I know its an old thread, but not all of us were here back then and some styles and tech have changed a bit since the original posts. But here is my full long term set up for 5 days of camping in Colorado.....
Only 10% taken. If I liked the look I would be more offended. Being judged for actually riding and traveling on my bike rather than a run to bike night or the bar doesn't bug me. Normally I don't even run with a sissy bar or anything, but when I make Vegas runs I use just the smaller bag.
This was my setup for the 1,000 mile ride to Mexico and back.
Agree with the tip on the 3 man tent - gives you that bit of extra room.
I eventually bought a second-hand sissy bay and separate rack on eBay. De-chromed the sissy bar, welded some blocks to the sissy bar for mounting the rack and got them both powder coated.
Now when I need to carry luggage I just bolt on the sissy bar/rack combo!
LOL, kids today! Think they can't go anywhere without taking their microwave along, and riding a bike with a plug-in peter-heater.
If you want to try traveling lean and "old school", wrap a few necessities (including a tarp) in a sleeping bag, and bungee it in front of your handlebars. At night, wait till you come to a bridge over a stream, and camp under it. Wash your clothes and yourself in the stream if you need to.
Or a rest stop will work. If it's raining, throw your tarp over the bike, and sleep under it. That adds bathrooms and running water (except that the cops may roust you, because you aren't supposed to "camp" in most rest stops).
Or a truck stop. That may give you showers, laundry, and a restaurant too.
Oh, I forgot, you roll a few large garbage bags inside the sleeping bag too, and if rains while you're riding, use one to cover the sleeping bag. Or you can wrap your tarp on the outside of the bag.
Things you need to roll inside the sleeping bag:
A flashlight, one change of clothes, maybe some instant coffee and mosquito repellent. Flask of whiskey? Soap? A lighter? A can of fix-a-flat? That's about it.
Last edited by Warp Factor; 12-01-2016 at 05:18 PM.
Okay, just so you know what a sick individual I am, I posted this on facebook the night before a 16 day ride to Utah and beyond. To our amazement, people believed it. Some non riders thought it was cool that I would take so much of her stuff and others just thought we were crazy.
After we were really loaded, I grabbed three bed pillows and threw the tarp over them with a few bungees and threw two pillows in a garbage bag and lashed it to the front forks for the photo. We did it as a joke and we were amazed how many thought it was real. I posted the next morning that within a mile of home the tarps had ripped off and that the garbage bag fell off as well.
This is what we carried for 16 days
Last edited by son of the hounds; 12-04-2016 at 02:02 PM.
I know I pack too much, but I'm not trying to freeze my *** off in the mountains. This was NC back in May. Sissy bar bag (kinda empty, actually...but it's great for a back rest and structure), sleeping bag on top, tent, and beer cooler backpack that holds 15 cans.....and the Jeff Spicoli drug rug hoodie on the handlebars
I used a large Backpack strapped behind the sissy bar, the tent on top of the backpack, and sleeping bag on passenger seat... this was circa 1985 on an '80 FXS. This was a 4-day camping trip. I used a 2-man packpack tent, didn't have a roll-up mat for under the sleeping bag, and when not wearing my jacket it was strapped to the handlebars... On the last day, ride home, I put the tent on top of the sleeping bag... it was a better mounting location than on top of the backpack (even though the backpack was meant to have a tent strapped to the top)...
I used a T-bag on the passenger seat with a bunch of stuff in the bags on my '03 Heritage, circa 2008. This was a week long trip w/hotel stays.
I used the same T-bag on the passenger seat with a bunch of stuff in the other bags on my '12 limited, in 2012 . This was a month long trip across country.
I really like the T-Bag products in that they have a great assortment of bags to match your anticipated load, and they are well-made and last...!
Only 10% taken. If I liked the look I would be more offended. Being judged for actually riding and traveling on my bike rather than a run to bike night or the bar doesn't bug me. Normally I don't even run with a sissy bar or anything, but when I make Vegas runs I use just the smaller bag.
This was my setup for the 1,000 mile ride to Mexico and back.
11-30-2016, 12:16 PM
LOL, kids today! Think they can't go anywhere without taking their microwave along, and riding a bike with a plug-in peter-heater. 
