Opinions and comments, please

mikesim said:
My NT has never wound up flat. It has always been slightly above flat sitting on the tipover wing.
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Nah! When my GF decides to do something, she does it right... no such thing as letting go gently... ;)
End-weights on the ground, mirrors scraped and tilted in/upward, pannier lids scratched...
 
After much thought, I will try to minimize the problem by:
1. Drastically reduce the amount of stuff I take (spend a few bucks and stay in hotels).

2. lower the CG of everything I DO take. Everything in panniers. Nothing strapped on top in duffel bags.

3. Always ride with a buddy stronger than me to help pick the beast up.

The kitchen sink has to stay home. And my camping gear. Also, cook stove, pans, food, coffee maker. And the heavy tools I never use. Do I REALLY need my K-Bar knife? No.
I just canā€™t compete with Coyote Chris to see who can stack it the highest. He is a professional motor patrolman after all. Gotta think like Iā€™m backpacking.
 
I have started carrying ONLY what will fit into the two panniers and the OEM topbox. I can no longer do the karate kick maneuver. It puts too much stress on my left knee coming and going. I have to have the back seat clear to get my right foot over the saddle
 
Iā€™ve always tried to keep my center of gravity low as possible. But thatā€™s hard if youā€™re not riding a cruiser. Heavy stuff goes in the bottom - lighter stuff on top.

Oops - I hit ā€œpostā€ permanently

I like to avoid hotels. Good ā€œmom and popā€ motels are becoming rare and the big new ones are expensive. There are a bunch of motels owned by investors who do sub-minimal maintenance. They look like bed bug habitat to me.

Even nice campgrounds are hard to find. They have become RV parks. I often find small town parks that allow camping. I paid as much as $60 for a lousy tent site last summer in Dubois WY.

Maybe Iā€™m just getting fussy in my old age, but motorcycle touring isnā€™t what it used to be. Sometimes I think it would be nice to just drive my Subaru and sleep in the back. Itā€™s a little tight but I can just barely stretch out. But Iā€™m way more comfortable in my tent.
 
I like the Mom and Pop motels the best but it seems the "Patel" family is trying to corner the market on them. The quality of a "Patel" establishment is highly variable and must be approached with caution. It seems that they are trying to extract the last dollar of value from the venue before it succumbs to the wrecking ball. I have run into several old Mom and Pops that have been acquired by Asian families that have done a miraculous job in restoring the old accommodations and are taking a great deal of pride in them. They are pricing them accordingly but it's worth to pay a tad more to see them live another day.

Mike
 
junglejim said:
Iā€™ve always tried to keep my center of gravity low as possible. But thatā€™s hard if youā€™re not riding a cruiser. Heavy stuff goes in the bottom - lighter stuff on top.

Oops - I hit ā€œpostā€ permanently

I like to avoid hotels. Good ā€œmom and popā€ motels are becoming rare and the big new ones are expensive. There are a bunch of motels owned by investors who do sub-minimal maintenance. They look like bed bug habitat to me.

Even nice campgrounds are hard to find. They have become RV parks. I often find small town parks that allow camping. I paid as much as $60 for a lousy tent site last summer in Dubois WY.

Maybe Iā€™m just getting fussy in my old age, but motorcycle touring isnā€™t what it used to be. Sometimes I think it would be nice to just drive my Subaru and sleep in the back. Itā€™s a little tight but I can just barely stretch out. But Iā€™m way more comfortable in my tent.
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Looks as if some Stealth Camping is going to become more popular.
 
Yoda said:
After much thought, I will try to minimize the problem by:
1. Drastically reduce the amount of stuff I take (spend a few bucks and stay in hotels).

2. lower the CG of everything I DO take. Everything in panniers. Nothing strapped on top in duffel bags.

3. Always ride with a buddy stronger than me to help pick the beast up.

The kitchen sink has to stay home. And my camping gear. Also, cook stove, pans, food, coffee maker. And the heavy tools I never use. Do I REALLY need my K-Bar knife? No.
I just canā€™t compete with Coyote Chris to see who can stack it the highest. He is a professional motor patrolman after all. Gotta think like Iā€™m backpacking.
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Spence1.jpg
 
mikesim said:
I like the Mom and Pop motels the best but it seems the "Patel" family is trying to corner the market on them. The quality of a "Patel" establishment is highly variable and must be approached with caution. It seems that they are trying to extract the last dollar of value from the venue before it succumbs to the wrecking ball. I have run into several old Mom and Pops that have been acquired by Asian families that have done a miraculous job in restoring the old accommodations and are taking a great deal of pride in them. They are pricing them accordingly but it's worth to pay a tad more to see them live another day.

Mike
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There is this wonderful family owned old motor court just outside of Buffalo WY....they completely redid the cabins and they are very clean and modern inside. Z- Bar motel. Nice people
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mikesim said:
I like the Mom and Pop motels the best
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If you are ever in Maggie Vally, NC, there is a place called "A Holiday Motel" It is a 50's style motor court that is very motorcycle friendly. The young couple who own it are very handy and they are refreshing the whole pace as time allows. Very clean and semi modern inside. They provide buckets with towels outside each room so you can wipe down your bike. Free laundry.
They also know all the best roads in the area and they ride too. Just down the street from Wheels thru Time museum.
 
Coyote Chris said:
I really like Mountain Haus freeze dried food....
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I stay away from the hiking food due to all the sodium content. It's made for someone that is hiking several miles a day and dehydrating. I used to bring different things so I didn't miss a meal at a campground but honestly, missing a meal isn't that big of a deal and most it wouldn't hurt most of us.. lol
 
Mellow said:
I stay away from the hiking food due to all the sodium content. It's made for someone that is hiking several miles a day and dehydrating. I used to bring different things so I didn't miss a meal at a campground but honestly, missing a meal isn't that big of a deal and most it wouldn't hurt most of us.. lol
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Missing a meal for me is no big thing but my wife has a very high metabolic rate and dies if she isnt feed. Yes, the sodium content is high. In the Mountain Haus skillet breakfast (Two servings...snort) its 1.5 grams.
 
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