Tips and tricks for those long road trips

[cajun2wheels]

Medicated powder for your butt.Really helps on those hot days.I also carry two 33 oz camp stove fuel aluminum bottles full of gas strapped securely in my saddle bag just in case.Along with my ample tool bag I carry wire,cable ties,tape,and 550 lb test parachute cord.A leatherman multitool can come in handy also.

[bobhamlin]

If your sweetie is going:

• Very clearly define storage space allocation, and be a hard-nose. Angie has a saddle-bag and 2/3s of the Kuryakin Full Dresser suitcase (It has 3 internal sections). [/*:m:3te7k4cb]
• Do not comment on anything that she decides to take--it is her space.[/*:m:3te7k4cb]
• If she wants to shop, you mail stuff home.[/*:m:3te7k4cb]

[schoeney]

We had a checklist for trips posted at one time but I couldnt find it. Here is a link to one that Elvis posted in the ride section.

http://micapeak.com/checklists/ccard.html

Can of pledge/plexus,clear riding glasses, and roll of duct tape.

Rule of thumb on clothing/gear. Prepare for all conditions (Rain, cold, heat, wind, nite dayetc).

Cover your bike at night to keep the dew off the seat and the less than honest people guessing. A $20 Walmart cover is best....thieves will go after the more expensive looking package before the cheaper one.

Don't deprive yourself of sleep.

Don't drink until you are off the road for the day. Keep this in mind when planning your hotel/campsite. You will want to be within walking distance of your favorite watering hole.

Have a handy place to store your cell phone + wallet+ because you will be digging for them at gas stops.

I try to keep my group at 4 bikes or less just to keep food + gas+ stops simple and together on the road. Agree on a procedure (meeting place, length of time, who to call,etc) if you get separated before you start the ride.

Know your riding partners skill and endurance limits so no one is struglling.

Don't rush.

Check tires at least visually and a kick at every stop.

Park in well lit area. Many hotels will let you park under the entry awning/roof.

Multi day rides are my favorite part of owning my bike. I just wish I could do it more often.

Enjoy!

[ndbigfish]

This is the list I use all the time. The original came from Gadget's site.

[bigsid1]

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shop...10131/-1626008 Try this chair. I used it in virginia at the regional rally. I strapped it to my luggage rack.

[oldbikers]

I have carried one of those fold up chair like Walmart sells for many miles but Chuck I always put it on the back seat and tied it down to the back rest that you don't have, I layed mine down across the seat with no problem but I have seen them standing up with the back rest. One thing that I haven't seen on any of these list is bungee cords I won't crank my bike with them in my saddle bag.

[ringadingh]

I carry booster cables, and a multi meter, they both have come in handy a couple times so far.

[dank]

I carry them , but the Nomad and my Honda have been so reliable I find I rarely need tools while traveling. (I do any upcoming required maintenance before I leave.) But the two essentials for a comfortable multi-day ride that nobody has mentioned are:

#1.....A bottle of ADVIL

and sunscreen.

I use those every trip.

[vulcans2]

Carry a can of spray cleaner and some microfiber cloths for wiping the dust off the bike and cleaning the windshield each evening.

If you don't carry cleaning rags, ask the hotel desk clerk, if you're staying at a motel, for some cleaning rags. I always do that, and I've never been turned down. They love it when you don't use their towels to clean the road splooge off your bike.

When on a road trip, we always try to get up, have coffee, then pack up and hit the road right off. That way we can get in at least a couple hours on the road before stopping for breakfast and to top off the tank. After that we stop often, about once every hours. Helps to fend off fatigue.

Don't carry more stuff than you need. We did that at first and ended up mailing a lot of stuff home. You can stop at a laundromat every few days to wash your dirty clothes.

Don't forget your camera.

Check your tires daily. Never know what you may have run over.

[coacha]

What is this cleaning you speak of? Todd mentioned that to me once and I couldn't understand him. :)

I take tools, wipes, flashlight, all the normal stuff. I pull a trailer on most long trips so I have a lot of stuff in there: Margaritta maker (AC/DC), stove, cooking stuff, etc. Always fuel up before I take the bike off the road for the night if we have a planned ride in the morning.

[usranger74]

Add to the list, sunscreen and chap stick

If I were to carry a metric socket set, what sizes would I take?

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by usranger74

Add to the list, sunscreen and chap stick

If I were to carry a metric socket set, what sizes would I take?

Basic set? 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 17mm
Don't forget metric hex wrenches

I carry the Roadtech M3 kit from Cruz tools:

http://www.cruztools.com/products/kitsmetric.html

[aldridgekennedy]

Always travel with an MRE (meal ready to eat). Not only do you have a hot meal when you need it, but inside the pack are TP, matches (water proof) and a host of other goodies. It takes up VERY little room. You can buy them at virtually any army surplus store of if you have the proper ID most commisaries.

I've been starnded before (car not bike) and this was a lifesaver.

[jestephens]

Extra Bunjee Cords!!

[usranger74]

Hand gun and if the caliber does not start with .4, leave it at home