What’s your #1 tip for a multi day trip?

[MonsterBiker]

I know it has already been mentioned several times, but I am going to go ahead and beat the dead horse.  Rain gear......not just any rain gear, good rain gear.

 

[Pasta Burner]

What defines good rain gear?  I worked in a ski shop for many years so I’m very familiar with Gor-Tex and other proprietary name outerwear.  The Key Three; windproof, waterproof, breathable.  But I don’t know what to look for from a motorcycle standpoint.  First thing that comes to mind is how packable it can be.

[Marcarl]

30 minutes ago, Pasta Burner said:

What defines good rain gear?  I worked in a ski shop for many years so I’m very familiar with Gor-Tex and other proprietary name outerwear.  The Key Three; windproof, waterproof, breathable.  But I don’t know what to look for from a motorcycle standpoint.  First thing that comes to mind is how packable it can be.

Windproof, rain proof, breathable, packable = Frogg-toggs.

[Marcarl]

Just now, Marcarl said:

Windproof, rain proof, breathable, packable = Frogg-toggs. And don't go short on the legs, better to big and too long rather than just right.

 

[sleepy2]

I'm with Marcarl! I have 2 sets. Work great! Got caught in many rain storms--worst really hard one coming back from Maintenance Day a couple years ago. Rained really heavy most of way home until I got near border to Canada without any wetness.

[RDawson]

11 hours ago, sleepy2 said:

I'm with Marcarl! I have 2 sets. Work great! Got caught in many rain storms--worst really hard one coming back from Maintenance Day a couple years ago. Rained really heavy most of way home until I got near border to Canada without any wetness.

Rain storm and Maintenance Day. Never heard of such a thing happening. 🤣🤣🤣

[MonsterBiker]

Here is the rain jacket I have and am very pleased with.  The hood is designed to fit under a motorcycle helmet.

Tour Master Sentinel LE Rain Jacket

Have not found the perfect pair of rain pants yet.....

[saddlebum]

14 hours ago, Marcarl said:

Windproof, rain proof, breathable, packable = Frogg-toggs. And don't go short on the legs, better to big and too long rather than just right.

I also agree with Marcarl, specially on the leg length. Depending on your build  a perfect leg length  soon becomes as much as 10" too short the minute you sit on the bike. My 1st pair went nicely to the ankles standing up but as soon as I sat on the the bike, they came up past the top of my western boots. A cheap pair of gaiters is nice to have as well the close and snug up the gap between the bottom of the rain pants and your foot. I have tried the rain booties but it does not take long to wear through the sole on those which soon become a flapping nuisance.

Edited February 16, 2021 by saddlebum

[videoarizona]

Certainly a lot of info!

To add to my 1st post:

Frog's Toggs. I got the heavier pants but the lightweight top. Came in handy when a cold front came through visiting @Flyinfool's house. Made for a much warmer run to the hotel an hour away! Simple pull over on top of jacket. Top also came in handy in Oklahoma when 2 storms merged into one in Oklahoma City. Rain!

Also carried; stator and gasket set, fuel pump, fuel pump points, plugs, air compressor, tools, camping gear, clothes, cat litter pan liner to protect seat from rain and more!

I was heavy with "stuff" for sure.

New tires. Oil change. The normal stuff one does to prep the scoot was mandatory as well.

Aside from a large, sharp thingie my rear tire decided to pick up outside of Chicago, I had no issues. BTW, watching @cowpuc put a plug on a tire in front of a Honda dealership was like watching a master at work! He wouldn't let me down there....mumbling something about me being a guest in his part of the world!

Good people on this forum. So yes, if you decide to travel the roads....pick national 2 lanes...like 54, 70, 60 and enjoy the small towns and scenery. Also make sure you take along a list of VR members on the way you are traveling. You won't find a better bunch of guys and gals!

Enjoy...

Pics: Left saddlebag. Right saddlebag. Camping, clothes on pillion and light stuff on tour pack rack. Tour pack (note the toilet paper!)

david

 

[larrydr]

When we take off for a ride for 4 days or more ..

Make sure the bike is good to go and carry enough extra fuel for 50 miles ..

Rain gear , all clothing is double packed in garbage bags .

Make sure my CAA .. insurance with health coverage  is up to date and they know where we are going

GPS is handy while riding ,, but I still carry paper road maps

I reserve and prepay for a motel room for at night ..( some people call me a sissy but at 74  years  I don't care )

Ran into a hail storm in 2018 , 1 1/2  inch balls of ice , broken windshield , torn blue jeans , bruised on parts of the body

We were 10 minutes from the nearest town or safety , kept on riding at a slow speed because there was no shelter anywhere else .

 

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by larrydr

[WRIDR]

Reminds us of a ride back to Toronto from Florida many yrs ago in near-freezing temps..

We're in a Walmart for a 'coffee-break warm-up' somewhere in Tennessee, and spot a young Cdn. Kid riding a mid-sizer with zero protection. Ordinary jacket and Jeans!  Temp barely above freezing, right? the Kid's trying to hang on to his Coffee with hands shaking so badly the drink was spraying everywhere. We asked, and he had only enough money for the Coffee.

Didn't have much either, but tossed $20 to him, and said: "Go find a two-piece Hazmat Suit (or at least the Top), and put it on over everything dry you still have in the bag. It will keep you warm and dry enough to at least get to the Border.

Sure hope he did; we weren't doing that well ourself!

Rgds, WRIDR

 

[cowpuc]

I have found a good, modern day touring jacket, like something our friend @VentureFar has written about for Ultimate, pretty much covers all the rain gear needs for those folks who require rain protection cause their region of riding does not offer warm summer rains that are actually a cooling off treat to the naked skin.  I also like the multiple layering idea in prepping for cooler climates and always carried a few hooded sweatshirts in Tippy's clothing dept (trunk) roll up tightly and easily accessable.   For sleeping quarters our 2 minute motel (tent) rolled up with 1" pad, sleeping bags laid out inside, and change of clothes for each (pillows) and then wrapped in a HF tarp to keep the rain out of our belongins worked awesome.. One really nice thing about tenting = NO TRAILER EVER, and ride till we were done (many +16 hour days of riding) and within a couple minutes we were sleeping,, behind a dumpster, under an abandoned gas station over hang,  on the beaches of the Atlantic or Pacific coast, in a Cemetary, church parking lot, Walmart parking lot ect ect..  

[VentureFar]

On 2/16/2021 at 8:17 AM, MonsterBiker said:

Here is the rain jacket I have and am very pleased with.  The hood is designed to fit under a motorcycle helmet.

Tour Master Sentinel LE Rain Jacket

Have not found the perfect pair of rain pants yet.....

I am really impressed with the Joe Rocket Alter Ego 2.0 overpants for rain and warmth. Remember you want wide leg opening to put them on OVER your boots at roadside.

https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2019/06/11/joe-rocket-alter-ego-2-0-motorcycle-pants-review/

VentureFar...

[MonsterBiker]

Those are nice, but that $200 price tag makes it a no-go for me.

[Pro procrastinator]

Just dont go cheap on the pants. They tend to leak in the worst places and melt to exhausts better then industrial adhesive. It is an investment and you need to like wearing what you bought.

[MonsterBiker]

I already have pants that perform well, they are just hard to get into.  At $400 ($200 for me, $200 for my wife) I will find something a little more reasonable at some point.  For now the ones I have work.

[saddlebum]

Also handy to keep on hand but get a quality one like https://no.co/gb40 Tool dealers like Snapon and Mac also sell quality ones

It also is handy for recharging any USB device and the unit itself can be recharged off any USB power supply. I also holds charge for about a year. I have boosted my 5.7 v8 with it so a Motorcycle is a breeze

some are junk like the Eveready which is the first one I had.

[Pasta Burner]

8 hours ago, saddlebum said:

Also handy to keep on hand but get a quality one like https://no.co/gb40 Tool dealers like Snapon and Mac also sell quality ones

It also is handy for recharging any USB device and the unit itself can be recharged off any USB power supply. I also holds charge for about a year. I have boosted my 5.7 v8 with it so a Motorcycle is a breeze

some are junk like the Eveready which is the first one I had.

I have a similar jump pack that I picked up at Costco a few years ago.  It’s successfully turned over my Expedition in freezing conditions and actually saved mine and the kids ass when stuck in the left turn lane of a seven lane interchange on an overpass over I15.  

[Pasta Burner]

All this info is great!  Thanks guys.  Another thought I’ve had recently and this is for everyday carry as well is a compact umbrella or two.  Aside from the obvious rain protection I’m thinking more for use against the sun, especially doing a roadside repair.  It’s difficult to do anything with the desert sun beating down on you let alone see through the sweat.

[DonnyRudeDude]

@MonsterBiker I use Frogg Toggs top and bottom and If I recall they were reasonably priced. The bottoms are actually called Toadz and I went up a size ( 2 XXL) to accommodate the Joe Rocket pants I wear. The bottoms have straps that can go around the bottom of your boot so they don't ride up your leg, They don't get used that often but when you need them...you're glad to have them. @VentureFar I've never tried the hood of my rain gear under the helmet. I always thought you would get a pressure point on your head. I'll have to try that next time I get caught in the rain,

 

Mark

[RedRider]

Lots of good ideas already listed here.

As VA suggested, getting riding gear that is waterproof/resistant is the easiest way to go.  Firstgear Kilimanjaro has been my goto for many years.  You can get often NOS from motorcyclegear.com at closeout prices (they will be older versions, but still new).  However, what has worked for me is to start travelling and paying attention to what you didn't use.  When my wife and I started doing multiday trips, I pulled a trailer with all our stuff.  Found we didn't need about 80% of it.  We have recently done a 7 day trip where the right saddlebag carries tools/spares/fluids/first aid kit/TP/etc.  Left saddlebag is riding gear - different gloves/boot covers/non-riding shoes (Chucks are great as they mash flat)/lightweight bike cover/etc.  Topbox is where my wife packs all her stuff.  Mine goes into an Ortlieb roll top bag that gets strapped to the luggage rack on the topbox.

[djh3]

Yea my other half when we first started doing long trips thought she needed 5 pairs of pants 6 or 10 tops etc. Something for every day. She finally believed me there was laundry equipment everywhere we stayed. So some of that stuff got curtailed. My self, a couple pairs of jeans, depending on weather a few shirts and I'm good. No fashion show and most times nobody knows me where I'm going for more than a day or so.

[videoarizona]

Agreed. Just don't need a ton of clothes on the road.

 

[Papa Fred]

Thanks, Saddlebum, for the reminder on a portable boost pack. The local Canadian Shoe store has the GB40 on sale for $140.  I have my morning drive planned for tomorro.... Canadian Tire for a battery booster, Timmy's for a single/double, then watch the snow melt on the drive home.  Can't get any more Canuckian than that...tho I guess I COULD stop at Mark's and pick up a flannel shirt.

Stay warm out East, Ben.  Thanks for the tip.

[MonsterBiker]

On 2/27/2021 at 9:27 PM, DonnyRudeDude said:

@MonsterBiker I use Frogg Toggs top and bottom and If I recall they were reasonably priced. The bottoms are actually called Toadz and I went up a size ( 2 XXL) to accommodate the Joe Rocket pants I wear. The bottoms have straps that can go around the bottom of your boot so they don't ride up your leg, They don't get used that often but when you need them...you're glad to have them.

 

Mark

Based on your recommendation I looked up Frogg Toggs Toad Skinz and saw that the zipper comes all the way up to the knee.  I ordered two pair from Amazon and they arrived today.  My wife and I just finished test fitting........I like!  The zipper that goes up to the knee combined with another one that comes down from the waist a good 6" or so makes a huge difference getting them on and off.  I can even do it with my boots on.  With my old rain pants there was no chance of getting them on or off without removing my boots first and even then it was a struggle.