My Gear

I’m not necessarily an ultra-light (if that can really be applied to motorbike travel) traveler, but I do try to find the gear that works best for me without taking up too much space.  I generally travel with a Wolfman tank bag (electrified with Powerlet gear so I can charge my phone and iPod on the go), Happy Trails panniers (I love them!), and some sort of tail bag (either my Givi hard case for long weekends or my Motofiz tail bag and Wolfman waterproof duffel for longer trips).  Yeah, it looks like I’m traveling with everything but the kitchen sink, but none of my bags is ever completely full.  This is handy when you find that souvenir you can’t live without or need to do some grocery shopping.

One area that I just don’t skimp on is my camping gear.  I like gear that keeps me dry, warm, and allows for a great night’s sleep.  I love my Nemo Equipment gear - they make solid stuff, and the airbeam technology in their tents is pure genius.  No pesky poles to try and fit on the bike, and if you get a puncture in an airbeam, you just patch it like a tire tube.  Our two person tent sleeps both my husband and I with a little room to spare, and we’re both tall.

Without further ado, here’s what I normally pack (work in progress):

Tank Bag (Wolfman Denali, F650GS only)

  • Panasonic Lumix camera and SD cards
  • First aid supplies
  • Pocket knives (both a Benchmade and an Opinel)
  • Petzl headlamp
  • Snacks, usually Aussie style licorice and Luna or Clif bars

Panniers (Happy Trails, F650GS and Mosko Moto Backcountry 25s or BMW hard bags, F800GT)

  • Marmot Helium down sleeping bag
  • REI silk sleeping bag liner
  • Nemo Equipment Fillo - I can’t sleep without a pillow
  • Spare bike parts
  • Spare tubes
  • Rain gear

Tailbag (Mosko Moto Backcountry 30 Duffle)

  • MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2person tent, including footprint and the optional gear shed
  • Nemo Equipment Cosmo Insulated air mattress
  • Nemo Equipment Pillowtop Air Mattress cover (slides over my sleeping pad and makes it as comfy as my bed)

Topbox (Givi, F650GS or BMW, F800GT)

  • Clothing and toiletries - essentially anything I’d want for a hotel stay to minimize bike unloading time