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[Trapperdog]

I'm with you on the space savings.  

When we did the ocean to ocean ride Andy suggested that we not pack t-shirts (cause we'd be buying them along the way), one bag of cheap sox and one bag of cheap underwear.  As they get dirty we just throw them away......six days in to it, it's another quick stop at Wal Mart, Big K or some such discount store for another bag.

I think I used to do that with BSR's, a few days into a ride...and off to Kmart to get a new one. Life was much simpler in the 70's

[Wrongway]

I think I used to do that with BSR's, a few days into a ride...and off to Kmart to get a new one. Life was much simpler in the 70's

[Trapperdog]

Where'd you get that pic of us?

[GtreetSlide]

the small travel pack of baby wipes...

jimbob

[Screamin]

Left over wet naps from chicken / bbq joints.

[Dracula]

Leave the wife at home.  You will be so happy from the peace and quiet you won't care that your clothes are dirty or that you smell!

[Buffy]

CONFESSIONS OF A VETERAN ROOKIE
Fred Rau is one of my favorite motorcycle writers and I enjoy reading whatever he has to say every month. Over the decades, his words have been all over the moto-mags so you have likely read him, as well.

In the March 2009 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News, Fred wrote an insightful article on “Rookie Mistakes,” that outlines some fundamental points about long-distance riding.

1: TOURING WITH BRAND-NEW GEAR
ROOKIE MISTAKE #1: Heading out on a tour with brand new gear. The point is that any new gear should be tried out locally to ensure proper road fit, rather than spending all day in the saddle with a helmet or boots that are too tight after a hundred miles or so, resulting in an uncomfortable ride for most of the day, and every day afterwards, for the rest of the tour.

Although, over the decades I’ve managed to maintain this first point, this next one is a feat I’m still tuning:

2a: OVERPACKING
ROOKIE MISTAKE #2a: Overpacking. This may be a relative point for different riders, but for me, I find I’m still in pursuit of some personal ideal of elegant simplicity that poses a balance between bringing as little as possible, vs. ensuring I have the majority of what I actually need. Even on multi-week, cross-country adventures, I have found that I could have enjoyed the experience a little bit more, had I brought a little less.

You will need to establish your own happy medium between what you need and what you don’t, but, just like Fred, I have never encountered a rider who didn’t want to bring more than what would actually be necessary.

This item is the hardest on this list to remedy without gaining real-world touring experience and learning that you don’t actually have to bring 24 pair of socks. Whether you stay in motels, hotels, the homes of friends and family, or camp along the road, the truth is that washing machines exist in more places than your own home.

2b: POOR PACKING
ROOKIE MISTAKE #2b: Poor Packing. In addition to ensuring you have underwear and socks in sealed bags (and as much else as possible), where you pack them, or the order in which they are packed, become more important the longer you ride. How quickly can you get your rain gear? How accessible is that warmer pair of gloves? Do you need to rummage around for a snack?

The good news here is that how you pack your gear can be improved day by day while you are on the road.

3: RIDING WITHOUT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING
ROOKIE MISTAKE #3: Riding without alternative funding. Dang! The idea of sealing and hiding extra cash and another credit card somewhere on the bike as a precaution against a lost or stolen wallet is not new. In fact, I’ve done that in the past past (long past). But since I’ve never had occasion to take advantage of such a precaution, I’ve let that slide out of my basic actions, a few bikes back in history. That will now be re-implemented as part of my touring “basics.”

4: RIDING WITHOUT A SPARE KEY
ROOKIE MISTAKE #4: Riding without a spare key. Eghad! I’m not only guilty as charged! It’s worse than that. I’ve considered the same point over the years, and never rectified it. That’s double guilty! Losing a key to your bike could turn a glorious day of a vacation into an ignoble day of infamy. Conversely, for a prepared rider, it could be no more than a moment of inconvenience to pull out a replacement for a key that got dropped on a trail, or fell over a lookout, or as Fred notes, a key that “disappeared into the swirling water” of a flushing toilet.

[1abastarsmda]

CONFESSIONS OF A VETERAN ROOKIE
Fred Rau is one of my favorite motorcycle writers and I enjoy reading whatever he has to say every month. Over the decades, his words have been all over the moto-mags so you have likely read him, as well.

In the March 2009 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News, Fred wrote an insightful article on “Rookie Mistakes,” that outlines some fundamental points about long-distance riding.

1: TOURING WITH BRAND-NEW GEAR
ROOKIE MISTAKE #1: Heading out on a tour with brand new gear. The point is that any new gear should be tried out locally to ensure proper road fit, rather than spending all day in the saddle with a helmet or boots that are too tight after a hundred miles or so, resulting in an uncomfortable ride for most of the day, and every day afterwards, for the rest of the tour.

Although, over the decades I’ve managed to maintain this first point, this next one is a feat I’m still tuning:

2a: OVERPACKING
ROOKIE MISTAKE #2a: Overpacking. This may be a relative point for different riders, but for me, I find I’m still in pursuit of some personal ideal of elegant simplicity that poses a balance between bringing as little as possible, vs. ensuring I have the majority of what I actually need. Even on multi-week, cross-country adventures, I have found that I could have enjoyed the experience a little bit more, had I brought a little less.

You will need to establish your own happy medium between what you need and what you don’t, but, just like Fred, I have never encountered a rider who didn’t want to bring more than what would actually be necessary.

This item is the hardest on this list to remedy without gaining real-world touring experience and learning that you don’t actually have to bring 24 pair of socks. Whether you stay in motels, hotels, the homes of friends and family, or camp along the road, the truth is that washing machines exist in more places than your own home.

2b: POOR PACKING
ROOKIE MISTAKE #2b: Poor Packing. In addition to ensuring you have underwear and socks in sealed bags (and as much else as possible), where you pack them, or the order in which they are packed, become more important the longer you ride. How quickly can you get your rain gear? How accessible is that warmer pair of gloves? Do you need to rummage around for a snack?

The good news here is that how you pack your gear can be improved day by day while you are on the road.

3: RIDING WITHOUT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING
ROOKIE MISTAKE #3: Riding without alternative funding. Dang! The idea of sealing and hiding extra cash and another credit card somewhere on the bike as a precaution against a lost or stolen wallet is not new. In fact, I’ve done that in the past past (long past). But since I’ve never had occasion to take advantage of such a precaution, I’ve let that slide out of my basic actions, a few bikes back in history. That will now be re-implemented as part of my touring “basics.”

4: RIDING WITHOUT A SPARE KEY
ROOKIE MISTAKE #4: Riding without a spare key. Eghad! I’m not only guilty as charged! It’s worse than that. I’ve considered the same point over the years, and never rectified it. That’s double guilty! Losing a key to your bike could turn a glorious day of a vacation into an ignoble day of infamy. Conversely, for a prepared rider, it could be no more than a moment of inconvenience to pull out a replacement for a key that got dropped on a trail, or fell over a lookout, or as Fred notes, a key that “disappeared into the swirling water” of a flushing toilet.

I'm a little lost on this last issue, the spare key.  Where do you put your spare key when you go on a trip?  The easy answer, if you are riding with someone else, is to exchange extra keys with the other rider.  If I'm on my own and I leave the extra key somewhere packed away on my bike, and I don't lock the handlebars, someone is able to start my bike and take off with it.  If I do lock the handlebars, and lock the bags, then I can't get at the spare key if I lose the first key.  If I take both keys with me everytime I get off the bike, chances are I'll lose both sets if I lose one.  So, what does one do with the spare key?

[TN]

I'm a little lost on this last issue, the spare key.  Where do you put your spare key when you go on a trip?  The easy answer, if you are riding with someone else, is to exchange extra keys with the other rider.  If I'm on my own and I leave the extra key somewhere packed away on my bike, and I don't lock the handlebars, someone is able to start my bike and take off with it.  If I do lock the handlebars, and lock the bags, then I can't get at the spare key if I lose the first key.  If I take both keys with me everytime I get off the bike, chances are I'll lose both sets if I lose one.  So, what does one do with the spare key?

plenty of spots to hide a key, on a fl especially, ya also have to remember to program and retain a security code, learned this one the hard way.   


TN

[Fired00d]

I'm a little lost on this last issue, the spare key.  Where do you put your spare key when you go on a trip?  The easy answer, if you are riding with someone else, is to exchange extra keys with the other rider.  If I'm on my own and I leave the extra key somewhere packed away on my bike, and I don't lock the handlebars, someone is able to start my bike and take off with it.  If I do lock the handlebars, and lock the bags, then I can't get at the spare key if I lose the first key.  If I take both keys with me everytime I get off the bike, chances are I'll lose both sets if I lose one.  So, what does one do with the spare key?

When I travel I put my spare on a chain necklace that I wear all the time.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Fired00d]

plenty of spots to hide a key, on a fl especially, ya also have to remember to program and retain a security code, learned this one the hard way.   


TN

Also have that done.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[1abastarsmda]

plenty of spots to hide a key, on a fl especially, ya also have to remember to program and retain a security code, learned this one the hard way.   


TN

If you hide the key on the bike, and forget to lock the forks, anyone can start your bike and ride away.  That seems like a bad idea.  I suppose the idea of putting it on a necklace may work, but not if I'm going to the beach or pool.  I've made sure that I memorized the security code, so that even if I would lose the card, I can always get the instructions to use the code from someone...and then I really don't need the key and I can still make it home.

[erniezap]

Zip tie the key under the seat.  Even with the bike locked, all you need is a screwdriver or allen wrench to get the seat off.  No one needs to know that it's there since they can't see it.

[Fired00d]

If you hide the key on the bike, and forget to lock the forks, anyone can start your bike and ride away.  That seems like a bad idea.  I suppose the idea of putting it on a necklace may work, but not if I'm going to the beach or pool.  I've made sure that I memorized the security code, so that even if I would lose the card, I can always get the instructions to use the code from someone...and then I really don't need the key and I can still make it home.

Not sure your reasoning here. I have been told I have a big head (no comments from the 's), but if you get a chain that length is so it will not come over your head and has a good clasp it's not going anywhere. The chain I hook my key to stays on me all the time and the clasp has never come loose accidentally.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[1abastarsmda]

Not sure your reasoning here. I have been told I have a big head (no comments from the 's), but if you get a chain that length is so it will not come over your head and has a good clasp it's not going anywhere. The chain I hook my key to stays on me all the time and the clasp has never come loose accidentally.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

My reasoning is that my key has electronics and a battery in it for the security system.  I don't think that will go well submersed in water.  Also, to go with my key is the separate remote for the luggage locks.  Having both of those dangling from a necklace may be more than I care to have hanging around my neck.  Perhaps you aren't familiar with what comes with the 09's for keys.  Yes, I could just use the key for the luggage, but it still has the security system electronics built in...so again, not an option for the beach or pool.