Getting the bike set up for a long trip

"This is not my first rodeo"...that's supposed to tell everyone that I have done this kind of long trip before.  What it really means is that I'll make mistakes this time that I have either not made before or forgot in my old age.  Let me show you my best guess as to what will make this trip a success:

This is what I think the bike will look like for the trip.  I have two panniers (hard bags) and one soft bag for all my stuff.  That should allow me to carry about 50% more than I really need but at least I can leave home thinking that I am ready for heavy rain, snow, searing heat, and everything in between.  That's not an exaggeration.   Oh, and I have an almost new front tire along with a brand new rear tire.  The rear might not make the entire distance, expected to be about 8,000 miles but that's about all you can expect from a motorcycle rear tire in this day and age.

Maybe I'm just a coward but I carry a few tools with me even though these bikes are really dependable.  Still, they are made and maintained by humans.  The worst breakdown I ever had was my own fault!  Here's my tool kit.  You can see that it's pretty simple. 

I have modified the bike over the years.  Now I have a controller for heated gear, a volt meter, and the control for the automatic oiler (this bike is chain drive, you need to keep the chain lubricated or it will live a much shorter life).

There is a long story with this but the short version is that I had to have the engine rebuilt and that led to quite a few modifications for more power, smoother running, and longer life.  One of those was an aftermarket exhaust.  It's too bad that the new exhaust is not compatible with a centerstand.  As a result I had to make a new chain guard which also does double duty as a stop for the centerstand.  You can see that this is safety wired because if the guard falls off the centestand will hit the chain.  That would be a real pain in the ass!

While we are at this part of the bike I'll show the dual feed for the oiler.  It puts oil right on the rear sprocket so there is nothing wasted.  An oiled chain is a happy chain.

The Pro Oiler system requires an oil bottle and pump.  I made a bracket for both and mounted it where I can easily add oil.  This much automatic transmission fluid will get me abut 3500 miles!

Knock on wood, I have never run out of gas on this motorcycle.  A couple times I was really worried and it was not fun.  We will be traveling in some pretty remote places so a bit of extra fuel will make me feel better.  I'm also carrying extra water.  If you break down in June you really appreciate having something to drink.  This also shows how I think I'll secure my soft bag.

Sitting on the saddle this is what I'm seeing, the GPS is on the left.

My windscreen (windshield) is larger than stock and it shakes with the wind.  I decided to stabilize that and the mirrors by making some brackets.  This is untested so I can hardly wait to see if my 'good idea' stands the test of the open road.

As a final bit of farkle I added a sticker to each hard bag.