What do you pack?
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 149
Likes: 1
From: Battle Ground WA
this is definitely a great thread, but I agree that if you packed everything that everyone is posting, you'll need a trailer behind your bike. PACK LIGHT!!!! I ride a sporty and have no prob doing 2-3k miles with my woman on back and no saddlebags. Just remember.. a cell phone and a credit card can get you out of most situations.
Planning a 8-9k mile coast to coast and back 24 day trip this next summer and will def be packing light. Only the necessities for sure.
That being said, everyone rides and lives differently. Some people would not be able to relax if they felt that they didn't have ALL of their bases covered. I am personally not that way though. I look for a little adventure on my trips. It adds to the campfire stories. You just need to figure out what kind of traveler you are and go with it!
The point of it all is to ride and enjoy life.
Planning a 8-9k mile coast to coast and back 24 day trip this next summer and will def be packing light. Only the necessities for sure.
That being said, everyone rides and lives differently. Some people would not be able to relax if they felt that they didn't have ALL of their bases covered. I am personally not that way though. I look for a little adventure on my trips. It adds to the campfire stories. You just need to figure out what kind of traveler you are and go with it!
The point of it all is to ride and enjoy life.
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 246
Likes: 2
From: hope mills, nc
credit cards, 2 S&W 5 shot hammerless revolvers, and a glock 19 w/2 extra mags! and my CCW! lol!
do an old school layout. on your bed. take the advice of all those who posted here. lay it all out. it will prob be waaaay too much. get down to the bare essentials, plus a few comfort items, and "oh ****" items (rain gear, cold gear, extra quart of oil, tools, spare bulbs, etc) pack all the stuff on the bike, and eliminate least likely to be used items first.
are you stopping at hotels? friends houses? do they have laundry services? dont need but 2 pair of underwear, 2 pair socks, 1 pair jeans, etc......
and a camera. that always gets forgotten about, and i have to buy the cheapo disposables.....
and my guns always go with me....
corb
do an old school layout. on your bed. take the advice of all those who posted here. lay it all out. it will prob be waaaay too much. get down to the bare essentials, plus a few comfort items, and "oh ****" items (rain gear, cold gear, extra quart of oil, tools, spare bulbs, etc) pack all the stuff on the bike, and eliminate least likely to be used items first.
are you stopping at hotels? friends houses? do they have laundry services? dont need but 2 pair of underwear, 2 pair socks, 1 pair jeans, etc......
and a camera. that always gets forgotten about, and i have to buy the cheapo disposables.....
and my guns always go with me....
corb
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,750
Likes: 261
From: back home in Michigan
credit cards, 2 S&W 5 shot hammerless revolvers, and a glock 19 w/2 extra mags! and my CCW! lol!
do an old school layout. on your bed. take the advice of all those who posted here. lay it all out. it will prob be waaaay too much. get down to the bare essentials, plus a few comfort items, and "oh ****" items (rain gear, cold gear, extra quart of oil, tools, spare bulbs, etc) pack all the stuff on the bike, and eliminate least likely to be used items first.
are you stopping at hotels? friends houses? do they have laundry services? dont need but 2 pair of underwear, 2 pair socks, 1 pair jeans, etc......
and a camera. that always gets forgotten about, and i have to buy the cheapo disposables.....
and my guns always go with me....
corb
do an old school layout. on your bed. take the advice of all those who posted here. lay it all out. it will prob be waaaay too much. get down to the bare essentials, plus a few comfort items, and "oh ****" items (rain gear, cold gear, extra quart of oil, tools, spare bulbs, etc) pack all the stuff on the bike, and eliminate least likely to be used items first.
are you stopping at hotels? friends houses? do they have laundry services? dont need but 2 pair of underwear, 2 pair socks, 1 pair jeans, etc......
and a camera. that always gets forgotten about, and i have to buy the cheapo disposables.....
and my guns always go with me....
corb
All this extra **** mentioned not only takes up space, but adds weight. I have been throwin around the idea of pullin a lt. wt. trailer to throw in my tent and gear to keep it off the bike. It also keeps weight off the scoot as well.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,750
Likes: 261
From: back home in Michigan
LOL, fosho.....tp is always good to carry with ya. When I'm workin I always carry a roll on the truck....never know when you're workin in a remote area when the urge will hitya, and the facilities aren't always stocked so good....lol
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,611
Likes: 104
From: Southern Colorado
Buy a good set of riding boots that you can walk in...no need to pack a second pair of lighter, walking shoes.
Roll your pants rather than fold them...saves a lot of room.
Raingear...good stuff, not the cheap.
Don't let the wife walk out the door with her hairblower
Find out and save the phone numbers of the HD shops you'll be traveling near...just in case you break down and need help.
Check that your insurance is up to date and that it covers tows.
Couple extra bungee's...a dozen nylon ties of various sizes.
Ship everything home you don't need to carry (there's no room on a bike for flower pots ... don't has how I know).
Buy t-shirts on the road...and plan ahead because you'll be carrying more home than you left with.
A good map with routes highlighted.
A small digital camera that you can keep in your shirt pocket for easy access...buy 2-16 gig cards...I had 3 with me on my Alaska trip last summer (17 days) and never filled out one of them...no need to take a laptop.
Concealed carry permit. It may be good insurance if a cop searches the bike...you can demonstrate you tried to comply with carry laws.
The important part in packing is asking yourself "what can I live without"?
Roll your pants rather than fold them...saves a lot of room.
Raingear...good stuff, not the cheap.
Don't let the wife walk out the door with her hairblower
Find out and save the phone numbers of the HD shops you'll be traveling near...just in case you break down and need help.
Check that your insurance is up to date and that it covers tows.
Couple extra bungee's...a dozen nylon ties of various sizes.
Ship everything home you don't need to carry (there's no room on a bike for flower pots ... don't has how I know).
Buy t-shirts on the road...and plan ahead because you'll be carrying more home than you left with.
A good map with routes highlighted.
A small digital camera that you can keep in your shirt pocket for easy access...buy 2-16 gig cards...I had 3 with me on my Alaska trip last summer (17 days) and never filled out one of them...no need to take a laptop.
Concealed carry permit. It may be good insurance if a cop searches the bike...you can demonstrate you tried to comply with carry laws.
The important part in packing is asking yourself "what can I live without"?
Last edited by Whiskers; Jan 23, 2011 at 11:29 AM.
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Advanced
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: British Columbia, Canada
Just a note from north of the border. Unless you want to give your ride to the Canadian Government,and be a be guest of Canada for say, 5 to 15 yrs, don't pack your weapons on cross border excusions. For some reason they don't have a sense of humour for that.
On the lighter side, pack just what you need for yourself and your bike, everything else can be picked up along the way. Remember to pack and load evenly so you don't change the handling too much.
On the lighter side, pack just what you need for yourself and your bike, everything else can be picked up along the way. Remember to pack and load evenly so you don't change the handling too much.