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**DiverRay** · 03-26-2009, 11:39 PM

Joe Rocket Ballistic 7.0 Jacket.
Tourmaster heated vest.
Firstgear Carbon heated gloves.
A pair of jeans with fleece PJ's underneath.

List looked good until the jeans!
Check some of the online stores, and pick up a pair of the First Gear Overpants. I've had a pair for almost 5 years now, and LOVE them for long trips. The outside is all mesh, with a zip-out liner that is water proof, sort of. When I did my trip to Ohio three years ago, I wore shorts and a "T" shirt under the mesh jacket and pants. When it got cold, I went to jeans with the liner in, and was warm the whole trip. Should be able to find this type of pant for about $125 online, and they WILL make a difference in safety and comfort.

**Erik the Red** · 03-27-2009, 05:16 AM

more stuff

A few more items I'd recommend...

Change of clothes stored in ziploc bags --> stay dry no matter what.
IMO, clean socks are a must.
your Clymer or Haynes manual (also in a ziploc bag)
Zip Ties!!!
JB weld
duct tape stored by wrapping it around a lighter
extra oil & air filter
extra fuses
tire patch kit
I'd go with a mini mag-light or head lamp ...smaller = better
camping stove if you don't want to buy many meals

I'm sure there are more things you'll do well to bring, but I can't think of them right off. I'm sure others will chime in with suggestions. Good luck on your trip, and keep us posted.

-Erik

**oldyam80sg** · 03-27-2009, 06:35 AM

I would also recommend a first aid kit to include band-aids,Tylenol or some other form of pain killer,tums,and Ambesol for toothache pain-hey you never know!How about a camera to take some pics with?Good luck!

**Flatlander** · 03-27-2009, 08:11 PM

Sounds like fun

Suggestions to add to the list.

Baklava
Leatherman
Good gloves, wind proof and warm
Test light or multi meter
Manual or a copy of wiring diagram and a cheat sheet with other most needed info
Tinted Safety Glasses for day time
Clear Safety Glasses for night
Windshield Cleaner Wipes/T.P. ......and/or reversibe underwear

Tire Guage
Spare Head Light Bulb
Ear Plugs.....for sleeping
Energy Bars/Snickers
Hydration Water/Gatorade
Sun Block

Gas Tank Storeage Bag
Highlighted/Prerouted Map (insert in stoage bags clear pouch for visibility)
Or Ziplock Baggy tucked inbetween seat and tank

One Iron Butt
Four pre scheduled Messages
And One Good Time!!!

**fredintoon** · 03-27-2009, 10:55 PM

Taking stuff

Hi Marshall,
on checking the several lists of essential stuff that have been posted to this string, let me suggest this:-
Swap in a set of Standard triple trees to reduce the trail and hang a sidecar on it. There's no way to carry all that gear on a solo and besides, with the Special's tiny gas tank you will also need somewhere to carry a 2 gallon jerrycan.

**marshall** · 03-28-2009, 12:50 PM

Oh, I don't think it will be that bad. I'm only taking things that I'll need on the road (I'll ship the rest of my clothes), and none of this stuff is too heavy. The two big hard bags can actually hold a surprising amount of stuff, I do have an old tank bag I can use, the gas can can sit on the luggage rack with the tarp wrapped over it, and if I throw the extra set of vinyl saddlebags on, I think there will be plenty of space. Hey, if the guy on the Honda Rebel could do it...

What if instead of "real" over-pants I just bought a cheap pair of rain pants to put over my jeans? If I could find a pair that fit tight enough not to flap in the wind, that would save me some money and I could keep them packed away unless it got real cold or wet. I guess what I could do is go on a 5-hour test loop on a cold day with my current equipment; then I'll know where the wind is getting through and I can reinforce before the real thing.

Are there laws about carrying a gas can on a motorcycle? I was surprised that the Honda Rebel guy could just ride around with it sticking out in the open like that.

Thanks for the tips, keep 'em coming...

**fredintoon** · 03-28-2009, 04:01 PM

Fancy pants and jerrycans

Originally posted by marshall View Post

Are there laws about carrying a gas can on a motorcycle? I was surprised that the Honda Rebel guy could just ride around with it sticking out in the open like that. Thanks for the tips, keep 'em coming...

Hi Marshall,
I think the guys who were urging you to get fancy pants were thinking of the ones that carry armor pads to save your sorry arse if you fall off.
I extended my Special's fuel range in two stages.
Stage 1) A custom rack on the sidecar to carry a gas can.
Stage 2) Installed a tank off a Standard.
OK you don't want 1) and it's too late for 2) (You gotta shorten the seat pan and thus you have to re-upholster the seat as well)
so yeah, strap on a gas can.
Buddy carried a 5 gallon outboard motor fuel tank on his carrier for long distance cruising. Got T-boned by a brain-dead pickup truck driver running a stop sign.
(( Q. Why to pickup truck drivers all wear ball caps?))
(( A. To hide the circumcision scar!))
Anyway, his bike came real close to being totalled but the tank stayed strapped on and didn't leak.
If you are worried about Mr. Plod giving you a hard time about the gas can, hide it inside a gym bag.

**renegade_xs11g** · 03-28-2009, 04:24 PM

How Wierd is that, I posted a reply on this thread, but it's been vanished...

Anyways, Cherry pick the above lists....than add:
Immodium A-D, for obvious reasons. if you don't know what it is do a google search.
I drive for a living.....TRUST me, pack Immodium

Think about getting an LED flashlight, the batteries last forever,

maybe a small hatchet,

Fuel Milage, well don't worry about that so much
My wife and I went on a 1000 mile trip over last LaborDay,
Had so much gear packed, if I put the bike on the center stand
it balanced on it, both tires were off the ground.....

Here's a pic of it packed up, that's my riding leather wrapped around the gear

Good Luck on you trip

**planedick** · 03-28-2009, 07:22 PM

Cross country

I did a cross country trip on a Honda 450, 2 gallon tank, range 125 mi, no gas can, no problem....

I packed straight up, no bags....

Dress in layers, temp changes fast going up and down mountains....

Small roll of heavy duty clear plastic and some duct tape will save your A$$ many times...

Extra gear here is bow and arrows and fishing pole and tool box on the back for easy access....

Did this trip in '74

**DiverRay** · 03-29-2009, 07:57 PM

Marshal,
You CAN buy the cheap rain pants, and they WILL work. I just liked the extra protection of the overpants. I never needed it, but as someone here has as a tag line, "electricity and road rash won't just brush off". I just liked being protected AND comfortable with the overpants and shorts in hot weather, and jeans, lined overpants in the cold.
Have a SAFE and FUN trip, and give me a call when you're close to SF. I'm 70 miles south, and almost always up for a ride.

**marshall** · 03-29-2009, 08:33 PM

Planedick,
I like your style. I love reading about others' trips, and the only regrets I ever hear about are minor issues. Haha except for my friend's dad and his trip from Maine down to NYC in January, which was obviously made out of necessity not enjoyment. He said that as he approached a toll booth late in the trip, his hands were so cold from the freezing temps and highway speed that he couldn't operate the clutch or front brake in time, and only barely managed to stop the bike...

I guess even if the bike won't have a great range w/ the stock tank and bad gas mileage, I'll probably want to stop to give my ass a rest at least as often as I need to fill up. Probably juts use the extra gas can for piece of mind in case I try to push the limits of my range.

DriverRay,
'Preciate the advice, and I'm sure a pair of the First Gear pants are in my future, once I've got some cash flow. I've read lots of good reviews about those pants in particular, which is the same way I chose the jacket and gloves that I just bought and am very happy with. Started out riding 3 years ago with my grandpa's hand-me-down bomber jacket and some El Crapo gloves, but I'm glad to be steadily putting more money into stuff that might save my skin some day.

**fredintoon** · 03-30-2009, 08:35 AM

Finding the next pump

Originally posted by marshall View Post

I guess even if the bike won't have a great range w/ the stock tank and bad gas mileage, I'll probably want to stop to give my ass a rest at least as often as I need to fill up. Probably juts use the extra gas can for piece of mind in case I try to push the limits of my range. - - - Started out riding 3 years ago with my grandpa's hand-me-down bomber jacket - - - .

Hi Marshall,
A Special won't go much more than 100 miles on a tank of gas. That means you can't ever be more than ~100 miles from a gas pump no matter what. If you carry extra gas in a jerrycan you gotta stop anyway to pour it into the tank but it's not about that. The extra gas adds flexibility to your trip so you can ride 100 miles and stop at somewhere that isn't just another goddam gas station forecourt.
- - - and did you ever think that grandpa's bomber jacket could be turning into a highly valuable antique?

**Jerry** · 03-30-2009, 10:01 AM

Well, it comes down to space. There are many good suggestions here, but not everything will fit. Of course, I don't like big backpacks high on the luggage rack, makes the bike top heavy and affects handling.

Tools / parts I carry:

Couple extra 1156 and 1157 Heavy-Duty bulbs for turn and tail lights.
Spare fuses of all sizes.
8mm box-end wrench to bleed brakes with if spooge hole problems develop.
Windshield cleaner, Novus #2 or equal.
Roll of those blue paper shop towels or equal.
Tire pressure gauge.
If you have a conventional battery, a small amount of distilled water. (I carry about a pint in an old Jergens flip-top bottle.) I carry a length of small diameter plastic tubing to help put water in the battery, about a foot long.
Regular and Phillips screwdrivers.
Small adjustable (Crescent) wrench.
Regular and needle-nose pliers.
If space, a small (1/4 inch) socket set. Sears has one for around $15.00.
If space, set of open/box end metric wrenches.
Spare set of keys.
Registration and insurance papers.
Extra quart of oil.
Wire stripper, a few lengths of 12 gauge wire, and some electrical tape.

I used to carry a lot more stuff; over the years have realized that if anything major goes bad I am not going to fix it on the road. Everything above I have used to replace fuses, bulbs, tighten nuts and bolts, and do general maintenance. I also carry an extra oil filler plug and O-ring, after having not tightened one up and loosing it on the road. Also carry a set of clutch and brake levers; had a spill one time and could not find replacements (XJ units are rare) on the road at any dealer. However I have not had to use any of these parts for the last 4 years, so would not include them if space is tight.

For driver comfort...

1 pair of light gloves, one pair of heavy gloves. I carry a set of waterproof gloves that will slip over my light gloves.
My Tourmaster jacket is fairly waterproof, but I do carry a rain suit, including slip-over boots for my shoes.
Hard candy. I put a piece between my cheek and gum when I start to get tired; the sugar seems to help me keep alert.
I have an inexpensive 6-pack cooler that I put on my luggage rack; hydration is very important. I get ice and a couple quart-sized bottles of Gatoraid or similar and keep these at hand and take a drink at every gas stop or rest break.
If you do not have a UV absorbing face mask, get some heavy-duty sun block for your face and hands or you will end up with a painful sunburn.
Set of forward pegs for an alternate foot position. I use the rear set, standard set, and forward set to give my legs different angles, helps tremendously for long hausls.
Throttle lock, around $15.00. Helps relieve forearm / hand fatigue if you can put your bike on cruise from time to time.

Those are the high points. Not going to address wardrobe items except to say that if you have the budget, a good set of touring gear (jacket, pants, boots, gloves) is not only safer but far more comfortable for long trips than jeans and shirt or light jacket. I also carry 2 face shields, one is a High-definition (amber) shield that I use most of the time, but I carry a clear shield for driving at night or in bad weather. In my case these fit a Shoei helmet.

Over the years, my on-the-road issues have proven to be more electrical than mechanical, primarily blowing bulbs (and thus fuses) until I switched over to the more expensive heavy-duty bulbs. Even then the vibration seems to kill one or more per trip.

Given routine maintenance the XS and XJ are pretty reliable bikes. I've gone from Wisconsin to upstate New York and to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, from Colorado to Revelsoke (Canada) as well as to Seattle, Washington, San Jose, California, and Phoeniz, AZ on my XJ. (Not to mention running from Prescott, AZ to Spearfish SD for a rally.) You can do long distances on your bike, but it pays to have a few basic tool, parts, and some comfor items to help make the trip more enjoyable and safer.

**marshall** · 06-01-2009, 07:24 PM

Made it!

Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/mepoland...eat=directlink

Well, I made it; 3,000 miles down, 3,000 to go. I left Ann Arbor, MI on May 3rd and arrived at my sister's place in Menlo Park, CA about 10 days ago. I spent a few days visiting other relatives in Boulder, CO and Portland, OR along the way, which explains why it took so long. Also, I'm stopping in LA on my way back which explains the 3,000 miles to go. I could go on and on about all the cool stuff I've seen and done on this trip, but instead I'm going to stick to the highlights below. If you want more details, check the photos, or best of all, do it yourself!

-Started out ~300 miles per day, bumped it up to 400+ after picking up a Vista Cruise cruise control in Boulder. For $25, now my a** is the first thing to get sore instead of my right hand and wrist.

-Gas mileage: 33-46 mpg, with an average of about 40 mpg. I generally cruise between 65 and 75 mph, sometimes higher or lower. Despite all the fill-ups, I haven't been able to pick up on any patterns to my mileage. Strangely, the one environment where I seem to get consistently good (43ish) mileage is on the real twisty, fun roads where I don't go much over 50mph.

-Altitude changes: Didn't seem to have much of an effect on mileage or performance; I had no problem at 8,000+ feet around the Tetons in Wyoming. I did my best to set the idle mixture screws back in Michigan.

-Best road: I rode down a lot of spectacular little roads the whole way, but I have to go with the old favorite, route 101 and route 1 in northern California. I took it most of the way from Oregon to San Francisco, and look forward to picking it up again on my way down to Los Angeles. In a close second are the state highways in Nebraska that follow just a couple miles offset from the highway. No traffic, beautiful farm land (to a guy who grew up in the city) and tons of little towns to pass through and feel like you're going through a time warp.

-The bike has been GREAT all around. When you start riding a bike for hours at a time that you previously had never really put to the test, you start to feel like there's got to be some little bolt in the engine working it's way loose, getting ready to screw you. Well, it hasn't happened yet and I've built up a lot of pride and confidence in the machine that I just never had before. It's got almost 30,000 miles at this point, and I hope the next 30,000 are as good as the last 3,000 have been.

When I was in Portland I checked my email and to my surprise, found a message from the president of this company:

www.ridemission.com

, to whom I had sent my resume and a cover letter months ago in the hopes of getting a summer internship. I told him it just so happened that I would be in San Francisco in a few days, and he ended up interviewing me this past Friday. I'm supposed to find out whether I get the job sometime this week. So if I get it, I'll spend the whole summer here before going back to school; if not, it's back to Michigan to get a job and take summer classes.

What a trip!

Cheers,

Marshall

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Ann Arbor - west coast road trip

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