Climbing onto your motorbike and heading off to a different country can be an incredibly exciting and liberating experience but it's important to be well prepared before setting off on such a journey. It's not as simple as just hopping on your bike and riding off into the sunset, so do your research before reaching for your keys. Here are five things to think about before heading abroad with your bike:

Insurance

Don't assume that your bike insurance policy will cover you abroad if you're unsure. Always check with your provider to make sure that you are fully insured to ride within the EU and, if so, also ask for the protocol to follow should you be unfortunate enough to have and accident or have your bike stolen while you're away.

Breakdown cover

Again, your current breakdown cover might not extend to recovery while abroad, so be sure to check with your provider before setting off. It's always better to be safe than sorry; being stuck in a different country unable to get your bike home doesn't sound like much of a holiday.

Check your bike

It's a great idea to have your bike serviced before such a big trip to ensure that it's running as well as it possibly can, making it less likely to give you any problems while you're away. Also make sure that you have sufficient time left on both your MOT and road tax to cover you through to the end of your trip.

Passport

Keep your passport in a safe location at all times during your trip; you'll need it to cross borders, and it's also required at some European campsites or hotels before you receive entry to your accommodation.

Vehicle Registration Document

Every EU country requires motorbike riders to travel with their original V5 document as proof that the bike is registered to you. France takes a particularly hard line on this; police there have the power to detain anyone who can't prove ownership of their motorbike.

With these simple tips and some general research on riding abroad, you'll ensure you don't come across any unexpected obstacles during your travels.