8 Things to Stop Packing for Motorcycle Trips
Every rider overpacks on their first few tours. The result is a heavy bike, cramped saddlebags, and gear you never touch. Here are eight things I learned to leave behind, and what to pack instead.
Table of Contents
1. Full-Size Toiletries
Full-size shampoo, body wash, and toothpaste are the most common space wasters in motorcycle luggage. A full-size shampoo bottle is 350 ml and weighs 400 grams. A travel-size bottle is 89 ml and weighs 100 grams. You do not need 350 ml of shampoo for a 7-day tour.
Pack travel-size everything. Better yet, buy a set of refillable silicone travel bottles and fill them from your home supply. You get exactly the amount you need, and the bottles are flat when empty, so they take no space on the way home.
2. Multiple Jacket Layers
The temptation is to pack a light jacket, a medium jacket, and a heavy jacket so you are ready for any temperature. The result is three jackets taking up a third of your saddlebag space, and you only wear one at a time.
Replace the three-jacket system with a layering system: a base layer (merino wool or synthetic), a mid layer (fleece or lightweight insulated vest), and your riding jacket with a waterproof liner. This covers everything from 5 to 35 degrees Celsius (41 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) in less space than a single extra jacket. For cold-weather riding, see the winter riding guide.
3. Redundant Tools
Many riders pack a full socket set because they are afraid of a roadside breakdown. The reality is that most roadside repairs on a touring motorcycle require fewer than 10 tools. A full socket set weighs 3 to 5 kg (7 to 11 lbs) and you will use 3 sockets from it.
Instead, build a purpose-built tool roll with only the tools your specific bike needs. For the Indian Pursuit, that means a Torx set, a few metric sockets, an adjustable wrench, tire plug kit, and a multi-tool. Total weight: under 1 kg (2.2 lbs). Read the full touring toolkit guide for the exact list.
4. Hardcover Books and Tablets
If you are packing a book for evening reading, pack a paperback or use your phone. A hardcover book is rigid, heavy, and takes up a fixed amount of space. A tablet is fragile, needs charging, and is another thing to worry about at a campsite or motel.
Your phone has a Kindle app, an e-reader, and offline media. If you need screen time in the evening, your phone is enough. If you need a book, bring one paperback and leave it at a hotel when you are done.
5. Large First-Aid Kits
A large first-aid kit gives a sense of security. But a 2 kg (4.4 lb) kit with 200 bandages, a splint, and a tourniquet is more than you need for a motorcycle tour. You are not performing field surgery. You are treating road rash, blisters, and minor cuts.
Build a compact first-aid kit: 10 adhesive bandages in assorted sizes, 2 gauze pads, medical tape, antiseptic wipes, ibuprofen, and tweezers. Total size: a ziploc bag. Total weight: under 200 grams (7 oz). If something worse happens, you are calling emergency services, not digging through a kit.
6. Full-Size Camp Stoves
If you camp on tour, a full-size two-burner camp stove is overkill. It takes up the space of a helmet and you are cooking for one. A lightweight canister stove (like a MSR PocketRocket or similar) weighs under 100 grams (3.5 oz), boils water in 3 minutes, and folds to the size of a marker pen.
Most motorcycle touring meals are simple: boiled water for coffee, oatmeal, or dehydrated food. You do not need two burners. You need one burner that packs small and weighs nothing.
7. More Than Two Pairs of Pants
Pants are the bulkiest clothing item. Two pairs of riding pants (one for the bike, one for off-bike) is enough for any tour length. Pack one pair of lightweight, quick-dry pants for evenings. Wear your riding pants on the bike. If your riding pants get wet, they will dry overnight if you hang them. You do not need a third pair.
The same principle applies to most clothing. Pack for 3 days, not 7. Do laundry at a laundromat on day 3 or 4. It takes 90 minutes and costs about $5 CAD. That is less space and weight than packing a week's worth of clothes.
8. Backup Everything
Backup gloves, backup sunglasses, backup baselayer, backup phone charger. The "just in case" items add up. On a 7-day tour, you will not use your backup gloves if your primary gloves are good. You will not need a backup phone charger if you charge your phone at the hotel every night.
Pack one of everything. If something fails, you can buy a replacement at a gas station or a Canadian Tire. There is no part of Canada where you are more than 50 km (31 mi) from a store that sells gloves, sunglasses, or a phone charger. Trust that.
"You are not performing field surgery. You are treating road rash, blisters, and minor cuts."
Pack for what you will actually use, not for every hypothetical. Target under 20 kg (44 lbs) total luggage. If your saddlebags are stuffed, you have packed too much. Empty 30 percent of it and you will not miss any of it.