Couple quick questions for more experienced travelers. I've got a Kuryakyn travel bag for gear and understand how to pack with heaviest things on bottom, and most accessible last for easy access. Regarding your tent/sleeping bag, do you have a dry bag for them, or use a big black trash to cover them up like the big luggage on back and then bungee or tie it down? I figured I'd bring 2 extra big black trash bags for that as a CYA if needed and keep them on hand for next time if not. Change of clothes, basics, food items to cook easily, baby wipes, any other ideas?

 

I just did a trip to the Dragon on my Switchback a couple of weekends ago with my buddy. I don't camp, but your gear sounds spot on. I've used black trash bags before on trips and it worked. I didn't use bungies for the bag, but instead used duct tape to wrap around the bag to keep it tight to the T-Bag I was using. This worked well, but the trash bag winds up being a 1x use.

Don't forget tools, to include duct tape, bungies, zip ties and tire pressure gauge. I carry more tools than probably needed, but there have been times when they were needed on the road. If I'm out on the road more than 3 days, I'll pack 1 extra pair of jeans, underwear/socks and shirt for 1 change per day plus 1 extra set, shorts or something to sleep in, bathing suit (because one never knows when the opportunity for a dunk after a long ride will happen) and something else to walk around in besides my riding boots, and rain gear. If you're camping, bring a book or something to enjoy when you're settled in for the night (preferably a willing hot companion).

Even though everything is in either luggage or the hard bags for the bike, everything gets stowed in a Ziplock gallon size bag. For clothes, I use 2 bags (depending on duration of trip)....1 for undies/sock/shirts and the other for everything else (jeans, shorts, bathing suit, etc.). Tools also go in a Ziplock and get stowed in the hard bag.

Have enough free luggage space to bring home souvenirs. For me, this usually equates to bringing the wife T-Shirts from HD dealers visited on the road and maple syrup if I head to VT, moonshine from NC, etc.

 

I have some hard bags on my Dyna. When I go on camping trips, I use some drybags from SW Motech to hold my sleeping bag and camping hammock and other gear that won't fit in my bag. They work great and are built extremely well. I don't have any pics of them on the bike through. They strap down to the tie points on the hard bags, but could also be rigged up other ways.