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BMW MOTORCYCLE
TOURING CHECKLIST |
| No Magic. There is no magic to camping, touring or this
checklist. If you get all of this gear below, you'll never make it out of
the garage. The art and zen of motorcycle touring
and camping lies in finding the middle ground where you take enough but not too much.
Experience is the ultimate teacher only if we remember to learn from it. A great technique to refine your skills is upon
return, as you unload the bike, make a list of each item that you did not use.
Keep the list for the next time you pack. For your next outing, after
you have everything ready, run through your gear and pull out the stuff that is on your
"Didn't use last time" checklist.
For mechanical preparation of an R100GS we
have a Checklist for Preparing for the Long Tour which you may
find useful. It is specific to that model but some of the information will carry
over to other bikes as well.
For a First Time camper, try the 23 Items for the Compleat Camper as a starter. |
| I. A CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED BMW MOTORCYCLE |
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Current service, including
clutch spline lube and brake inspection and fluid change if applicable. Grease
wheel-splines and wheel bearings on older machines. Twins should have valve adjustment
recently performed. If doubts remain, ask for safety inspection at A&S or Ozzie’s
BMW |
|
Shocks and fork springs and fork
seals in good condition |
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New tires and tubes. (Save 1/2
worn tires for commuting.) |
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Rear rack, backrest/rack or trunk.
Plentiful supply of bungee cords |
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Hard cases and mounts in good
condition (check your hinges) -- equip cases with "Bungee Buddies" or equivalent
as tie down points |
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Tank bag & rain cover |
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M/C cover, lightweight travel
style -- best security from prying eyes/hands, birds, tree sap |
| II. CLOTHES AND
SOFT GOODS |
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Cash and credit card, auto club
card if you have one |
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Current dealer list, insurance and
registration cards, driver’s license |
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First Aid kit, (BMW First Aid Kit
or Climber’s Kit from R.E.I.) and pocket knife |
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Several sets of earplugs for less
fatigue |
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Sunglasses, extra visor, visor
cleaner and rag |
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Sunscreen (For nose and arms,
especially), aspirin, vitamins, bug repellent antihistamines it you suffer from allergies |
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swimsuit |
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Towel (the"packable"
travel towels take a lot less space), washcloth |
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Toothbrush, toothpaste,
toiletries, toilet paper, soap & shampoo |
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Shoes & extra socks |
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underwear, T-shirts (not too
many--you can wash them) |
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sweatshirt, heavy wool shirt or
sweater for warmth (or electric vest) |
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Polartec or similar fabric vest,
jacket, pants (excellent under a riding suit) |
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Silk or polyester balaclava |
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Rain suit (not necessary if you
have Gore—Tex suit) |
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Rain mitts and rain boots/boot
covers |
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various gloves appropriate for the
ranges of weather expected |
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Extra stuff sacks for organizing
your gear |
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Light reading book, guidebooks |
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maps and information about points
of interest along your route |
| III. CAMPING
GEAR |
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Tent--as small and light as
possible |
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Tarp or ground cloth option |
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Sleeping pad (Thermarest Deluxe is
a primo choice) |
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Inflatable pillow (optional but
nice) (or pillow case to stuff spare clothes in as pillow) |
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Sleeping bag -(need not be too
heavy—-you are not snow camping) |
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Water bottle |
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small flashlight -- extra
batteries & bulb. A headstrap for a mini-flashlight is useful or a
miner's type headlight |
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Candle lantern (opt) Extra
candles. Matches or lighter |
| COOKING GEAR
--(OPT) |
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Optima, GAZ or other small
climber’s stoves or propane. See notes on stoves. |
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Fuel: gas or propane ... if your
stove takes unleaded automotive gas you can siphon from your m/c tank for stove and avoid
carrying fuel; however, even the "multi-fuel" stoves run better longer on
Coleman or "white" gas |
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Cooking kit, utensils, spices
(smallest possible size for everything) |
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Big-mouth plastic bottles, freezer
bags or baggies for storing food |
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Simple freeze-dried meals or shop
for fresh food late in the day |
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Dish-cleaning supplies: 1
scrubber, towel and detergent |
| IV. MOTORCYCLE
EQUIPMENT |
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BMW Tool kit and BMW or VDO tire
gauge. (Use it every day -- be safe!) |
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Extra wrenches and pliers
(optional) |
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Duct tape & electric tape
(partial rolls take less space) |
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Wire, hose clamps, fuses, silicone
seal, misc. nuts & bolts |
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Bulb kit (BMW) or spare front,
taillight & turn signal bulb |
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Spare spark plugs (also points and
condenser for pre-’81 twins) |
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Spare fuel filter (for K models
only) |
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Spare float bowl gaskets or carb
rebuild kit (for twins only) |
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Spare clutch cable
(optional-inspect or change before leaving) |
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Shop rag and handiwipes |
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Cargo straps & bungee cables |
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BMW tire repair kit |
| V. BAGS and
CONTAINERS |
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Waterproof bags are the best
choice if you have even the slightest chance of rain -- REI locally, or Cabella's, LL
Bean, etc. are good sources of waterproof or "splashproof" luggage |
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Sleeping bag -- your best friend
needs to be kept dry ... get a stuff sack that has compression straps, and is also
waterproof .... DO NOT STORE A BAG in one of these ... only use it for travel ... let the
bag air out & store uncompressed |
| VI.
MISCELLANEOUS STUFF |
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Photo gear: Camera, lenses, cases,
film, tripod |
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Sheepskin seat cover or
"Air-Seat’ or "Bun Savers." |
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Tinted Visor Strips |
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Business cards and personal
address book |
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BMW MOA Anonymous Book |
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List of contemporaneous rallies
and special events |
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Backroad Atlas |
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New foam grips |
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Cable-lock for locking helmet and
jacket to motorcycle |
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"Neck—up", scarf or
dickey |
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Small binoculars {handy in the
mountains) |
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Accessory socket and accessory
light (BMW) |
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Portable cellular phone |
VI. PACKING SUGGESTIONS
Weight distribution -- weight distribution is most
important. Ideally, the center of gravity of the gear that you add, will stay
forward of the rear wheels and as low as possible. Also, each side will be roughly
the same weight. That translates to putting heavy stuff in the forward part of your
saddlebags, tankbag, and behind you on the seat forward of the rear axle. The rear
rack should be left for lighter items (sleeping bag, clothes, tent)
Rack and Seat: Extra riding gear In stuff sack, rain
gear In stuff sack, sleeping pad, take off layers as the day warms.
Tank bag: First aid kit,. Sunglasses, binoculars,
camera. film, toiletries, sunscreens visor cleaner, flashlight. matches, water bottle,
maps and books, light gloves, glove liners, scarf, swimsuit & towel, extra bungees,
etc. Pack soft stuff at rear and on top so that you can rest on tank bag occasionally.
Left saddlebag: Clothing, extra shoes, etc. (Remember,
left bag stays hotter than right bag on K bikes.)
Right saddlebag: Extra food, cooking gear, camping gear
Under seat: Extra tools, parts, tape, etc.
Packing up wet-- an ugly but common
factor, even in good weather if doing an early morning departure. In theory at least, you
can get all of your gear into their containers while you and it are inside the tent.
Keep wet and dry segregated ... if it is looking ugly outside, it can work to
dedicate one saddlebag or one tie-on container to "wet stuff". At all
costs keep your spare clothes and sleeping bag dry.
AND THEN ... When
you get all of this, then think hard about what you need and leave half of what you pile
up behind. And on the return from the trip, make a list of everything you didn't
use and put the list where you can remember to not take those items on the next trip
(emergency type items excepted).
Most of the art of getting by
with a small kit is figuring out the difference between what you might use
vs. what you really do use.
This page last
updated: Friday, January 11, 2008
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