What must you carry on your bike?

Fabio

Stupid question maybe but I'm a relative newbie to actually being on the road...

So what must I carry?

License, tax and insurance cert....is that it?

professore

Fabio wrote: »

Stupid question maybe but I'm a relative newbie to actually being on the road...

So what must I carry?

License, tax and insurance cert....is that it?

Don't think you need to carry the insurance cert. You do need a tax disc holder though.

ntlbell

no need for insurance tax disc and license is enough iirc

Del2005

As the others have said no need to carry insurance, but if you don't want to have to produce then carrying it'll save you a journey to the cop shop.

You don't need a tax holder. You can carry it in your pocket or attachted to your keys. Too many where stolen off bikes so AFAIK you just have to have it on your person. You can do the test with the tax disk on your keys.

jackhammer

Del2005 wrote: »

You don't need a tax holder. You can carry it in your pocket or attachted to your keys. Too many where stolen off bikes so AFAIK you just have to have it on your person. You can do the test with the tax disk on your keys.

That's not accurate. Legally, you must display your tax disk on your bike.

As Del said though, they're very easily stolen, so most gardai are lenient as long as you have it on your person.

Fabio

I carry the tax disc on my person all of the time...actually it's in the sleeve of my license.

I havent gotten around to getting a tax-disc holder and would be afraid of it being nicked so I think a Guard would be fair enough with me as long as I can produce it there and then if ever I need to.

Dorsanty

Carry insurance in the sleeve of my License.

Tax is on my keys, and did my test that way. Pre-test guy though suggested fixing it to bike just for the test, as that is the fully compliant way to do it. It's your vehicle you are taxing not your keys so the disc needs to remain on your vehicle.

Obviously that's just one of the unenforced bits in Ireland, where logic overrules the law. So I happily go up and down the bus lane with my tax on my keys every day. :cool:

faceman

Im going to be a practical peter and give my 2c on what i carry on me or my bike on a journey besides the tax, license and insurance bit..

* Puncture repair kit
* sunglasses
* side stand plate (in case i have to park in wet ground, it stops me sinking)
* high vis jacket
* rain gear (in case im wearing bike gear that isnt water proof)
* spare bulbs
* hand sanitiser (the one that doesnt need water)
* dirty magazine

unklerosco

faceman wrote: »

Im going to be a practical peter and give my 2c on what i carry on me or my bike on a journey besides the tax, license and insurance bit..

* Puncture repair kit
* sunglasses
* side stand plate (in case i have to park in wet ground, it stops me sinking)
* high vis jacket
* rain gear (in case im wearing bike gear that isnt water proof)
* spare bulbs
* hand sanitiser (the one that doesnt need water)
* dirty magazine

Must invest in all of that... Instead of buying a dirty magazine can you just print up some stuff off the internet instead?? It is the recession u know...:p

faceman

unklerosco wrote: »

Must invest in all of that... Instead of buying a dirty magazine can you just print up some stuff off the internet instead?? It is the recession u know...:p

Im using the same magazine since 1996! its in tatters!

unklerosco

I remember I stole a 1984 Christmas edition of Mayfair from my friends dad years ago... Its far to valuable to carry around with me tho.

christophicus

faceman wrote: »

Im using the same magazine since 1996! its in tatters!

In taters?? Surely it must nearly be laminated by this stage :P .

CrazyRabbit

A small toolkit is invaluable if you have room for it. Some spanners, pliers, snips/wirecutters & a multi-screwdriver are really helpful.

I had a broken throttle cable once and was able to do a temp repair with just a pliers/snips & screwdriver (dont ask!)

Other useful items:

• Spare fuses are useful as well. It's rare that they fail, but if they do...
• A torch.
• Something to clean bike seat & your visor should they get really mucky (splashed by another vehicle)
• Vee-wipe. Small rubber wipers that fit over your thumb/finger and are used like windshield wipers on your visor. Very Very useful in the rain. Cotters and Bikeworld sell them.
• Anti fogging spray.

vektarman

Fabio wrote: »

I carry the tax disc on my person all of the time...actually it's in the sleeve of my license.

I havent gotten around to getting a tax-disc holder and would be afraid of it being nicked so I think a Guard would be fair enough with me as long as I can produce it there and then if ever I need to.

But won't a traffic warden give a ticket if a bike is parked on the street with no tax disc displayed?

thats_life

an ash-tray....

jim o doom

The only thing I would regard as necessary (other than the gear that you wear) would be (besides the obvious licence & tax) waterproof gear. Most bikes already have a small tool kit under the saddle, so it's not really necessary to carry a 2nd on2..

On a long journey, puncture repair as well & that's about it, except for clothes to climb into when you get out of your leathers

art

On my daily commute I have the bike's toolkit, a puncture repair kit plus tyre seal stuff (which is mostly down to indecisiveness on my part), anti-fogging stick for visors, spare gloves, small first aid kit, some bungies and a cargo net, a carry bag, selection of ear plugs, olbas oil (helps snap me awake sometimes), tiny torch ... think that's it: it's all a bit random to be honest.

Not sure what to make of the comment above - the gear I wear is waterproof, not sure why I'd need more waterproofs?

gipi

A black plastic sack - invaluable for putting onto the seat of the bike when parked to keep it dry! Obviously depends on where you park it!

I'd agree with most of the stuff mentioned above - I carry wet gear (sometimes), bike tool kit, sunglasses, and tyreweld just in case.
I don't carry my insurance cert, but have put the disc (why are insurance "discs" square...?!) in with my licence so I have the details should I need them.

Lilliput69

put ur licence on a sealed zip lock bag, same with ur phone, tax disk on ur bike in the holder but place it where it is not easiy noticable by thugs but if u get stopped by gardai u are legal, any motorised vehicle parked on a public road must by law have road tax displayed.

Chipboard

I reckon you stand a far better chance of getting off for a minor road traffic law infraction if you have lic/insur/tax on your person and can produce it at the roadside. I keep the tax/insur in my licence holder for this reason.

Legally you must have tax disc on the bike (and certainly for the test or you will be failed before you take it off the stand) but I was quizzed on this by a Garda before and he was happy that it made sense to keep in in the wallet as it would prob be stolen otherwise.

I would be pretty confident that if you get a ticket from a warden for no tax displayed and you could prove that the bike was taxed and state that previous discs had been stolen - you would probably get off with only a minor flogging....

CrazyRabbit

Chipboard wrote: »

I reckon you stand a far better chance of getting off for a minor road traffic law infraction if you have lic/insur/tax on your person and can produce it at the roadside. I keep the tax/insur in my licence holder for this reason.

Legally you must have tax disc on the bike (and certainly for the test or you will be failed before you take it off the stand) but I was quizzed on this by a Garda before and he was happy that it made sense to keep in in the wallet as it would prob be stolen otherwise.

I would be pretty confident that if you get a ticket from a warden for no tax displayed and you could prove that the bike was taxed and state that previous discs had been stolen - you would probably get off with only a minor flogging....

I did my test with my tax disc in my jacket pocket along with my insurance & licence. Tester had a look at it and all was fine. No mention of it having to be displayed on the bike itself.

Not once have I ever heard of anyone getting any hassle for not displaying the tax disc directly on the bike. If it's a law, then absolutely nobody enforces it or cares about it.

robinph

Lilliput69 wrote: »

...any motorised vehicle parked on a public road must by law have road tax displayed.

Park on the pavement and not the road.