|
|
|
|
|
 |
Deciding what to take requires tough decisions. I try to pack light but always seem to load up as much as the bike will hold.
In this picture I was preparing for a one-month ride, camping along the way. The tank bag has my camera, maps, snacks, and other things I want several times each day. One saddlebag holds my tools and rain gear, the other has my clothes. Strapped to the seat are my tent, sleeping bag, and compact cot. (Stuffed dog mascot is optional, but kids in cars love it.) |
|
What you take will depend upon how long you'll be gone and whether you want to camp or stay in motels. I certainly like the comfort of a motel but when I saw the credit card bill after my last trip, I decided to do more camping. I like to camp except when the nights are too hot (which seems to be every summer night in the midwest). Clothing is the bulk of what you'll pack, so you have to be selective. I can get by with one pair of jeans, 2 or 3 t-shirts, 3 pair of socks, and one long-sleeve shirt for any trip. However, I like clean underwear so I'll pack 5 pair or so of each. That will get me through about a week's travel and then I'll take a few hours to do laundry. I don't want to spend all my time hiking around in motorcycle boots, so I'll find room for shoes. Typically these will be boat shoes or something similar that smashes pretty flat; not as comfortable as tennis shoes but less bulky. Unless you're extremely lucky, chances are you'll encounter rain during a trip of a week or more. If you're not ready for it, it will at least delay your progress and could be life-threatening. Rain gear takes a lot of space, but I'd rather have it and be dry instead of miserable. An alternative is to have riding gear that is both protective and waterproof such as the Aerostich™ suit, but those may be too expensive for many riders. Another tip is to bring items that can serve multiple purposes. The combination tools such as Leatherman™ are great space-savers, as are the screwdrivers with multiple interchanging bits. I'll wrap a few feet of duct tape around a screwdriver blade instead of taking a big roll. A small pair of vice grips can serve as emergency levers, clamps, even a footpeg. A small flashlight is usually enough, or the new LED headlamps are tiny and powerful. When I'm camping I don't cook at the campsite, simply because a campstove and cook kit take too much room. I like finding local diners, and I'll buy a day's worth of food at a supermarket along the way. In some cases I'll have a big lunch and that lets me skip dinner or just have a light meal of fruit. That is not as satisfying as a big meal at the end of the day, but motorcycle travel requires compromises. If you like to stay in touch while traveling, a phone card is much easier than feeding money into a payphone, and costs less. For e-mail, internet cafes are harder to find in the USA than in many other countries, but some libraries will let you use their computers. I take a Newton (Remember the original PDA?) with a modem card and found that truck stops are a great place to get my e-mail. They often have a phone at each booth, and some of them now have Web access. Some people travel just with what they can carry in a single pack, others haul a trailer behind their fully-loaded Gold Wing. There's no right and wrong, but you'll have to decide what works for you. Whatever you decide, get everything together a few days before you leave, then pull out half of it and leave it home. Trust me, you'll be happier with less stuff. Besides, it leaves room for buying new t-shirts and souvenirs during the trip. |
EQUIPMENT: CLOTHING: OTHER: LUXURIES: |
| Welcome | Preparing The Bike | What to Pack | Where I've Been | Other Links |
| Copyright 2003 Kevin Smith Last updated |
||||