Guy Boutin's Motorcycle Touring and Travel Pages

Adventures in Sport Touring with the Honda ST 1100, 1300 and the BMW 1200RT

Exploring North America...One Road at a Time

         Tips on Technique and Equipment

I am often asked for long distance riding tips, or about the equipment I use.  I am far from a expert on either subject.  Most of what I know, I gleamed from other long distance riders.  Applying, and keeping the ideas that worked.  I also learned a lot by trial and error.

This page also explains how I handle money on a trip.  Finances are a personal thing, and every one is different.  I have my own philosophy about it and don't mind sharing it.   

 THE RIDE

The best advice I can give, for someone contemplating a long distance ride, is enjoy the route.  The joy is not the destination, but the ride, and all that I see, and experience between here and there.  Nothing wrong having a fun destination as a final goal, it gives you something to look forward to, but the ride is why you go.  If you only want to arrive, you are better off taking a plane.

Most of the 2000,000 miles I have logged have been solo.  Not that I am anti social, but I usually have personal goals and time table to keep, that my friends are not able to match.  Basically, when it comes to riding, I am spoiled and selfish.  I want to set the agenda, decide where to stop, what to eat, and what to see.  I am most uncomfortable leading a group, so you will see me in the rear.  I don't like the pressure of finding a place everyone can agree on.  I am easy to please, so I follow.  For me, the true experience of the open road, can only be felt when riding solo.

A lone rider, far from home, is a magnet.  Everyone wants to stop and chat.  I meet people in cafes/diners, truck stops, tourists traps, and campgrounds.  Most people appreciate what you are doing.  The lone rider sets himself apart from the masses.  He is his own master, and that is the heart of his appeal to the ordinary folk.  The modern motorcycle has greatly reduced the challenge of cross country riding. My ST takes me to California easy as a 747.  At issue is not the machine, but the elements.  The lone rider must deal with the savage cross winds of the Great Plains, the booming thunderstorms of Texas, the cold, and snowy Rocky Mountains, the traffic and congestion of the East Coast.  The totally unpredictable weather of the Appalachians.  Conquering those things alone, makes me feel good.  I need that to grow as a individual and as a rider.

On the flip side, the lone rider relates to glorious sunrises and sunsets.  Twisty mountain roads that deposit him into spectacular valleys and vistas.  I know the quiet solitude of the desert southwest, the open farmland of Iowa. I know about fall in Canada and New England, when the landscape is ablaze in reds, yellows and orange.  From the saddle of my ST I gazed out across the Pacific Ocean, yearning for a transcontinental bridge to take me to Asia.

There is also much to be said for group riding. Security, the most obvious.  I enjoy the social aspects of riding.  The fellowship of like minded individuals, and the brotherhood of that comes with sharing difficulties and dangers.  I will always enjoy a group or a partner on occasion. 

I suggest a easy day for every 4-5 big mileage days.  Whatever your mileage threshold is, on the 5th day reduce it by at least half.  A routine day for me is 500+ miles, a big day is 700+ miles.  On a 2 week cross country ride easy days are vital.  I may take the entire day off and layover.  Spending time off the bike washing clothes, checking equipment, and enjoying where ever it is I am at.  Off days will almost always be at a friends house or a motel.  The off time recharges my batteries, and refreshes me mentally.  It slows me down and makes riding fun.  I enjoy a day to sleep late, and make adjustments. Try it,  makes a world of difference.

Enjoy the ride and let it take you to places never seen.

Riding Gear

My general rule is wear and use the best equipment you can afford. Buy motorcycle specific equipment, it will save you money in the long run. Rubber Wal Mart gloves can waterproof your gloves, but they are bulky and not pre curved.  Stiff gloves will put your hands to sleep rather quickly.  Wal Mart tents are cheap, they are also heavy and big.  Same with department store sleeping bags and sleeping pads.  I come from the lighter is better camp.  I want to keep the sporty ride of the ST. I don't want to wrestle to lean it, or park it.  I carried some non motorcycle luggage, on my first trip to California.  I was back and top heavy, I had too many clothes packed in a too big a bag.  The ST felt like a hog.  I refined my equipment, and packing on subsequent trips, and can now take a trip and not notice my gear.  I went out and bought some GOOD luggage, easy to strap down, and load.  It makes a world of difference.

Coat and pants- I wear the 1 piece Roadcrafter by Aerostich.  I like the sleek design of the 1 piece.  Nothing to flap in the wind.  Plenty of pockets and extras.  It has served me well in desert sun, and mountain snows.  It is waterproof.  The 1 piece Roadcrafter is the uniform of choice among Iron Butt riders.  The Roadcrafter incorporates the finest ballistics and abrasion material in the business.  A quality piece of equipment.  When it gets cold I layer a sweatshirt and thinsulate vest under it.  Vented out I can wear it in Alabama to 85 degrees.  My Roadcrafter is gray, the lightest color available.  I wanted to avoid dark colors because they absorb too much heat.

Summers in Alabama will find me in Joe Rocket Phoenix pants and coat.  South Alabama is just plain hot in the summer.  The temperature and humidity race each other to see which is going to hit 100 first.  As a result, I log the least amount of miles of the year in July and August.  On a trip I only wear the Roadcrafter.

Gloves- I have 5 pairs of gloves.  Four by Joe Rocket, they are listed below:

Fox Textile gloves-  These are dirt bike gloves.  Leather palms and ballistic backhand.  My JR lytespeeds finally gave up, and the company no longer makes them, so I went with the next thing I could find.  I like textile in hot weather,  my hands breathe much better with them, but they offer limited protection.

Phoenix-  These are mesh with light armor, using the same principal as the Phoenix pants and jacket.  A good hot weather glove with good protection, I alternate them with the textiles in hot weather. 

Reactors-  These are leather gloves, and have a more sporty look.  A great glove.  I could probably get by without leather gloves, but I like the looks and protection only leather can give. Re enforced knuckles, padded palm, and thumb protector.  Much more protection then the Lytespeeds.  They also employ reflective strips across the fingers. I wear these gloves when the weather is good (meaning not hot or cold).   Yellow trim to match my helmet.

Ballistics- These are the go to gloves when temps dip below 55.  The are lined and keep my hands warm.  They are also waterproof.  The have a handy thumb squeegee for rainy days.  I use these gloves when its cool, but not cold outside.

Radiants-  Cold weather gloves.  Gel Palms, with treated leather in case it rains.  Thickly lined for warmth. They can be cinched down to keep out drafts.  On a 27 degree day in Maine they were quite effective.  These also have a thumb squeegee.  The best cold weather gloves I've ever used.

I admit to having a thing about gloves, and I have about 3 pair more then I need.  But that's just me.  You can get by with just a cold weather and hot weather glove.

Helmet- I believe in helmets.  I never ride without mine.  My helmet is a Arai Quantum.  A full face helmet.  I only wear full face helmets, I am not much to look at, but I want to keep what I have.  Full face helmets are more aerodynamic and quiet, when compared to open helmets.  After 10,000 miles with Arai, I can report the unit carries out its duty very well.  The interior is very plush, and soft on my head.  I think you will find comfort the biggest difference in a low end and high end helmet.  Low end helmets can protect your head as well as premium helmet, but the latter will do it more comfortably, and with less noise.  The Arai has much tighter fit then my previous Bieffe and I like that.

My experiment with speed yellow has been positive.  The head of a rider is the highest point, and a light color helmet is easy to see, and makes the rider more visible.   I have noticed a marked improvement in traffic.  In fact friends have said to me-

"Hey I saw you from 1/4 mile away"

"How'd ya know it was me?"

" I saw that yellow helmet"

White is also a good safety choice.

The full face also keeps me warm in winter, and keeps the bugs away, although 50% of the time I ride with the shield up, but it's nice to know, all I have to do is flick the shield down when I need to.

The Arai is well ventilated, and as a result, noisy for a premium helmet, but I wear earplugs anyway.  While on the subject, I believe earplugs easily add 200 miles to a rider's day. They greatly reduce the fatigue of riding. The fire department recently tested me for a 5% hearing loss.  Mostly, from exposure to loud sirens and bells early in my career, when no one thought about such things.  We now have headsets, and I wear mine even when we are not on a alarm.  I like the quiet.  Take my word for it, exposing yourself to high frequencies of wind noise over prolonged periods, will have a negative effect on your hearing.  I believe that affect is accumulative.  Meaning short rides, every few days, also add up.

You can still hear anything important with earplugs. Don't worry.

I use silicon ear plugs. The type swimmers wear. 

Boots-  Good footwear is sometimes under appreciated. I wear Joe Rocket boots.  Easy to get off and on, and protective.  Not the most comfortable to walk in, but I don't plan on doing much walking in riding gear.  If you haven't noticed already, I use a lot of Joe Rocket equipment. Their stuff looks good and the price reasonable.

Luggage-  After my West Coast trip I HAD to get some better luggage. I surfed the net, and the touring web sites, to see what I needed.  I contacted the guys that ride mucho long distances, they recommended the Helen 2 Wheel luggage system, and I do to.  The H2W corded sack, carries my tent and poles.  The H2W compression bag, packs my sleeping pad and bag, and also my pillow.  Helen is a long distance rider, and designed her system of bags and straps with that in mind.  They are light, well constructed, and waterproof.  The strap system is far better then bungee cords, and hold things down tight.   

In 2003 I replaced the Tourmaster bag with a Moto Fizz tour pack.  It is larger with more pockets and do dads.  It carries everything I need.  It has straps to carry sleeping pads and tents, but I don't use them.  I stuff my DVD player in it, along with everything else.  I strap it to the rear of my saddle.  It sits higher and wider then the Tourmaster.  I will continue to use the Tourmaster for short trips, when I don't need to carry as much as a cross country ride.  You can find it in the Aerostich catalog.

Many riders use a tank bag, but I find them cumbersome and in the way. They carry the weight in a good place, and if I needed one, I would not hesitate to bring one online.  It is a matter of personal choice.

Camping

I was a confirmed city boy, till I began touring.  Not being a man of means I could not afford motel rooms every night for up to 3 weeks, so I learned to camp.  I love camping now.  When I have my camping gear I don't worry about where I will sleep.  I have everything I need with me.  Camping makes me self sufficient.  I  have grown to question the cleanliness of motel rooms, and I am starting to get a phobia. I KNOW my tent and sleeping bag are clean.  Camping gets me off to a early start the next morning.  I am up before the sun.  I sleep quite well in my tent.

If the weather is good, you will find me in my tent.  

I will seek a motel room after 4-5 consecutive camping nights.

The following items make camping easier for me.  These are personal things, I find useful, but not essential:

TV- Yes, I have a small, color, pocket TV.  Active matrix screen.  I love it.  It has a very good picture when I have a strong signal.  Other times, it can be fuzzy, but still watch able.  Sound is also good, and I can employ my Walkman headphones if I want.  I have only used it a few times, because I bought on the tail end of the 2002 West Coast trip.  I like to watch it while I eat, or inside my tent just before going to sleep.

DVD Player-  Pricey but who's counting.  I enjoy movies and they are fun.  Mine is  the Panasonic LV 70.  I have surround sound headphones that complete the deal.  I have a good DVD collection and I bring 4-5 with me, mailing them back after I watch them.  I've also been known to pick up the latest releases from Wal Mart on a tour.

 FM Radio-  I phased out the Walkman in lieu of my cell phone.  I use the FM converter on the Motorola.  Works great.

Mesh grill-  Not used this yet.  I ordered it when I returned from the 2002 west coast trip.  Many campgrounds don't have grills, and you don't want to use those that do.  This is a small stainless steel item.  It is specifically made for backpackers.  It is light and easy to pack.  My plan is to buy the small, one use charcoal bag.  You just light the bag, and soon your grilling.  I can use rocks, or bricks to support it.  It came from the Aerostich catalog.

Mess Kit- I use the Coleman stainless steel kit.  Durable, and easy to clean.  A big improvement over the flimsy Wal Mart kit.  Found it in the Aerostich catalog.

Cell Phone-  Motorola  V60i.  Analog and digital, 400 number phone directory.  I store the numbers of friends, motel chains, KOA, credit and check card companies, and folks with instant online access for weather info.  I also suggest committing the following to your speed dial: Your dealer for mechanical advice, tow service, people you plan on visiting along the way, your local bank, and anything else you think you might need.  Sit down with a phone book or get on the net and update your info.  If you don't have a cell, then get one.  My current plan is no roaming or long distance, 1000 anytime minutes, free nights and weekends, about 70 bucks a month from Cingular, but I don't know if that plan is offered anymore.  

Tent- My tent is a Eureka 2 man dome tent.  Light, durable, and easy to pack.  I recently upgraded from the Eureka 2 man pump tent.  But I don't know if the dome is any better, just different.  I think I was drawn to it by the yellow color.  Eurekas are good quality at a fair price.  The pack small and are perform well in wet weather.  My new tent as a vestibule to bring my gear in out of the weather without crowding the inside of my living space.  A nice touch.

Sleeping Pad- I use the Therm a Rest self inflating pad, and swear by it. I let the pad inflate while I set my tent up, and then blow in few breaths to bring it to desired firmness.  It is light, and packs easily.  I can't imagine a night without it.

Sleeping bag- My sleeping bag is made by Wiggy, Grand Junction, Colorado.  It is synthetic.  It is rated to 30 degrees. Not all that thick, but I am NOT going to camp out if I even think it is going to get any colder then that, so no need to pack the extra weight of a -20 bag.  It has kept me warm all the way down to the rated temp.  I also bring my pillow from home, I know it takes a lot of space but I sleep so much better with it.  The above 3 items came from the Aerostich catalog.  They are a good one stop source for the touring rider.

Campgrounds-  How do I pick a campground?  That depends.  I pre plan my trip to bring me to the places I want to camp for the night.  My atlas locates all state and federal parks with campgrounds.  My trip planning will tell me where I will be, when it comes time to get off the road, and from there I find the nearest campground. 

State and federal campgrounds will be more isolated, and scenic.  They are also a crap shoot.  Many don't have showers, and rest rooms maybe nothing more then a port a john.  About half are not well maintained.  Meaning you might have a shower, but no hot water.   They range in price from 6-18 dollars.

Private campgrounds are usually cleaner, and more expensive.  They have swimming pools, washing machines, day rooms and camp stores. They are not very scenic.  Many are found near noisy interstates and I avoid them.  I like KOA.  Clean, secured, and with their 10 dollar discount card only 2-3 dollars more then the state or federal parks.  The directory comes in handy when planning a trip.  Which do I like the best?  I would say its 50-50.  Depends on my mood.

Miscellaneous-  I cook my meals when I camp.  Near the end of the day, I pull in a local store and pick up a few items.  Many campgrounds are in isolated areas, and it is not practical to ride into town for something eat.  I use a Coleman 1 burner stove.  Reliable and cheap.  Got it at Wal Mart.

In 2003 I started using a neck wallet.  My hip wallet is a PIA, literally, and I had a deathly fear of leaving it somewhere,  so I keep it locked in my luggage.  I use to carrying my walking around money in my pockets, but still had to dig my wallet out for my check card and gas card.  Now I carry my gas cards and walking around money in a convenient place, without fear of leaving a pocket unzipped.  I NEVER have more then 2 hundred dollars on my person.  Each morning I move money to my neck wallet to get me through the day, I start each day with 50 around my neck.  That will buy my lunch, Mountain Dews, and get me in any campground.    I've had several days, where I've spent less then 10 dollars cash.

My neck wallet also stores my 2 gas cards and Visa credit card, that I only use for gas stations that don't take my gas cards.  This is almost essential out west where you have to use a credit card or go in and pay first.  The latter is most annoying on a fill up, where you go in and hand over a 20, go back out and pump 10.15, then go back and stand in line to get the balance, and just hope the clerk is honest.  

Several years ago, I figured it wasn't a good idea to owe money to credit card companies so I worked my butt off and paid my one and only Visa off.  I even phased out American Excess this year, because of their high fees.  Now I deal with motels and the like with the power of cash, and it works wonders, especially with local motels.  I strongly suggest it, plus its a great relief knowing you won't have a bunch bills in your box a month after you return.

My gas bill for a west coast trip runs 180-200 dollars.  I can handle that.

I use various lights, utensils, and other items.  I pack these items in a army surplus bag.

I carry a small spiral notebook to keep my journal.  I wanted a keepsake of my trips, so from day 1, I kept a journal.  During the day I keep receipts from the places I stop, scribbling notes on the back.  At the end of the day I get out my atlas and review the route traveled, this helps to trigger things in my memory.  I also gather my receipts,  to help me remember things I might otherwise have forgotten about the places I visited.  More then once I recorded my day by the fire light of a quiet campground.  When I am in a motel, I will do my journaling while waiting for supper.

I have mapping software but seldom use it.  About the only use I get out of it, is distance calculation.  My atlas is the National Geographic.  It will list campgrounds, and those quirky tourist traps I like to check out.  I prefer the big picture only a map can give.

Packing

A 2 week trip will see me packing the following items.  Lots of underwear, 3 sweatshirts, 2 sweatpants, 4 t shirts, 10 pair of white socks, 2 pair of long wool socks, 3 cotton shorts to wear under my Roadcrafter on warm days.  For times when I am not on the bike, I have 1 pair of Khaki shorts, 1 pair of jeans, 2 polo shirts, and 1 set of Nikes.  All my clothes can pack in the Tourmaster, strapped to my rear seat.

I carry almost all whites to streamline things on wash day.

My toiletries are packed in a Wallaby hang up bag.  I carry it in my duffel bag.

I pack my Helen 2 Wheel bags with my tent, and sleeping gear on the luggage rack.  The Tourmaster and the the H2W can all be strapped down with the H2W straps.

The right saddlebag will house the bag with my cooking and other camping gear.

The left saddlebag will be my cold weather armory. It will carry my gloves, thinsulate vest, and extra sweatshirts and pants.  My National Geographic atlas will also be found here.

The right pocket on the Moto Fizz will find everything that has a wire.  Phone charger, TV, Walkman, and flashlight,  The left pocket houses my 3 pair of glasses, camera, aspirin and journal.

All my gear packed and ready does not weigh 40 lbs.  My goal of light weight travel is achieved with my current system.  The ST still handles like a ST when I am riding cross country, and I have everything I need.

Trip Planning

I devote a lot of planning to my trips.  I plan them months in advance.  I get out my atlas, find the page that will give me a picture of the entire country, see where I want to go, and how I want to get there, and start connecting the dots.

I'm a voracious reader and cable TV watcher.  Anytime I come across something interesting I write it down for future reference.  For instance I thought the movie, "The Bridges of Madison County," was beautifully photographed and I wanted to see those places for myself someday.  I did some research and found it was filmed on location, Madison Country, Iowa.  I made a note to myself if ever in the area, to make a visit.  

I like historical sites such as battlefields and ghost towns, and try to come up with routes that will take me by such stuff.  I've been to so many places the last 2 years, I have to be creative to find new places to check out.  I've visited every major battlefield and national park, so now I can devote more time to the little things, and I find it just as much fun.  I really enjoyed the covered bridges of Madison County, the scenes where the Bronson TV series was filmed, and walking the Bodie ghost town.   The geo marker in Lebanon, Kansas is another example of finding someplace quirky and stopping to see what's there.

A lot my days on the road, is just riding, but if I see something I stop.  I plan my routes ahead of time to make the best use of time.  A good plan can save time and miles, just don't over plan.  If you are running a tight schedule you are not on vacation, because everything is a mad dash to get there.  OK, maybe I have the luxury of more off time then most, and if that is the case, don't plan such a long trip, cut it back and slow down the pace.