Bosnia Off-Road Motorcycle Tour Packing List

The principle: a base in Kupres, ride light

On the Bosnia Marathon, Hotel Adria Ski in Kupres is the shared base. Vans and trailers can stay there for the whole tour. The riding consists of three two-day stages – to Bihać, to Sarajevo and to Neum on the Adriatic – each with one night away and a return to Kupres on a new route the next day.

That gives you a simple rule: your main luggage stays at the base. On the bike you carry your hydration pack and a compact waterproof roll bag for one night – a change of clothes, a wash bag and charging cables. Soft luggage copes better with off-road knocks and weighs less than aluminium panniers.

For accommodation you choose between rider camp/camping (€899), a double room (€1,099) or a single room (€1,299), all with breakfast. If you go for the rider camp, check in advance which camping equipment you need to bring yourself – camping details are available on request. And if you join the free off-road training, which starts three days before the event, pack for the extra days.

Checklist: riding gear

For the Bosnia Marathon, off-road riding gear with protectors, a waterproof rain suit and a hydration pack are required. Add the usual essentials and the list looks like this:

• Helmet: an enduro helmet with goggles or an adventure helmet with visor, plus a spare visor or lens
• Off-road jacket and trousers with protectors and good ventilation
• Back, knee and elbow protection if it isn’t already built in
• Tall off-road or enduro boots
• Two pairs of gloves: a light pair for dry days and a warmer or waterproof pair
• Waterproof rain suit that fits over your protectors
• Hydration pack – on long gravel stages you drink more than you expect
• Base layers and a warm mid-layer: mornings on the plateau can be chilly

Checklist: tools and spares

You’re expected to bring a suitable puncture kit and on-board tools, and to be able to handle minor repairs on your own bike. There is technical support on site for smaller repairs, but out on the trail you’re your own first mechanic. Our tyre guide explains which tyres to fit.

• Puncture kit to match your tyres: plugs for tubeless, or a spare tube and tyre levers for tubed tyres
• Small compressor or pump and a pressure gauge
• Tools for every fastener on your bike, including the axle nuts
• Spare clutch and brake levers
• Cable ties, duct tape, wire and some liquid metal
• Chain lube and a rag
• Spare fuses and a short piece of wire

Checklist: navigation and electronics

You receive the Rally and Classic GPX tracks for all six riding days by email in advance, and the team helps you load them. The OWAKA GPS tracking devices are handed out on site, so you don’t need your own tracker.

• GPS unit or smartphone with a navigation app that displays GPX tracks
• Sturdy, vibration-resistant mount
• Handlebar power supply and the right charging cables
• Power bank for long days
• Offline maps as a back-up where mobile signal drops in the mountains
• Local SIM or eSIM – Bosnia isn’t part of the EU roaming zone

Checklist: documents and money

Euros are accepted in hotels and at many petrol stations, but change usually comes back in KM. Border rules and the best routes are covered in detail in our guide to riding to Bosnia by motorcycle.

• Passport or national ID card
• Driving licence
• Vehicle registration document, plus the owner’s written permission if the bike isn’t registered to you
• Proof of motorcycle insurance – check with your insurer before you go that cover applies in Bosnia
• Travel medical insurance with repatriation; check whether off-road riding is excluded
• Cash in convertible marks (KM) for villages and small guesthouses, plus a bank card

Checklist: personal items and first aid

When to ride in Bosnia and what weather to expect is covered in our guide to the best time for a motorcycle tour in Bosnia.

• Compact first-aid kit with blister plasters and painkillers
• Enough of any personal medication
• Sun cream, lip balm and sunglasses
• Earplugs – priceless in the rider camp and on the motorway ride down
• Swimwear: in Neum there’s time for a swim in the sea if the weather plays along
• Comfortable clothes and light shoes for the evenings and the 7 pm briefing

Frequently asked questions