Ducati Monster Forum

I'm posting this here instead of in gear, as I would like general advice or experiences as well as gear recommendations.   

A friend and i are planning on taking a couple of long trips.  first to a state park 3 to 5 hours away, spend the night come back.   Then one to Dallas, up to Tulsa, up to Fayetteville Arkansas then back home to Lubbock.   Assuming we actually enjoy ourselves we are thinking about a cross country ride this summer.

We've taken a couple day and most of the night trips but thats about it.  And this will be my first on the DUC.    I have a 2007 S4R T.  I would like recommendations as what I will need?    Anyone know of a good tank bag, and saddle bags that are easily removable and won't require any permanent mods to the bike?   (I hate the saddle bag look so they will only be for trips).    Rain gear?  Cold weather?   We are considering going through Colorado and Montana.    We are planning on packing a tent and a couple of small sleeping bags/bed rolls and sleeping in state parks when the weather permits.  We will have to pack and light and smart.

thanks guys.

Besides the usual socks and stuff...

1) Gerbings heated gear.
2) GPS
3) Advil, Immodium, Blistex, Earplugs. (in a Ziplock baggie)
4) Visa card
5) LED flashlight.
6) BASIC tools (leatherman, allen wrenches, electrical tape)

Spandex "training" shorts reduce chaffing, fit under leathers, wash-and-dry quickly in hotel sinks with a little shampoo, and don't take up much room.

Same goes for mesh/synthetic tanktops/T-shirts.

I can go cross-country in five or six days on a 1098 with just a Joe Rocket tankbag comfortably...
It all depends on how you pack and what is important to you.
A credit card and a 24 Hour wallmart can fix anything you forgot.

Did you make any mods to the 1098 for comfort?  I ride my 848 for 20 minutes on slab and I'm hurting. 

Not that I know of,

But then again, RichD has several young, beautiful virgins sacrificed in his name regularly, so he might not be made of the same stuff than most people. Just ask his dog  [thumbsup]

you should check out http://www.advrider.com/

those dudes have all kinds of neat tips. i am sure every question you have could be answered there.

It's nice to have a second set of gloves, in case of rain.

I prefer textiles for touring.

+1 on the heated gear-it means you pack less for colder areas.

I got my tank bag from (don't laugh at the name)
http://www.tbags.com/ (http://www.tbags.com/)
Nice quality stuff. Name is a little odd.


Pack a tent for each of you-your gear will take up half the space. Get a little air pad, and a nice sleeping bag. All of these items can be strapped to the back of the bike. Those bungee nets work great.


Bring water, some minor emergency supplies.



Take pictures.

Cortech tail bag.   It's like a stap-on duffle.  It has lots of room and doesn't get in the way if you wanna get your chest on the tank (or you can have a tank bag too).  

I've broken three vertebra, and would count them as "mods".
The new alignment of things means the sportbike crouch is comfy all day.  [thumbsup]

Other than that, myself and the bikes ergo's are stock.



Not "sacrificed" so much, ...more like "consumed"   [evil]

Bionically modified for sportbike touring  [evil]

A fellow DMF'er and I have done a few multiday over night trips. Here is a link to the last one we did in Fall through Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=12510.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=12510.0)

My main advise would be to get a descent tail bag. You can see the pictures on my S2R in the link with clothes, tent and sleeping bag all loaded up in back. If you can only take on set of gear, make sure it is waterproof. I have been caught off guard on a road trip without rain gear and it got pretty missarable at times. I highly recomend Tourmaster Cortech gear as far as bags go. Other than that enjoy the adventure.

i have nelson rigg saddlebags and rain gear.

my bags are an older version of this. i can overload them pretty easily. they attach to the bike with plastic buckles and straps that go over the tail.
it would be a good idea to fab up something to keep them from swinging as i have found some evidence of them rubbing against the edge of the rear tire. i just zip tie a piece of a 1" dowel rod cut to size in place and it works fine. i don't know how it would work with teh s*r bikes though since i use the rearset to brace the bottom part.
http://www.nelsonrigg.com/pages/Sport-Touring-Products/CL1000-Big.htm (http://www.nelsonrigg.com/pages/Sport-Touring-Products/CL1000-Big.htm)

i honestly dont' kow what tank bag i have, but it is expandable, holds my ez-pass, camera, id, has a map pocket, and a great rain cover. it can also be used to carry a 6 pack in ice if you put the cover inside and expand it  ;D

i've got pics somewhere if you want to see them.


and here's another recommendation for advrider.com. there is actually a thread in one section about moto camping.

Something like that would be interesting, but I'm sure the 848 exhaust would melt those bags pretty quickly. 

for that bike you would absolutely have to have a rack for the bags. they also sell a heat shield to help witht hat issue. i still woudlnt' want it rubbing right against the pipe though.

We are going to be camping off the bikes.  Any advice about that?   You guys mostly eat at restraunts or did you find some way to cook at camp?

Bring a tent

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=9277.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=9277.0)

for cooking you can pick up some freeze dried meals and boil water over a campfire in a cleaned out tin can.
or you could save the space and buy fresh at a local grocery store. a lot of places located near campsites also sell bundles of wood so if you don't want o bring a saw or hatchet you can get wood.

or you could buy a camp stove. there are some taht run off of multiple fuels so in a pinch you cna drain some gas from the bike and cook that way.

personally, i always carry beef jerky and some water with me so i at least have something to munch on if i need to eat and can't find a restaurant or can't/don't want to start a fire.

check out camping stores like REi or EMS for supplies. keep in mind that you have a limited amt of space and you won't use half of the shit you pack. cooking gear can take up quite a bit of space as can the food itself.

once again, check out advrider as there are people there that do this sort of thing all the time.

Keep in mind when your shopping for camping equipment, cheap gear will fail you when you need it most  like a tent that leaks in a storm or
the sleeping bag that you freeze in on a night that is colder than you expect.  REI and EMS sell good stuff, stay away from Wallmart for your gear.  Consider waterproof bags rather than rain covers over soft luggage.  Cooking over an open fire is romantic but not always practical.  Firewood may not be available, it may be raining, or the wildfire danger may be high and fires may not be allowed.  I always carry a backpacking stove.

Ultra-light backpacking gear offers a lot of options for moto travel.

Build a beer can stove.  Uses alcohol and is super light. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage-can_stove (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage-can_stove)  - best part is you have to drink at least 2 cans of beer to make it. [drink]  I have used one for years.  Works at high altitudes where others fail.  I also have an old coleman single burner multifuel which works great but you could fit like 5 beer can stoves in the same space and probably 20 beer can stoves for the weight. Damn near free.

I have an REI ultralight 2 man tent that is the bomb http://www.rei.com/product/728308 (http://www.rei.com/product/728308) . Weighs 5 pounds and packs small. I'm 6'4" and I fit in it comfortably with guest.  It has handy vestibules in the rain fly so you can keep your other gear dry outside the tent.  Make sure to get the ground cloth too.  Not terribly expensive

Ultra-light sleeping bags rock.  I've got a Western Mountaineering http://www.westernmountaineering.com/ (http://www.westernmountaineering.com/) mega lite.  It is a 30 degree bag, which is plenty for most of what I do. It weighs a little over a pound and compresses to the size of less than 2 rolls of TP.  Not cheap.....

Good luck

Make sure you invest in a Dry compression sack.....can be had for under $30.  Pack your clothes, sleeping bag, and tent.   They have waterproof and water resistant which is all you need(tested 500mi in a down pour personally).  The water resistant bags will compress your gear down to 30% of its original size.  I also strap a blow up sleeping pad...hatchet and tent poles to the rear grab handles.  I have a pic that I will post.  I have done 2,500 mi with this setup...and 500 of that with a passenger.  Worked like a champ. 

Bungees are your friend...go high quality nylon covered not all rubber.  Again quality is important!

That and pack a camp stove like this for under $100:
(http://www.snowpeak.com/images/back_products/stoves/GST-100.jpg)
.....cook ware like this....
(http://www.snowpeak.com/images/back_products/cooking%20gear/trek900.jpg)
.....it all packs down to 6in high x 6in in dia....
(http://www.snowpeak.com/images/back_products/cooking%20gear/trekbag.jpg)

....and nothing will limit how far/long you can go except your weather tolerances 8)

Here is a pic with the monster loaded to the hilt after a quick stop at the store to buy groceries for the campsite....

(http://images2c.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp53659%3Enu%3D3386%3E5%3B9%3E668%3EWSNRCG%3D3239%3A5659%3A84%3Anu0mrj)

....if you look closely you can see the sausages i mean  [bacon]

Thots naught ah knife..... thes isa Knife!  8)

(http://images2c.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp53658%3Enu%3D3386%3E5%3B9%3E668%3EWSNRCG%3D3239%3A5659%3A83%3Bnu0mrj)

Wow, some of these pics look familar.  Stopintime was just inquiring about gear.  It seems there are quite a few folks on this board who frequent the out of doors.

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=17849.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=17849.0)

Ahh....caught red handed.....my cut and paste cons are through in this town  8)

 ;D

I love me some outdoor gear discussions. 

This is from a tour around Alaska my wife and I did a few years ago.  I'd go with waterproof bags from aerostich rather than the ones in the pic.  I have no idea who the ugly dude in this pic is  :-[.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/780monster/046-1.jpg)