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Solo day rides, what do you take?


AZJW

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A vague title for a specific question, but here goes. We have a lot of collective knowledge here on this board on what we carry as far as tools and protective riding gear.  My specific question is, in preparing for solo day rides, what do you take along as a minimum for your safety?

 

I ride in remote areas of Northern Central AZ ( much of it out of cell ph range) and although I normally limit my riding to established dirt/gravel/ rocky roads, many are not traveled by anyone for days at a time.  It's tempting to take off with minimal personal safety/ recovery gear, but everyone's different in their abilities and comfort level for risk.

 

I carry the following as a minimum:

 

1. SPOT GPS Satellite tracker ( wife also knows my planned route and estimated return time), cell phone, along with charging cords for both.

2. 1st Aid kit, Aspirin, eye drops, sunscreen, Emergency Bivy sack, chem-lights, fire starting flint.

3. Energy bars, 80 oz. Water

4. Bike recovery jack ( Dirt napper) lots of debate on these devices. You either you need them or you don't so don't judge those who do. 😉

 

 

I'm interested in what others consider the " minimum" equipment for a day solo ride as a multi day trip is a totally different animal equipped with panniers or soft luggage stuffed with gear.  Hoping for more ideas how I can consolidate my load as extra weight is always the enemy.

 

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"Men do not quit playing because they grow old, they grow old because they quit playing" Oliver Wendell Holmes - Mods - HDB handguards, Camel-ADV Gut guard, 1 finger clutch, The Fix pedal & Rally pipe, RR side/tail rack, RR 90nm spring & Headlight guard, Rally seat, OEM heated grips- stablemate Beta 520RS

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My riding is probably not as remote as yours but-

 

-Spare small Rotopack of fuel

-Basic first aid kit that includes a fire starter and scissors

-Super basic tool kit 

-Enough minimalistic tools (pump etc) to change a tire tube

-Tail bag that inlcudes water (probably coffee making ability too) and some snacks

-Tank bag that includes a whole host of misc stuff like- sunscreen, chapstick, emergency whistle, emergency light, knife, TP, $40, rope, tape, probably a bunch of other small stuff too.

-Im using Google map share right now so my wife can find and track me.  But id like to get the GPS SPOT or something of the like soon.

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@DT675TP. Most important,  yes I carry that, but forgot to list it. Provisions to make coffee, hmmm. Going to have to consider adding that to my list!

 

"Men do not quit playing because they grow old, they grow old because they quit playing" Oliver Wendell Holmes - Mods - HDB handguards, Camel-ADV Gut guard, 1 finger clutch, The Fix pedal & Rally pipe, RR side/tail rack, RR 90nm spring & Headlight guard, Rally seat, OEM heated grips- stablemate Beta 520RS

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I always take my toolkit, a 1ltr MSR bottle of fuel (2 on long trips) and a first aid kit.
Off course i have a cellphone and my GPS.
Everything within a daytrip here is not remote enough to get out of cell reach so no need for a devices like an inreach but remote enough for the need of tools to fix a tyre or other minor issues.

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I carry the regular tools for simple repairs, TP for sure, a couple of nut bars, water and coffee in a small thermal bottle.  A bottle of Boost energy drink.  Peanut butter sandwich in a crush proof sandwich container with a picture of Spider Man on it. GPS.  A small spray bottle with a clean rag to clean my face shield and sometimes the windshield.  27 mm wrench just in case I need a rear wheel removal.  Air pump.  Mints.  Tums.  Tylenol.  1st aid kit.  Lighter.  A small pill container with Vaseline in it.  Zip ties.  

DON'T carry a can of sardines in your bag as it may open up while riding and, well, yes, a very fishy outcome.  Then you can throw out the bag.  

Edited by Landshark
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11 hours ago, AZJW said:

A vague title for a specific question, but here goes. We have a lot of collective knowledge here on this board on what we carry as far as tools and protective riding gear.  My specific question is, in preparing for solo day rides, what do you take along as a minimum for your safety?

 

I ride in remote areas of Northern Central AZ ( much of it out of cell ph range) and although I normally limit my riding to established dirt/gravel/ rocky roads, many are not traveled by anyone for days at a time.  It's tempting to take off with minimal personal safety/ recovery gear, but everyone's different in their abilities and comfort level for risk.

 

I carry the following as a minimum:

 

1. SPOT GPS Satellite tracker ( wife also knows my planned route and estimated return time), cell phone, along with charging cords for both.

2. 1st Aid kit, Aspirin, eye drops, sunscreen, Emergency Bivy sack, chem-lights, fire starting flint.

3. Energy bars, 80 oz. Water

4. Bike recovery jack ( Dirt napper) lots of debate on these devices. You either you need them or you don't so don't judge those who do. 😉

 

 

I'm interested in what others consider the " minimum" equipment for a day solo ride as a multi day trip is a totally different animal equipped with panniers or soft luggage stuffed with gear.  Hoping for more ideas how I can consolidate my load as extra weight is always the enemy.

 

 I hope you get a lot of traction on this topic because I find it fascinating, or maybe that's just my perspective as someone who likes my lonesome when I ride out in southern Nevada. 

 

1. Cell phone and inform Mrs. Boondocker of my intentions. Used to have SPOT but dropped my subscription for the last couple of years. Only semi-comfortable with that decision. 

2. Backpack with 4-liters of water, Cliff Bar (more food if planning on missing lunch), individual wet wipes (way better than TP) and my dear A-lite chair to sit in while enjoying the peace and solitude of nature with a favorite cigar.

3. Tire pump and gauge for the asphalt/dirt transitions. Permanently stowed in engine case bag.

4. Tail bag easily contains a tire repair kit (fr/rr tubes and tire changing tools) and full tool kit.

5. Tank bag contains a few random, might use sometime, "essentials" but most importantly a wide-brimmed hat.

6. My Bike Jack is an iffy proposition because it's bulky & heavy (9 lbs), so I seldom bring it for a day ride.  While we're on the subject, I did bring the jack on my just-completed 3-day ADV ride, but I had 50-lbs of payload for dry camping. Darned if I didn't use the jack (toppled over while turning around). Bless the T7, it's top-heavy without luggage.

7. ATGATT - Should go without saying but...padded base layer pants, knee braces, serious boots and fully padded jacket - don't care how hot it is, cactus and rock are as unforgiving at slow speed as pavement is at high speed.

Edited by Boondocker
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12 hours ago, AZJW said:

@DT675TP. Most important,  yes I carry that, but forgot to list it. Provisions to make coffee, hmmm. Going to have to consider adding that to my list!

Regarding the coffee: I highly recommend an AeroPress Go.

It's so good that you'll use it at home as well (unless you haven't an AeroPress yet).

 

Great thread!

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My kit:

 

1. Tools to change tires, patch kit and CO2-cartridges to get some air in.

2. Small hatchet that will also double as hammer if I bend something that needs hammering. 

3. Small ratchet strap and some paracord in a form of paracord bracelet. This is also my "lift your bike on a bad spot" and "get front or back tyre off the ground in case of flat" system.

4. Water and water filtration system

5. Chocolate (great energy source)

6. Phone and GPS.

7. 1st aid kit tucked under rear fairing so that it is always with me wherever I go.

8. Basic tools, zipties and some duct tape. 

 

I think that's it.

 

For longer trips, it's basically the same, but few more tools, camping gear (hammock + tarp + air mattress)  and a pot for making food and boiling water + MSRP pocket rocket.  My Helinox chair. 

 

Over the years I've been cutting down stuff and trying to figure out as much multipurpose items that have more than one function. Like the ratchet strap, that can be used in myriad of things.  Also my Fiskars hatchet has proved to be very versatile mainly because it is practically indestructible with its ABS-plastic handle. 

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On 5/22/2022 at 10:26 AM, AZJW said:

@DT675TP. Most important,  yes I carry that, but forgot to list it. Provisions to make coffee, hmmm. Going to have to consider adding that to my list!

 

For me the coffee is the next most important thing to the bike itself! In the spring and fall anyway. 

 

I did forget to mention, if my trip is long enough to make coffee its long enough to take my chair and collapsible table to make pour-over coffee.

 

20220409_134911_resized.jpg.5465bb189ab639d2768dd84c0ab5f4e1.jpg  

Edited by DT675
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Instead of a Spot or inReach, I carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).  Not only do I trust it more but it doesn't need an annual subscription. 

 

In the wild, I always have a knife and a lighter.  Anything else is a luxury!  😉

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At the risk of sounding overly "'Murica" to those outside the states, I have my Glock 19, a spare mag, pocket knife, flashlight, wallet, and phone when I ride; whether around town or over the hills and through the woods. I live in north GA and there's bears and cats in these woods... and worse, people. 😒🤣😂🤷‍♂️

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"What the hell's a 'farkle'? Oh... I... have all the farkles." 😑🤦🏻‍♂️

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3 minutes ago, PNGL said:

At the risk of sounding overly "'Murica" to those outside the states, I have my Glock 19, a spare mag, pocket knife, flashlight, wallet, and phone when I ride; whether around town or over the hills and through the woods. I live in north GA and there's bears and cats in these woods... and worse, people. 😒🤣😂🤷‍♂️

Guns in the woods make sense to me, somehow (we have some imported racoons, they are called "washing bears" over here - closest thing to a bear you can find. We might have cats. But they aren't bigger than Garfield). People in the woods can be a problem, since they could call the police. In Germany, motorcyclists in the woods are considered a thread 😥

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13 minutes ago, Tenerider said:

Guns in the woods make sense to me, somehow (we have some imported racoons, they are called "washing bears" over here - closest thing to a bear you can find. We might have cats. But they aren't bigger than Garfield). People in the woods can be a problem, since they could call the police. In Germany, motorcyclists in the woods are considered a thread 😥


We have Mountain Lions and a lot of Black Bears in my area. Granted, I've only seen one cat, but I've seen numerous bears; at least 30-40. They pretty much always just wander off and leave people alone. But occasionally, they don't. 

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"What the hell's a 'farkle'? Oh... I... have all the farkles." 😑🤦🏻‍♂️

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On 5/22/2022 at 9:21 PM, Tenerider said:

Regarding the coffee: I highly recommend an AeroPress Go.

It's so good that you'll use it at home as well (unless you haven't an AeroPress yet).

 

Great thread!

Second that !
  Recently discovered & love that little thing. Doesn’t make the day ride kit though, more part of the camping overnight gear. 

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On 5/22/2022 at 10:41 PM, witgen said:

 

Over the years I've been cutting down stuff and trying to figure out as much multipurpose items that have more than one function. Like the ratchet strap, that can be used in myriad of things.  Also my Fiskars hatchet has proved to be very versatile mainly because it is practically indestructible with its ABS-plastic handle. 

Dual function items are definitely given priority. Agreed on the ratchet strap & the same lightweight fiskars hatchet. That hollow abs handle even makes for small storage. Again, that’s less an EDC item & more a piece of the campfire kit. 

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13 hours ago, Hammerhead said:

Dual function items are definitely given priority. Agreed on the ratchet strap & the same lightweight fiskars hatchet. That hollow abs handle even makes for small storage. Again, that’s less an EDC item & more a piece of the campfire kit. 

For me the hatchet has became an item that always comes with me. I've tied it to my crash bars so it stays with me wherever I go. Used it many times to clear out smaller trees fallen on road etc. Once also used it as added friction point under rear wheel (yes not very safe, don't try this at home kids 😁) but mostly just for cutting branches under my wheels to get out of soft spots that I shouldn't have gone in first place. I'd say hatchet is next to useless in desert but here in northern europe where mud and wet spots are plentiful, it's something I don't leave behind anymore. 

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Always take my Motowinch when I'm out by myself, it's got me out of a few tight spots.

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On 5/26/2022 at 5:16 PM, PNGL said:

They pretty much always just wander off and leave people alone

Biggest mistake in bear territory is being silent. When they suddenly see you they think you snook up on them and be a thread and attack to defend.

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7 hours ago, Ray Ride4life said:

Biggest mistake in bear territory is being silent. When they suddenly see you they think you snook up on them and be a thread and attack to defend.

 

Yep, especially when there's a sow with cubs. Usually if you make noise, you either won't see them or will just get a glimpse of them hightailing it through the woods. They usually tend avoid large noisy critters like us. 

"What the hell's a 'farkle'? Oh... I... have all the farkles." 😑🤦🏻‍♂️

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On 5/22/2022 at 3:47 PM, Landshark said:

I carry the regular tools for simple repairs, TP for sure, a couple of nut bars, water and coffee in a small thermal bottle.  A bottle of Boost energy drink.  Peanut butter sandwich in a crush proof sandwich container with a picture of Spider Man on it. GPS.  A small spray bottle with a clean rag to clean my face shield and sometimes the windshield.  27 mm wrench just in case I need a rear wheel removal.  Air pump.  Mints.  Tums.  Tylenol.  1st aid kit.  Lighter.  A small pill container with Vaseline in it.  Zip ties.  

DON'T carry a can of sardines in your bag as it may open up while riding and, well, yes, a very fishy outcome.  Then you can throw out the bag.  

 

I changed tail bags today as the 24 year old one I had finally gave up the ghost.

Here is what I packed into the new bag and it's still not full.

As well as the above mentioned ... 1 multi tool, 1 wheel lift, one small zippered bag (containing small zip ties, funnel, heat shrink, black electrical tape, electrical wire, air pressure gauge.)  A bag of one and two dollar Canadian coins, helmet T, siphon hose, a multi bit screw driver and bits, hex wrench to suit a T7, one ratchet wrench with a front wheel axle removal attachment,pliers, bungee cords and a bungee net.  

Who knew I carried so much junk until inventory time.  At least there wasn't any old jelly sandwiches down at the bottom of the old tail bag.  

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On 5/22/2022 at 9:21 PM, Tenerider said:

Regarding the coffee: I highly recommend an AeroPress Go.

It's so good that you'll use it at home as well (unless you haven't an AeroPress yet).

 

Great thread!

Great suggestion.  I picked up one recently and can now see myself having coffee on the trail. Thanks!

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"Men do not quit playing because they grow old, they grow old because they quit playing" Oliver Wendell Holmes - Mods - HDB handguards, Camel-ADV Gut guard, 1 finger clutch, The Fix pedal & Rally pipe, RR side/tail rack, RR 90nm spring & Headlight guard, Rally seat, OEM heated grips- stablemate Beta 520RS

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I've been riding solo for years and yet, I found several good ideas for things I've not been carrying. Thx!

 

One thing I do carry and haven't seen mentioned is a chain-breaker/riveter tool and a few master links. 

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'21 Tênêrê 700, '20 WR250R, '18 FJR1300

The fact that there's a Highway to Hell and only a Stairway to Heaven should tell you something about anticipated traffic.

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