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Okay bikers, you're packing the bike for a ride .

badwrenchbadwrench Member Posts: 1,000 ✭✭✭✭
edited June 2006 in General Discussion
Long ride or short couple-of-days trip

What essentials do you take?

My short list (other items may be added and some omitted)

Basic toolkit (only thing I ever needed on the road with the Sporty was a screwdriver to change a headlight bulb), a few spare bits like bulbs, fuses, duct tape and baling wire.

Rain gear

Couple changes of socks and underwear and T-shirts

Camera and film

Mexican blanket poncho (gotta have one of these)

Sleeping bag w/bivy bag

Always have a knife in my saddlebag (usually Buck 119 Special)

Hat (learned my lesson after sunburning me head in Bodie)

Flashlight and batteries

Day pack (rolled up in saddlebag, comes in really handy)


I travel pretty light, only have a pair of throw-over saddlebags on the bike. Anything else gets strapped to the passenger seat or left behind.

Comments

  • mondmond Member Posts: 6,458
    edited November -1
    easy........

    the wench
    the blade
    the gerber
    the shades
    the waterproofs
    the dosh
    the phone.......

    then gettin lost & finding, the B&B. [:D]
    exxxxxxxxxxxxxellllllllent!!
  • COLTCOLT Member Posts: 12,637 ******
    edited November -1
    ...any fuses you may need
    ...first aid kit
    ...Duct tape...not the whole roll, but some, never leave home w/o it
    ...sound sgood, be careful...[;)]



    ani-texas-flag.gif
  • rogue_robrogue_rob Member Posts: 7,033 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I second the extra goggles and gloves.

    Electrical tape

    zip ties

    cell phone

    baseball hat(for looking cool when you walk around)

    rain gear

    hex and torx bits, screw driver, socket wrench and a few sockets, box end wrenches.

    quart of oil and tranny fluid

    probably a few things I cant think of right now.

    Ride safe brothers, there's some idiots out there.
  • 320090T320090T Member Posts: 2,715 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Maps
    Sunblock
    Ear Plugs
    Pencil and Notepad
    Mustang 380
  • CHGOTHNDERCHGOTHNDER Member Posts: 8,936 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    3 credit cards
    G26 & extra mags
    Blanket
    Small already made up tool set
    Extra bungies
    Duct tape
    Points, condenser, plugs (<---someone explain what the 1st 2 are [;)])
    Mre's & 2 12oz bottles Water
    1 pair pants
    2 t-shirts in ziplock bag
    3 0r 4 knives (decided when trip is planned)
    Sog all purpose tool
  • fishkiller41fishkiller41 Member Posts: 50,608
    edited November -1
    (Points,Condencer)<-- = Old timey ignition parts.[;)]
    Jeff
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Depends upon the trip. If I am running to Tucson or Denver for a day, not so much. Running to New York and down to Tenn on the way home, a little more. I would edit your list thusly:

    Basic toolkit, a few spare bits like bulbs, fuses, duct tape and baling wire, tire patch kit and CO2 to get the tire back up, quart of coolant, quart of oil.

    Rain gear, including Totes, CD Player or Tape player, Tunes, earbuds, two-way radio, maps all in the tank bag along with a insulated water bottle with straw.

    Enough clothes to keep me clean and smelling like a daisy for at least 1/2 the trip + an extra day of underwear and socks. I can hit a laundramat if need be.

    Camera and film Sometimes.

    Sleeping bag with backpacking Tent. (Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight) but often hit motels and save the space.

    Always have a knife in my pocket (Kershaw Ken Onion Blackout) usually a sidearm in the trunk.

    Hat doesn't fit all that well over a full face helmet, but usually have a ball cap in the cloths bag.

    Flashlight and batteries

    Day pack (rolled up in saddlebag, comes in really handy)

    Pre-paid phone cards, Cell phone.

    Leathers, including two or three pairs of gloves of different weight and thickness.

    Sometimes a soft sided cooler in one of the saddlebags. Mine is a RT Beemer with hard bags and trunk.
  • LowriderLowrider Member Posts: 6,587
    edited November -1
    rogue rob gets the grand prize for his "zip ties" suggestion. They can be worth 10,000 times their weight in gold.

    One time on a trip I had the bolt break that holds the oil filter assembly on my FXRS. On my bike the filter *'y is under the bike behind the transmission. The filter was hanging from the oil lines and damn near dragging on the road and I was in the Utah Rockies, a million miles from nowhere. Two zip ties would've fixed the problem, but I had none. Here I was pawing through a trash can at some trailhead looking for a piece of string or wire or anything I could tie the filter *'y up with until I could get to a town with a Harley shop. [:(!]

    I now always carry a couple dozen zip ties of various sizes in my windshield bag. Just like your pistol - don't leave home without 'em.


    If somebody didn't already mention this, I'd add eyedrops to your list. Sometimes riding in the desert or riding into a setting sun can give you the dreaded burning-eye syndrome. Nothing better than pulling off the road and hittin' the ol' eyeballs with a few drops of Visine. Ahhhhhhhhh. That's relief! [:D]
  • sig232sig232 Member Posts: 8,018
    edited November -1
    I would add a few zip-lock plastic bags. I always carry them to put stuff into to keep it nice and dry. Even plastic trash bags to put your stuff into in the saddlebags will keep your cloths dry in a heavy rain where water has a way of seeping into the saddlebags.

    I also carry a bungie cargo net to hold extra things I buy or need to carry. It will hold my leather jacket if the temp gets up above 80 degrees. A can of windshield plastic cleaner if you use the windshield. Towel paper for cleaning and checking oil.

    I carry a hat or dew rag. A leather neck/face cover for cold weather riding. These are just a few items not included in the posts above.

    Tool kits can take up a lot of room. Some people carry tire repair kits and little air bottles or electric compressors. I also carry a disk brake lock to make it more difficult for folks to wheel my Harley down the road.

    Good luck and ride safe. Don't forget to wave!!
  • pickenuppickenup Member Posts: 22,844 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If not T.P. then some Kleenex.
    Like sig said, trash bags. (is rain gear, for you and your stuff)
  • sig232sig232 Member Posts: 8,018
    edited November -1
    Once you get packed shoot a picture of the bike and post it for us.
  • TxsTxs Member Posts: 17,809 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm also a believer in traveling light, more the throw-over and bungee type.

    For a long trip, pick up new packs of socks/underwear cheap and treat them as disposables. It can be worth those extra few bucks to keep from dragging around a big ol' dead weight bag of dirty socks/underwear.

    If you're planning on spending a long time at your destination but still want to travel light, it can sometimes be worth the money to box up clothes and stuff you'll need there and FedEx it ahead to where you'll be staying. If you contact them ahead of time, hotel managers will usually agree to hold a package for you. All you have to carry on the bike is what you'll need on the road. This system comes in real handy if you're taking a female along. [;)]
  • DancesWithSheepDancesWithSheep Member Posts: 12,938 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What is this crap? All Bronson had was a blanket roll and a watch cap and you ladies pack like every day's a heavy flow day. Don't forget your Cher Believe CD.
  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    True Goo, the green stuff for the tires (stuff has saved my *!)
    Co2 tire refill kit.
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:What is this crap? All Bronson had was a blanket roll and a watch cap and you ladies pack like every day's a heavy flow day. Don't forget your Cher Believe CD.

    What a load of road apples, that twerp never left the back lot, spent hot afternoons in his trailer, and only lasted two seasons. I have been riding since 1964, and you are the only one here that has ever even heard a Cher album, not to mention ABBA or Heart. Hell, I have been correcting typos longer than Bronso lasted.
  • DancesWithSheepDancesWithSheep Member Posts: 12,938 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Hell, I have been correcting typos longer than Bronso lasted.

    You need to keep at it, Dale.
  • bigt7mmbigt7mm Member Posts: 4,716 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • fugawefugawe Member Posts: 1,540 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You're all forgetting the obvious one........44-24-36,DD,130lb,5'6"........
  • wanted manwanted man Member Posts: 3,276
    edited November -1
    1 gal collapsible fuel "blivet" and 3 ft of 1/2" I.D. hose?
    Spare set of plugs?
    Lors of $$$ ![8D]
  • Warpig883Warpig883 Member Posts: 6,459
    edited November -1
    I take a wallet and what I am wearing.
  • amsptcdsamsptcds Member Posts: 679
    edited November -1
    some of you guys make me want to go get one of those little trailers to haul behind the sporty.
  • bigdaddyjuniorbigdaddyjunior Member Posts: 11,233
    edited November -1
    Take my gold card, my aaa plus card, a big wad of $100 bills, cell phone, a 38 snubby, a 1911 45 and sun screen on long trips. Short trips I leave out the sun screen.
  • LowriderLowrider Member Posts: 6,587
    edited November -1
    I doubt a "sporty" would pull a trailer. [:D][:D]
  • 320090T320090T Member Posts: 2,715 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have done the disposable clothes thing several times. Save all your grungy T's, underware, socks, and jeans. Wear em and toss em, makes room for the trinkets you buy along the way. Misjudges my time once and had to buy some clothes, oh well.
  • TxsTxs Member Posts: 17,809 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by fugawe
    You're all forgetting the obvious one........44-24-36,DD,130lb,5'6"........


    As the man said, he likes to travel light.

    On a road trip like this, sometimes it's better to just pick up certain items as needed instead of having to drag them around. [;)]
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by DancesWithSheep
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Hell, I have been correcting typos longer than Bronso lasted.

    You need to keep at it, Dale.


    Had to leave something for you to do.[8D]
  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sheesh, some of you guys need a car&trailer to haul all that stuff.

    Vital (in addation to what your wearing when you roll out)
    Cash
    Bar of soap in a shirt pocket (when you hit rain you get your shower, wash your scoot, and do your laundry at the same time)
    Tube of "Blue Goo"
    Vial of antibiotic
    Optional, but handy to have
    Bronson Rock[:D]
  • dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000
    edited November -1
    Kel-Tec P-11

    Rain gear

    Two changes of clothes

    Change of boots

    Maps

    Cell phone

    GPS

    First aid kit

    Two bottles of water

    Tire plug kit

    12v tire pump

    Blanket

    Emergency body bag (plastic, water proof type)

    Flash light (new bateries)

    Camping axe

    All of this is an easy fit on the Goldwing with the trunk and saddle bags. If Sandy comes along, we hook up the Chyenne trailer to carry all of the required "girly" stuff!
  • amsptcdsamsptcds Member Posts: 679
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Lowrider
    I doubt a "sporty" would pull a trailer. [:D][:D]


    my 1200 might, not that I'd get one, but have thought about it (Trailor).

    on the previous bike I had, I put a theodolite bag with tools on the tweek bar up front with a bungee cord, a mummy bag bungeed to the sissy bar witha small bag for clothes and such on the back of the bar above the tail light and a 45 crammed down in the bag.

    But totin someone complicates all that.

    Now that I am older and have been married way too long, I was thinking about one of those dinky trailors. They aren't exactly manly, but they are functional.
  • sig232sig232 Member Posts: 8,018
    edited November -1
    Here is my pack job for two. Our trip to the Soap Lake Rally in Washington State


    travel_bags_on_bike.jpg
  • steeltoe1978steeltoe1978 Member Posts: 3,248
    edited November -1
    toilet paper. [:D]
  • bondaibondai Member Posts: 1,239 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by badwrench
    Long ride or short couple-of-days trip

    What essentials do you take?

    My short list (other items may be added and some omitted)

    Basic toolkit (only thing I ever needed on the road with the Sporty was a screwdriver to change a headlight bulb), a few spare bits like bulbs, fuses, duct tape and baling wire.

    Rain gear

    Couple changes of socks and underwear and T-shirts

    Camera and film

    Mexican blanket poncho (gotta have one of these)

    Sleeping bag w/bivy bag

    Always have a knife in my saddlebag (usually Buck 119 Special)

    Hat (learned my lesson after sunburning me head in Bodie)

    Flashlight and batteries

    Day pack (rolled up in saddlebag, comes in really handy)


    I travel pretty light, only have a pair of throw-over saddlebags on the bike. Anything else gets strapped to the passenger seat or left behind.






    You finally coming for a visit?
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