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Weeks before Imm ready to leave on a long motorcycle
trip, I start getting excited. Often I get to the point where
I can think of anything else. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean
that I spend the time getting prepared for it. I usually put
this off to the very end. I've learned however over the years
that this means that my packing never matches what I will really
need for the trip. Proof, last year I was in Sturgis with nothing
more than a sweatshirt and leather vest riding around in 45
to 55 degree weather. DUMB MOVE. Anyway, to try to avoid that
I?ve started putting a list together of the stuff I need to
pack for every trip and where I want to store it on the motorcycle.
To help me build the list I put everything in categories to
help keep it a little more organized. The categories I use are:
* Things to keep the Motorcycle Rolling
* Things to keep the Motorcycle Secure
* Things to keep the rider going
* Protective clothing and gear (Riding Gear)
* Hygiene
* Camping Equipment
* Miscellaneous Stuff
Things to keep the Motorcycle Rolling
Regardless of your mechanical skills, on long
trips you will usually end up having to fix something on your
motorcycle. It?s just the nature of motorcycles. At a bare minimum
I always carry tire patch and CO2 cartridges to perform those
road side tire problems and hope I don't have far to go till
the next motorcycle shop. If the shop is a fair distance away
you should have tools that would allow you to remove the tire
and hitch a ride. Since I ride a Harley Davidson (not balanced
and not rubber-mounted) I always carry a complete set of wrenches,
Torx, and Allen wrenches, along with a bottle
of LocTite to tighten up those parts that think it would be
better to end up on the side of the road. I also carry a small
multi-tool that includes a small LED flashlight because it seems
I always breakdown after dark. In my tool pouch you can almost
(important word there) always find extra fuses, an extra sparkplug
and extra light bulbs. And the two most important things, zip
ties and electrical tape. After all with those you can fix just
about anything that would keep you from making it down the road.
I?ve found that for most brands of motorcycles
you can find pre-packaged tool pouches that have a good set
of tools lined up for you. Sometimes the quality of the tools
may be questionable, but hey all they?re going to do is ride
around in your saddlebags and they'll do in a pinch.
Things to keep the Motorcycle Secure
If you plan your trips like me (NOT) you don?t
always end up staying at the most reputable establishments.
It's always a good idea to lock your bike and have some way
of locking the wheels. At least that way you'll keep the lazy
motorcycle thieves from getting away with your bike. I always
carry two keys for every lock with me when I travel. There's
the ones that I carry in my pocket or attached to my belt, and
the ones I carry deep in my bag for when I lose the other ones.
As for disc lock I really recommend them. They are small, strong
and provide a pretty good deterrent. They don't however address
the case where someone comes with a lift and just hauls your
bike away. For that you need to carry a heavy duty cable or
chain lock to tie your bike to a solid structure. I personally
don't like these due to the bulk and weight that they add to
the saddlebags, but then I have pretty good insurance to replace
the motorcycle if it?s stolen.
Things to keep the rider going
Taking care of the rider is every bit, if not
more so, important as keeping the motorcycle going. When we
are out there in the wind there are millions of things that
affect our ability to be comfortable and safe. Some of these
I've discussed in other articles. First and foremost we need
to make sure that we are protected from the sun. Getting sunburned
on your arms, hands and face can absolutely ruin a good day
of riding. I carry a stick sunscreen that has a SPF-30 rating
and is waterproof and dries instantly. I use it on any skin
that I have exposed to the sun. In addition I always carry a
lip balm. Chapped lips can be a very painful thing on the road.
Both sunburn and chapped lips can sneak up on
you without you being aware of it. Other things that I pack
are a first aid kit that includes bandages, pain reliever and
antiseptic ointments. Injuries on the road can become infected
very easy due to the road grim that we are constantly hit by.
Perhaps my most important piece of equipment
is my cell phone. I always carry that with me and make sure
that it?s always charged. Today, there is probably no piece
of equipment that is more important than a cell phone in case
of emergency. I usually carry a charger for use at night and
a 12v car charger. Luckily I?ve installed a lighter on my motorcycle
that allows me to charge my phone from the bike. This way I
never have to worry about being stranded with a dead phone.
While I'm talking about phones, please make
sure that you have I.C.E. number coded into your address book
on the phone. I.C.E. numbers are the first thing that emergency
workers will look for In Case of Emergency. Having these number(s)
in your phone can greatly increase your chances of getting proper
medical care. Two basic considerations for the numbers should
be:
1. Make sure the numbers are current. It won't
do any good to have a number that is no longer valid specified
as your ICE.
2. Make sure that the person that answers that call has some
basic knowledge about your medical history. Things like known
allergies, blood type and doctors' name. By providing this basic
information the emergency medical workers will be able to make
much more informed decisions.
Protective clothing and gear (Riding
Gear)
On long trips you are most likely going to hit
every kind of conceivable weather. No matter how hot it may
get in the middle of that sunny summer day, there's probably
some cold miserable weather waiting out there for you. If you?re
in the middle of the desert you're sure to run into some rain.
After all you are on a motorcycle. To be prepared, I save all
of the space in my saddlebags for riding gear. My usual list
is:
* My colors. Can't ride a bike without those.
* Leather Jacket preferably one that has a removable lining
and good ventilation.
* Chaps. Make sure they fit well and are in good condition.
* Fingerless gloves and full fingered gloves
* A couple of extra doo rags. I'm always losing those things.
* Face mask of some sort. I've got a windshield on my bike and
that protects me most of the time but in heavy rain, hail and
the cold a neoprene face mask really helps.
* Sunglasses and/or goggles. I personally like the convertible
combos, which can change from sunglasses to goggles and have
interchangeable lenses. My personal favorites are the SG-1 from
WileyX.
* Rain Suit. One of those cheap sets from Wally World won?t
do. Sure they may keep you dry for awhile, but more often than
not you?ll get 30 miles down the road and the suit will be flying
behind you like streamers. Don't skimp here.
* A couple of bandannas will always come in handy. If the weather
is going to be extremely hot then a polymer crystal cooling
bandanna is a great piece of gear to be carrying. I usually
carry this in a small baggie that helps keep it fresh and keeps
other things from getting wet from it when not in use.
Of course as has
been said millions of times "Dressing in layers is the
way to go". Being able to add layers and take off layers
can substantially add to your riding comfort. As far as clothing
is concerned keep it to a minimum. Carry enough for a few days
and plan wash stops into your trip. This will help keep your
load manageable. The key is to pack for all the conditions you
are likely to run into but keep the load as sparse as possible.
Get creative and figure out multiple uses for different pieces
of clothing and the best way to extend the wear-ability of the
clothes. After all if you get caught in the rain without your
rainsuit, those clothes are good for another day. Aren't they?
Hygiene
Even
a scummy old biker like me likes to clean up every once in awhile.
And since I often alternate between camping and motels I carry
things to wash up with. These would include a towel, washcloth
and those little bars of soap and bottles of shampoo you can
get at most motels. It helps that in my day job I travel all
the time so I?ve got a life time supply of those.
I?m
also trying to keep the last few remaining teeth that I have
so that means I have to carry my toothbrush and toothpaste.
Since I've got long hair I have to carry a brush to get the
rat?s nest that forms in my hair every day out. Usually on long
trips I don?t shave, but I always have a razor with me. I just
use the soap to lather up on my face instead of carrying shaving
cream.
One
last item you should never leave without is toilet paper. There's
nothing worse than suddenly needing it when you?re out on the
road and not having it. I usually start out with a small quantity
which would take care of the duties a couple of times. If I
end up using that up, I usually restock courtesy of the next
gas stop or hotel.
All
of this is carried in a small bag that I always have packed
so I never have to worry about it. If I use something, I replace
it and it's a thoughtless act to throw that in the T-Bags.
Camping
Equipment
Camping
equipment is probably one of the hardest things to carry and
pack on a motorcycle. This is based mostly on the fact that
it usually bulky and doesn?t necessarily pack down real well.
Even when they pack down the bags seem to be longer than you
would want. They usually end up being to tall if you tie them
on standing up, or to wide if you try to have them laying down.
For
a tent, I've found that the small two man dome tents work best.
They are easy to set up, have plenty of room to spread out in
at night (if there?s only one person in it), and they pack down
pretty nice. My tent originally came in a flimsy nylon bag that
I knew would hold up to rolling down the road so I replaced
the bag with a sturdier one. My tent is usually bungeed onto
my T-Bag and additional one to attach it to the motorcycle.
On
the other side of the T-Bag, I have my mattress. As the years
have gone by that ground has gotten harder and harder. I use
one of those self-inflating mattresses that blow themselves
up. While they're not the most comfortable, it sure beat sleeping
on the ground. In the morning all you have to do is open the
valve, roll it up and it's ready to go. I got a bag to carry
the mattress in too.
Miscellaneous
Stuff
I?ve
always found that carrying cameras on a motorcycle trip can
be a pain. The old styles (film based) have a tendency to take
up to much space. And the digital camera require to much accessory
stuff, like chargers, place to download the pictures and such.
For a while I was carrying Advantix cameras, since they can
be relatively small and take good quality pictures. Now I?ve
never been a fan of the panoramic views but that is available
on them. I'm now carrying a digital camera and have bought several
different memory cards for it. This way I can use the cards
like regular film and don't have to carry all the stuff to download
the pictures until I get home.
Other
important items are a wallet, credit cards and money. Can?t
keep going without these. And the one thing that I consider
the most important, a notebook and pens. When I?m on a trip
it's great to be able to keep notes about what you saw, how
the motorcycle was running, where I stayed and interesting characters
I meet along the way. It's also important cause if you?re like
me and suffer from CRAFT disease (write me if you want to know
what that stands for) it?s a great way to refresh your memories
of the trip years from now.
Now
that the bike's all loaded up one last thing to remember is
that with all the additional weight of the stuff you're carrying
the motorcycle is likely to handle differently. Remember to
try to keep the weight as low and as close to the center of
the motorcycle as possible. This will help keep the front wheel
from getting to light or making the motorcycle a little top
heavy. Make sure everything is strapped on real well. Good straps
and bungies will give you a good dose of peace of mind knowing
that your load is secure.
Be
Safe ? Enjoy the Ride
Tools
http://www.bikerwares.com
Jeff
Sinason aka Tools is an avid traveler on his motorcycle. He
is also the owner of Bikerwares which is an online store that
has a great selection and great prices for motorcycle eyewear
and goggles and much more. He is also the owner of Motorcycle
Articles which is a great information resource for bikers.
Article
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Sinason
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