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[Buy early]

Hmmm, Lemon Pledge wipes for the windshield?? Do they work good and not damage it? Great idea if they work.

Thanks for all they replies. I've read all the way down to TwoToes reply from 1:53 AM today. I especially liked michaelbmenakers' statement of encouragement "nothing is gonna' break".

I swear by Lemon Pledge wipes and always have them with. If you search on Lemon Pledge you'll see tons of support. I like the wipes because they are very portable, easy to share and you don't have to carry a rag, just use them and toss them. Gotta be Lemon Pledge tho, the lemon juice is what breaks down the bug guts. I use them on the whole bike. Makes chrome and paint shine and the whole bike smells lemony fresh!

[9 1/2 Beers]

 

[bbrown]

YUP  amazing how well this works

[JCZ]

Let me be the first to warn you......the long tours quickly become addicting.  You'll be glad to get home but a week or two later you'll be planning the next one.....just a bit further.  You've been warned.

The most important thing you'll need is a King tour pack in the quick release mode.
I never leave home without the ice chest.....gotta keep the Gatorade and Pepsi cold.

We do a lot of touring (35k miles on my 10 SESG) and my experience is to not touch the bike....not even the windshield until we get back home.  Anything short of a running hose with lots of water.....you're just rubbing the road gime, dirt, bugs, etc. around and eventually it takes it's toll on your clear coat.  The exception would be if you find someplace where you can totally wash your bike or sometimes a dealership will do it for a few bucks if you're on the road.

[Fast FLHX]

You could always just get a luggage rack and buy a hiking back pack.  Put the pack on the luggage rack and tie it down to the backrest/rack.  That will give you plenty of room.

[SBB]

The exception would be if you find someplace  Or someone where you can totally wash your bike 

 

SBB

[JCZ]

SBB

    Actually, I was thinkin of a dealership.

OK, truth be know......Chip did wash my bike during the Tahoe GTG.

[willyB]

Let me be the first to warn you......the long tours quickly become addicting.  You'll be glad to get home but a week or two later you'll be planning the next one.....just a bit further.  You've been warned.

The most important thing you'll need is a King tour pack in the quick release mode.
I never leave home without the ice chest.....gotta keep the Gatorade and Pepsi cold.

We do a lot of touring (35k miles on my 10 SESG) and my experience is to not touch the bike....not even the windshield until we get back home.  Anything short of a running hose with lots of water.....you're just rubbing the road gime, dirt, bugs, etc. around and eventually it takes it's toll on your clear coat.  The exception would be if you find someplace where you can totally wash your bike or sometimes a dealership will do it for a few bucks if you're on the road.

I agree. From the long rides we've taken on the Deuce the next trip always seems to start planning the day we get back.

As far as cleaning the bike during the trip----ONLY THE WINDSHIELD(Carefully)!!! Bikes gotta look like it's been somewhere.

[Midnight Rider]

I don't like to leave bug guts on the painted parts for too long, nor on the windshield.  Some guts will actually eat into the clearcoat if left there long enough.  Windex makes some wipes that work well, but make sure to get the ones WITHOUT amonia.  Packing for cool/cold weather riding is easier to me than hot weather...you've usually got your jacket/chaps/gloves on, so don't have to be concerned about storing them, and you don't sweat and get clothes stinky so they can be worn more than once, and if they're made out of the proper materials, can be rinsed out and worn again...wicking socks, underwear, etc.  A good baselayer, a windproof, lightweight fleece jacket that can be worn underneath your regular jacket, and the rainsuit if it's really cold or of course, raining.  Keep your neck warm...70% of your body heat is lost through the head and neck.

I'd lose the oil and the octane booster, but I'd take the tire plugger and some way of filling the tire with air...I have the CO2 cartridge thing from my mountain bike, but the small compressor would be better if it doesn't take up too much room.

[Twolanerider]

...70% of your body heat is lost through the head and neck.

Huh?  Can't be.  Scalp is only like 10% of the body's surface area.  If that were true the head would have to percolate at a rate (wait, doing math in my head, that doesn't happen quickly) about 40 times greater per square inch than the rest of the bod.  Only thing on my that hot is my Willy.

Some old wive's tail?

[Midnight Rider]

Huh?  Can't be.  Scalp is only like 10% of the body's surface area.  If that were true the head would have to percolate at a rate (wait, doing math in my head, that doesn't happen quickly) about 40 times greater per square inch than the rest of the bod.  Only thing on my that hot is my Willy.

Some old wive's tail?

Busted:  http://wildernessmedicinenewsletter.wordpress.com/2007/02/14/heat-loss-through-the-head-and-hypothermia/
It is an old wive's tale, with one exception....if hypothermic, the heat loss through the head increases to 55% and up, and there are other exceptions as well, like when immersed in water.  The "wive's tale" comes from an old army training manual, apparently.  So, I've been full of chit all these years and didn't know it until today...then again, I never froze to death in 3 feet of snow and -15 degrees when camping/backpacking by following the wive's tale.

However...when cold, the body will do everything to keep the core and brain warm at the expense of the extremeties...wearing something around the neck area decreases the heat loss, allowing more flow to the extremeties.  The old addage, "If your feet/hands are cold, but on a hat" is true in that case, but not just any hat.  A baseball cap isn't going to do much...a Balaclava will, as will a neck gaiter.  When riding a bike, wind chill factors are pretty dramatic, so layers covered by a windproof outer is most important.  A FF helmet works wonders, but there's still a significant gap that needs to be insulated between the bottom of the back of the helmet and the top of whatever jacket.

[lammgrel]

Busted:  http://wildernessmedicinenewsletter.wordpress.com/2007/02/14/heat-loss-through-the-head-and-hypothermia/
It is an old wive's tale, with one exception....if hypothermic, the heat loss through the head increases to 55% and up, and there are other exceptions as well, like when immersed in water.  The "wive's tale" comes from an old army training manual, apparently.  So, I've been full of chit all these years and didn't know it until today...then again, I never froze to death in 3 feet of snow and -15 degrees when camping/backpacking by following the wive's tale.

However...when cold, the body will do everything to keep the core and brain warm at the expense of the extremeties...wearing something around the neck area decreases the heat loss, allowing more flow to the extremeties.  The old addage, "If your feet/hands are cold, but on a hat" is true in that case, but not just any hat.  A baseball cap isn't going to do much...a Balaclava will, as will a neck gaiter.  When riding a bike, wind chill factors are pretty dramatic, so layers covered by a windproof outer is most important.  A FF helmet works wonders, but there's still a significant gap that needs to be insulated between the bottom of the back of the helmet and the top of whatever jacket.

Thanks for fact checking!  

If you are coming to WY ALWAYS bring a good layering system.  I've seen it snow in July.

[willyB]

I bought a really thin Patagonia down jacket last year and it works perfect under my leather jacket. Perfect I say! You guys should check them out. It zips up to the very top and also makes a good neck cover. No more cold wind sneaking its way down your back.

[spydglide]

I bought a really thin Patagonia down jacket last year and it works perfect under my leather jacket. Perfect I say! You guys should check them out. It zips up to the very top and also makes a good neck cover. No more cold wind sneaking its way down your back.

That's a great riding jacket and layers great as you mention.  Takes a bit of saddlebag space, but it's light so helps with not exceeding the wt. limit in one bag.  spyder

[lammgrel]

I bought a really thin Patagonia down jacket last year and it works perfect under my leather jacket. Perfect I say! You guys should check them out. It zips up to the very top and also makes a good neck cover. No more cold wind sneaking its way down your back.

Cool thing about down is you can actually pack it to a smaller volume the a comparable fleece or poly-fill item... Its best to stuff down items into a stuff sack, rather than fold them.  They come out a little wrinkly, but you dont create creases which lead to cold spots.  Just dont leave a down item stuffed for long periods of time, they will lose their loft.