |
| cheap log cabins in camping grounds) to 1000EUR or | | | | that is seldom the case, they probably don't live |
| more (sleeping in hotels). | | | | where you want to go. |