ROAD GEAR July 1, 2010
It’s that time of year. Many weekends and a few full weeks on my calendar are reserved for trips. Some are short hops while others will have Jackie and me on the road for several days enjoying what North America has to offer. In a previous article (Planning Matters, Jan 2010) I wrote about taking time in the cold months to plan for the riding season. Now with travel season going full throttle, all that’s left to do is pack for each excursion. Car trips are easy. If there is a slight chance we might need it, we take it. Space is not a concern when taking Jackie’s Trailblazer. On motorcycle trips space is limited, so our packing is much more selective. Someday we might buy a trailer, but for now we choose to ride without a hitch.
There are some essential items you should always have on your bike. What are the basics? For a GWRRA member to maintain his or her level III rating they must carry a first-aid kit. Other things you should bring along are a tool kit, flashlight, raingear, sunscreen, emergency contact information, and the GWRRA Gold Book. Past trips have taught me to add the following to my must have list: WD-40, air pressure gage, tire repair kit, portable air pump (the 1800 was improved by removing the factory pump), camera, paper maps, GPS, electrical tape, and a few feet of duct tape stored around an expired credit card.
When traveling on a multi-day trip there are items beyond the basics. A cover protects the bike when it spends the night alone . . . in a cold parking lot . . . in an unfamiliar town. It also keeps tourists from "looking" at Aurora’s 60+ switches, buttons, and levers when I’m not around to give them a guided tour. A sturdy cable and padlock will secure the bike to a lamppost or a fellow rider’s machine. Years ago, while in North Carolina, I was threading a KryptoFlex cable through the frames of several bikes when a solo rider pulled into the hotel for the night.
He walked over and asked if I was worried about having our bikes stolen. I simple asked, "Are you going to lock your bike to something."
His hesitant answer was, "No, I don’t have a cable."
While snapping the hardened steel shackle on the Master Lock closed I replied, "Then I don’t have any concerns." In the end he parked next to our group and we secured his bike to the other six. This may sound like overkill, but my Dad was fond of saying a lock keeps an honest person honest and sends the rest of them looking for easier targets.
Beyond security on a multi-day trip you need to pack enough clothes. If the number of days exceeds your luggage space one option is to do laundry at the mid-point. In 2009 Jackie and I rode to Missouri and back. During the two week trip we attended a nephew’s wedding, I joined my brother and two sisters (as co-riders) on a three-day sibling tour, I gave a niece and her high school classmate their first motorcycle rides and my Mom was a co-rider guiding me to places she had ridden "100 mph with a high school boyfriend that her parents did not approve of". Since the trip included a formal wedding we needed a nice dress for Jackie, a suit for me, and dress shoes for both of us. Our solution was to mail a box to Missouri a few weeks early. The postage was $40, money well spent since it allowed us to leave the car at home.
If you have suggestions on what else to bring let me know. I can share them in a future article.
Ride Smart,
Mark Bennett