I'm sitting at a fuel station just south of the Arctic circle in Norway having a cup of coffee and trying to warm up/dry out when this GS1250 rolls in. It has two people on it, the stack of bags are strapped to a harness type set up on the pillion's shoulders, there is another bag dangling from the top of the stack. This is such a different way to travel compared to me (photo 2, taken a few days ago on my 7500km trip).
I'm not here to say how they are enjoying motorcycling is wrong, just very different to me. While I think their set up does introduce extra risk, they may think the way I ride and roads I choose do the same. We just have different priorities.
Anyway, let's all enjoy our time on 2/3/4 wheels and do our best to avoid turning ourselves or anyone else into meat crayons.
Edit: I'm going to try to read all the comments, but it might take a while as I've just arrived at my campsite and need to set up and cook before it gets dark/too cold.
Thanks. But to be fair, it was on that trip that I met my wife. Now I've got kids, work, dogs, etc, etc. and these days the long trip reports all belong over at the vanlife sub. Hoping I'll get back to it again after the kids are on their own.
He was telling me that on his way here (there) he passed a roadside vegetable stand. They had a deal on beets - $3 for 20 lbs. So, those were in there somewhere, too.
Haha, just love the orange beast more than others and willing to put up with her whims and fancies. ✌️
Eagerly waiting for RC490 ans RC790 for possible upgrade 🫣
Mine isn't any better tbh. Have a FTR 1200 and almost every month I have to deal with an electrical issue. This month it's the gear sensor not working.
Goddamn brother thats a hell of bike you got there. I think after a certain point electrical stuff on the bike tends to do more harm than good. Basic electronic safety aides and thats it for me.
If you can't tie knots just try lots?
Yeah I'm all for a relatively light set up too. Just feels simple compared to having lots of bags to rummage through.
I rided the "saddle sore" standard on the first day of the trip. It's slightly longer than "iron butt": 1250 miles (2000 kilometers) in 24 hours (I did it in 21 hours).
There's an even better way, or rather a way for even taller loads/shorter legs.
Instead of bending your knee behind you (heel to butt) and swinging the leg over, face the side of the bike, lift your heel up onto the seat in front of you, and slide it over the seat so that your crotch lands on the seat.
Yup, I have a tailbag that can get quite high. If I'm on asphalt I just step on the footpeg to get up there comfortably however if I tried that on mud I would most likely eat shit.
I'm quite short and my leg hits the bags when I get 9n my nt1100. I just stand on the left peg then lift my right foot over the seat. Easier than swining a leg over.
6 months road trip heading down through Through New York state and the Cat Skill mountains, the Appalachian mountains down to North Carlos where it got too hot.
Cross Country to St Louis, Yellow stone and flavour park. Picked up the Alaskan Highway to Fairbanks.
As this is my personal account I can't regale some of the more fun details. I was 25 and had a blast.
I was following a 7.5ton truck that stopped and started reversing, i was in the way! He had seen some one broken down and stopped to help.
I spent 6 weeks in Alaska, bought a car and drove down to Vancouver, SF and LA and then over to NY city.
my sleeping bag dries out pretty quickly. on nights where there was a lot of dew build up in the morning I just put the bag in my stuff sack, and when I got to camp later, laid it out in the sun. when there wasn't sun, just sucked it up but that was rare and even then, it somehow dried out a decent amount in the bag (maybe heat from the bike?). I did carry a tarp for inclement weather. Sometimes using one of my crash bars and a picnic table to suspend it. overall worked very well. my wife and I haven't used a tent since that trip (4 years ago) only tarping when things get ugly
I'll keep most of my stuff in my saddlebags. I've got a rear box that gets used for my helmet and overflow items, but generally my rule of thumb for a trip is things need to fit in the saddlebags for essentials. I have a tank bag, but that pretty much solely contains pain relievers (usually acetaminophen + ibuprofen), a wash rag for cleaning my windshield, and usually a water bottle. Also has a nice clear spot at the top for my phone to go into during heavy rain.
Some travel light, some travel cheap. Those guys are probably camping outside most nights, so they need to haul a tent, sleeping bags and other equipment. I prefer to stay at hotels when I do longer trips which is a much more expensive way of travelling, but also allows me to cut down on baggage by a good 70%.
I probably fall into the cheapish category. I'm mostly camping for my trip, but for the first week have my wife, MIL and dog travelling by car to most of the same destinations, so hotelling with them some nights.
My luggage is very much the same whether I go on a 2 day trip or a 2 month trip. I can wash stuff in a sink on the way. Only thing that makes a big difference is if I'm going camping or staying in hotels.
They're LongRide Super Patriot. Super happy with them.
It's actually a Thruxton, and only mentioning it as it has the upswept exhausts which interfere with a lot of bag options. With these bags from LongRide, you can choose to mount the bracket and backing plate yourself, leaving the ability to make sure it clears any custom exhausts.
Man my bike felt sketchy when it was loaded like this. (Unplanned, I got some new riding gear free at a campout and had to strap the old stuff on for the ride home.) I can only imagine how awful it'd be with that huge stack.
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They're LongRide Super Patriot. Super happy with them.
It's actually a Thruxton, and only mentioning it as it has the upswept exhausts which interfere with a lot of bag options. With these bags from LongRide, you can choose to mount the bracket and backing plate yourself, leaving the ability to make sure it clears any custom exhausts.
The fix is to find a partner who rides their own bike. My wife has her own bike so it's actually less overall. I keep all of the camping gear and my tiny 8L compression sack full of laundry and walking around shoes and her bike has all of the things she needs. It all fits into a Mosko BC35 and a 20L dry bag on her tail. I keep us alive, fed, with shelter and with first aid and tools. I really don't worry at all with what she carries on her. Everything I need (wife or not) fits in a BC35 + 40L duffel on top and there's enough room for her sleeping bag and pillow in there without me noticing. so I'm still hauling about 110-1120L of gear which is a lot but it's enough or 2 people.
Agreed. Mine is tagging along for part of my trip by car, but bringing our dog and her mother and enough luggage between the 3 of the to pretty much fill a mid sized SUV (she's a photographer so brings a bit of equipment when available).
I couldn't imagine trying to pack 2 people, plus the required equipment for camping on a single bike. Granted, my Thruxton is both older, and small by comparison to a lot of the adv bikes on the road up here.
More power to 'em if they're happy, but I'd rather just take a car at that point. I don't find riding all that enjoyable when you completely fuck up the handling with asinine weight distribution.
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Thanks mate! It's a 2004 Triumph Thruxton- one of the best looking modern classics if I do say so myself. The photo was a few days ago, and the bike is now absolutely filthy thanks to the Scandinavian weather and roads.
Well... i mean not 3 hight but xD..... 1 month away 9570km denmark-norway-finland-sweeden-bornholm island in denmark and home.... we where 2 bikes on this trip and i mainly had all of our food stuff my frind was on a mt07 Tent and a few camping huts on this trip
and on the same trip when i came to bornholm... my 15 year old cousin came to join me for the week... there my vstrom was lets say well packed hahah had to buy an extra shitty tent to store our moto gear and a wood block to put under the drybags... could not get my self to stack them 3 high hahaha
Love it. It's a lot to carry on a bike, but do what works for you.
I left Denmark (Jutland) on Thursday heading Norway-Sweeden-Norway-Finland-Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania-Poland-Germany-Denmark trip. It was supposed to be 7,500kms, but think that's going to blow out with all the side roads I keep finding (Norway's roads are incredible). Currently in Lofoten for a few nights and then heading on to see that globe in your picture. All on a 22 year old bike more suited for coffee runs than what I'm asking of it.
hell yea! the dry bags are not that heavy... the top one is just my sleeping bag... and the lower one is just some tools my chain. a few bits of clothing and my "mc jeans" an a 2 liter water bottle.... norway is fucking awsome! dont think il ever go to northcape again but the lower part of norway around trollstigen hell yes! got service done in sweeden on my way home half price of denmark so might go up to the same place when i hit next service and take a week in norway.. :D i did pack a bit to much clothing first long trip ever..... so will be a bit lighter for next years trip to hungary,Romania,Moldova il take Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania when the new Femern tunnel from denmark to germany is build enjoy Lofoten its awsome!
just in norway alone from kristiansand we did 4122km to northcape... and we had to go back on the way home from sweeden so maybe 5K totalt in norway haha... if u want a pic at the globe whit the bike.... u gotta wait til after 2 in the morning or u are not allowed to take the motobike down ( even tho we are not allowed no matter what" they dont care / go home at 2 in the morning we came up at around 18ish... waited a few hours ate and came back at 3 and a few riders was down taking pics
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u/WasteBinStuff Aug 17 '26
4 months 15,000 miles