Trip Tip: Clothing, (Rain) Gear storage

[Mike05]

Two years ago on my birthday my wife Joyce bought me a very expensive two-piece, waterproof and breathable rain suit to keep in my golf bag. We live in Texas; why play in the rain? Consequently it doesn't get out of the golf bag that often. So...........

 

Decided to carry in my tank bag. To keep it compact, I roll and stuff each unit (as in jacket & pants) in the plastic bag our newspaper is delivered in .

 

Works like a charm; the clear bags are compact, provide ready access, I can see what's in them, are disposable, easily replaceable and basically free.

 

Lastly, "Sunday" edition newspaper plastic bags are usually larger and are great for packing a day's complete change of clothes and/or using for soiled or wet stuff.

 

Just something I wanted to share. Anyone with a favorite "tip" or idea on anything that makes a ride easier please feel free to share it with the rest of us; I'd sure like to hear them.

 

Mike05

[PhotoBiker]

Good tip, before I got my 'stich, I had a two piece rain suit from LL Bean (just up the road) that was in "Eternal Rolled Mode". I had cinched it up into a small stuff sack that I purchsed at the same time and tied it to my 2nd bike. It then fit nicely in the trunk of my 3rd bike (Pacifc Coast). I had it in one of the RT saddle bags for a while. I think I kept it even after I got my 'stich until I came across it and realized it was no longer of use (to me at least).

 

The problem with the newspaper thing is, with the new '06 RT with cruise control, people might start reading the paper while riding

[RoyTemple]

I used to keep a complete Dry Rider 2 peice suit in the space under the seat in the tail section of my R1100RT. I had to roll it into two units, the jacket in one bootie and the pants in the other. It would just barley fit in there but it was always there and took no space in the saddle bags.

 

On the R1200RT, there is less space and I purchased a FrogTogs suit, thinking it would be smaller and fit. It is lighter and it does work well in the rain, I tried it in a good long downpour but it does not pack down small enough to fit under the seat. I now have FrogTog pants in a Dry Rider bootie (the coated nylon bootie slides under the seat easier) under the seat and the FrogTogs jacket in its own stuff sack in my left saddlebag at all times. I do wish there were a little more space under the seat so I could fit it all kn there. It was great knowing I always had the rainsuit on board taking up virtually no usable space.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

My Klima Komfort, BMW's spelling, not mine, lives in an Eagle Creek packing cube, along with my BMW Summer Rain gloves. The whole shebang lives in my left saddle bag along with a bag 'o tools. I transfer from bike to bike as needed. Dimensions work out to 12 x 10 x 3" with a little squishing available. A little creativity leaves room for 3 of these to fit into one bag with room for a couple of small stuff sacks or a toiletries kit as well. One packing cube easily holds 5 tee shirts. The next will handle 5 sets of socks and underwear. Pick your materials and it will all actually fit into one, leaving the third for a pair of microfibre pants with zip off legs, and maybe a polo shirt or so for restaurant wear. One more double compartment bag from the same folks holds swim wear and a pair of wet shoes along with a couple of extra shorts/tee shirt/socks deals in case I don't feel up to laundry on the way. This leaves 2/3 of the other bag for the Gerbings liner and glove liners, a sweater for those cooler nights and a light weight wind breaker of some sort, as well as extra space for gee gaws picked up on the trip. Oh yeah, a bottle of Woolite is your friend here, since I use microfibre or polypro shirts and underwear and open weave diabetic socks under my boots, I can do laundry in the hotel sink at night, dry the stuff on the lampshades in my room overnight and never have to take a laundry day. I have been on the road for weeks at a time with no more than this.