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Pack Light and Pack Right. What to take on a short motorcycle trip

Tags: bike pack trip

Pack Light and Pack Right.
What to take on a short motorcycle trip

When you are going on a short riding Trip, knowing what to Pack is always a challenge. And if you are going on a lightweight off road Bike it’s even harder. With far less places to load kit and far less luggage options available then you have to be smart about what you decide to take with you. On a short motorcycle trip, you need to Pack light and Pack Right!

IF YOU ARE ONLY AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN DON'T BE TEMPTED TO OVERPACK

#1 BE REALISTIC

OK so if we are going to set out on a trip on a bike, we need to be realistic about how much we can carry and still enjoy the riding and the trip. The smaller the bike the less you can carry, but don’t think that if you chose a bigger bike it’s all rosy. Riding a bike loaded to the gunwales with luggage isn’t that much fun, especially when you go off the backtop. And planning to carry a full camping set up and sleep under canvas each night might sound exciting, but get a few wet days and the reality is something different. Wild camping in the rain is awful and you are not Bear Grylls.

So maybe it’s sensible to rely on hostels / bed and breakfast / guest houses for accommodation, rather than trying to carry a temporary home on your back. It also means you can get washed, get a meal and good sleep between the days of riding, and avoids all manner of buying and lugging around a list of equipment from sleeping bags to primus stoves that you’ll have to set up on a windswept hillside ….

A BETTER OPTION THAN CAMPING? YOU DECIDE!

#2 SPREAD THE LOAD

So if you are not going to be loading up massive panniers, then you are going to need a variety of luggage options to contain all the kit you need for the trip. Thankfully there are plenty of options available from fender packs to roll tubes, tank bags to rucksacks, and a combination of these will accommodate your travel essentials.

You should try to be sensible about what you pack your kit and where you pack it. Heavy items like chains and tools should be at the base of bags and ideally held close to the bike on the seat or tank, rather than on mudguards or on your back in a rucksack.

If you are taking a rucksack, try to only pack lightweight items and clothing in there, and never anything that might injure you in a crash. Ensure that you have ridden a shorter trip with the same rucksack so you know whether it’s comfortable. The bag should have a chest and a waist strap to hold it close to you and distribute the weight.

TWO DIFFERENT BIKES, ONE COMMON THEME - SPREAD OUT THE LOAD

#3 BAG IT UP

So you want to keep all the stuff you take with you in good condition for the whole trip, so that will mean keeping the water, dust and mud out. If your luggage is waterproof, that’s great, but if it’s covered in mud and dripping wet it might not be welcome in your overnight accommodation. Simply packing your kit in black bin liners inside the bags can prove a great option to keep contents dry and removable at the end of the day. Packing a handful of new black bags will offer a range of emergency options from impromptu waterproofs to laundry bags.

IF YOUR LUGGAGE MAY GET WET, THEN BLACK BAGS WILL BE A GREAT PRECAUTION

#4 SAME THING, SAME PLACE

OK this might seem a little OCD, but believe us this one make a whole heap of sense. Try to ensure that when you pack things you have a definite place for every item and you keep to this plan all through the trip.

This means that if you put your wallet in the inside right jacket pocket every time, you just need to pat that pocket to check it’s there. Same goes for tools, waterproofs, chains, toilet bags anything. Pack the same things in the same place at the start of each day and you’ll be more confident you haven’t left anything behind.

WITH LOTS OF POCKETS AND BAGS, KEEPING THINGS IN THE SAME PLACE EACH DAY MAKES SENSE

#5 TOOL TIME

Even if you are not planning on roadside repairs, you need to have a good smattering of tools with you for those little adjustments and unexpected repairs. Don’t think your OEM kit under the seat will be sufficient – the tools are notoriously poor quality.

Hopefully as a regular rider you have gathered together a working toolkit, but spend some time before you set out checking them and ensuring they are all in good condition. Also check that if you’ve recently changed bikes that you’ve got bike specific tools like plug spanners and wheel spindle spanners. Many bikes are now using Torx bolts so you may need to invest in a small set of Torx keys.

A selection of bolts, washers and fasteners is always good, as are zip ties, rubber gloves and a small roll of gaffer tape – adventure essentials!

Make sure your tools are in a secure bag and that they are accessible without completely unpacking all your clothes at the side of the trail. 

ROCKY TERRAIN WILL INCREASE THE STRESS ON YOUR BIKE'S COMPONENTS

#6 FLUID REPLACEMENT

if you are racking up the miles, then it’s not you that’s going to get thirsty – your bike is going to need a bit of love along the way. Taking essential fluids could be a wise precaution, but you don’t want to weight yourself down with massive bottles. Get yourself along to the chemist and buy a few travel bottles, so you can top up engine oil and brake / clutch fluid on the trip. Small tins of chain lube are available and will keep your drive train suitably lubricated as you go.

Try and do the maintenance at the end of the day when you are still grubby rather than in the morning when you are clean and fresh.

GET THE ADJUSTMENTS DONE BEFORE YOU SET OUT

#7 PUNCTURE WOUND

NO AMOUNT OF PREPARATION IS GOING TO PREVENT THESE PUNCTURING YOUR TYRES

If you ride a motorcycle with tubeless or tubed tyres, you may get a puncture when you are riding. Whether this is a trip ending incident or just a temporary set back will depend on your mechanical aptitude and preparation or sometimes, your level of breakdown cover!

If you’ve been smart, you’ve packed spare tubes, levers and a pump and will be able to fix the problem in a relatively short time. Clearly the smaller the bike the easier this is as popping off a Maxxis Trial Maxx of a KTM EXC250 will be an easier proposition than wrestling a Mitas E09 from a Yamaha Tenere on the side of the road. If you can’t complete the task, don’t start it …

It’s worth discussing what other riders are taking on the trip so that you haven’t all got exactly the same equipment – you won’t need 27 tyre levers and ten pumps ! If you do attempt a trackside repair, be prepared to take advice from others and if one of you is better at changing tyres than you, let them take over.

Or you could just fit mousses and forget all the above, but bear in mind large road mileage on mousses does hasten their demise! 

#8 LOCK AND COVER

So when you get to your elected overnight stop you are going to need to leave your bike somewhere. First off speak sweetly to the receptionist to see whether there is anywhere out of the way and less visible than leaving it in the car park. If so, jump at it!

If not, secure your bikes with the chains and padlocks you have brought with you, trying to put them in as inaccessible and hard to reach location as possible – if it’s hard for you it’s hard for a thief. Put the worst condition bike on the outside and the best right at the back – sorry Chris!

Then get out the lightweight cover you’ve also brought with you and cover over the bikes. It will keep off the worst of the weather if it rains overnight and also makes your bikes less visible and noticeable.  If there’s one thing that will put a crimp in your bike trip, it’s coming out in the morning and the bike is not there …

LOCK THEM TOGETHER AND COVER THEM UP!

#9 GET CASUAL

If you are some kind of hardcore adventure type like Nic Sanders you doubtless spend your entire trip in the same clothes, steadily smelling more and more like an old badger as the odometer clicks ever upwards.

For the rest of us, getting out of the riding kit at the end of the day is a definite joy and almost as important as getting a decent shower. But don’t think you will need loads of options – if you ride all day you’re probably only wearing your casual clothes for a few hours in the evening. 

So you should be looking at a T shirt, fleece, trousers and some lightweight shoes. For trousers, walking trousers with zip-off legs to make shorts are a good choice if it may be hot on your trip. For the UK we also take a down jacket that rolls up super small and means we don’t need to wear a sweaty bike jacket in the pub in the evening.

You are obviously going to need spare socks and underwear at some point, but ensure you keep the dirty stuff bagged and away from the clean stuff!

#10 SPONGE BAG

If you are staying in guest houses and B & Bs each night most will provide the toiletries you need in the room.  So you really need to pack toothbrush and paste, anti-perspirant and maybe a small bottle of shower gel just in case. If it is hostels you are staying in you may need to bring slightly more, and a lightweight quick-drying camping towel may be a good idea, but most places you can hire a towel for a few pounds which avoids carrying a wet one in your bag.

As to other supplies, then maybe some pain killers such as ibrupofen may be worth including for aching muscles at the end of the day, or aching heads in the morning. Add in some talc to keep things dry down below and maybe some Sudocreme in case of ‘saddle sores’. You’ll thank is for that one …

PACK UP YOUR LUGGAGE AND HEAD TO THE HILLS - THERE'S A WHOLE WORLD TO DISCOVER!

So that’s our list – it should help you sort out your packing next time you fancy a weekend out on the trails. 

If we’ve forgotten anything, let us know.

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This post first appeared on Cambodia Motorcycle Tours | Ride Cambodia, please read the originial post: here

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Pack Light and Pack Right. What to take on a short motorcycle trip

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