packing for a long trip ran out of space

[TechJunkie]

I am no expert but agree with what has been said here. Went on a 12 day 4,300 mile trip last year and realized that I took way too many clothes. I also took some comfort items since I was 1 up that I could have done without. We camped every night and nearly every place we stayed had showers and laundry facilities. Never went more than two days without the ability to wash clothes if necessary. Really three changes of basics was more than enough. One thing that I found absolutely necessary, however, was a second pair of riding gloves. One water proof and one for warmer climates. Another thing is, if you are going to camp, get a sleeping bag that compresses tight.

The lesson I learned on this trip is what everyone else is basically saying. You can do so much with so little if you plan right. I will be much better prepared the next trip I take and my bike will be much lighter. Challenge yourself with "why do I really need this" before you add it to the "must take" list.

 

[Wanderer]

First, where are you camping? B.F.E. requires more stuff than a KoA tent pad.

A bike-centric trip actually needs very little stuff in my experience. Here's my list off the top of my head:

Clothes should all fit in one side case.

2pr lightweight backpacking/hiking pants (columbia Titanium or Mtn Hardwear)

2-3 shirts, 1 of them long sleeve ( i like Dry-fit tshirts and poly-blend button-ups)

2-3pr smartwool socks

2pr undewear of choice

Sandals (Not 'flip-flops' -I have some Nike ACG's like Tevas) My TM Solution riding boots are comfy enough to walk around it at tourist attractions.

Personal hygiene kit -dont forget TP and a camp shovel in a plastic bag!!

Optional as room allows or season dictates:

1pr Shorts

Fleece pullover

Camping gear:

I'll assume worst case scenario and plan to camp with ZERO amenities, like a campground would have.

Sleep bag and pad in the other sidecase.

Tent and food (in water resistant bag) secured to pillion seat. I could actually fit the food in the side cases but prefer to fill that hole for aerodynamic reasons. Just remember to pack realistcally in regards to food. 12-15 meals should fit in a school backpack or sleeping bag stuff sack.

Water, plan on 1g to cook, clean and brush teeth with. I take several 32oz bottles of water and stash them wherever there's room. That half empty sidecase, room in topcase, or in with the food bag. a 1g container is cumbersome. Keep and re-use the bottles.

Inclement weather gear and all misc. crap in topcase for easy access.

I keep a sports drink and some snack food in the tank bag as well.

Thats it.

If the wife comes:

her clothes go in case 2

both sleeping bags and minimal food in topcase (forced to eat out more/less water needed) You could pack in on top of the topcase though.

Tent goes on top of case 1 \

Sleeping pads go on top of case 2 / --- these make sort of arm rests for pillion

Edit: One corollary is that my tent and sleeping gear are backpacker friendly and pack small- bag packs to about the size of a loaf of bread. Tent: 2 loaves end to end. This will effect your packing config.

Hit up ADVRider, some of those guys moto-camp ALOT and have it down to a science.

 

[Happy Rider]

+1 on what EG23232 said. Cotton is not good when it’s hot or cold. In the cold it will kill you and keep you wet. In the heat it will keep moisture next to you body and chafe you. It is very bulky and dries slow. Synthetic outdoor clothing is the way to go. I wash it in a stream and hook it under a bungee cord to dry during the day. Use versatile riding gear like Motoport Kevlar Mesh with the waterproof liner. Heated gear will cut down on extra layers. Just make sure that it works before your trip. Take a short two day or overnight trip with a friend or solo to test out your gear, packing method, and to see what you forgot or don't need. Don't carry a lot of extra food. This is not backpacking and markets are everywhere. Just carry enough snacks for a day. Be careful overloading the rear sub frame. Bad things can happen and it makes the bike handle poorly. Check out this device to lock some of your stuff up. B)

Pack safe link

 

[Aasland]

You need PooPee underpants! They last a whole week!

My buddy came up with the idea of the PooPee pants. Yellow in front, brown in back. No one will know they're soiled.

Joking aside .. lots of great advice here. Also, you don't need to shower every day, so 3 days of clothes will last a week. Ditch cotton - too bulky.

Also - too much crap on the bike makes the bike handle like crap, so the less crap you take the more fun you'll have.

 

[user 213]

Some really good tips in this thread. Sort and apply what works for you.

Some of the posts reminded me that we all pack differently. Vastly differently in some cases.

I use my left sidecase liner for clothes. It always has one pair of convertible dryline type pants w/zip off legs, similar long sleeve shirt that's sunscreen rated, ear plugs, ditty bag of hygiene stuff, alarm clock, sewing kit, sharpie, stick on name tags and several maps of the Western US and Can. That's before I pack for a trip.

When I pack for a trip, it's just a matter of tossing three pairs of socks in, a couple of walk around pairs of skivvies, a couple of short sleeve tees and a long sleeve tee and deciding on swing trunks or not. Area specific maps. Done.

Tevas and riding boots are all the footwear you need. If you disagree, you need more comfortable boots!

The bike always has water, tools, first aid, extra gloves, rok straps, shipon kit in one saddle bag with extra room for heated jacket liner and more. That's the right saddlebag for me.

The tank bag always has tons of little crap that I consider essential for any ride. From sunscreen, plexus and bug spray to advil, water, mints, phone charger cord and a hat. (more crap too, but it's not expanded and is only a 19L bag when expanded.)

Camping means grabbing the tent, (which can fit in a saddle bag), deciding on heavy or light sleeping bag, mat and stuffing those in a dry bag that goes on the back. (on the flat bed fuel cell in my case) Often the 1 gal. water jug goes up on the back too.

edit - Forgot - rain gear. My riding gear is my rain gear. The exception being a rain liner for the pants if it's in danger of epic rain or severe cold.

Now, what are you carrying that's not on that list? Post that and let us pare it down. B)

 

[Ian Stephens]

On the last two long trips my wife and I made on our Burgman 650's (before I got the FJR) I bungee'd a one litre gas can (full) on top of my seat bag. My wife was concerned that with the small tank on the Bugmans, that we'd run out of gas before we could make it to a gas station in the middle of N.Dakota somewhere. Only happened once, but it was kinda deliberate and on the way back - it was a range test of sorts.

Probably not needed on an FJR, but riding long distances with my wife, one of us will still be dragging along a spare gas can.

ian

 

[krotchrocketgrampa]

Pack for only a 3 day trip with some things as multi-use (one pair of shoes, etc.). Every 3rd day to laundry. Get rid of things that you don't need (the tux is right out).

thanks,thats some of the best advice I've heard

 

[madmike2]

Pack for only a 3 day trip with some things as multi-use (one pair of shoes, etc.). Every 3rd day to laundry. Get rid of things that you don't need (the tux is right out).

thanks,thats some of the best advice I've heard

That's how I do it, though I do take a few tools and a rain liner...depending on the rain forecast.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Pack for only a 3 day trip with some things as multi-use (one pair of shoes, etc.). Every 3rd day to laundry. Get rid of things that you don't need (the tux is right out).

thanks,thats some of the best advice I've heard

That's how I do it, though I do take a few tools and a rain liner...depending on the rain forecast.

Me too.

 

[timk]

 

[fljab]

One month, 3 days, it's all the same. You never need more than three days of clothes. LD Comfort riding shorts can easily be washed in the sink in a hotel and will be dry enough to wear immediatly after you roll them in a towel and squeeze, then take out.
Cooking gear? Dump it all. What? You never heard of restaurants? Or Bears?

+1

I used to try and carry cooking gear but no matter what "system" I used, I was always trying to find a good way to pack it; now I just either eat @ a restaurant nearby and/or get a pack of hotdogs at a convenience store and find a stick. MUCH easier and does the job.

I don't have a set of LD shorts (I need to) but do have similar material wear for underneath my riding pants, and yes, that is a big space saver, plus you can hand wash easily and be ready to go the next day. T shirts can get hand washed, hung up, and even "air dried" on the bike while riding if you're creative.

I have done many LD trips over the yrs, and struggled with the loadout. I find that you don't really need half (or more) of the crap you think you do, not to mention it's hard to find something when you need it when "piled high".

 

[Bungie]

Last week I packed for a week long camping trip to NC (Wheaties campout) and had to leave one entire pannier free for a case of premium Canadian liquid refreshments. True, some stuff I would have like to take got left behind (video cam, good digital camera etc) but these really are non-essentials. Doing something like that really makes you consider what is non-essentiall and is a great excersize. Maybe something you should try. Pack for a trip leaving the volume of one side case empty.

I know my next trip I'll be carrying significantly less crap with me.

 

[fjrob1300]

Last week I packed for a week long camping trip to NC (Wheaties campout) and had to leave one entire pannier free for a case of premium Canadian liquid refreshments. True, some stuff I would have like to take got left behind (video cam, good digital camera etc) but these really are non-essentials. Doing something like that really makes you consider what is non-essentiall and is a great excersize. Maybe something you should try. Pack for a trip leaving the volume of one side case empty.
I know my next trip I'll be carrying significantly less crap with me.

Does that mean you're not bringing your bunnie slippers for late night runs to the latrine?

 

[Tanhands]

So I have not taken a long trip on the bike I am planning one for this summer. A few things I know are that you have to shower someplace. Truck stops will sell you a shower for about $10. I shower daily. Most trucks stops have a laundry mat in them. I have spent 15 years as a truck driver and have found very few that don't. Most also have food. I know Hotels are expensive but most KOAs have those little cabins, they have a bed, and a shower room on site.

I am not much for the shovel and crap in the woods. I have gone overseas and camped in some really not nice places. I am sorta done with that.

My boots are OK for daily wear and I like the idea of those zipper pants but how are they for use as riding pants for protection. Not the Jeans I normally wear are any better.

I really see where I could do my trip, AZ to FL and back, without filling my cases. I do not have a trunk. I also will rely on my Towing plan and checkbook for repairs, but I am not a mechanic so I couldn't fix anything on the side of the road anyways.

 

[user 213]

So I have not taken a long trip on the bike I am planning one for this summer. A few things I know are that you have to shower someplace. Truck stops will sell you a shower for about $10. I shower daily. Most trucks stops have a laundry mat in them. I have spent 15 years as a truck driver and have found very few that don't. Most also have food. I know Hotels are expensive but most KOAs have those little cabins, they have a bed, and a shower room on site.
I am not much for the shovel and crap in the woods. I have gone overseas and camped in some really not nice places. I am sorta done with that.

My boots are OK for daily wear and I like the idea of those zipper pants but how are they for use as riding pants for protection. Not the Jeans I normally wear are any better.

I really see where I could do my trip, AZ to FL and back, without filling my cases. I do not have a trunk. I also will rely on my Towing plan and checkbook for repairs, but I am not a mechanic so I couldn't fix anything on the side of the road anyways.

Re: places to take a shower, do laundry, camp cheap - RV parks nearly always have showers and laundry as well as some grassy area for tent campers. Usually pretty reasonable, from $5-20 for a night w/access to everything.

Re: the pants, we are not talking about riding wear, but walking around wear. And no, your jeans are not any better. Real riding pants have armor and venting and are at least water resistant, if not water proof. They will keep you much more comfortable and fit better than jeans. And save you a lot of pain if you go down.

 

[Tanhands]

I have armor jacket and full gloves. So a Pair of riding pants with shorts under and a couple pairs of the zipper pants and I am rolling. Well I still need cruise control but aside from that.

 

[Patriot]

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

One tip from one of Peter Egan's books. His buddy would save his worn out T-shirts and undies for the year, and bring them along on the trip. Every day, you either toss them in the fire (if you're camping) or the garbage can (if you're doing the motel thing). Every day on your trip, you have more space in your luggage. Good idea, since you all know Newton's 11th Law Of Ever-Expanding Travel Sh*t. From personal experience, it also makes for interesting conversation around the campfire.

 

[TestPilot]

And another reply here. We (wife and I) did 3 weeks of USA touring 5,000+ miles (we are from Aussie) and we used our usual method. On this ride we went through Death Valley (about 110F and the Colorado Rockies 27F):

She gets the left case. I get the right. Use compression sacks.

We each get 1 pair of shoes in the topbox (you want more, they go in your side case)

Rain gear in tank bag with cameras, iPod, etc, etc

Spare gloves, Visors etc in topbox.

You can see more here, with piccies. Well worth reading the thread:

https://www.fjrowners.ws/phpbb2/viewtopic.p...302&start=0

I have since refined this idea a little, using an 'Eagle Creek' quarter cube per day. Each contains socks, jocks and shirt for the day. You'll also see the shoes are soft shoes that can be scrunched

 

[Meltdown]

https://tailwindtrailers.com/

They run about $7000 the last time I checked. The Goldwing crowd swears by them IF you can afford it.