Modern Vespa

I have been reading books on long distance PTW trips, most of which deal with tent camping as part of the experience. My Scout days are behind me, and I plan to sleep inside on my trip. I do, however, seek the collective wisdom of Forum Members who travel for more than a week by Scooter-- Remember, I'm not talking about camping equipment here!

1. What are the 5 things you MUST have with you?

2. What are the 5 things you WISH you had brought?

3. What are the 5 things that just took up valuable space and provided no margin of safety or value to you? (in other words, next time you'll leave them at home).

Thanks in advance for the help-

I haven't done week long trips but on long rides the few things I always have are:
1) rain gear
2) extra layer (long sleeve tee, light fleece, etc) - since you'll end up riding in various temps throughout the day, don't want to be to hot or cold at any point.
3) water/fluids - keep hydrated
4) snacks - protein bar type stuff in case you get hungry and aren't around a regular food stop
5) cash - you'd hate to end up somewhere and need something and plastic isn't accepted

Hope that gets you started...

Remember that you won't always be on the bike; I always take both a hat and an umbrella for sunny/rainy conditions when I'm walking around.

(Some of my fellow-riders have laughed at the umbrella and suggested I'm not a proper biker. One sudden downpour and AHAHA WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?)

Spare gloves in case yours get soaked.

Puncture repair kit - if possible, practise in advance so your first try isn't in the dark at some busy roadside.

I have a First Aid kit which, thank goodness, I've never had to use, but having it on board makes me feel safer.

Sweeties - for instant popularity with your riding companions.

Oh, and a camera!

I'm a novice at longer trips, but for a recent 200 mile ride I was more secure knowing that I had extra fuel in an MSR bottle clamped under my topbox, a tire repair kit and inflater, rain gear and warm wear, water, snacks, and the all important GPS (with hard copy maps sealed in plastic for backup). Oh, and +1 for the cash. One gas station told me that I had to spend $20. on gas in order to use a credit card!

Watch for fatigue that sneaks up on you. It's not just being tired, but there is an unannounced drop in focus and awareness, kinda like a tunnel vision, that can be very dangerous.

But, a long ride is glorious fun if you aren't worried about things like fuel, water, money, and directions.

Also +1 for a first aid kit.

nylon wire ties, a piece of tubing and a few various nut and bolt (10 mm etc)

Also a CO2 inflator is also nice and saved my butt on many occasions

Water, cash, extra rounds.

IBKING

List One - Must Haves:

1. Tire repair kit with inflator cartridges
2. First aid kit
3. Good maps (I'm a Luddite -- I don't do GPS!)
4. Emergency fuel
5. Cell phone (even though I'm a Luddite!)
6. Supplemental tool kit including a few common nuts and bolts, fuses, wire ties, and "baling wire"

List Two -- Wish I'd Brought:
Don't have a lot to mention here, as I brought everything but the kitchen sink!

1. Lighter-weight gear for hot weather (8 riding days over 95 degrees on my most recent trip!)
2. More T-shirts and underwear

List Three - Things I'd Leave Home Next Time:

1. Mounted spare rear tire (although I'll still carry a spare front, as it's an odd size)
2. Saddlebags (my large set of Givi bags added too much drag, killed my top speed and fuel economy, and made getting the bike on and off the center stand difficult)

Scott&Nelli mentioned fatigue. Last weekend I took a ride up to Mt. St. Helens in Washington. I swear there were more bikes on the road than cars. Many of the roads around there have very sharp corners and the views were spectacular

What was most prevalent were groups of five or six sport bikes and the riders seemed as if they weren't out for the scenery but their ambition was to take the corners as fast as possible. But around one corner I came upon a wreck where one of the riders must have been fatigued. He ran right into the side of the cliff on the corner. All his buddies were there watching the ambulance crew load him up on the stretcher. Sometimes it pays to take in the scenery and enjoy life!

That's an awful story and surely impacted your ride, too. It's sad and tragic when any mc rider causes injury to him/her self by not paying proper attention to speed, fatigue, comfort zone, and other important considerations. Sadder still is the injury and death they can cause other riders who are being careful. We can all be distracted for a moment and cause an awful accident, it's not always the foolish or lazy ones.

Ride alert.

1. What are the 5 things you MUST have with you?
a) Sunglasses and Sunscreen lotion
b) Flashlight (even if you don't plan to ride at night)
c) Cellphone w/ GPS & Camera with extra batteries or charger.
d) Tire kit w/ C02 inflater.
e) Fuel Bottle - extra weight will impact your MPG

2. What are the 5 things you WISH you had brought?
a) few spare tools - most common tools for your bike (may vary)
b) light bulb (brake light)
c) cooler packed with ice (or dry ice) to keep water cold.
d) hard shell case or storage on back seat.
e) bungle cords

3. What are the 5 things that just took up valuable space and provided no margin of safety or value to you?
a) paper maps - waste of space and weight when you have a GPS.
b) Stand-alone GPS / zCamera
c: Laptop
d) Softbags (as in duffel bags) - items shift in soft bags.
e) less clothing.

Having a smartphone now is wonderful, having built-in GPS and Camera saves space and weight. Granted, GPS Datacoverage can be a con, but consider the option before your trip.

If you have room, I recommend packing a cooler with dry-ice. Dry-ice unlike Ice, doesn't create weight as it melts. However more expensive and unable to drink as ice water.

Finally, Look at everything you have before it's on the scooter and ask yourself, what don't i need or what is going to create problems. Duffel Bags can create serious issues when items shift or when zippers break apart. I found hardshell cases are easier to pack on the scooter and keep things dry.

extra tires extra tires extra tires extra tires extra tires extra tires.....sheees

IBKING

too old too hip

ATM,AMEX,MC/VISA and water to drink I have other junk and a few tools for looks,

Spare belt & tools to change it.

AAA card with RV support (or they won't tow a scooter)

Bug spray for when you break down.

Spare fuel bottle for when I run out of gas.

Spare spark plug.

Here is my reply whenever this topic comes up:


OK, here goes:

Duffle bag - Mainly clothes, which are a personal matter. Depends on how long you're going to be away and how close to a washer and dryer you'll be. Since I wear a riding suit over a pair of shorts and t-shirt while traveling, I don't pack too many clothes. Don't pack jeans, they're too bulky and take too long to dry if you have to wash them in a motel room! Also in the bag are my MP3 player and its charger as well as the charger for my cell phone. Toilet bag, spare medications, a bottle of Scotch (very important!) Sandals or shoes and a plastic bag to hold dirty clothes and that's about it.

Top box - Soft cooler bag, filled with ice each morning along with water or Gatorade and energy bars in a zip lock bag and a couple of apples. I also keep eye drops in there to keep them cool. Next to the cooler bag is a spare bottle of engine oil, (never needed it) and a clear faceshield in case of night travel (never needed it, either). Spare gloves, wet-wipes, and a glass for my Scotch ( I don't drink out of plastic motel glasses!) Camera. Spare bugee cords.

Under seat (Pet carrier) - Tools required to remove back wheel which pretty much covers every tool you need! Workshop manual, maps, magazines, 12v air compressor and Stop and Go tire plugger. Cap, duct tape.

Glove box - Sun glasses, small plastic spray bottle with faceshield cleaner and paper towels, notebook and pen, small bag containing insurance card, penknife, sunscreen, spare fuses, valve caps,zip ties.

Suit pockets - Wallet, cell phone, ear plugs, lip balm, daily medication dispenser, spare change, credit card. I make sure to keep everything in its own place all the time and keep a mental check list when stopping for gas, to ensure that I don't misplace my credit card, forget to replace the gas cap, insert ear plugs etc. etc. Easy to do, especially if fatigued. Nothing will spoil your trip more than losing your wallet or credit card!

Bike equipment - Top box (JCWhitney, perfect for my needs.). Brackets for holding spare gas can. Modified NEP throttle lock. Throttle Rocker. Zumo GPS, brass sleeve upgrade for exhaust pipe joint (Important!)

That's about it, I think. More important than equipment is having the right disposition. Ride relaxed and alert. Stop often, but not for too long. Set a realistic goal for the day. If possible check ahead for motel availability. Nothing worse than arriving dead beat at a town only to discover that due to some event all the motels are booked up and the next town is 100 miles away! Wear the right gear. A protective suit that is also waterproof is the best way to go. That way, you're ready for anything, without having to stop and change. For me, earplugs are a must. So much more relaxing when all is quiet!

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any other questions.

Cheers,

Bob

Did 10 days on a Scooter in England this summer. You can see the three videos on Youtube under, "Meg and Jack Scoot England" One of the pics shows how light we packed. Most here have given great advice. If you don't have a top case, take a roll bag. Also, take bungee cords and a cargo net. They're flexible so you can add more things if you need to. I wish I had taken extra plastic trash bags. I bought some, and left them in the hotel in London. The reason - if we had rain, I could cover my things, seat, etc. with them, yet they're not as bulky as a tarp. Luckily, we had ten days and no rain! Have fun traveling. Oh, I also took extra gloves - just in case. Remember, you have to move everything off your seat every time you fuel up.

Thought you could slip that past us, huh? Very cute.