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Load Capacity for South American Trip
Hi guys,
I am a french guy willing to undertake a year trip around South America. I am currently looking at luggage solutions but I am kind of lost in the volume I should take. This is the Set up I was thinking about: 1 tank bag of around 8 Liters 1 duffle bag (I already have the Mosko Moto backcountry) : 40L 1 set of saddle bags (such as Enduristan Moonsoon) : 60L (30L per side) I was also thinking of smaller saddle bags such as the Blizzards from Enduristan 24L (12L on each side) but not sur if it is enough or not. I will also carry on my back a small backpack that I will mostly keep empty during rides but will be used during daily visits around town. So (without the backpack), I should have around 110L of carrying capacity. Is that enough / too much for a year long trip in both warm and cold weather with camping gears? Trying to be as light as possible. Will be on a KLR 650 European C model from 2003. How did you do? More space? Less? Would have taken less stuff? Thanks for your help and have a good new year. V |
Hello and welcome to the forum,
That is a question with an infinite number of answers, it sounds like you have enough to me but I am quite a minimalist, some will have more and a few will have less, if everything you feel you need goes in it you have enough. |
Hi Mark,
Thanks for the reply. You are right, it is a tough question as we all have different standards as of what to take with us while travelling. What about you? What is your load when you go travelling? Taking camping and cooking gears? It is hard to know if everything is going to fit in without having the saddle bags first. And I don't know which one I need in terms of volume |
Outfit your bike sequentially. Panniers/saddlebags first. Buy the larger ones for any extended (or complicated) trip. Add a hard-shelled top box with a lock if you’re using soft panniers. Duffle and tank bag next; personally, I don’t use a tank bag at all, but there’s no question they’re convenient for stuff you want visible or accessible while riding.
Backpack last. If its empty, don’t carry it on your back at all—just stick it into your baggage. It’s definitely handy to have a day pack for excursions on foot, but it should be chosen according to likely use. Something minimal will roll up tiny but can be deployed whenever necessary. You might want to add a small camelback (or similar). It’ll fit inside or outside your jacket and won’t get in the way, but can make a big difference in keeping you hydrated, therefore alive and alert. I’ve also carried smaller bags and cases up front, mounted low on my crash bars. This works better for me than the monstrous pile of duffles, fuel cans,l tires and other crap I’ve often seen on overlanders’ bikes. And don’t forget the classic tool tube, permanently mounted someplace out of the way and stuffed with tubes and tire change tools. Hope that’s helpful. Per the above, there are as many solutions (and strongly-held opinions) as there are riders. Mark |
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You will probably find that you need to buy a lighter sleeping bag or tent to make this work and that you will have to think hard about clothing necessities- what to take and what to leave. But if you can fit your gear into these bags, your load should be fairly easy to deal with, while still maintaining a nice level of comfort. http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z...exico09112.jpg This was 28 Liters each side, 40 Liter duffle (not full at all), and 4-6 liters each side for the tank panniers. I had tent, sleeping bag, mat and tennis shoes in the duffle. I did not take a stove, but I did carry 2 Liters of water and a couple of days worth of food. (My tent and sleeping bag were expensive- but lightweight and compact- well worth it, I think). .......shu |
Hi,
Thanks for your help. I hope I will be able to fit all my stuff into a small volume. Not sure about carrying a top box (even though it is lockable) I feel like it would be easy for anyone to break in. Not a huge fan also due to the weight increase at the far rear of the bike. Shu... I will be interested to see your packing list (if you have one) to compare with the items I'll be looking to take. Do you have one? I whish you all an awesome new year full of adventures Clem |
When considering things you need to think about items that can do double duty.
The back pack can be used in place of the duffel bag. That reduces your load. Keep it small, light and easy to wash. Don't take jeans. They are heavy, take for ever to dry when washed. Take the synthetic zip off pants - light weight, quick drying and they pack much smaller than jeans. I'd not take a wool jumper. Again they take a while to dry and they are bulky to pack. A synthetic fleece takes less room, dries quickly. Consider everything your going to take. Anything more than one off should be questioned. You don't need more than 3 of anything. 3 pairs of socks is enough, one to ware, one drying and one spare. Be ruthless, you can always buy more of something that will suit the local conditions from the locals. |
Packing List
This is a fairly complete list for a long trip; I am always changing things depending on the length of the trip and weather conditions expected.
Warin's advice is dead on. All my clothing is lightweight nylon, easily washed every night in camp or in a hotel sink- and will be dry in the morning. All of my spare clothing would fit in a shoebox. (jeans and hoodies are a waste of space.) Hope this helps...........shu WEAR: __ __ boots __ __ socks __ __ Ex officio underwear __ __ Capilene LS shirt __ __ Longsleeve travel shirt __ __ running tights __ __ Moto Pants-goretex or similar __ __ Riding Jacket- goretex __ __ ..ear plugs __ __ ..sunglasses __ __ ..cap __ __ multitool pocket knife-small __ __ bandanna __ __ Money Belt/Passport __ __ knee pads __ __ helmet __ __ summer gloves MONEY/PAPERS __ __ Wallet __ __ Document copies: ziplock bag (and GoogleDrive) __ __ ..glasses prescrip __ __ ..passport __ __ ..title __ __ ..registration __ __ ..insurance __ __ ..Medjet __ __ ..carnet, visas,etc __ __ ..emergency contact info TANK PANNIERS __ __ notebook/pen __ __ tire gauge __ __ maps/guides __ __ TP __ __ compass __ __ ..sunscreen __ __ ..chapstick __ __ waterbag- 1 L. __ __ Camera __ __ Rain Jacket light __ __ __ __ ..Winter gloves __ __ ..Leather gloves (med wt) __ __ ..glove liners __ __ ..rain gloves __ __ ..neck buff __ __ Garmin Montana __ __ SPOT SADDLE BAG: __ __ pannier liner (2) __ __ KIT T-BRUSH,etc __ __ 2 liner socks __ __ 2 Ex off. Underwear __ __ Capilene LS shirt __ __ (1) t shirt- poly __ __ Capilene LS zip sweater __ __ 1 running tights __ __ puff jacket __ __ (1) REI travel pants __ __ packtowel small REPAIRS ETC __ __ Sleep pad patch kit __ __ Sewing kit __ __ Duct tape __ __ Cig lighter __ __ Detergent __ __ nylon cord __ __ DEET- Bens __ __ mosq. Head net __ __ Whistle __ __ Headlamp __ __ Steripen-H2O pure __ __ __ __ (3)CR123 batt (steripen) __ __ (4) AAA lith batt __ __ Glasses spares __ __ Keys-spare (side cover) ELECTRONICS BAG __ __ Cam. Batt -spare __ __ [Cam storage disk-spare] __ __ Camera charger-wall __ __ __ __ Ipod-charge cord __ __ Phone charge cord __ __ Tablet charge cord __ __ Wall plug charge unit __ __ SAE-USB bike charger FIRST AID __ __ Triangular bandage __ __ TP (1/2 roll) __ __ Bandaids __ __ Kotex pad __ __ Adhesive tape __ __ Tweezers __ __ Alchohol pads __ __ __ __ Triple Antibiotic cream __ __ Hydrocortisone Cream __ __ Diamox __ __ Ciproflaxin __ __ Aleve (12 hr) __ __ Benadryl tabs __ __ Pepto bismol/tums __ __ Immodium tabs __ __ Oral Rehydr. Salts __ __ Cough drops __ __ __ __ HydPeroxide-small REAR RACK DRY BAG __ __ tent poles/stakes __ __ tent __ __ ground cloth __ __ Sleep bag __ __ thermarest pad __ __ pack pillow __ __ stove/pot/bowl __ __ stove fuel(alcohol) __ __ food bag __ __ spoon __ __ __ __ TEVA sandals __ __ 3 L platypus water bag __ __ ltwght duffle/pack small __ __ Rok straps __ __ bungie pair TOOLS __ __ tool roll (in tool tube) __ __ 1/4 in. breaker bar/sockets __ __ 3/4 socket adapter __ __ __ __ slime air pump __ __ tire lube __ __ bead buddy __ __ tire irons (3) __ __ valve core snake __ __ Rear wheel tools __ __ chain lube (gear oil) __ __ __ __ rag __ __ cl/br.levers-spare __ __ 14 T front sprocket __ __ 2 tie down straps __ __ __ __ [cable and padlock] PARTS/SPARES __ __ JB weld __ __ Superglue __ __ RTV __ __ Duct tape __ __ Elec. Tape __ __ __ __ Zip ties __ __ Wire __ __ Hose clamps __ __ __ __ Fuses-spare __ __ Spark plugs __ __ Oil filter/oring/cr washer __ __ Gasline filter __ __ chain master link __ __ __ __ Bolts/nuts/washers __ __ Carb parts __ __ Pickup coil __ __ forks seals __ __ __ __ Headlight bulb-spare __ __ Tail/signal bulb-spare __ __ __ __ Plug gap tool __ __ Valve gap tools __ __ File __ __ Hacksaw blade __ __ __ __ Tube patch kit __ __ Grease(sm. bottle) __ __ __ __ FRONT Tube spare __ __ REAR tube spare __ __ rags/paper towels __ __ Shop manual (PDF) |
what to take to SA
My god SHU he is not going to the Moon NASA had to think of all these things for just in case.
South america has it all in the major cities and the price is not much more than you will pay at home Buy your Panniers top box and dry bag at home and buy synthetic clothes , cotton is no go too hot and hard to clean basic tools because your bike can be fixed anywhere SA knows your bike and labor is cheap Here is a good example i needed rear brake pads for my G650gs and the nearest bmw shop was 250 k away so i went to a yamaha dealer in the city i living in and they had pads for the brembo brakes because yamahas have the same brakes on some models My point is start riding and figure out what you need along the way and the South Americans will be happy to help you because you will be contributing to there economy |
Hmmmm......My list, excluding tools, only weighs about 35 pounds. I'm looking through it again and can't really see what you think is so excessive. Two pairs of socks is too many?
I rode in Ecuador about a year ago. http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z...205_213806.jpg I needed cold weather high altitude gloves as well as something that would work for the lowland hot places; I was happy to have Immodium with me :( rather than having to ride into the city to buy some. This list is just about what I would carry riding passes and camping in the mountains of Colorado. http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z...s8-23-2013.jpg In a couple of hours of riding I can get 40-50 miles back in on some dirt road. Denver would only be a couple of hundred miles away but I would have a 2 or 3 day walk out to the main road if something went wrong with my bike (or me). I'd feel pretty dumb if I could have fixed it with a spare bolt and some duct tape and wire and ridden it out. My buddy rode a BMW650 into Tblisi, Azerbaijan (pop. 1.5 million) with a leaking fork seal. The hotel desk clerk knew a guy, who knew a guy who had a bike and who knew the guy who ran the oil store, who called around and found us bottle of fork oil. http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z...blisiGA005.jpg But, he had packed a set of fork seals (small and light), and we replaced them in the courtyard of the hotel. Finding parts for his bike would have been difficult (maybe impossible) there. Things don't usually break or go wrong in places where it is convenient and easy to get what you need to fix it. I choose to be as prepared as possible without making my load into a burden. (I have friends who carry very little, and have been happy I had a bunch of tools and some bolts so they could ride their bikes out.:cool4:) ..........shu |
I don't think Shu's list is all that bad. I would use it as a basis: take a look and see what you might need and what you might not.
My packing list is a lot shorter, but having a checklist is a great idea. |
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