Advice for Women Motorcycle Travelers
(especially those who camp):
Packing

My current motorcycle: A 2008 KLR 650 (Kawasaki) My former motorcycle: A 1982 Honda Nighthawk 650 Number of US & Canadian states I've been to on a motorcycle of my own: 7 Number of countries I've toured on a motorcycle of my own: 2 Number of countries I've toured on the back of a motorcycle: 17 Trips riding my own motorcycle Idaho, Montana, Oregon (including Crater Lake and the Umpqua and Deschutes National Forests region), Washington (state), Wyoming, California ("Lost Coast"), Canada (Alberta and British Columbia). International trips by motorcycle Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Northern England & Scotland, France, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Macedonia (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden   Photos of me traveling by motorcycle   See the TravelAdvisor map of where I've been (not just by motorcycle).   Follow me! jayne_a_broad, personal Twitter account My tweets here are about travel, motorcycling, tent camping, bicycling (mostly as a commuter), and things I find amusing. I tweet maybe up to half a dozen times a day, on a really good day - usually much less. jcravens42, Professional Twitter account My tweets here are about volunteers / volunteering, nonprofit / NGO matters, humanitarian / development / aid issues, communications, NPtech, & women's empowerment. This is my "grown up" Twitter account and I tweet anywhere from half a dozen to dozens of times a day.   disclaimer

Whether you are packing for a one week trip or for a six month trip, you pretty much pack the same things on a motorcycle! What you pack has a lot to do with whether or not you will be camping in a tent (as opposed to staying in motels and hotels), as well as how often you will be eating food someone else prepares (eating in restaurants and roadside stands) versus what you are going to prepare yourself. Every person packs differently, both in what they bring and how they pack it, and you will discover what's best for you through trial and error. You are going to forget something you need -- that's just how it is. Remember that, in the vast majority of places you go, even most developing countries, you can buy what you absolutely need. For clothes, go for durability and practicality. I think loose-fitting clothes are best as well.   Some general packing tips: Budget space in your luggage for things you want to buy and either use on the road (wine, beer, food) or have for after the trip (jewelry, a shirt, etc.). Put identification in every bag or pannier on your bike, and every satchel or purse within such. Include your name, email address, phone number and physical address, both where you are coming from and where you are going to. Don't take electronics, jewelry or other valuables that you would be heartbroken to lose, or that are easily broken. Regarding medicine: some things are easy to get anywhere, including other countries, like aspirin or antacids, but other things aren't, like prescription treatments for a yeast infection or any asthma medications/inhalers. Take a doctor's note affirming you have a prescription for such medication. I have a reason for every item here. When I try to do without one of these items on a trip, I end up regretting it. I reconsider this list only immediately after a trip, NEVER while packing. My list is my list. It will be different than yours.   Luggage / Where things will go You will pack things in the panniers or saddle bags on your bike. You may also have a bag that lays on the back of your back seat (where a passenger could sit on other occasions), and you may also want a backpack. You need to also think about what you are going to pack in your jacket, on your motorcycle pants, or anywhere else on your person. Budget space and plan for where you will put every item, as all space in your luggage and on your person is at a premium when it comes to motorcycle travel. How we do it: one pannier on my husband's bike is filled with all of my personal items (clothes, toiletries), as well as our medicines. The other is for all of his clothes and personal items. All food related items go on one long bag strapped to the back of a bike, all sleeping items and the tent (and the stools, if we bring them) go in the other long bag. On the saddle bags on my bike, we take the things for bike maintenance and our rain gear. Water bottles are on his bike, on either side of the tank, for easy access. I also wear a back pack, and have items in there we need easy access too (snacks, drinks, field glasses, etc.). We both carry quite a bit in the pockets on our motorcycle jacks and pants as well. Here is what it looks like when we are two-up on his bike, or when I am riding my own motorcycle:

You want an aluminum top box, but the huge alu boxes of most sellers for one or even two helmets are too big for you, and too expensive? My husband has designed an aluminium topcase just for you! (and for us, because it's what we wanted on our own bikes) 20 liter (5.3 gallon) 400 x 250 x 200 mm (15 3⁄4" x 9 3⁄4" x 7 3⁄4") 1.6 mm (1⁄16") thick aluminium completely welded, not only glued or riveted lid with four loops to fasten additional luggage lid completely removable, which makes loading and unloading much easier two tie down hooks, which can be locked with a small padlock each gasket in the lid makes the aluminum box completely waterproof all attachment parts (loops, tie down hooks, and screws) are made of stainless steel all corners and bends are rounded light weight, only 2.3 kg (5 pounds) spare parts available Also available in custom sizes. And, yes, those side panniers are also available to order.

Motorcycle gear

• helmet
• motorcycle jacket (with lots of pockets, and removable lining - though I actually never wear my lining; but if you do, you have to budget room for it to pack when you aren't wearing it on a trip)
• motorcycle pants (with removable lining - though I never wear my lining; but if you do, you have to budget room for it to pack when you aren't wearing it on a trip)
• summer gloves
• winter gloves
• motorcycle rain jacket (fits over my motorcycle jacket and the backpack I carry)
• motorcycle rain pants (fits over my motorcycle pants)
• hiking boots (I wear these when I ride because, when traveling, I also do quite a bit of walking/hiking)
• rain covers for the boots

• camper's towel, the kind that's much smaller and thinner than a regular bath towel, but that is much more absorbent

• a small regular towel (a bit bigger than a hand towel); you will be stunned at how often you need to use such on a trip -- because the hotel's towels are unusable, because you don't have a pillow, because you need to clean up something other than water... this is not a towel I would be broken-hearted about having to leave somewhere or throw away.

• sink stopper, for washing things in a sink, maybe even taking a bath. Even most luxury hotels often have sinks or tubs that don't hold water well. The best sink stopper is the kind that's just a flat piece of thick plastic, because it fits any kind of drain.

• a "wax," also known as a sarong or sarung. A wax is a large piece of thin, colorful, durable cloth that is often worn by women in developing countries as a wrap-around skirt or very large shawl. You can do the same, or use it for a top sheet when your sleeping bag or the European-style comforter is too much on a warm night, as a head dress (often needed to tour a mosque or ultra-conservative church), extra covering in conservative countries, a picnic blanket... You can buy them at any hippy/dippy store, any import store, and the like. They pack very, very small -- I can easily fit one into a fanny pack WITH other stuff. If you are a size 12 (USA) or less, you can use a wax as a skirt as well, even over pants. If you're going to be taking a particularly long trip, take two (so you can use them both at the same time - skirt and shawl, skirt and headscarf, etc.). Wash them once at home in cold water, to see if they shrink (you don't want to take one that shrinks!). An alternative: an airplane blanket (yes, the kind you get on an airplane).

• multifunctional headband, one of those long, seamless tubular things you can wear in different ways (a headband, a bandana, a beanie, a pirate-style cap, a neck scarf, etc.). It's great for bad hair days (which, for motorcycle riders, is EVERY DAY), when your neck gets cold, or when you are in a very religiously-conservative country where your head covering must cover all of your hair (put on the headband so that it covers your hair, particularly in the front, then put your wax over your head as a head scarf - voila, you're culturally sensitive!). In fact, I take two, so I can wear one as a headband and one as a neck scarf while riding.

• hiking pants, about one size too big. You are not going to wear your motorcycle riding pants ALL the time when not riding, especially when you have to get up in the night to go to the bathroom at a camp site. I have a 100% nylon pair I bought at REI that I love: water resistant (lots of wet picnic benches out there), very easy to wipe off dirt, easy to wash in a sing and quick-to-dry, super comfortable, lightweight for hot temps and easy to wear over long underwear for colder temps, and can be converted into shorts.

• up to four t-shirts. I don't change t-shirts every day of a trip.

• one long-sleeve t-shirt for a trip less than two weeks; two for a trip two weeks or more. I take shirts that are super lightweight, and big enough to be worn over long underwear or even together at the same time, if the weather calls for such. I often wear a t-shirt over a long-sleeve shirt.

• one long-sleeve button down shirt for trips longer than two weeks, if I need something to wear with my hiking pants, that might look halfway descent and make me feel presentable in, say, a relatively nice restaurant.

• one-two pairs of long-underwear, top and bottom. Wearing long-underwear, plus my pants and a long-sleeve shirt, are often all I need to keep warm around a camp site and in my sleeping bag for the night, as long as it's not going to get near or below freezing. Also, I don't wear the lining in my motorcycle pants or jacket, no matter how cold it is, because I find them too bulky; long-underwear packs smaller and is more comfortable to wear.

• long sleeved, sheer, thin insulayer. I call it my "second skin". If I wear this under a regular long-sleeved shirt, it's like wearing a sweatshirt or sweater in terms of warmth. If I wear it underneath a sweatshirt or sweater, particularly along with a long sleeved shirt or long-underwear, it's like wearing a winter coat! Mine is 100% polyester, but if you have the money, try silk. Very easy to rinse out.

• one sweatshirt/sweater/pull over if I know there's going to be below freezing temps. A long sleeve shirt, long-underwear and insulayer, all combined, would probably keep me warm inside a sleeping bag that is good for below freezing, but my current bag only goes to freezing. A sweatshirt/sweater/pull over is for while at the camp site or hiking than under my bike jacket while riding.

• two bras. I prefer highly-durable athletic bras for motorcycle traveling. Dark colors only!

• panties. How many? I used to take six-seven pair of cotton briefs - dark colors - and do my best to wash and dry, as needed, for a trip more than a week. I have recently made the switch to ExOfficio briefs, because they dry quicker than cotton after washing (in one night), they are more durable than cotton, and they pack smaller. I take just three-four pair, and wash the two-three dirty pairs every three-four days (cold water only!). Buy one pair before a trip and wear it to make sure it's right for you. And dark colors only!

• disposable panty liners. At least five, more if I have room. Some days, I start with one, then throw it away half way through the day. When you can't shower at least every two days, you will be really glad you brought these.

• feminine hygiene products (thin underwear pads or tampons) for THAT time of the month (be sure to budget room for such if I'm going to buy such on the road)

• at least one pair of thin socks or footies, one pair of light hiking socks, and one pair of thick winter socks. I take a second pair of one of these categories of socks as well, depending on the weather I expect on the trip.

• Teva sandals. I only have these and my hiking boots, which I wear to ride the motorcycle, as shoes to walk around in.
• Here's specific advice regarding footwear (shoes & socks) for women motorcycle travelers.

Optional:

• sock cap/tuque/touque - but only if I know it's going to be cold. I particularly need this for sleeping on a really cold night, but it also is nice to wear while cooking or around camp on a cold night or morning (in addition to keeping me warm, it also hides my hair).

• shower sandals. Just a cheap, small, durable pair of flip flops, if I think I will be showering in camp site showers.

• bathing suit. Every time I don't take a bathing suit, I regret it. If you use such just once on a three month trip, it's worth the room it takes to pack!

• maybe a second pair of pants - really only if a trip is going to be longer than a month and I think I might not be able to replace a pair that rips during a trip.

• gloves, if I will be in freezing temps at night. Yes, I have summer riding gloves and winter riding gloves, but I don't like handling food and the like with such - I try to use riding gloves only for riding. And I sleep in these if it's freezing or below.

• tent. If you are going to sleep alone, get a two-person tent, so you have plenty of room for your luggage and motorcycle gear, and plenty of room to read, sew or whatever on a rainy day. If you are going to share the tent with one other person, get a three-person tent (so you have plenty of room for gear), with a large vestibule (so you can store stinky boots outside of the tent but not without some cover, for items you want off the bike but not in the tent, etc.).

• sleeping bag. Get one that can handle below-freezing temps. If you end up in a climate that's too hot for such a bag, use your wax/sarong or airplane blanket as a top sheet and lay on top of the bag. My sleeping bag is more than 20 years old (from REI) - and I love it... but it's lost its ability to handle below-freezing temps, unfortunately.

• a Therma-rest, or similar, highly-durable air mattress. Go ahead, call me a wimp. Say it: Wasted space! I don't care. My Therma-rest keeps me off the cold, hard ground. Mine is more than 20 years ago, and is slightly longer than my body. I'm comfortable all through the night and oh-so-happy each morning, ready to enjoy the day because I've had plenty of sleep. I think you should do whatever it takes to have a great sleep - that's essential to enjoy yourself on the trip. After you buy your air mattress, test it at least once: blow it up and make sure it holds its air. Between trips, air mattresses are best stored blown up, actually.

• high quality inflatable neck pillow. Go ahead, call me a wimp again. Say it: Wasted space! Use your clothes as a pillow! I don't care. I need a real pillow. I love being happy throughout the day because of my comfortable night's sleep. Plus, I have severe acid reflux/heartburn, and even with medication, I need to sleep with my upper body well-elevated, so I stack up my bike pants and bike jacket, I blow up my pillow and put it on top, and I am a happy girl all through the night (and then the following day as well!.

• earplugs. Two pairs. Don't wear them in bear country, however!

• eye cover. You get these free on international airplane rides. Great if you need to take a power nap in the day time.

Toiletries

• small packet of tissue (put this in your motorcycle jacket or pants, for use in bathrooms with no toilet paper)
• shampoo. Enough not just for my hair, but to wash my underwear as well, as needed
• conditioner. Because of the nature of my hair, it's essential
• body soap. I prefer hard soap (this will need a hard container)
• tooth paste
• tooth brush (and something to keep the brush clean while packed)
• tooth floss (you may need it for more than teeth - it's a great thing to tie things with. I've used it to hand clothes before!)
• any special moisturizer you, personally, need, as opposed to the moisturizer listed elsewhere that is going to be shared among everyone on the trip
• small box or small bag of laundry detergent for a washing machine, if the trip will be longer than two weeks
• comb or brush
• lip balm (with sunscreen) or lip stick
• baby powder
• a container/bag for all toiletries to take to the bathroom (I not only have a little mesh bag I bought at REI for these, I put that little bag, along with my towel and whatever else I think I need, like shower flip flops, in a large, tough plastic bag or nylon bag that's easy to schlep to and from the bathroom at a camp site or hostel)
• small loofa pad to scrub the face daily (maybe even take another for the body, or one just for your feet)

• Field glasses - binoculars (I regret it every time I don't take these)
• Cell phone or smart phone and charger for such
• Camera and case (you want to pack the camera in such a way that it's super-quickly accessible during a ride)
• Head lamp
• Batteries for all electronics
• Swiss army knife (have your own personal one - don't keep asking to borrow someone else's)
• Two writing pens

• Journal. I like a Moleskine calendar book, because it's thicker than any journal I can find, it has an elastic band to keep the book closed, and the pages are lined. I keep it in a clear, plastic bag used for veggies at a grocery store.

• A book to read. Not just for bed time, but for when you are stuck somewhere because of weather.

• One cloth or nylon bag, with straps, that folds down quite small. Good for grocery shopping, as these are easy to strap on your back, even while wearing another back pack.

• Small, clear plastic bags (the kind of flimsy things used for veggies at grocery stores). I use one to wrap my journal in, one to wrap whatever book or magazine I'm reading in, one for essential documents (copies of health insurance, motorcycle insurance, etc.), one for maps not currently in use), one for brochures I may gather as the trip goes on... in short, I wrap anything individually I'm putting in my backpack or in any non-rainproof luggage that could be ruined by getting wet. I take a few extra as well (and almost always end up using every one of them, for garbage bags if nothing else).

• Four-five, semi-durable, not-clear plastic bags. The ones you get in clothing stores and bookstores are best. I use one for my Teva sandals, one for my shower sandals (if they are wet), one for my mesh bags that hold my bathroom necessities, one for dirty laundry, and an extra or two for other needs that arise on the road.

• Small plastic grocery bags. I put our on-the-road/day food in one, use another, or others, for foods that should be kept dry (even if food will be in panniers, you will be so glad you put such in a plastic bag), use another for our recyclables (a growing number of camp sites recycle), and use whatever is extra for trash or needs that arise on the road. You will get these on the road as you buy food at groceries, but remember that you will start accumulating trash almost immediately on a trip, and may not have a place to throw away something if you don't take an extra plastic bag.

• my own, personal water bottle (packed or carried in such a way for immediate access during breaks from riding)
• birth control (such may not be readily available everywhere - and in some countries, it wouldn't be appropriate for you, a woman, to buy such)
• backpack, to wear while riding, hiking, etc. Great place for items you need immediate access to during the day (medicine, water bottle, etc.)
• copies of health insurance and motorcycle insurance information

Practical items I will share with those I'm traveling with
(meaning these are taken, but may be on someone else's bike)

• a first aid kit,
• candle lantern
• tarp (you may need this to create a shelter to cook under, or you may need it if your sleeping bag floor rips and can't be repaired or turns out not to be water proof)
• four clothes pins
• rope, long enough and strong enough for hanging clothes
• matches
• heartburn pills
• anti-acid tabs
• Advil
• aspirin
• hand sanitizer
• Neosporin
• bandaids
• imodieum
• hand wipes
• moisturizer
• sunscreen
• mosquito repellent
• allergy medicine
• prescription meds (antibiotics for water-borne or air-born illnesses, antibiotics for urinary tract infections, inhaler for asthma, etc.)
• bandaids/bandages
• moleskin (for blisters)
• a tiny bottle of glass cleaner (for cleaning everyone's visors)
• some paper towels (for cleaning everyone's visors, for cleaning things that cannot be cleaned by cloth, etc.)
• some duct tape
• repair kit for air mattress and tent
• sewing kit
• one-two plastic document sleeves, for essential documents that should not ever get wet

• cooking oil (this can be used not only with rice, but also as a substitute in recipes that call for butter or margarine)
• hot chocolate
• instant coffee
• powdered creamer
• sugar
• salt
• pepper
• chili powder
• curry
• paprika
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• instant potatoes
• rice
• pasta
• bouillon cubes or powder
• two cans of food for one supper meal
• oatmeal
• snack bars and/or breakfast bars
• trail mix or nuts
• turkey jerky (the only kind I like)
• a tough, clear plastic bottle (we like Coke bottles) for water
• backpack camping stove (the kind that uses any kind of fuel is best, IMO, because then you don't have to carry special fuel for the stone - you can use the same gas you put in your motorcycle)
• fuel bottle to carry fuel for camp stove
• at least two cooking pots, all which fit into each other, and one of which is non-stick; we use these for cooking or for serving (we take four, actually - they all fit into each other)
• camping utensils (knife, fork and spoon all fit together, one set for each person)
• collapsable plastic camping spatula (for stirring and sometimes for serving)
• collapsable sink (not every site has a sink for washing dishes; could also be used for washing underwear in really primitive conditions, or even for hot water to wash your face if no bathroom is available, or hot water to rinse your hair)
• dishwashing liquid
• a camping towel for dish use only; my husband bought a big camping towel and then cut it so that there was a small towel for washing dishes and the remainder was for drying, and because we bought it at a camping store, it came in a little, very handy mesh carrying bag
• scouring pad for dish washing (folds in with the dish towels)
• small brush for clothes cleaning (some things will need to be scrubbed)

You want very tough containers for these items - things that will close, absolutely, and remain water-tight.

Packets of salt, pepper, sugar, coffee and creamer from hotels and airports are awesome to save up for motorcycle trips, but be sure you pack them in a zip-lock baggie

Those disposable handy wipes you get on international flights are also great to save up for motorcycle trips.

Remember that raw eggs stay fresher longer than boiled eggs, but the latter is less fragile, and either should never get hot between meals.

What we eat while camping

My husband wants smoked meat and bread for breakfast (he's German). I have oatmeal for breakfast. And we always have coffee every morning. That means, every morning, the stove has to be fired up.

Sometimes for breakfast, we have scrambled eggs, mixed with tomatoes or other veggies and some of our herbs and spices, if we can find eggs and fresh produce easily during the trip and don't have to buy a full dozen eggs.

For lunch, we usually stop at a restaurant, shop or food cart. We may even just snack on snack bars and jerky for lunch. In other words - no cooking.

For supper, we cook something out of a can (ravioli, Chunky soup, Progresso soup, or beef stew), or I might cook pasta with tomatoes and herbs/spices, rice with whatever fresh produce I can find and herbs/spices (and even a cooked chicken breast from the deli department of a nearby grocery), or beef or turkey wieners with instant potatoes that don't require milk or butter. Doesn't sound especially varied, but you might be amazed at just how many different kinds of Chucky soup and Progresso soup are out there.

• a collapsible sitting stool/camping chair; not needed if you are going to camp in the USA and Canada, where there are always picnic tables at camp sites (and, therefore, plenty of places to sit). Yes, I know some of you young folks have no problem getting up and down while sitting on the ground - good for you. Now shut up and hand me my stool.
• a small lunch bag from a camping store designed to keep cold items cold (lunch meat, eggs, maybe even three or four beers!); my husband has even managed to strap a small cooler to the top of his panniers for some trips, and it has been a heavenly thing to have!
• some aluminum foil (for cooking potatoes on a fire)
• business cards
• playing cards (good for rainy days when you can't do anything)
• address list (to send postcards and for emergencies)
• MP3 player and tiny speakers (and charger for such)
• guidebook, or a series of pages you've put together based on your pre-trip planning and research (hotel names, directions to obscure places, etc.)
• foreign phrase book
• Something like Point it: Traveller's Language Kit - The Original Picture Dictionary, a no-words book. We have the Langenscheidt OhneWörterBuch. 500 Zeigebilder für Weltenbummler - without words book - published by Langenscheidt, but it's not available in the USA.
• GPS
• Spot Tracker or similar device

• some motor oil
• maybe extra gas
• tools for the bike (beyond what may be in the bike's maintenance kit)
• spray-on chain oil

 
Disclaimer
Any activity incurs risk. The author assumes no responsibility for the use of information contained within this document.

 
Also see:

Tips for Women: Getting Started as a Motorcycle Rider (just to ride, not necessarily to travel as well)

For Women Who Travel By Motorcycle (or want to)

Advice for Women Motorcycle Travelers: Transportation and Accommodations Choices

Advice for Women Motorcycle Travelers: Suggested Books and Web Sites

From Oregon to the "Lost Coast" of Northern California (Horizons Unlimited 2010 California meeting) - August 2010

Oh, Canada...Two-Week Canada/USA Tour by Motorcycles (Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, Idaho) - September 2010

Oregon, Idaho, Yellowstone, & More - June 2011

Crater Lake, Oregon 2011 (photos only)

Our Motorcycle Travel & Rally Plans for 2012

general information and advice for packing (non-motorcycle trips)

general information and advice for novice traveling women from the USA

health & safety considerations especially for women novice travelers.

things to consider regarding transportation and accommodations choices, and advice on preventing motion sickness.

the importance of complaining & complimenting.

transire benefaciendo: "to travel along while doing good." advice for those wanting to make their travel more than sight-seeing and shopping.

my adventures in Germany.

my adventures in Europe, Africa, as well as road trips in the USA

links to resources to help women travelers

my page of helpful hints for camping with your dogs in the USA.

A Broad Abroad | contact me