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Long motocamping trip planning lower 48

5K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Rolex 
#1 ·
Hey all, I've been planning an unplanned trip across the lower 48 and am getting everything finalized now. I'd like to hear your input on what I have/don't have/need/etc..

I plan on camping a lot, taking advantage of adv rider tent space, maybe hostel occasionally and perhaps WWOOFing along the way.

The only things not shown below are toiletries and food I think.

mototrip - Album on Imgur

Stuff I'm bringing from top left down:

Misc. bags (sure to be put to use)
Bilt moto cover
Folding sleeping pad
Sleeping bag
Travel guitar + music book (Studio Ghibli tabs )
Gloves (two left are extra/work glove, two right are hot and cold weather riding)
Rok straps
Rags
First aid kit
Two man tent
Batteries (AA/AAA)
Ziploc bags (food and waterproofing)
Hatchet
Rope 50'
Water bottles
Fuel
MSR 1L Stove
Sponge
Cable lock
Chain cleaning brush
Poop shovel
Utensils
Headlight
Towels
Riding pants (Dainese Drake Air)
Notebook
Emergency food
Life straw water filter
Fire steel (w/ dryer lint inside)
Battery powered radio
Duct tape
All purpose lube (Tri-Flow)
Chain degreaser and lube (DuPont)
Riding jacket liner
Riding jacket (Dainese Zen Evo)
Base layer riding gear (Klim Aggressor)
Emergency fire starting fuel (Trioxane)
Tire plug and pump kit
Tool roll
Extra set of brake pads
Sewing kit
Extra spark plugs
Multimeter
Multitools (Leatherman and Stockton)
OEM tool kit
Matches
Flashlight
Bicycle tire patch kit (for Airhawk)
Rain jacket and pants
Cooling vest
Head scarf
Wool socks
Pants
Shorts
Hiking/work boots
Riding boots (Dainese Latitour)
Helmet (Arai RX-Q)
Nelson Rigg Dry Bag 70L
Warm shirt and hoody
Tshirts and beaters
Underwear, long johns and silk long sleeve shirt
OEM Top and side cases
The tarp underneath it all!

Some stuff I found and added are:

Carabiner
12' hiking boot shoelace (maybe as clothes line?)
Foldout knife
Razor knife

Some stuff I'm considering:

Extra engine oil?
Extra brake/clutch/shift lever?
Extra clutch cable?
Flip flops?

Here's what my bike will look like loaded up (minus guitar on top of dry bag).

Let me know what you think, I plan on leaving July 1st!
 
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#4 ·
Most likely no muddin for me (unless it's surprise muddin). Guess I don't need degreaser then, just how I'm used to cleaning. Got the TP, thanks for the advice!

You'll enjoy your ride more if you can reduce some weight. Here are some of my suggestions for things to leave home:




I didn't see a knit or fleece stocking hat - a must have when sleeping in the cold.

I took a regular pillow case, opened the hem up and ran a light line with a cord lock on it. I can stuff clothes in the pillow case for a pillow and the cord lock keeps everything from spilling out in the night.

I didn't see a camelback or hydration bladder - much easier to stay hydrated than stopping to drink from a bottle.

I no longer take TP, just take wet-wipes, that way you don't have to keep them dry. I also use the wet-wipes to pre-clean my cooking kit before actually washing it. That saves water when water is scarce.

Have fun. If you're in Central Oregon, shoot me a pm for riding ideas, a shop to work on the bike or sleep in for the night.

Tim
Guitar may be a bit much, but I think I'll be alone a lot so it may be worth it.. gotta think on it.

Maybe wet wipes are the way, I hear much about them in regard to camping.

Already bought 10 AA and AAA, maybe too much..

Hatchet may not need, but what about cutting up firewood?

Already had the rope lying around, paracord does seem better though, lighter and more compact.

Grunge brush is probably overkill, just used to cleaning my chain with it.. super quick and effective. Maybe I could cut the head off it and just keep that part.

Poop shovel is light and compact, may be useful for digging fire pit too. You can bury your poop with your foot? Power to ya

Got a large and small microfiber towel, one for body one for cleaning stove, utensils, moto? They fold up pretty small.

Don't need emergency food.. it's big and heavy. Was just thinking of the worst.

Never used the fire steel but it's cool and small. Gotta get Bic lighters though

Yeah, don't need the radio really

So just chain lube and degreaser? Tri-Flow may act as degreaser too and it's more compact.. definitely got too many chain products

Trioxane is small and compact, road flares sound cool too though

Sparkies I don't need yeah..

Guess I don't need a Leatherman and moto specific multitool and tool roll and oem tool kit... I just like tools :( Gotta streamline them all

Matches, why not? Have em lying around. Can use my fire steel to light a pile of matches on top of trioxane and bic lighters, easy fire!

Definitely bringing a head lamp, got a small flashlight in case I lose it or something?

Don't need the bicycle tire patch kit, I just like things in small containers I guess. Plus the adhesive is highly flammable, I could add it to my fire starting collection!

Found the shoelace.. guess I should just get paracord

Foldout knife for cooking, it's small and compact. I've used my leatherman knife for cooking and food stuff gets all up in it, hard to clean.

Razor knife? I don't know.. maybe I need to perform surgery, guess I don't need 3 knives.. I even found a large fixed knife I wanted to bring.

Guess I don't need the extra levers since I got bark busters, just worried about being stranded. Lowsided on my old SV and broke shifter and clutch lever, now I'm worried

Looking into camelbak or platypus or whatever, they're just pricey. How do the tubes fit under a full face helmet?

Gotta bring a warm beanie or hat, good call.

Was planning on using a bundle of clothes as a pillow, but bringing a pillow case to stuff em in isn't a bad idea.

Appreciate the tips, will let ya know if/when I'm in Central Oregon, thanks!
 
#3 · (Edited)
You'll enjoy your ride more if you can reduce some weight. Here are some of my suggestions for things to leave home:


Stuff I'm bringing from top left down:

Travel guitar + music book (Studio Ghibli tabs ) I think you'll find there are too many things to see and people to talk to for this to be used much....and I'm a musician. Maybe bring a harmonica and learn that?

Rags- Just bring wet-wipes. No washing

Batteries (AA/AAA) No more than one set - purchase as you need.

Hatchet - really? I camp too and have never wished I had one - ever.

Rope 50' - parachute cord. rope is too heavy

Chain cleaning brush - again- use wet wipes or spray wd40 to clean

Poop shovel - did that, never used it. The heel of a boot works just as well.

Towels - only need one microfiber one

Emergency food - go easy here - a guy can survive a long time without food. I now just carry a couple clif bars.

Fire steel (w/ dryer lint inside) Lighter is easier and you can light your stove with it - dual purpose.

Battery powered radio - Just use your cell phone

All purpose lube (Tri-Flow) - Just use yoru chain lube for anything needing this


Emergency fire starting fuel - for emergencies I carry one road flare - useful for numerous emergencies


Extra spark plugs -unless you're riding Mongolia, no need for this. A vstrom can limp into the nearest town on one cylinder.


Multitools (Leatherman and Stockton) - choose one, even then I doubt you'll use it much with your other tools. I carry one and have only used it once or twice.


Matches - LOL how many ways do you need to start a fire?

Flashlight - when by yourself a headlamp is more useful and convenient.

Bicycle tire patch kit (for Airhawk) purchase this if/when you actually need it, then throw the extra stuff away when it's patched.

12' hiking boot shoelace (maybe as clothes line?) - parachute cord - see above

Foldout knife - you already have a leatherman

Razor knife - why?

Extra brake/clutch/shift lever? - not needed if you have bark busters

Flip flops? - yes for grungy shower floors
I didn't see a knit or fleece stocking hat - a must have when sleeping in the cold.

I took a regular pillow case, opened the hem up and ran a light line with a cord lock on it. I can stuff clothes in the pillow case for a pillow and the cord lock keeps everything from spilling out in the night.

I didn't see a camelback or hydration bladder - much easier to stay hydrated than stopping to drink from a bottle.

I no longer take TP, just take wet-wipes, that way you don't have to keep them dry. I also use the wet-wipes to pre-clean my cooking kit before actually washing it. That saves water when water is scarce.

Have fun. If you're in Central Oregon, shoot me a pm for riding ideas, a shop to work on the bike or sleep in for the night.

Tim
 
#5 ·
In my tool roll is a small needle nose vice grips. I've seen them clamped to a clutch lever stem and used to get to civilization. I also keep two small pieces of tubing to slip over the jaws which I've used to pinch off a fuel line or hold something delicate I needed to work on.

For firewood, I just break branches by hand for smaller stuff and for longer logs, just stick one end in the fire and over time keep sliding it forward into the fire.

Each ride, I take less and less. You'll find yourself doing the same. I've got all kinds of cool camping gadgets that I've picked up over the years and each time I go on a longer trip I longingly look at them but know that the lighter I pack the more I'll enjoy the off pavement - which is what I prefer to ride. So I leave them home.

For a camelback you can get one with a 90 degree mouthpiece. I purchased a Source bladder that I keep in my tank bag. I bought some Source quick detach connectors and a 90 degree tubing elbow from the local hardware store. I melted a hole in my tank bag and put the elbow in the hole with zip ties around the inside and outside to keep it in place. Then I routed a tube from the elbow to a quick release that attaches to the bladder. On the outside I connected another long tube to the elbow and a 90 degree mouthpiece on the other end. I also connected a retractable lanyard to the mouth piece. Now I can easily take a drink, then just release the mouthpiece and it self-retracts alongside the bag. Guess I need to make a separate post on the design. It really works well. Source also makes an adapter that I change out with the mouthpiece and can connect a water bottle to the tube and refill the bladder without removing it from the tank bag. This project was well worth the effort though it took me quite some time to figure it out and gather all the materials. I should make kits and sell them :grin2:

Don't be afraid to package up some of the stuff you're not using and shipping it home with it becomes more hassle to pack each day than it's worth.

Later.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I'd carry the wet wipes and the TP. If you are doing the cathole method of #2 you don't want to use wet wipes- those things take forever to break down. They've actually become a major problem in sewer systems everywhere, flushable does not mean degradable!
I'd still take the poop shovel too, a cathole should be 6-8" deep, kinda hard to do that many places without it.
Be a good citizen and bury it good! We were disgusted last summer in a Washington USFS campground, toilet paper and wipes all over in the woods behind our campsite, and this was 200 ft from an actual toilet! Lazy bastards.

I have BarkBusters but I still carry spare levers- cheap aftermarket ones that cost 1/5th of the Suzuki ones, they weigh almost nothing and you can find a place to tie-rap them where they take up not otherwise usable space. Oh yeah take an assortment of tie-raps!
 
#7 ·
Good idea with the water bladder madchap, not sure if I'll get one though. A 40 oz insulated canteen and 32 oz bottle seem enough if I'm around water sources. May get a bladder if I plan on going more remote. Saw a setup with a gallon plastic jug attached to the passenger peg with a drink tube.

I am going to leave the hatchet behind after all. Going to bring a fixed blade though.

Going to keep the poop shovel, it's compact and light so it's not a concern. AlH you're right, I don't want to be one of those people leaving a mess for the next person at a camp site.

Gonna look into the levers, can't hurt to have a spare. I got plenty of zip ties (tie raps?)
 
#8 ·
Another thing you can do with your leavers is drill a hole in them to make a weak point.

Drill the hole at a point where you would like them to brake if the worst was to happen, so you still have enough leaver to use if it snaps.

Do your bike and the spares. :fineprint:
 
#9 ·
Not having a pre-designated break point was my major complaint about the generic no-name levers.
That is on the OEM ones for good reason- if it didn't break there it might break the perch and that gets real expensive!
Drilling a hole might work but I'd prefer to file a notch to simulate the OEM method.
 
#10 ·
To stop a perch braking put Teflon Plumbers tape under it.

This allows you the tighten down the perch but it will spin in a get off and save the perch (& leavers)

I was hit by a sheep and I had my WR450 tumble down the road, it finished up on it's handlebars with the wheels in the air.

The only damage was to the headlight surround, a few zip ties and I was on my way, all mirrors, leavers and switch gear survived.
 
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