What You Pack'n?

[rocker59]

When I left home it was 87 degrees.

Three weeks later it was around 32 degrees.   

Around the end of June, on that ride, I shipped home about 45 pounds of gear.  

But we're talking overnighters / weekenders.   :D

[dilligaf]

True.  But I enjoy posting pictures and I seldom do an overnight or weekend ride unless it's to one of the local rallies. That why I added this as a way out.  ;D
"For a overnight at a motel all you need, in addition to normal seasonal riding gear, is a shaving kit.   ;D  And I'm not all that sure you need that. "
Our SP loaded out for a two up ride to the MGNOC LA State Rally.

 :BEER:
Matt

[LowRyter]

True.   I didn't think about that, but I do usually carry some walking shoes or light hiking boots when travelling.

+ flip flops

[dilligaf]

I carry leather sandals. When camping I also carry flip flops for the shower.   :BEER:
Matt

[Semper-guzzi]

Tent
Sleeping bag
Air matress
White gas camp stove
ex military mess kit
Flashlight
Coffee - those Starbucks one cup minis
Spare pair of pants if going over a week
1 shirt for every 2 days
Socks & underwear
A hoodie is good for sleeping if it's cold and around the fire
Way more tools than I ever need
I cut myself down from 2 sidebags and a top box to just the top box otherwise you take too much crap
Beer of course, pick that up at the end of the day
Food
A steak is nice with a spud to throw in the embers, you feast like a King
Bagals & cream cheese for breakfast with coffee
Stop somewhere for lunch or a late breakfast.
Large bottle of water, carry that outside the top box so it's handy

I made a little rack for the EV that can do backup as a table if camping in the rough

Of course I still end up taking more than I need...

I love that rack. Looks like exactly what I need. What did you use? Steel? Aluminum? Other than the 90 degree bends, did you reinforce it at all?

That looks like something I can do.

[dibble]

toilet paper or an extra shirt.

??????




And water............La st summer a mate had to be CasEvacted from Hungary after he got seriously dehydrated and had a small stroke............. ..whats worse was for a while I thought I might have to go out there and ride his Harley back........

[dilligaf]

A small soft sided cooler.  One that you can fold up.  Saddle bags will do but......These things make great saddle bags and do a great job of keeping the beer cool. http://www.revpack.com/saddlepacks-deluxe/  ;-T
 When I do a weekend rally I prefer not to show mt handed.  ::(
:BEER:
Matt

[Kiwi_Roy]

I love that rack. Looks like exactly what I need. What did you use? Steel? Aluminum? Other than the 90 degree bends, did you reinforce it at all?

That looks like something I can do.

1/8" Aluminum, I just measured the distance between the two bolt holes marked it on the side plates then cut both together freehand with a coping saw.
I'll send you a few pictures in the morning.

[jbell]

 :+1 on dilligaf (water).  

For a weekender, staying in motels..........Tra vel size toiletries including a partial roll of TP.  Pair of comfortable tennies.  A shirt or two and extra set of underwear, socks and jeans.  You can wash your clothes in the motel sink, hand wring them, then wrap them in a towel and wring again.  They'll be dry by morning.  Many motels even have a hair dryer (for drying socks) and a clothes iron in the room.  I always have Frogg Togg rain gear packed in my saddlebags.  Reasonably effective on a bike, reasonably priced and pack down reasonably small.  You still packed too much.  Oh well...........Jack .  Ooops, oh yeah, a small LED flashlight and tire gauge.  Egads, most important of all, a nice fluffy towel (Hitchhiker's Guide).

[malik]

(I notice you didn't ask about touring on a Royal Enfield...)

That's quite alright, Daniel - I think they are just being polite, but there are some of us quite aware of the joys of touring on an Enfield. Only a few extra tools & parts, just in case. Lots of fun.

Mal

[lorazepam]

For moteling, a tank bag is plenty unless you are going to be out for several days.

this. A tank bag is good for a weekend if you are staying in a motel.

[tpeever]

I was curious as to what riders pack on let say a weekend trip. Just hotels for the night.

I know it sounds noob of me ::), but I've never taken bike trips. This summer I plan on doing a few.

Ha Ha Ha! Thought this was another of those tedious gun threads!

[rocker59]

Might seem silly , but I never leave on even a day trip W/O a couple of nicely broken in cotton bandanas . Preferably a white one and a red one . Can be used for a myriad of purposes , medical , to signal for help , even "I surrender" in case of enemy attack  ;D

  Dusty

I didn't know you had been in the signal corps!

[oldbike54]

I didn't know you had been in the signal corps!

  :D :D :D :D :D

 Was thinking more a gang of BMW riders invading a camp out  :o :D

  Dusty

[jacksonracingcomau]

Bare min, weekend, week, month, 6 months, same needs, as said you can buy more if essential, far more likely you dump something or bring home unused.
Coupla tricks
ride in boots you can walk or go to dinner in, spare shoes either light runners or sandals.

Swimming trunks that you can wear as shorts (short trousers) I often don't even bother with spare longs, usually never wear them if I do, if cold I keep my leathers on, maybe difficult for people with bulky fancy coloured riding pants, their problem.

Merino base layer, warm even wet but more important it wicks and doesn't stink, synthetics may dry quickly but you have to wash daily cos they pong

Ditto socks, wool can go many days, synthetics stink

Most important and I see this forgotten so often
Pack when wearing the least you'll ride in, even if it's pissing down and freezing
If you're fully loaded wearing a mas of clothing and wet outfit on, where you gonna put it when sun comes out ?

Example, in Sahara desert 1985

Taking a fancy Italian handbag was stupid, I bitched about extra weight for years
Last year on UK/Ireland trip for 6 weeks, no handbag

Big Oz trip below , slightly more cos I had some extra rain suits to show client in Sydney but rack is good to carry ours, even quicker access than tankbag as above
Did I say wets must be quick and easy to get at / on ?
Otherwise you're soaked

[Bill Hagan]

****

Merino base layer, warm even wet but more important it wicks and doesn't stink, synthetics may dry quickly but you have to wash daily cos they pong

Ditto socks, wool can go many days, synthetics stink

****

Spoken like a man from sheep country.   ;D

Good points, tho.  Still, while I, too, am a fan of wool, some of the new stuff is near magic.

On the thread as a whole, even I, who'll read most anything here, gave a slight eye roll when I saw this one.

Well, just read through it, and am glad I did.

I've traveled enough to have my own list and am at an age where I think I have it figured out.  But.

Think I'll print Daniel Kalal's list and mod it with some others' suggestions. 

I have gotten Kathi to believe agree that she only needs one of the Norge's panniers for her hair stuff, leaving one and the top case for her clothes, etc., thus leaving me the tank bag.   ::) :wife:

Seriously -- tho the above was more serious than I might wish  ::) -- I have actually gotten to the point where we travel lighter than we once did.  If nothing else, I take way fewer tools!

Well, that's the theory, at least; the ride to New Hampshire this June will see how reality meshes with that.   ;)

Bill

[dilligaf]

Jack said: "Bare min, weekend, week, month, 6 months, same needs, as said you can buy more if essential, far more likely you dump something or bring home unused".

That's me.  Been doing this stuff for over 55 years now and "that's me". I don't care how hard I attempt to cut back I always take stuff I never use.  And this is the sad part-it's always the same stuff!!!!
I have learned however how to stay dry and warm.  ;-T :BEER:
Matt

[Daniel Kalal]

...I always take stuff I never use....

Especially for my European trips, I use an extensive checklist that includes everything I need to take; I scrupulously adhere to it.  Nothing I take is not needed and used (save the first aid kit).

When I return, I'll review and pare down that list to remove things that were not needed or add things that I should have taken.   Only things that work well are kept on the checklist (that's how I arrived at Smart-wool socks as the best for me).  For the last few trips, that checklist has not changed.

[dilligaf]

Especially for my European trips, I use an extensive checklist that includes everything I need to take; I scrupulously adhere to it.  Nothing I take is not needed and used (save the first aid kit).

Having spent most of my military career living by check lists I have to agree with Daniel that a check list is the way to go.  Working with some of the students from the Nuclear Power School I'm not sure those sailors can go to go to the bathroom without a check list.   ::( me off.

So, for now, I'll forgo a checklist.  However, when I start taking this motorcycle stuff serious....... :BEER:
Matt

[normzone]

I didn't know you had been in the signal corps!

Let's see - I've been told that a red bandanna on your handlebars means you know a Hell's Angel. And at one time (still?) red meant Crips and blue meant Bloods - I was in Los Angeles in the early eighties wearing a red bandanna and a couple of black girls in a grocery store wanted to know if I was a Blood - I didn't have a clue what they were talking about, and told them so.

[oldbike54]

Let's see - I've been told that a red bandanna on your handlebars means you know a Hell's Angel. And at one time (still?) red meant Crips and blue meant Bloods - I was in Los Angeles in the early eighties wearing a red bandanna and a couple of black girls in a grocery store wanted to know if I was a Blood - I didn't have a clue what they were talking about, and told them so.

 Having heard so many rumors about what stuff means , I simply pay no attention at all . Let's see , if I wear green on Thursday it means I am gay , or was that blue on Tuesday . If I wear an ear ring on the left side it means the same thing , or maybe that was on the right . Green motorcycles are bad luck , there is a whole civilization living a thousand feet below the surface of the Earth and that is where UFOs come from , the devil made me do it , ad infinitum  :D Shoot , my neighbor thinks every time a small plane flies over it is some agency looking for escaped aliens  ::) :D

  Dusty

[dilligaf]

Dusty,
Not all that sure about all that other stuff but the "whole civilization" thing is correct. I've met some of them. Right sure that a least one of my motorcycles came from there.   ;D  :BEER:
Matt

[jacksonracingcomau]

Especially for my European trips, I use an extensive checklist that includes everything I need to take; I scrupulously adhere to it.  Nothing I take is not needed and used (save the first aid kit).

When I return, I'll review and pare down that list to remove things that were not needed or add things that I should have taken.   Only things that work well are kept on the checklist (that's how I arrived at Smart-wool socks as the best for me).  For the last few trips, that checklist has not changed.

Good advice, for us there's no need for list, completely habit, small bag each for clothes/ toiletries is all that needs packing
My bike here always has tools, spares & wets, last puncture I got was on a working day 20 miles from home, exactly same as being 1000 miles away, fix it, ride away.
Ditto glove change, our weather can change in an hour, I'm too old to ever get caught short again.
My UK bike only slightly different, I take riding gear , tools etc on plane, silly really as I go every year, this year I'll leave  helmets, gloves, wets & some tools etc there.
Will make journey from Heathrow on underground an awful lot easier next time.
Something about 5 P's applies to travelling as much as racing.

Smart wool socks are the dogs, very high merino content, I got some snowboarding mid weight ones years ago, I take 2 pairs + one pair thin merino or cotton, is enough.
Lasted superbly (added nail clippers to toiletries to save socks)
Brilliant for walking as they are for riding, always cheap on US clearance sites (get last years colour scheme). Sierra Trading is good one.

Shameless plug for my WON-Z suit, this from customer who totally got it, does away with all bulky gear, wear against cold or wet, I don't carry big jumpers anymore
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1043853
Scroll to "get out of bourke" on first page if you don't read all, gets more later in tale too.

[charlie b]

Daniel, your checklist was more complete than mine so I 'stole' it.  Thanks.

[Daniel Kalal]

...this year I'll leave  helmets, gloves, wets & some tools etc there...

not sure where your base is, but I've learned to do the same thing:  I keep a helmet and boots in Mandello del Lario.  I was getting tired of hauling those bulky things around in airports.

[jacksonracingcomau]

not sure where your base is, but I've learned to do the same thing:  I keep a helmet and boots in Mandello del Lario.  I was getting tired of hauling those bulky things around in airports.

London, family there so absolutely no reason not to have stuff there, up and down escalators on underground after 24 hour flight should be with a rucksack only, time I (re) learnt that one.
The beauty of doing many road trips a year is knowing exactly what you need, only one nice shirt (and a dress for her) to go out in, chances are you're with different people every time so no-one knows it's your only posh kit, they're just stunned that you have that in your saddlebags, rolled tight.
I'm always amazed at the stuff people carry on bikes especially those with all weight behind and above rear wheel,  horrible to ride,