When going on a ride most people will tell you it’s best to be prepared and I will admit having the right tool or the right gear in the time of need is a comfort. Having the right gear can make riding your motorcycle more enjoyable at times, for instance when it’s raining and you have rain gear you just pull under the closest cover, don your gear and back on the road you go. For me however I don’t mind getting wet, I don’t even mind getting soaked to the core, sure it can be a little uncomfortable on occasions, but for me it’s part of the adventure of riding. On an occasion like that getting back and getting out of the wet clothes, sitting by a fire drinking hot coffee is an extension of the adventure. You never know how cold you are until you are sitting by a warm fire sipping a hot coffee. It’s the extremes of the ride that some of us enjoy, I being one… So this is my top 10 items to carry on your bike when going on a short ride. A short ride for me is less than eight hours, but more than four.
- Money
- Important paper work for riding bike
- Fully charged cell phone
- Basic tools
- Water
- Rain gear, if I remember it, if not no big deal
- Small pack of scentless baby wipes
- Compass
- Watch
- Flashlight
This whole list however isn’t a must have for me. The only three items I always carry are money, the bike’s papers, and a cell phone. The rest of the items are more of a nice to have. This is when I’m riding in the states, if I’m riding overseas the list is different and we’ll get to that in a later post.
