Roadtrip to Montana

[Chillerman]

Heading to Montana from Golden, CO in two weeks. Any suggestions on what to pack?
I have:
-oem toolkit + some sockets and allens
-rain gear
-fuses
-air compressor and tire repair kit
-spare 1 gallon fuel tanks for saddlebags (riding through Wyoming)
-spare wire and wire nuts
-wheel bearings (I have a spare U-joint but probably won't bring it)
-personal protection devices!!  

Anything else I should add? It's only 600 miles each way.

Thanks, Sean

[salty1]

I always carry a set of plugs. What part or parts of Montana are you headed for? Safe journeys!

[Chillerman]

I always carry a set of plugs. What part or parts of Montana are you headed for? Safe journeys!

I will be mostly in Billings, but may be riding through Red Lodge and the Beartooth Pass if I have a chance.

I will add plugs to my list, I have a new set sitting on my shelf.

[Clark]

WARM clothes.. snowin here in idaho right now

[Chillerman]

WARM clothes.. snowin here in idaho right now

The weather is looking better in the next couple of weeks. 

[fudgie]

U joint.

[Oss]

for 600 miles I just bring a few water bottles

but nothing wrong with being prepared for doomsday

[salty1]

Chillerman, I was raised in Billings and went to high school at Billings Central and eventually graduated from Senior High. Attended college at MSU, Bozeman before moving to Spokane. I'll also be riding the Beartooth this summer and plan on spending a night in Red Lodge. It's all part of what a group of us call our annual guy ride. Enjoy your trip and my best to Montana since your going to beat me there!   

[Chillerman]

U joint.

Thanks Fudgie, I will bring the U joint.  

Chillerman, I was raised in Billings and went to high school at Billings Central and eventually graduated from Senior High. Attended college at MSU, Bozeman before moving to Spokane. I'll also be riding the Beartooth this summer and plan on spending a night in Red Lodge. It's all part of what a group of us call our annual guy ride. Enjoy your trip and my best to Montana since your going to beat me there!    

salty1, I grew up in Billings and graduated from Billings Senior in 1986! It's a small world!

[Chillerman]

Carb sync accomplished today!  Oil change coming soon.

[Red Diamond]

for 600 miles I just bring a few water bottles

but nothing wrong with being prepared for doomsday

Oss, you're being cruel dude. But then again, some people carry what he's carrying just to go to work everyday.

[Chillerman]

for 600 miles I just bring a few water bottles

but nothing wrong with being prepared for doomsday

Oss, you're being cruel dude. But then again, some people carry what he's carrying just to go to work everyday.

No worries. Have you ever been stranded in the middle of Wyoming? I have!! 

[Red Diamond]

Just kidding Chillerman, everyone has their thoughts on what to take on a trip. I did take a trip to Grand Junction, Colorada via Hwy 50 and 550 to Durango, about 2500 miles roundtrip, carried nothing but my clothes, no tools or anything else. If I had to choose one thing to carry on a very long trip it would be an alternator, which I consider the weak link on the Valkyrie. If you perform regular maintenance on the Valkyrie, the alternator is probably the only part that might give it up at almost anytime and leave you stranded,  new, rebuilt, or old. The rest of that bike is bullet proof.

[Oss]

RD  Ya know I just prepacked the Valk for the trip to Seattle

Right bag  frogg togg rain gear, chaps, 2 pair of extra liteweight gloves,
first aid kit, extra sunglasses amber and dark and clear safety bifocals
led flashlight lots of room left over for a bottle of scotch

Left bag Battery charger in case a friend's battery is going dead (has helped folks before),
SPARE U JOINT, toolbag with 2 sets of front brake pads, caliper rebuild kit, speed bleeders bearings shifter seal orings spare valve stem clip and metal valve stem flat tire kit with 3 co2, the aux fuse panel my friends will help me install in Keystone and electric doodads, also my sneakers and spare bottle of ride on in case anyone gets a flat and a bottle of brake fluid  

Of course I have NO IDEA how to work on many of these things but it never hurts to have the parts

I have a soft sided cooler that will ride in the trunk to keep the evaporative vest cold, the water bottles and ice water for my doorags

Haven't decided on bringing the half helmet its 11 yrs old and the foam is gone flat.
I just bought a white flip up with the J&M electronics so I can talk on the cb and listen to tunes either from ipod phone or whatever  The shoei full face is staying home tho for sure.

So yeah  I was busting chops

 

[Chillerman]

RD  Ya know I just prepacked the Valk for the trip to Seattle

Right bag  frogg togg rain gear, chaps, 2 pair of extra liteweight gloves,
first aid kit, extra sunglasses amber and dark and clear safety bifocals
led flashlight lots of room left over for a bottle of scotch

Left bag Battery charger in case a friend's battery is going dead (has helped folks before),
SPARE U JOINT, toolbag with 2 sets of front brake pads, caliper rebuild kit, speed bleeders bearings shifter seal orings spare valve stem clip and metal valve stem flat tire kit with 3 co2, the aux fuse panel my friends will help me install in Keystone and electric doodads, also my sneakers and spare bottle of ride on in case anyone gets a flat and a bottle of brake fluid  

Of course I have NO IDEA how to work on many of these things but it never hurts to have the parts

I have a soft sided cooler that will ride in the trunk to keep the evaporative vest cold, the water bottles and ice water for my doorags

Haven't decided on bringing the half helmet its 11 yrs old and the foam is gone flat.
I just bought a white flip up with the J&M electronics so I can talk on the cb and listen to tunes either from ipod phone or whatever  The shoei full face is staying home tho for sure.

So yeah  I was busting chops

 

Wow, that's a trip and a half! Good luck on that journey! 

[Fudd]

I carry a good size bag of hand tools and I include a volt meter and a test light.  Two of the few spare parts I bring are a starter relay and the guts out of a starter button switch. I keep a spare headlight bulb in the headlight housing.

I don't bring a compressor or tire plugs.  I have ride-on in my rear tire and I trust that.

I have an alternator in a box and also a u-joint.  I leave them in a obvious location at my house, so that a family member can send either one to me on an over night delivery.

I do have a center stand on my bike.  If I really need to take a wheel off, I can do it.  It's just a little more work.

Oh, and a big thing; I bring my computer.  It's a 10" notebook.  I'd like to think someone off of this board would give me a hand if I really needed it.

[donaldcc]

 I never go anywhere without zipties.   

[Chillerman]

I carry a good size bag of hand tools and I include a volt meter and a test light.  Two of the few spare parts I bring are a starter relay and the guts out of a starter button switch. I keep a spare headlight bulb in the headlight housing.

I don't bring a compressor or tire plugs.  I have ride-on in my rear tire and I trust that.

I have an alternator in a box and also a u-joint.  I leave them in a obvious location at my house, so that a family member can send either one to me on an over night delivery.

I do have a center stand on my bike.  If I really need to take a wheel off, I can do it.  It's just a little more work.

Oh, and a big thing; I bring my computer.  It's a 10" notebook.  I'd like to think someone off of this board would give me a hand if I really needed it.

Volt meter. I hadn't thought of that but I use one every day at work. I am bringing a laptop.

 I never go anywhere without zipties.   

Zipties!! Of course, thank you.