What to Pack for a Cross Country Motorcycle Trip

January 3, 2024
By Michael Padway
packing for a cross-country motorcycle trip

When it comes to packing for a cross-country motorcycle trip , there are several important things to keep in mind, including packing lightly, preparing for emergencies, and dressing in layers.

Less is More – Pack Lightly

One of the most difficult parts about preparing for a cross-country motorcycle trip is only taking what you need… nothing more and nothing less. No matter how hard we try, the tendency is to overpack. How often have you come back from a trip to find that you didn’t wear half of what you intended? Ideally, you want to pack enough clothes for a few days. Pants, sweaters, and sweatshirts can often be worn several days in a row as long as they don’t get soiled or sweaty. Ideally, you should only need to pack extra underclothes, t-shirts, and socks.

Roll your clothes tightly rather than folding them to conserve even more space;not only does this save space, but also keeps your clothes from wrinkling. When it comes to packing toiletries, be sure to buy the small travel size variations or pour your favorite products into small plastic containers. It’s also a good idea to place any liquids inside a Ziplock bag just in case you get a leak.

Prepare for Emergencies

One of the most important things to consider while riding on two wheels is to be prepared for emergencies. You won’t have the luxury of waiting for help inside the protection of a car, so you must be extra prepared. If you get a flat tire or break down on the side of the road, make sure you have a working cell phone and some roadside assistance and towing service. This may be available through your motorcycle insurance company or a separate roadside service such as AAA or the American Motorcycle Association (AMA). Although most cell phone service providers cover large areas, it’s always a good idea to check with your service provider and find out if your cross-country motorcycle trip will encounter any areas with no or sparse service or signals.

Carrying a basic motorcycle toolkit is an absolute must as well. This can save you some downtime for small fixes you can do yourself, such as changing bulbs in headlights, brake lights, or turn signals. Sometimes you might find loose parts that rattle from being on bumpy roads. Even if you’re not a mechanic, it’s not uncommon for another motorcyclist or mechanic to stop by that may be able to help. Many bikes come with their own tool bags, but if yours doesn’t, be sure to pick one up. Other useful items for your emergency kit include a flashlight, first aid kit, extra bulbs, batteries, flares or reflectors, a calling card, or spare change to make a phone call in case you don’t have cell service.

Layers, Layers, Layers… and Easy Access

It’s important to wear protective gear at all times – comfortable motorcycle riding pants, jacket, gloves, boots, and a durable motorcycle helmet. Choose motorcycle gear made of leather or special materials to withstand motorcycle crashes and the varying weather conditions you may encounter. Gear made of bright colors such as yellow and reflective areas are also recommended, but if you’re set on wearing all black, you can also buy reflective tape and decals to place on your gear and helmet.

Earplugs are another necessity. Even if you wear a full-face helmet, continuous air noise can cause hearing loss with prolonged riding. You can buy the disposable ones, or you can order custom earplugs that are based on a mold taken off your ear. You can also consider investing in a helmet with additional safety features, such as noise protection.

Be prepared for changing weather. Dress in layers so that you can easily add more layers as it gets cold. Or, as it gets warmer, you can remove layers. Especially in cold weather, you want to layer up and dress comfortably while avoiding getting too sweaty. In the heat, you want to stay protected while avoiding getting too dehydrated. Make sure you are confident riding in inclement weather as well, as high winds or patches of rain may prove difficult otherwise and hold up your trip.

Your extra clothing should be placed in a saddlebag or tank bag where you can easily access them. Rain gear (jacket, pants, waterproof booties), gloves, etc. should be readily available in case you need to pull over on the side of the road to quickly change.

Cross-Country motorcycle trip packing list

We put together a comprehensive checklist for you to know exactly what you need to pack for your cross country motorcycle trip. By the end of this section you will find a downloadable image for you to keep this useful checklist in your files.

Motorcycle Gear

  1. Boots
  2. Chain or lightweight lock
  3. Disc lock
  4. Ear plugs
  5. Eye Protection
  6. Touring Gloves
  7. Touring Helmet
  8. Touring Jacket
  9. Touring Pants
  10. Riding socks
  11. Motorcycle cover
  12. Waterproof Saddle Bags

Tools

  1. Air compressor
  2. Allen keys
  3. Cable ties
  4. Flat tire repair kit
  5. Jump leads
  6. Multi-tool
  7. Oil, lube, epoxy, and Loctite
  8. Pliers
  9. Ratchet strap
  10. Vise grips
  11. Wrench and socket set
  12. Motorcycle’s manual downloaded onto your phone

Paperwork / Documentation

  1. Cash
  2. Credit Cards
  3. Driver’s license and copy
  4. Health information
  5. Insurance cards
  6. International Driver’s Permit
  7. Paper with emergency contact information
  8. Passport
  9. Spare bike key
  10. Travel insurance
  11. Vehicle registration document

Gadgets

  1. Adapter
  2. Cellphone
  3. Chargers and USB battery pack
  4. GoPro / Sena / Drift
  5. GoPro stick / Travel tripod
  6. GPS tracker
  7. Set of memory cards
  8. USB cables

Personal Luggage

  1. First aid kit
  2. Hand lotion
  3. Hand sanitizer
  4. Ibuprofen/Naproxen
  5. Insect Repellent
  6. Lip balm
  7. Shaving Kit
  8. Soap / Shampoo
  9. Spare glasses
  10. Spare sets of contacts
  11. Sunblock
  12. Toothpaste
  13. Toothbrush
  14. Towel

Downloadable Checklist

Download the image below, and save it on your smartphone!

Our Choices

MOTORCYCLE GEAR

Boots

O'Neal 0325-110 Men's New Logo Rider Boot

$101.22

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Forma Adventure Low Boots

$249

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Chain or lightweight lock

Stockton 736 Alarmed Security Chain And Lock

$59.99

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Oxford HD Chain and Padlock

$50.95 - $76.99

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INTEKIN Motorcycle Chain Locks

$49.99

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Disc lock

Kryptonite Keeper Disc Lock

$39.95

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YOHOOLYO Alarm Disc Lock Motorcycle Disc Brake Lock Anti-Theft Waterproof

$19.87

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Oxford Boss Alarm Disc Lock

$125.99

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Ear plugs

Alpine MotoSafe Race Reusable Motorcycle Ear Plugs for Wind Noise Reduction - Ultra Soft Comfort Filter Hearing Protection for Motorbike Touring & Racing

$17.99

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EARPEACE Moto Hearing Protection Earplugs – Reusable High Fidelity Earplugs for Motorcycle Riding

$29.95

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Motorcycle Ear Plugs 2 Pairs, Softvox Wind Noise Reduction & Premium Hearing Protection Reusable Earplugs

$17.99

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Eye Protection

WYND Blocker Motorcycle Riding Glasses Extreme Sports Wrap Sunglasses

$27.95

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kemimoto Polarized Motorcycle Glasses, Riding Goggles with 4 Lens Kit for Outdoor Activities

$22.99

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Biltwell Moto 2.0 Goggles

$35.96

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Touring Gloves

Motorcycle Gloves Winter Warm Touch Screen Waterproof Windproof Protective clothing

$29.99

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Scorpion EXO Tempest Gloves

$89.95

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Moose Racing ADV1 Long Gloves

$69.95

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Touring Helmet

Bell Qualifier DLX Blackout Helmet

$120

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HJC i90 Helmet

$219.99 - $234.99

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ILM Bluetooth Integrated Modular Flip up Full Face Motorcycle Helmet

$249.99

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Touring Jacket

Klim Marrakesh Jacket

$399.99 - $429.99

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Adventure/Touring Motorcycle Jacket For Men Textile Motorbike CE Armored Waterproof Jackets

$69.99

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Touring Pants

All Season Motorcycle Pants Men Motocross Offroad Overpants Touring Adventure Dual Enduro Waterproof CE Armor

$54.99

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Motorcycle Pants for Men Dualsport Motocross Motorbike Pant Riding Overpants Enduro Adventure Touring Waterproof CE Armored All-Weather

$59.99

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REV'IT! Sand 4 H2O Pants

$399

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Riding socks

Klim Vented Socks

$19.99

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RevZilla Coolmax Moto Socks

$12.99

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Motorcycle cover

XYZCTEM Motorcycle Cover – All Season Waterproof Outdoor Protection

$26.99

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Dowco Guardian Ultralite Plus Motorcycle Cover

$69.99

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Waterproof saddle bags

Nelson Rigg Deluxe Adventure Dry Saddlebags

$215.96

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WILD HEART Waterproof bag Motorcycle saddlebag 50L Tank bag Motor Side bag

$128

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Tools

Stockton Roadside Tool Kit

$49.99

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Air compressor

Slime 40061 Tire Inflator, Power Sport, Compact, Lightweight, Analog, Motorcycles, ATVs/UTVs and Cars, Includes LED Light and Twist Connect Hose

$34.58

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AstroAI Cordless Tire Inflator Air Compressor 20V Rechargeable Battery Powered 160PSI Portable Handheld Air Pump with 12V Car Power Adapter Digital Pressure Gauge for Cars Motorcycles

$65.99

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Allen keys

HORUSDY 30-Piece Hex Key Set, Allen Wrench Set Inch/Metric MM(0.7mm-10mm)

$13.49

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HORUSDY 8-Piece T-Handle allen wrench set, Metric Long Arm Ball End Hex Key Wrench Set

16.99

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Cable ties

TR Industrial Contractor Series UV Cable Ties (100-Piece) 14.6", Type 21S

$14.99

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Zip Ties Heavy Duty 200 lb 18 Inch, Extra Long Cable Ties Black Zip Tie Wide Plastic Ties Large Industrial Cable Wire Tie Wraps

$14.99

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Flat tire repair kit

Slime Smart Spair Tire Repair Kit

$35.99

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V1 Motor CO2 Motorcycle, ATV Flat Repair Kit Tubeless Tire Repair Kit

$48

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Jump leads

LST Trickle Battery Charger Automatic Maintainer 6V 12V Smart Float Charger for Automotive Car Motorcycle Lawn Mower Tractor

$20.96

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NOCO Boost Plus GB40 1000 Amp 12-Volt UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter Box, Car Battery Booster Pack, Portable Power Bank Charger, and Jumper Cables for up to 6-Liter Gasoline and 3-Liter Diesel Engines

$99.95

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Multi-tool

CruzTOOLS OM14 Folding Metric Multi-Tool for Moto, ATV, UTV, PWC

$21.79

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Crankbrothers M17 MTB Multitool

$29.99

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Oil, lube, epoxy, and Loctite

Motul 5100 Synthetic Blend Engine Oil

$16.09- $59.86

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Motul C2 Chain Lube Road

$13.63

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Muc Off All-Weather Motorcycle Chain Lube

$16.99

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J-B Weld 8277 WaterWeld Epoxy Putty Stick

$6.54

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Permatex 84102 High Heat Epoxy

$8.99

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Loctite Threadlocker 242 Medium Strength Blue

$10.20

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Ratchet strap

RHINO USA Ratchet Tie Down Straps

$36.90

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ORTEM Ratchet Straps

$23.99

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Locking pliers

IRWIN VISE-GRIP Original Locking Pliers

$11.60

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WORKPRO 5-Piece Locking Pliers Set(5/7/10 inch Curved Jaw Pliers,6.5/9 inch Long Nose Pliers)

$21.23

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Wrench and socket set

Egofine 12pcs 1/4 Inch Ratchet Socket Wrench Set

$14.99

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WORKPRO 39-Piece Drive Socket Wrench Set

$26.99

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Motorcycle Parts for All Makes and Models

Everything from basic to high-end. Motorcycle parts that will fit your bike and budget.

Michael Padway

Michael Padway uses his expertise in personal injury and motorcycle accidents to represent a broad spectrum of clients dealing with life-changing and permanent injuries for the first time. His offices are located at 235 Montgomery St., Ste 668, San Francisco, CA 94104 and at 3140 Chapman St. Oakland, CA 94601. For more information, please call (800) 928-1511.

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