We can show you the tricks for packing a motorcycle.

From preparation to tricks we use, packing a motorcycle is really simple with a little bit of ingenuity. Judy and I have packed for many different rides. We've been to Florida and back a 1300 mile ride one way with just what we could carry on the bike, to two week, 6000 mile excursion loaded to the hilt with camping gear and cold weather gear. Packing a motorcycle all starts with having a plan and planning your trip first is a key to getting the packing right.

From your trip plan you can answer all sorts of questions that you'll need to know about packing a motorcycle. Do the places you are staying at have washers and dryers? Yeah it might be a pain to have to do laundry on your trip but you'll be surprised at how easy it is to throw in a load during dinner or while relaxing at night. Use UPS or FedEx and ship clothes ahead to a hotel that you'll be staying at. You can use the same box to ship dirty clothes back home. Heck maybe even the kids will be nice and wash them before you get home!

The clothes you have to pack can easy be tucked away by using the vacuum type bags that you can squeeze the air out of. Use the ones that you roll up to squeeze air from instead of using a vacuum cleaner. Put things inside of shoes and if there are places to wash clothes, only pack about three or four day’s worth of clothes. Light jackets and liners can be mounted on the bike where weight is an issue. Oh, and about those wrinkles, take along a spray bottle and mist your clothes with water. A quick misting and shake and most clothes are good to go.

Try to keep heavy stuff packed as low as possible. Heavy tank bags and bags up on the seats can make handling difficult by shifting the center of gravity. The closer to the ground the easier it will be to handle the bike loaded up, especially in an emergency situation. If you are mounting luggage on the outside of the bike, I would suggest using straps and not bungee cord. Straps are tougher and secure better. Bungee cords can leave nasty marks all over your bike.

We pack just enough toiletries to get through the trip. We like bringing or own since we have personal preferences. We get small plastic bottle and take just what we think we'll need in the way of shampoo, mouth wash, tooth paste, etc. One trick to remember is that most hotels have little kits if you just ask at the counter when you check in. One thing that we find very important when packing a motorcycle is all the meds. No we're not walking medicine cabinets but you would be surprised what might come in handy. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are the two important ones and the most commonly needed. Other things like Benadryl and Calamine lotion are good. Sun Screen, skin lotions and Chap Stick can also be in high need.

While we're on that note, a good first aid kit is a must! Most will have most of the meds you need in them in a generic format. We like to supplement ours with eye drops and extra band aids, they always seem to go fast, and a good bite kit for bees, ants and snakes. Another good thing is a fire extinguisher. A small one will do and you can find some easily in camping or department stores.

Now that brings me to tools. As I stated in the pages about motorcycle care, I try to only use the tools that come with the bike, nothing more. I have supplemented some items like a 3/4 inch socket and ratchet to remove the rear wheel and a large adjustable wrench that handle all the in between stuff. Tire repair kits and CO2 cartridge type tire inflators to get you back on the road and to a store to have the tires fixed right. When I tow a trailer behind our bike I can add an air compressor and some other “luxury" type tools.

One last thing I want to talk about and point out to others when packing a motorcycle. When planning some long back woods or desert type trips, you may want to think about carrying something to protect yourself with. In a recent trip we felt that there may be chances of being stranded in a remote place or coming across some wild animals such as bear etc. and with two people on a Goldwing with a 300 lbs trailer in tow we felt that turning around would not be possible. So we decided it wise to bring our side arm with us. Make sure if you do this that you are legal in all states you travel in and if you go into national parks, they will require that it's broken down and not loaded. One other thing, have a plan. If we had gotten into a situation I explained to Judy which side I would lay the bike to and that was so that I had access to our side arm in saddle bag. It's not like you can roll up the windows so think this one through and choose for yourself. This bear was only about fifty feet away from us as we rode past.