my top 10 items needed for dual sporting(cheapo version)

DSN_KLR650
Post Reply
EbarDP48@aol.com
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:55 pm

my top 10 items needed for dual sporting

Post by EbarDP48@aol.com » Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:29 am

Although I've owned Motocross bikes all my life, I've only been associated with dual sporting for about a year. Over this year I've found that there are a few items that have come in very handy. I've posted these because others just joining may be interested. I'm sure others can add to my list. 1. A good skid plate-- I was really worried about my cases at Cheaha, Alabama (Talladaga National Forest) when I rode there last year. 2. Tank bag or tail bag/box or both-- I have a small tank bag on my DRZ400 and a larger bag on my KLR650. Comes in handy for glasses, gloves, cameras, etc. The rear bag allows me to carry jackets or larger items and mine is collapsible, so I can customize the size somewhat to my needs. 3. Roll Chart-- Needed for club routes. I'm a member of Dixie Dual Sports (http://wdsrc.com) 4. Good selection of tools.-- Include in this a knife with a serrated edge. I had to cut a small sapling out from between my rear brake lever and clutch case at Devils Creek (Central Florida). 5. Lightweight Rain gear. I have a windbreaker type. I've heard good things about suits called "Froggs". I think that's the name. 6. Radios-- If you ride with a buddy, these are a great way to communicate. 7. GPS-- I purchased a Garmin V with a tourtech mount. This is one of the best investments I've made. It paid off big time on our trip to North Carolina. I was able to plot our entire route before leaving. It's a great way to find small out of the way roads when your planning a trip. Another plus is being able to email routes to your ridding buddies before a ride. 8. Maps. get a DeLorme map book for your state and any you plan to ride. The GPS is great, but you'll sometimes need to pull out the map book. Another plus for the GPS is that it will give you N and W coordinates and you can then plot them on the map book if you're really lost. 9. Flat repair kit.-- I've had one flat tire while on the road and was able to get my tire to hold enough air (from a local convenience store) to get me home. On the trail it would be a different matter. I bought a small pump because I didn't trust the CO2 cartridges, but after experimenting with the Co2 at home during a tire change, I changed my mind..these things are great. Include a good tube repair kit. 10. Water-- When I'll be doing more off road (usually with my DRZ) I use my camelback water system. When I'm taking the KLR out, I have a holder for water bottles...it also holds coffee cups. 11. Shoei flip helmet -- So I can't count. Another item I bought before the NC trip. I can't begin to count the times I flipped the helmet instead of taking it off like usually would have done with my traditional full face shoei. Getting gas, taking pictures, going in to pay for gas, just talking to riding buddies at a red light, drinking water...Coffee. It's pricey, but worth every penny. That's it for me, anyone else want to add to the list? Bert Barnes 04 KLR 650 A 18 Big red 01 DRZ400 S Yellow Zook [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

rsanders30117
Posts: 469
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 11:06 am

my top 10 items needed for dual sporting

Post by rsanders30117 » Wed Jun 23, 2004 1:53 pm

Generally I agree with your list, I suggest adding: 1. An LED battery voltage indicator. You don't want to go any where with a marginal battery. 2. A proper set of hand guards. Having curled my KLR650 levers many times, this is money well spent. 3. Although not an issue with the DRZ400 & its multiple odometers, a good bicycle computer does a very fine job of keep route mileage on my KLR650 without messing up using my OEM odometer for miles on the current tank of fuel. 4. Some 12 ga wire, electrical tape & a 12 VDC test light. 5. For tire repair, "Slime" is a very quick & easy fix for a simple puncture.
--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, EbarDP48@a... wrote: > Although I've owned Motocross bikes all my life, I've only been associated > with dual sporting for about a year. > Over this year I've found that there are a few items that have come in very > handy. I've posted these because others just joining may be interested. I'm > sure others can add to my list. > 1. A good skid plate-- I was really worried about my cases at Cheaha, Alabama > (Talladaga National Forest) when I rode there last year. > 2. Tank bag or tail bag/box or both-- I have a small tank bag on my DRZ400 > and a larger bag on my KLR650. Comes in handy for glasses, gloves, cameras, > etc. > The rear bag allows me to carry jackets or larger items and mine is > collapsible, so I can customize the size somewhat to my needs. > 3. Roll Chart-- Needed for club routes. I'm a member of Dixie Dual Sports > (http://wdsrc.com) > 4. Good selection of tools.-- Include in this a knife with a serrated edge. I > > had to cut a small sapling out from between my rear brake lever and clutch > case at Devils Creek (Central Florida). > 5. Lightweight Rain gear. I have a windbreaker type. I've heard good things > about suits called "Froggs". I think that's the name. > 6. Radios-- If you ride with a buddy, these are a great way to communicate. > 7. GPS-- I purchased a Garmin V with a tourtech mount. This is one of the > best investments I've made. It paid off big time on our trip to North > Carolina. I > was able to plot our entire route before leaving. It's a great way to find > small out of the way roads when your planning a trip. Another plus is being > able > to email routes to your ridding buddies before a ride. > 8. Maps. get a DeLorme map book for your state and any you plan to ride. The > GPS is great, but you'll sometimes need to pull out the map book. Another > plus > for the GPS is that it will give you N and W coordinates and you can then > plot them on the map book if you're really lost. > 9. Flat repair kit.-- I've had one flat tire while on the road and was able > to get my tire to hold enough air (from a local convenience store) to get me > home. On the trail it would be a different matter. I bought a small pump > because > I didn't trust the CO2 cartridges, but after experimenting with the Co2 at > home during a tire change, I changed my mind..these things are great. Include > a > good tube repair kit. > 10. Water-- When I'll be doing more off road (usually with my DRZ) I use my > camelback water system. When I'm taking the KLR out, I have a holder for > water > bottles...it also holds coffee cups. > 11. Shoei flip helmet -- So I can't count. Another item I bought before the > NC trip. I can't begin to count the times I flipped the helmet instead of > taking it off like usually would have done with my traditional full face > shoei. > Getting gas, taking pictures, going in to pay for gas, just talking to riding > > buddies at a red light, drinking water...Coffee. > It's pricey, but worth every penny. > That's it for me, anyone else want to add to the list? > Bert Barnes > 04 KLR 650 A 18 > Big red > 01 DRZ400 S > Yellow Zook > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Arden Kysely
Posts: 1578
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2001 8:18 am

my top 10 items needed for dual sporting

Post by Arden Kysely » Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:49 pm

I'd also add a compass. GPS is great as long as the batteries last, but I wouldn't bet my life on one. A small flashlight, a first aid kit, and an emergency space blanket are also good companions. __Arden --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "rsanders30117" wrote:
> Generally I agree with your list, I suggest adding: > > 1. An LED battery voltage indicator. You don't want to go any > where with a marginal battery. > > 2. A proper set of hand guards. Having curled my KLR650 levers > many times, this is money well spent. > > 3. Although not an issue with the DRZ400 & its multiple > odometers, a good bicycle computer does a very fine job of keep
route
> mileage on my KLR650 without messing up using my OEM odometer for > miles on the current tank of fuel. > > 4. Some 12 ga wire, electrical tape & a 12 VDC test light. > > 5. For tire repair, "Slime" is a very quick & easy fix for a > simple puncture. > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, EbarDP48@a... wrote: > > Although I've owned Motocross bikes all my life, I've only been > associated > > with dual sporting for about a year. > > Over this year I've found that there are a few items that have
come
> in very > > handy. I've posted these because others just joining may be > interested. I'm > > sure others can add to my list. > > 1. A good skid plate-- I was really worried about my cases at > Cheaha, Alabama > > (Talladaga National Forest) when I rode there last year. > > 2. Tank bag or tail bag/box or both-- I have a small tank bag on
my
> DRZ400 > > and a larger bag on my KLR650. Comes in handy for glasses,
gloves,
> cameras, > > etc. > > The rear bag allows me to carry jackets or larger items and mine
is
> > collapsible, so I can customize the size somewhat to my needs. > > 3. Roll Chart-- Needed for club routes. I'm a member of Dixie
Dual
> Sports > > (http://wdsrc.com) > > 4. Good selection of tools.-- Include in this a knife with a > serrated edge. I > > > > had to cut a small sapling out from between my rear brake lever
and
> clutch > > case at Devils Creek (Central Florida). > > 5. Lightweight Rain gear. I have a windbreaker type. I've heard > good things > > about suits called "Froggs". I think that's the name. > > 6. Radios-- If you ride with a buddy, these are a great way to > communicate. > > 7. GPS-- I purchased a Garmin V with a tourtech mount. This is
one
> of the > > best investments I've made. It paid off big time on our trip to > North > > Carolina. I > > was able to plot our entire route before leaving. It's a great
way
> to find > > small out of the way roads when your planning a trip. Another
plus
> is being > > able > > to email routes to your ridding buddies before a ride. > > 8. Maps. get a DeLorme map book for your state and any you plan
to
> ride. The > > GPS is great, but you'll sometimes need to pull out the map book. > Another > > plus > > for the GPS is that it will give you N and W coordinates and you > can then > > plot them on the map book if you're really lost. > > 9. Flat repair kit.-- I've had one flat tire while on the road
and
> was able > > to get my tire to hold enough air (from a local convenience
store)
> to get me > > home. On the trail it would be a different matter. I bought a
small
> pump > > because > > I didn't trust the CO2 cartridges, but after experimenting with
the
> Co2 at > > home during a tire change, I changed my mind..these things are > great. Include > > a > > good tube repair kit. > > 10. Water-- When I'll be doing more off road (usually with my
DRZ)
> I use my > > camelback water system. When I'm taking the KLR out, I have a > holder for > > water > > bottles...it also holds coffee cups. > > 11. Shoei flip helmet -- So I can't count. Another item I bought > before the > > NC trip. I can't begin to count the times I flipped the helmet > instead of > > taking it off like usually would have done with my traditional
full
> face > > shoei. > > Getting gas, taking pictures, going in to pay for gas, just
talking
> to riding > > > > buddies at a red light, drinking water...Coffee. > > It's pricey, but worth every penny. > > That's it for me, anyone else want to add to the list? > > Bert Barnes > > 04 KLR 650 A 18 > > Big red > > 01 DRZ400 S > > Yellow Zook > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

EbarDP48@aol.com
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:55 pm

my top 10 items needed for dual sporting

Post by EbarDP48@aol.com » Wed Jun 23, 2004 3:57 pm

I got a hardwire kit with my GPS and it has compass with backup bateries...but I also carry my digital compass as a backup Bert I'd also add a compass. GPS is great as long as the batteries last, but I wouldn't bet my life on one. A small flashlight, a first aid kit, and an emergency space blanket are also good companions. __Arden [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Arden Kysely
Posts: 1578
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2001 8:18 am

my top 10 items needed for dual sporting

Post by Arden Kysely » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:39 pm

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, EbarDP48@a... wrote:
> I got a hardwire kit with my GPS and it has compass with backup > bateries...but I also carry my digital compass as a backup > Bert > > I'd also add a compass. GPS is great as long as the batteries last, > but I wouldn't bet my life on one. A small flashlight, a first aid > kit, and an emergency space blanket are also good companions. > > __Arden > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Arden Kysely
Posts: 1578
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2001 8:18 am

my top 10 items needed for dual sporting

Post by Arden Kysely » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:42 pm

Oops. I think I sent a blank reply somewhere. Anyway, the reason I carry an analog compass is the worst-case scenario: riding alone, lost, broken down, bike battery dead, GPS batteries dead, flashlight batteries dead. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best! __Arden --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, EbarDP48@a... wrote: > I got a hardwire kit with my GPS and it has compass with backup > bateries...but I also carry my digital compass as a backup > Bert > > I'd also add a compass. GPS is great as long as the batteries last, > but I wouldn't bet my life on one. A small flashlight, a first aid > kit, and an emergency space blanket are also good companions. > > __Arden > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]