Hey there everybody! The brighter weather is here so that means it’s a good time to think about touring gear! So I’m going to take the time to suggest a few handy accessories that may help you on your adventures. I say this as I have plans to go on a little road trip myself in a few weeks so you can be certain that the products I’m suggesting are products that I might even be using myself or at least would be willing to use on my own travels.
So the first thing I think about when I think about travelling, especially on a bike, is how much I’m taking with me. You want enough storage and luggage space to take everything you’re going to need but also you don’t want to pile on way too much. Plus a little room for souvenirs is nice. Lets take my trip for example- I’ll be going away for roughly five or so days, I won’t be riding the bike the whole time but I’ll be at a hotel, enjoying what it has to offer and hanging out with friends. So I’ll definitely need more than just what I’m wearing while I ride.
Jacket/Jumper/Hoodie x1
Shirts x5
Pants x5
Socks x5
Undies x5
Converse shoes x1 [Since they flatten quite nicely and I’d rather not spend the whole time in my bike boots]
Rainproof over-alls x1
I probably won’t need that many clothes but I’m the sort of person who likes to pack one extra of everything just in case. Still, that list isn’t even everything I’d want to take. And when you think like that- the space you have runs out pretty fast. So how do we solve the issue of not having enough luggage space without resorting to hauling suitcases on a train or loading everything into the boot of a car? You’ve probably already got a small solution to that already- A backpack!
A good backpack is essential- it has to have enough space to carry a good amount of what you plan to take with you yet not so much that riding becomes uncomfortable. You may also think a bigger back pack is better but I wouldn’t advise it, you have have a huge 80-something Litre backpack for hiking and can fit everything on or inside it. But think of how cumbersome that’d be for your body, it would certainly affect your control over the bike. I’d rather go with something a bit smaller and more comfortable. Also, it has to be waterproof- the normal backpacks we may have might keep rain out while walking but how about at motorway speeds? Which is why I’ll be choosing the Richa H2O 30L Backpack. It’s waterproof, holds a decent amount, is made of nice and sturdy materials and has a roll-top that keeps out even dust as well as rain. I know my stuff is going to survive the journey and it shouldn’t be too bad on my shoulders with the chest strap and waist strap keeping all of that weight nicely distributed.
So you’ve got a backpack sorted but it’s not enough. You need more luggage space and a bit of room for bringing home mementos of your trip. Why not add another bag then? There’s panniers, tank bags, tail bags, top boxes- Lots to choose from. Personally I’m thinking about getting a nice set of soft panniers that I can sling over the back of the bike such as the Richa Designer Motorcycle Panniers. I’m choosing this pair over another brand, such as Givi, for a couple of reasons. First and probably the most important reason is the price, while Givi do make great products, when you’re travelling all the expenses add up. The second reason is that Givi’s better Pannier selection tends to need a rack bought for it to fit your specific bike and that can cost a lot too. So I’ve chosen the Richa Designer Panniers because they’ll fit almost anything and I don’t need to purchase any expensive racking on top of it. They also come with their own bungee cords for extra security and semi-rigid insert for more sturdiness. And since I’ll be riding solo I think that’s all the space I’ll really need. As I mentioned earlier, there are lots of different options of how to secure luggage to your motorcycle and Ghostbikes.com has a great luggage selection for you to choose from whether you’re like me and riding on your own or with a companion riding pillion.
Well, that mostly covers luggage. I may sprinkle in a little more in part 2 but I’ll mostly be covering navigation in the next installment of the Road Trip Blog Series. I hope you’ve found Part 1 as helpful as I’ve found it enjoyable to blog about- I quite like talking about my future plans for adventure, so why not tell me about yours in the comments?
Until next time!
– MattW at Ghostbikes.com
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