Long Trip coming any tips or tricks?

heading to Utah from SD in a few weeks
been preparing for a while now
I have a windshield and most gear
any tips for the long ride would help
I am aware of small meals, hydration, frequent breaks, fuel stops
and so on
I have a shop rag with windex in my tank bag
I will be using saddlebags, a seat bag, cargo net, back pack
just looking for long ride tips to help the ride be the best
time it can be
thanks

 

Make sure that your waterproof gear that you bought a decade ago is still waterproof, or you'll be uncomfortable all day since it will rain every hour or so
(yes I should have re-waterproofed the pants before I left).

Strap the backpack to the rear seat; your back will thank you.

Carry less stuff. I carry no more than four or five changes of clothes no matter how long of a trip I'm on. Doing laundry is preferable to carring more stuff.

Take time to see all of the things. There is no point in just riding straight to your destination unless the weather is a concern. I usually plan an indoor activity for mid-afternoon to stay out of the heat if I need to ride more than 6 hours during any single day.

Take the road less traveled. None of the interesting things are on the interstate.

Carry 1/2 a quart of oil for topping off. It's better to have it and not need it, than to not have it and need it in a small town when all of the stores are closed.

Carry a tire plug kit and a small air pump. Walking sucks. Walking when all of your stuff is where anyone can just take it sucks even more.

On that note; get youself a Packsafe bag protector. I use mine in big cities and just the look of everything being wrapped in steel cable is deterrent enough. Never had anything stolen since I started using one.

Get two pair of bicycling shorts. Regular shorts will burn your backside. A full set of wicking undergarments is even better. Comfort is important.

Inspect the machine thoroughly before you leave, and again at the end of every day. I lost two exhaust flange nuts sumewhere during my ride home (the wet one) that I might have noticed were loose if I had done a better pre-ride check before heading out that day.

Talcum powder. Use it!

Carry extra gas if you are heading west. There are stretches of road where you wil not get to the next gas station without it (yes, there are places more desolate than South Dakota).

When it gets really hot (above 93ºF) you stay cooler if you keep as much air off of you as possible. When the air temperature is higher than your skin temperature you will be warmed by airflow instead of cooled by it. I wear a mesh jacket, but in the heat I put the rain liner in and leave the liner unzipped so there is just enough ventilation keep me from soaking in my sweat.

 

good tips indeed

I have been reading up on long trips
like I say I have most items
I did add the bike shorts.. I had been holding off.. but for 15 bux a pair I think it is a good investment
I plan on packing light clothes
with rain gear
luckily it is going to be Sturgis time so if anything bad happens I will hopefully have help

cheers

 

have the tools you would need to move the bars and controls. at a gas stop just move the bars a little, it really makes a difference in the shoulders and arms.
any time you stop at a light, straddle the bike and stand on the ground, your legs like fresh blood too.
a clean wet rag for a good face wipe after a few hours is something to look forward to.
a bottle of detailer and a rag for the bike is nice, might as well arrive in style.
splash a bottle of water all over yourself if it gets hot, the next 15 minutes will feel like A/C on high.
i don't bother with rain gear unless it's going to rain all day. in 20 minutes your dry again.
practice sitting on a nice hard rock for hours, to get your butt in shape

 

I got looking at my bike today with the seat bag sitting on the saddlebags
getting on and off is gonna be the hardest part
you need to be an acrobat I think, I keep thinking about all my gear tied and strapped down
damn this could get fun, but at least I will have something to lean back on
I will have a pack of baby wipes in my tank bag so I can refresh myself
nice on the standing.. in my tool pouch will be all allen wrenches
I was driving home from work this morning and I was thinking about how much I just can't wait
to get away from my job and forget about the world for a few weeks
I know for a fact it will be dry dry dry on my trip
but I will pack some garbage bags for water gear
I am sure that by the time I arrive my bike will be a filthy mess
and I am fine with that, I will wash it before i leave
I have been riding 2 yrs without a windshield and I just put one on.. I had
no idea how much of a difference something like it could make
I feel foolish now

 

You will quickly get accustomed to the sideways hop.
Facing the seat your right leg kicks up, you hop forward and rotate onto the seat. It's sort of like dancing.

 

As for the windshield, I took a terry cloth rag with me and soaked it wet at night, lay it on the worst of the bug splatter. They wipe off easy in the morning. Also wax the shield before you leave. junk does not stick to it so easy. While going through Kansas in 100 degree heat, my friend took a shirt in the restroom and soaked it and put it on. He said it felt like air conditioning! It is a bad idea to think about gas when you hit reserve. I almost walked twice. I then gassed up every 125 miles. need it or not. If you are near Darango Co. Ride the million dollar highway. Loved it!

 

sounds fun, wish I was closer
it is going to be the scenic route of SD
then WY
and then into UT

my only worry is driving into the canyon "fish bowl" that is Salt Lake City..
an hour of braking and hoping I don't die at 80 mph
did it last summer in a car and it was white knuckle and I was in the passenger seat
luckily I just bought a brand new front MC that actually works like it is supposed too

 

It was white knuckle becasue you were in the passenger seat. I'm a nervous passenger too under those conditions.

If you use a hydration pack (I reccomend doing so) you can pinch the bite valve with your fingers and spray yourself down when needed.

 

I plan on having Powerade in my camel bag
with bottles of water in one of my packs

 

Don't carry water, buy it as you go.

 

most of my advice is the same as the others.
1. Buy COLD water as you go, warm water is nice to have as a backup but more than 1 bottle and you're wasting valuable space.
2. Keep your visor wipe handy and on top of everything.

Also, I'm a big fan of riding shorts, gym shorts and then mesh riding pants for hot weather riding. Cooler than jeans, more protective and when you get somewhere, pull off your boots and pants, throw on flip flops and now you're enjoying the warm weather a little better.
On long easy stretches, it's its kinda nice to fold the passenger pegs down, rest your feet back there and lay down on the tank to stretch your back out. Also gets you out of the windstream.

Good luck, have fun, safe travels!

 

Micro fibre cloth in a water filled ziploc works well for bugs and your face ( face first then bike)

 

Rain-x is great stuff. It helps clear any rain off and keeps the bugs from sticking as bad.

 

almost forgot, ear plugs. it's nice to hear yourself think. that constant drone of the engine and wind gets to you after a few hours

 

And the cumulative damage from not wearing earplugs is irreperable.

 

And noise fatigue is a real thing . . . . you need to be alert for the whole ride.

 

Tie a bandana around your neck after soaking it in cold water and leaving it in the fridge overnight is very effective at keeping you cool. In contact with the carotid artery it will cool all the blood in your body. They also make special wraps/cold bags designed to do this but I find the bandana works well although probably doesn't last as long.

I have a mini multi-tool, a 5 inch square of aluminum foil, a $20 bill, a small lighter, a 3 inch piece of wire with croc clips on either side and some spare fuses taped to the underside of my seat. I tape them so well to make sure i only remove it in an emergency. The foil is for wrapping around the barrel fuses to make an emergency cct, with spares I should never need it but heck. The wire is for bypassing anything I might need to in a pinch and the ligther is for removing the insulation from the wire without cutting it. $20 is for when you leave your wallet in El Segundo and you need gas to get back to it.

 

Carry an extra credit card in something other than your wallet. Carry extra keys. I carry these in my toiletry bag. It's a sick feeling to be away from home and lose your wallet, money, credit cards, etc.

 

Oh UTAH........condoms...

 

Speak for yourself. Us old folks don't need them. It's one of the few benefits of old age.

 

I avoid riding/driving in SLC! Those drivers can be real scary.

 

yeah.. I know once I get to SLC
I won't be riding too much
but it is getting there
I have condoms packed already

 

Well, since nobody else mentioned it, it may just be my bad luck but I have had clutch cables snap on me twice when on long trips. Yes, I inspected them before I left! Now I keep a spare!(and haven't had one break since)

Other than that, I have nothing to add to the sound advice given thus far.

 

I have them in my wish list on Amazon.. not sure if getting paid and them ordered is going to happen on time
they were planned.. both clutch and throttle cable

 

If you do have one or the other snap you can get replacements made at any bicycle shop.

 

I ordered the clutch cable
ebay says I will get it in time
I have everything else I need
thanks for the ideas
I leave Monday

 

Daily updates might be cool. I'm helping out a friend who was in a car accident and need something to read. Be my entertainment.

 

Daily updates with photo's please sir - keep us all jealous. Maybe start a new thread?

 

if you carry your wallet in your right back pocket, switch to the left and put a few rubber bands around it. the rubber bands keep it from slipping out and your butt gets used to it on the right side and you can't feel it there.
this is from a guy that's leaving for sturgis next week, not me. we talk about important things at work

 

pictures will be taken
I carry my wallet in the front pocket
not sure I can post too much with my phone
but I can add lots of cool photos when I get back

 

I want to see you doing the hotcakes pose infront of every landmark you pass - like in your avatar!

 

Extra turn signal light bulbs? Maybe?
I would think any decent gas station would have them.

Just this evening my right rear turn signal bulb died front signal would turn on, no flash, rear signal dead . . Safety thing ya know.

 

I have some, I am packing most stuff tomorrow am will throw them in my pack

Ribo in order to do the pose I need someone to take the phone

 

Good way to meet people (or get your phone stolen)

 

if only I had a selfie stick

 

There are a lot of people that are still alive on this planet today only due to the fact that there were too many witnesses around when I saw them using their selfie stick.

The beauty of a selfie stick though is it makes a great weapon to beat someone to death with so I no longer have to ask people to take off their shoes -- and has the added bonus of being able to show their family the video of the event from the point of view of the actual weapon.

 

It's called a walking stick with a 1/4" camera mount on one end.


Selfie stick...pfftt.

 

to each their own.. I will use the delay feature on my camera
I was not going to take too many pics.. but now I am going too
my journey starts in 25 hours

 

Keep it rubber side down!

 

Have a safe trip! I took the maxim from WI to CA a couple summers back and it was one of the best trips of my life. The XJ won't let you down!

 

my only worry is other drivers and bears