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Zen and the Art of Solo Riding

4663 Views 40 Replies 24 Participants Last post by Bill_Anderson, May 28, 2007

fetter4771

Discussion Starter · May 20, 2006

I was wondering what would make your list of must haves for a solo ride over a long 3 day weekend. For the sake of confining the list to my world, assume your riding in the Southeastern to Mid Atlantic region and that camping would be optional.

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butch

· #2 · May 20, 2006

Solo on an ST, you can carry all sorts of crap, but you only really need 2 pair of socks, underwear, and shirts. That is assuming that you will wear a riding suit all day. Oh and a travel/shaving bag (tooth brush and what not).
The other bag you can fill with beer.

Mike

· #3 · May 20, 2006

fetter4771 said:
I was wondering what would make your list of must haves for a solo ride over a long 3 day weekend. For the sake of confining the list to my world, assume your riding in the Southeastern to Mid Atlantic region and that camping would be optional.

It depends on what you wear for riding gear. My Aerostich roadcrafter allows me to wear street clothes underneath and they stay pretty clean except for any sweat they may encounter. With that in mind, here's my list:

1-2 liters of water depending upon how remote and dry
1 small bag of snacks (chocolate, low salt mixed nuts, dried fruit, dried cured meat)
1 tire pressure gauge
1 set of tools sufficient to remove the fairings, wheels and adjust suspension
1 multi-tool with pliers and cutter
1 fuzzy worm style tire plug kit
1 small electric air pump
1 credit card sized multi-meter
1 spare headlight bulb
1 small roll of coolant hose repair tape
1 assortment of small repair items (zip ties, wire, etc.)
2 small rags
chain lube
1 visor rag
1 small bottle of visor cleaning/anti-fog solution
2 pair riding gloves
1 personal bathroom kit
1 pair long pants
1 pair shorts
1 pair Teva sandals
3 pair socks
3 pair underwear
2 thin long-sleeve shirts
2 thin short sleeve shirts
1 heated jacket
1 swimsuit
1 camera
1 cell phone and charger
1 credit card
1 cash card
2 ignition keys 2 pannier keys
immobilizer code
1 radar detector
1 state map for each state
1 GPS
1 pen
1 pocket knife

I probably forgot a couple items. I've found the key is not to bring too many clothes, especially bulky ones. I used to spend too much time trying to get the panniers to close, now I have room to spare. All of the tools and repair items fit under the seat with room to spare.

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Bill_Anderson

· #4 · May 20, 2006

One trick is to buy two pairs of socks and underwear made of synthetic materials or silk, which can be washed in a sink when you stop for the night and air dried overnight. You can find these at travel or outdoor stores such as REI.

JasperST4

· #5 · May 20, 2006

Mike, were you a Boy Scout, by chance?
Only thing else I can think of is a small flashlight.

airkitty

· #6 · May 20, 2006

Benadryl and windex wipes - for the south eastern bugs.

flynfink

· #7 · May 20, 2006

Bill_Anderson said:
One trick is to buy two pairs of socks and underwear made of synthetic materials or silk, which can be washed in a sink when you stop for the night and air dried overnight. You can find these at travel or outdoor stores such as REI.

+2 on the synth. stuff. I travel alot and that's what I carry. It's also lighter and smaller to pack.

Bill_Anderson

· #8 · May 20, 2006

Motobags

To gain a little more storage space, check out Motobags. They fit inside the rear fairing and are accessed by removing the seat.
http://www.motobags.com/main.shtml

The Ohlins rear shock reservoir of the "s" models (ST3s/ST4s) must be relocated to use the right Motobag, but the left one can be installed with no problem. I use mine to carry tools which I hopefully will never have need to use.

Stick

· #9 · May 20, 2006

Aye, flashlight...VERY handy in Nova Scotia on a back road, and no moon!
I have a couple if test lights that I made, just solder 2 long leads to a 12V bulb. I carry this in lieu of a voltmeter. Actually, my Passort 8500 has a voltmeter read-out function built-in, but not useful for probing around.

Mike

· #10 · May 20, 2006

JasperST4 said:
Mike, were you a Boy Scout, by chance?
Only thing else I can think of is a small flashlight.

LOL! Nope, the Boy Scouts were too regimented for my taste ;-)

Good catch on the flashlight, I like one small enough to fit in nooks and crannies but bright enough to be useful on a sunny day (in case you have to see in nooks and crannies). The LED based lights are generally not bright enough and their limited color spectrum can be a disadvantage in seeing difficult details so I bring a AA Mini-Mag but for more $$ there are some pretty cool miniature tactical lights with lithium batteries.

pazzoduc

· #11 · May 20, 2006

Hey mike, You forgot your kitchen sink! Geez! a three day trip?

In the south east I'd suggest Perforated leathers or other mesh attire. With the roadcrafter. You'll need more water.

PookaDog

· #12 · May 20, 2006

You might want a phone card for areas with no cell reception.

I also bring a camelback style water pack for longer trips. FIll it with ice and water in the morning and it'll last most of the day. I got mine at EMS.

Mike

· #13 · May 20, 2006

pazzoduc said:
Hey mike, You forgot your kitchen sink! Geez! a three day trip?

I carry the assorted small repair items and suspension adjustment tools even on a 4 hour ride. They don't weigh much, I consider them part of the bike. I also bring snacks and water on a day ride. Same with the visor cloth and cleaner and a spare set of riding gloves in case I encounter rain. And on a three day trip I do bring a fresh set of undies for each day, nothing like starting out fresh each morning.

So what items in particular do you find excessive? Just curious.

Bill_Anderson

· #14 · May 20, 2006

flynfink said:
+2 on the synth. stuff. I travel alot and that's what I carry. It's also lighter and smaller to pack.

On the subject of synthetic clothing, today I bought for my son and me some Under Armour shirts on sale at a local uniform shop. I have gotten very positive feedback on these shirts from some motorcycle riders on another forum. They should be just the ticket for warm weather riding.
http://www.underarmour.com/Default.cfm

jbcaddy

· #15 · May 21, 2006

i have found the headband style LED lights to be a great tool, they let you use both hands to do the task. no fun holding a flashlight in your mouth.

Duc4Doc

· #16 · May 21, 2006

Medical Perspective

Being a retired operational Naval medical officer, I thought I would add another perspective.

Long hours in one position in association with dehydration are a setup for venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Recall David Bloom, unfortunate NBC reporter who succumbed to a PE that while traveling with the tank corps in Iraq. If he had followed the water discipline required by the military medical command, the outcome might have been different.

At least a week prior to a long ride, I begin one adult aspirin tablet daily, and continue throughout the ride (one tab provides maximal platelet inhibition). In addition, I consciously stay very hydrated, literally striving for a liter per hour. In addition, I start on non-steroidal anti-consciously to stave off the aches and pains which can ruin a good ride. It is far easier to prevent inflammation than treat it.

Safe riding!

flynfink

· #17 · May 21, 2006

Bill_Anderson said:
On the subject of synthetic clothing, today I bought for my son and me some Under Armour shirts on sale at a local uniform shop. I have gotten very positive feedback on these shirts from some motorcycle riders on another forum. They should be just the ticket for warm weather riding.
http://www.underarmour.com/Default.cfm

+2 Good stuff, most sporting goods stores carry it. Also, Nike Dri-fit. The underarmour and dri-fit are all I use for any outdoor activity.

Good advise on the asprin too, thanks Doc.

CapnJack52

· #18 · May 21, 2006

'Bottom' Care

Depending on how sensitive your posterior is to long stretches in the saddle, you might consider adding bicycling shorts to your riding ensemble. They are lined with a very comfortable, absorbent chamois that reduces shock and friction and helps keep your bottom dry and comfy. Another item I've found useful after spending long days in a bicycle saddle are what my little girls called 'wipey-dipes' - Huggies or whatever Baby Wipes (buy the compact travel size). They have aloe and vitamin E in them that can help prevent the dreaded monkey butt.

st2lemans

· #19 · May 21, 2006

Credit card, cash, passport, cellphone.

Three changes of shirts and underwear.

Pants, shorts, shoes.

Rain gear.

Standard tools that I always carry.

Alka-seltzer, toothbrush, shampoo and condoms.

Anything else is optional.

Tom

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Mike

· #20 · May 22, 2006

Duc4Doc said:
At least a week prior to a long ride, I begin one adult aspirin tablet daily, and continue throughout the ride (one tab provides maximal platelet inhibition).

I thought aspirin greatly increased the chances of bleeding to death by thinning the blood and inhibiting clotting. While I do wear protective gear which would hopefully prevent most serious road roash, there are still internal injuries, punctured lungs, broken bones, etc. to possibly contend with in case of accident. Since I often ride alone and in some pretty remote areas where help could be hours away, this has been very much a concern for me and I have avoided taking aspirin before/while riding because I don't want to inhibit the ability of my blood to clot naturally.

I'm not really worried about thrombosis or embolism because I avoid dehydration and I tend to ride roads where I'm not sitting motionless on my butt but moving around on the saddle, using leg muscles, etc. I've found riding can work up quite an appetite, especially if you are on good roads. I consider riding excercise, not sitting on my butt.

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