As motorcyclists we see rust as one of our biggest enemies, but forget about the nasty red oxides that can show up after a motorcycle's raining season sleep over. There's a more insidious sort of corrosion: the kind that builds up between your ears when it's too wet to ride, eating away at your confidence and slowing you down – or worse. You feel it the first times when your motorcycle rolls out of the garage under a bright sun and blue sky. First after a long time not riding your motorcycle things look different. Trucks look bigger? Things happen a bit faster than they did before the rain started? Relax. Slow down. Caught in the early stages, it's nothing to worry about. Mental rust comes off quickly if you're willing to work at it.

Job one: Get back to the basics. Not all the way back to Square One, but don't expect to pick up where you left off when those wheels went into the storage. Make sure all the mechanical systems are GOOD before going to work on the mental ones. Give it a bath. Meticulous washing and drying will reveal problems you won't see any other way. Most owners' manual include a pre-ride checklist, or think clockwise: tires/wheels, controls, lights, oil, chassis, stands.

Aim for roads you know with light traffic and minimal distractions. Neuroscience knows the human brain can juggle a finite amount of data – somewhere between five and nine separate chunks – in short-term memory. Overloaded circuits can't process information so well. Like most forms of detritus, this stuff starts in the most neglected spots. Coming into corners too hot? Back it off a notch. Starting out with less speed is the key to rapid rust removal. Brake a little earlier on the way into corners until you're comfortable. Be patient with the throttle on the way out.

When a few people come forward for a group ride, the motive must be clear – whether it is a leisure ride or the emphasis is on reaching a particular destination. This plays a major role for all other issues associated with group riding. Accordingly, planning the ride becomes easier.

Group riding may involve individuals with different levels of riding skills, experience as well as mentalities. It's quite possible that only a few are familiar with the route to be followed. In such with the route to be followed. In such case, routes should be discussed beforehand. All riders need to know about checkpoints such as refueling stops of food joints, etc.

If the group is fairly large, it is recommended to split in smaller groups, each with at least one experienced rider and with a sense of responsibility.

Sub-grouping may be done according to riding skill so that slower motorcyclists remain in each others' company. Exchanging mobile phone numbers with fellow riders is a good idea to deal with any eventuality. It is also important to discuss beforehand how to deal with any possible crisis.

Carrying a passenger needs even more thought than riding solo. It alters the way your motorcycle performs thanks to the extra weight and where it's sited.

And of course there's another person's safety to consider. I've lost a pillion through my own negligence, and it ranks as one of the most shocking motorcycle experiences I've ever had.

Take a ride on the back of any big sportsbike, and you'll know they are barely fit for the purpose – something worth bearing in mind when you take someone on-board such a motorcycle, especially at speed. In saying that, with the right approach and understanding there's no reason why a pillion can't have as much fun as the rider.

The first consideration to make is for their welfare, which will be affected by the sort of motorcycle you have. Riding on the back of a Honda Goldwing is both secure and sumptuous. The seat is as big as a sofa and there's plenty to grab hold of. Something like an Aprilia Tuono is a very different matter. With virtually nothing to hang onto, the already wheelie-prone Aprilia becomes a liability for a passenger if it's used in just a spirited fashion, never mind hard.

When you belief, you know what to bring for a motorcycle camping trip, you have to fit it all on the motorcycle. Most motorcyclists going camping not take the packing serious enough. Heavy items should be positioned as low as possible and in front of the rear axle. Lighter things can go up higher and farther to the rear. The idea is to keep the loaded bike’s center of gravity in about the same place, as it would be if the bike were unloaded.

You can save some space by using compression bags to compress your sleeping bag and tent, but remember that while this makes them smaller, it doesn’t make them lighter.

What you do, though, don’t strap your tent or sleeping bag onto the handlebar or front fork like you’ve seen in classic bike movies, it is Hollywood vs reality. The weight will affect your motorcycle’s handling, and that’s the last place you want heavy items in an emergency where you might have to steer yourself out of trouble. On the fork it also blocks cooling air from reaching your engine. Pack so the items you’ll need first when you check into your campsite are the easiest to get to.

Some freight agents will deal with the motorcycle on an ‘uncrated’ basis and simply strap the bike to a wooden pallet. It often makes your total freight charge cheaper, although there is the small potential for damage to the motorcycle.

Full crating is often required by major airlines, especially if your motorcycle is going in the cargo hold of a long-haul passenger plane. If your bike is going into a shared container for sea freight, then a full crate is also necessary. Full crates provide extra protection for the motorcycle but do come at a price – we have heard of quotes as high as 16,000 Baht, for something that will get used for firewood at the other end.

A useful tip is to go to your motorcycle dealer and see if they can help you with a cheaper solution. But if you do this or make your own crate, many countries now require that the wood packaging must be specially treated and show an approved stamp of certification or else the shipment is sent back.

Another thing to check is the in-transit insurance requirements. Insurers may not cover you unless a professional packer has put your crate together.

If you’re prone to an achy back from over-straining your muscles when cycling here are some things that may minimize the pain:

First and probably the most important is to check your riding posture. Aim for a hip-to-shoulders lean that forms a diagonal-to-vertical line, not a flat, horizontal line that’s parallel to the floor.

Don’t suck in you six-pack. This will only cause your lower spine to arch, what will means less support and more strain on your back.

A Touring Center can be an ideal style of riding. Say you want to bring your wife or girlfriend but she might not want to ride every day (or at all). Home Base is always a lovely hotel centered in a town with plenty to do. Or maybe you’re a rider more than a sightseer. The location is always a spot with so many good roads it deserves a week of loops.

For example, Koh Kaeng is for Thailand one of this Touring Centers, it is situated in the heart of North Eastern Thailand, with road stretching out to all locations around it. For you GPS freaks the geographical location is 16°26′N 102°50′E. The city itself has a population of about 140,000 people.

The Mithraphap Highway, one of Thailand’s more important road connections, run straight through town. A modern, multi-lane by-pass enables through traffic to avoid the city centre to the west and connects to the airport and to the main roads to Kalasin and Mahasarakham in the east and Udon Thani in the north.

One of the things we like most about motorcycles is that they let us experience the ride directly, rather than from inside a steel and glass cage. That's why motorcycles and camping are a natural match. After all, why spend the day with the wind in your face only to spend the night in a hotel or motel with noisy plumbing? Motorcycle-camping takes a lot of preparation and forethought, and the consequences of not having the right gear or skill are far worse than those of picking the wrong place to stay.

The Sleeping Bag

Like a motorcycle ride, a motorcycle camping trip is only as good as the equipment you bring along, and one of the most important pieces of camping gear is your sleeping bag. You can put up with a lot on a camping trip – bad roads, bad food, bad weather – as long as you get a good night's sleep.

Most sleeping bags are rated by their manufacturers according to how many insulation are in them, which, in turn, gives you a rough idea of the coldest temperature the sleeping bag is suited for. More is not necessarily better when it comes to choosing the right weight sleeping bag.

For years I've searched for some way to avoid changing a tube in the middle of nowhere because nothing, it seems, can ruin a great day of exploring on a dual-sport bike like a flat tire. I've tried everything, but nothing really holds long enough to get your day back. It always seems like the only answer is to replace the tube – crummy job in the middle of a hot day in the flat land of Thailand.

But recently I tried that Slime stuff on a flat – the difficult kind where the stem has been pulled away from the tube by movement of the tire on the rim. And, oh man, it totally worked! It got me home and, maybe more importantly, let me resume my fun on the way.

Ask most people why they don't head off on that big motorcycle trip they've always talked about doing, and the answer often boils down to kids, mortgage and a full-time job.

But luckily there are people who don't let things like working full-time get in the way of their dream of riding the remote unexplored regions of Asia.

If you ever wondered what the attraction of bike touring is. Aside from riding a bike all day for days on end. How about putting yourself in touch with the world, feel the freedom and enjoy discovering new places.

For motorcycle touring in Asia you need the following paper work.