Minimalist Touring Thread (250cc and under)

[Hawk62cj5]

Originally Posted by Crazy Canadian

Can't find that listed anywhere on their site...

Its just a clear face shield I think .

[frog13]

How's the XR200 on the road?.

[Yokomo]

Yea its a face shield, like for chopping wood, take the head mount off and flip it upside down.

[Ed@Ford]

Originally Posted by carloscyclecare

More pics from a previous ride.

Where's that windscreen from? Slick...kinda Dakar-like!

[UtahFox]

Originally Posted by ALinUTAH

Tent is a 3-man backpacking palace right now, Im thinking about getting a solo tent. Also a 3L camelback on my back. I usually carry an extra quart of water in the saddlebags. The camping gear weighs around 35 to 40 lbs, plus gas and tools. Oh, and I have a small tank bag. Al

I have the #1 version of this...

http://tarptent.com/squall2.html

Mine has a hoop up front instead of having to use poles. These tents are perfect for Utah IMO; super light-weight, tiny pack size, yet big inside. I usually take it backpacking but have only had to set it up a couple of times. Once was up at Kings Peak, where it rained from afternoon to just after sundown - I stayed perfectly dry. The other memorable time was in the Grand Canyon at the mouth of the New Hance. We had fairly nasty wind to which rain was added. Out of 4 people I was the only one with a tent, and while were literally packed like sardines we stayed dry.

I love this thing, keep thinking I should get something else but I can't come up with enough good reasons :)

Pretty big for a 2 pound tent...


Usually just sleep out though...

Originally Posted by ALinUTAH

The thermarests just aren't very compact.

I use a Thermarest Neoair when space is important - it's half the size of a Nalgene packed up. Just have to make sure you've got a really good ground cloth & patch kit along. It's the yellow thing in the post below.

[UtahFox]

Originally Posted by sandalscout

I travel VERY light, in my opinion. I came from a hiking/backpacking background, and travel really light when hiking, on vacation, etc anyway, so I don't need much stuff. While I don't have a 250cc bike anymore, I still have and use the luggage I used on my 250, both on rental bikes and on my 650 now.

I'm with you on this one, people talk a lot about shaving pounds off their bikes when there's a lot of weight savings to be found in our kits and around our bellies. All this stuff below went into a medium Wolfman duffel & a 40L Pelican, just need to add food and I could travel for weeks...

[Keithert]

Originally Posted by Yokomo

Yea its a face shield, like for chopping wood, take the head mount off and flip it upside down.

How did you mount it? Can you post some pics?

[Outwardbound]

Last weekend at Cleveland International Motorcycle show.
Lois Pryce, the Queen of Minimalist touring gives a 30 minute talk. Well attended and received.

[The Cameraman]

Originally Posted by Outwardbound

Last weekend at Cleveland International Motorcycle show.
Lois Pryce, the Queen of Minimalist touring gives a 30 minute talk. Well attended and received.

She scrubs up well does our Lois!

[Earthscape]

I'm loving all the action on this thread lately. Keep it coming - stories and pics of bikes, gear, camping, rides, packing etc. It's all good stuff.

For a long time I was frustrated with the amount of space casual footware takes up when packing. I got a pair of these, and they are great. I wouldn't recommend a day long hike with them, but for around a camp site, they work very well, and are very easy to pack. I think they may be getting harder to find though.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/...-zip-up-tight/

[UtahFox]

Originally Posted by Earthscape

For a long time I was frustrated with the amount of space casual footware takes up when packing. I got a pair of these, and they are great. I wouldn't recommend a day long hike with them, but for around a camp site, they work very well, and are very easy to pack. I think they may be getting harder to find though.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/...-zip-up-tight/

LOL - those are pretty nice. When I back pack, I've been carrying something like these for around camp...



I just bought a pair of those, and you're right - they're pretty limited in sizes and color.

[NJ-Brett]

Just look around, LL bean sells something like that.

Back when I was able to take month long rides, gear was more limited.
I took what was on my back, plus one change, a small tent, and a big sleeping bag that I slept on top of most of the time.
I also took some tools for the bike, wire tied spare cables to the ones in place, some spare bulbs, and loads of money in cash and travelers checks.
This was pre gps, pre cell phone, pre Ipod, pre digital camera's and portable computers were the size of a big piece of luggage and weighed 50 pounds. You could not mac money, Western Union was the only way to get money.

I piled stuff on the back of the bike, and had a small tank bag for maps, 110 camera, change, odds and ends.
I never carried any food or a way to cook food, I ate on the road, and I used campgrounds, which had laundry, showers, a pool and a store. Average price was about $8.00 for a tent site.

Sometimes I would meet people at the campground and run out for things like steaks and beer to cook over a fire.
People would often offer me food and drink.

You can travel very light that way, I did not even have rain gear, as it was summer.
It does get cold in places, and I wore all the clothes I had and stuffed plastic bags under my shirt a few times.

I can go without food for a while without any problem, and that was never an issue in the more remote spots.
Crossing the Mojave in July, I broke down and got a canteen in Barstow, and it came in handy (for other people) at the Grand Canyon where people were passed out from the heat going back up.
That was a tough walk up, and I had filled the Barstow canteen with Gatorade and water, and gave it to the ranger who was dealing with heat stroke people.

After a nice lesurly day walking down and up (1 mile down, 5 mile walk one way) I found I had a flat front tire on my bike. Rode it to the campground and fixed it the next day. What a view of the sky out there!
I still have that canteen...

I left very light, and figured I could buy something I might need if I had to.
I learned that on a trip to Florida where I did not even bring a tent. You can not camp in Florida without a tent, the bugs are crazy. After the first night, I went to Sears and got a small tent.

From what I read here, most people take way too much stuff.

[UtahFox]

Originally Posted by NJ-Brett

From what I read here, most people take way too much stuff.

Its entirely possible these days to be able to carry a complete kit in 25 pounds or less. That would include a couple of clothing changes, the items needed to stay warm and dry, a chair, food and water. Minimalist backpacking works perfectly with minimalist touring. There's really no need to sacrifice anything other than a little money if you're doing it right.

[SAPB]

Originally Posted by UtahFox

Its entirely possible these days to be able to carry a complete kit in 25 pounds or less. That would include a couple of clothing changes, the items needed to stay warm and dry, a chair, food and water. Minimalist backpacking works perfectly with minimalist touring. There's really no need to sacrifice anything other than a little money if you're doing it right.

I knew a guy who said he saved shirts, underwear, socks, ect. instead of throwing them out. Pack it up for the trip, and throw away every day, making room for packing trinkets along the way. Many ways of doing it. I did one trip, and forgot to bring a clean shirt for every day, but bought one along the way, and washed the that day one at night, and if it wasn't dry in the morning clip it to the bike somewhere, and it will be dry in no time, though not while raining..............If it's hot, put a wet shirt on under your mesh jacket, instant AC.

[ALinUTAH]

I've had my eye on this tent.

http://www.rei.com/product/827912/bi...-spur-ul1-tent

I never backpack alone, always have wife and two labradors which is why I have the palace.

The trick to this minimalism is not to think "how much stuff can I get on this little bike" but "what can I do without."

Al