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Touring gear questions...

Danimal

Danimal

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Wondering what gear to take on a 2000 mile tour I'm going on this Summer. MN to Arkansas.
I'll have my side bags, frunk, 40l tail bag.

What should I pack? We will be camping but eating at resteraunts.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.
 
Tire repair/plug kit with either CO2 cartridges or a Mini Compressor or Mini hand pump. If you choose the compressor make sure you have a the bike wired to be able to run it or that it has clamps that will attach directly to the battery.

Basic tools

A means to charge your cell phone from the bike if needed

Extra key for your bike

Extra $100 in cash not in your wallet

How many days are you planning for the trip? Lay out all the clothes you think you will need for the trip and then put half of them back.

Have you done a long trip before? If not then also pack aspirin/ibuprofen or whatever your choice is in OTC pain relievers.

I'll let the other's comment on camping gear/other tools etc. That's my basic list. It also wouldn't hurt to invest in some type of M/C roadside assistance if you are going it alone.

Have fun!
 
I've never had much luck with CO2 cartridges and you can easily use all of them getting a repaired rear tire to a barely rideable pressure. They make small 12v compressors that work quite well and I have the same one that I customized about 15 years ago. It was an inexpensive Campbell-Hausfield and I removed the innards from the plastic case making it much easier to pack.

The battery on an NT is not easy to reach, so mine is wired with an SAE connector/w inline fuse that can be easily accessed from the outside for charging at home or for hooking to my compressor at roadside.

If you've never repaired a tire, you need to practice on an old tire in the comfort of your own garage. Plus you should see if you can remove the wheels, both front & rear, using the tools you're carrying on the bike and also adjust the chain. Shortcomings in tools are a lot easier to correct at home but quite the opposite when you're at roadside, 45 miles from the nearest town! :)
 
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Before taking a long trip do an overnight. It will help a lot to understand what you really needed and what you wish you brought along.

For me one important item for camping is a chair. Picnic table with no back support doesn't get it for me.

The REI Flex Lite packs small and is a comfortable seat.
650.jpg
 
Never plug a mini compressor into the Honda 12 volt socket in the frunk if you have one there. The fuse on that line is rated for 1 amp. Mini compressors draw a lot more than that and will pop the fuse. Replacing that fuse is on my list of things to get done before hitting the road again. Oh, 2 more inches of fresh snow this morning.

A good camp chair is worth the trouble of carrying it. The one Fuzzy pointed to is a good one, I've seen ones like it at our rallies. I have a Kermit chair that I got for cheap at a club auction. The Kermit works for me but it is very low to the ground but that does make it usable in a tent that is tall enough.

Some kind of ground cloth for under the tent. I don't have one now but I have used a Space Blanket as a ground cloth. A sleeping pad.
 
I carry a hammock with a custom sleeping tube/sock (sleeping bag built to fit the hammock) around it. A tarp to keep the rain off. The hammock/tarp double as a chair, a sleeping pad, and a tent.

I also carry a stove for cooking meals, sounds like that won't be a concern for you, but boiling water and instant oatmeal make for a cheap quick breakfast before you get on the road.

I pack extra clothing, some one suggested cash, I'll add that you should have some quarters for a laundry mat depending on what the temp is, and how nice you want to smell at your destination.

Do you plan on having campfires? If so a couple of fire starters, a hatchet for spitting wood, and potentially a saw if you are planning on collecting wood instead of buying it (and if you are having a fire and equipped for it, a small pot to boil water for coffee or oatmeal or such in the morning never hurts and doesn't take up much space, a pliers or vice grips from your tool kit work great as a pot lifter to get it up and out of hot coals with out burning yourself)

If you are going to be eating in restaurant make sure to check the weather when you have cell service, otherwise make sure to have a weather radio with you, and check it every time you stop for local conditions.

Chargers for any electronics are important.

Don't forget sunblock, insect repellent (I spray the hammock down with permythrin before I go camping, also some times an outfit or two if I'm expecting the bugs to be particularly bad, helps a lot), first aid kit, etc.
 
All good suggestions . One more, as for packing and the mini compressor. I have the Slime compressor you can get at Wal Mart. Packing it - (I read this in another thread) - that piece of body plastic that is in front/top, right beside the frunk, comes off with one screw and one (maybe two ) body clips. With the offending screw and clip(s) removed, you just push the piece backwards and it comes right off. There is room in there for the compressor and plug kit. I wrapped it up water proof and stuffed if in.
If you don't have a shop manual, get one now. You won't take it with you, but you will know the NC better by the trip.
BTW- That "cubby hole" on the other side is a great place to put a loud horn. You will have to have a separate relay for any horn worth it's salt.
 
Having ridden Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois in the summer, the often overlooked item is a scrubber sponge for your headlight and extra water. If you're riding along the rivers at dusk, the gnats & other bugs can reduce your headlight's beam and visibility through your helmet. Be sure to get a scrubber that won't scratch your surfaces. Tick collars - the kind for pets - attached to your boots will keep bugs off your legs when you stop for the night. A Camelback or other bladder would be good, too. Be prepared for big temp swings - in one day I saw it go from 103 at noon to 73 by four AM. I wasn't ready for the drop, and the night air had me shivering non-stop on the ride home. And don't stop in East St. Louis.
 
NickV said:
Having ridden Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois in the summer, the often overlooked item is a scrubber sponge for your headlight and extra water. If you're riding along the rivers at dusk, the gnats & other bugs can reduce your headlight's beam and visibility through your helmet. Be sure to get a scrubber that won't scratch your surfaces. Tick collars - the kind for pets - attached to your boots will keep bugs off your legs when you stop for the night. A Camelback or other bladder would be good, too. Be prepared for big temp swings - in one day I saw it go from 103 at noon to 73 by four AM. I wasn't ready for the drop, and the night air had me shivering non-stop on the ride home. And don't stop in East St. Louis.
Click to expand...

30 degree swing? In Minnesota we call that Wednesday.

Though the predicted range tomorrow (wed) is 75F to 45F
 
One thing that I haven't seen amongst all other suggestions, which are great, is a cramp buster. If you've got lots of miles on the straight aways, it's nice to relax your hand.


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Awesome posts gentlemen. I'm looking at mid July 5 day trip. I definitely will be picking up the chair as long as she is tall and breaks down small. REI one looks good.

Thanks all.
 
The chair is not tall. They are comfortable though and they do pack small. I like mine.

BTW- in the first post you said "I" am taking a trip, then said "we" will be eating out. Are you going with a group?
 
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itlives said:
The chair is not tall. They are comfortable though and they do pack small. I like mine.

BTW- in the first post you said "I" am taking a trip, then said "we" will be eating out. Are you going with a group?
Click to expand...

Yes a group of close friends. Invited 32, only 4 in thus far.
 
Most organized events go like this: Invite 10. 8 sound interested. 5 will say they're coming. Consider yourself really lucky if you see 2 of them.
 
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A friend of mine is currently cavorting around Florida on a 4 or 5 day trip on his Bonneville. No luggage. Just what he could fit in a backpack. Granted he's not camping, but he's still travelling pretty light. Knowing him, he's not carrying a tool kit or compressor. He's just out enjoying the ride. If something comes up, it won't ruin his ride; it will just add another chapter to his story. With a few exceptions, you'd be hard-pressed to find a spot in the continental US that is so remote that there is no traffic, no law enforcement, no mechanic, and no cell service. And since you're going with a group, there's strength in numbers. If I only had a dollar for every mile I had ridden without all the stuff I didn't know I needed until someone told me I needed it, I'd have enough money to buy all the stuff I "need" and the RV to haul it all around in. In that case though, I'd have to trailer the NC. No dice. Most of my rides are alone and I don't own a compressor or a plug kit. I carry what I can fit into a dry bag lashed to the pillion. This may come around to bite me in the future. If it does, I'll deal with it.

I wouldn't get too caught up on what you might need. I keep what I know I'll need in the frunk. 1) Cell phone charger 2) Chain Lube.

Sorry for the rant. Enjoy your ride.
 
Here's what I'm taking (5 day trip)...

Tent
Matress Pad
Sm Tool Kit
Chargers (helmet, camera & phone)
Helmet Camera (Ion Pro 2)
3days worth of shorts and TShirts (stuffed into ziplock gallon bags)
Sandals or tennies
3days worth of skivvies
Toiletries (toothbrush, deodorant, body wash)
Tylenol
Bungee nets
Sunglasses
Phone
Flashlight


Those are the essentials. That's all I'm taking. :)
 
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