September Road Trip Notes: Odds and Ends

In September, I took a road trip to mosey around a bit on the Bonneville. These are some of the notes that I jotted down about the peripheral odds and ends that helped to make my trip a success.


A few weeks before my trip, I’d added a RAM X-Grip mount to my bars and a Lifeproof FRE case for my iPhone. I do not have a powered connection for my phone, but actually found I didn’t generally need one. There were 2 times in which I did top off my phone battery with my solar battery out of my tankbag.

The Lifeproof FRE case I bought was nicely discounted at 50% off at Best Buy, thanks to price matching. That was a good deal – $40 well spent. There was an emotional hurdle for me to get over while riding through a short but pouring rain pocket. Seeing my phone on the bars getting wet felt all sorts of wrong. But the case works as advertised.

The phone with Google Maps gave better insight into things than the GPS did. The interface of my phone is second nature and highly flexible whereas the GPS seems a little more rigid. Often I used GMaps to find something, then used those results to navigate via GPS. I also used the phone to look for nearby places I might’ve saved on a map.

The phone would never be my only device for navigation but I found it tremendously helpful as a supplement. I don’t use apps like Rever to record tracks or any of that but I did look up some things on Roadside America. All in all, having the phone on the bars worked well.

I’ve been sporting a Dart flyscreen for a couple months now. I *think* it helps direct the wind a little better but now I can’t remember what it felt like before. I guess it must be working because I have no complaints about buffeting. Though I prefer the minimal look without the screen – it’s alright. It also gives me something to stick my EZ Pass toll tag too.

My anemic stock headlight bulb was swapped out for a nice bright LED bulb. I still think I may need some auxiliary lights but for now, I am certainly more visible and getting more light.

Riding along I was getting a flicker on my headlight. I could see it happening if I was riding behind a car or something that reflected my image. Then lost my lamp altogether. I didn’t hear the little light fan running with the key on so I pulled it apart and a little electrical tape did the trick to keep the connector snug. Let there be light! I did this while basking in the soft glow of the Love Butt in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The stock seat on the Bonneville is hands down, the worst motorcycle seat I have ever experienced. It seems unlikely, but that’s the case. For a cheap fix, I added an Airhawk to use on longer rides a couple months ago. I would not have been able to survive this trip without it.

The sensation of the air cushion is a little… weird at first and takes some tinkering to get the right amount of air in the cushionAnd it’s pretty fugly. But, it relieves the pain I get in my tailbone so I don’t care.

My luggage setup was just tossing my 2 Kreiga bags on the pillion seat. One US30 and one US20. Though I packed more clothes than I needed, I still don’t know if I could’ve fit my air pump and some other bulky odds and ends into the US30 to use a single bag. Having the extra 20 liters on top meant I could easily stow bottles of water and other quick-access stuff.

I love the Kreiga bags. They keep things dry, mount to any bike and hold a bunch o’ crap. The only thing I didn’t like is obviously you can’t lock them. I had my MacBook with me, otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have cared all that much.

This is stupid but, was tremendously useful. I picked up a tres-80’s brand new velcro wallet with a ring attached to it in a thrift shop for $2. Because I’m an idiot when at the gas station I often just jam my credit card in my side pocket after running it through the card reader.  A hundred miles later I’ll put my hand in my pocket only to find the card tenuously hanging in there.

Then comes the ritual of thanking the old gods and the new that it managed to stay in my pocket and didn’t go flying out along the road. I’ll then promise myself I that I won’t do that again, only to do it again. It’s like I have a mental block.

So… I clipped this junk wallet into my front jacket pocket. When I get off the bike to fill up, I pull the wallet out, letting it dangle, run the card through, fill up… if the wallet was still dangling – I know I forgot to put the card back in. This was the first trip in which I didn’t have to thank my lucky stars that I didn’t lose my credit card.

Having a modular helmet for the last few months has been great. It’s flexibility really shined during this trip. It made my roadside stalking-about so much more pleasant. I’m not apt to take my helmet off, that’s just my way. Being able to flip up the chinbar while taking photos, filling up, using the restroom, or grabbing a drink was so much better! Plus, interior sunshade for the win.

My LL Bean convertible pants are the jam. They’re so lightweight, quick drying and have zip-off legs. I probably could’ve skipped taking 3 other articles of clothing because of these pants. When space is a premium, dropping a pair of jeans out of the mix makes a difference. I have them in black and feel like they are tidy and stylish enough to sit down in a restaurant without feeling like a total hobo.


Thanks for reading. Safe travels, friends!

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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4 Responses

  1. David says:

    Seats have come a long way since the first Bonneville seats in the 60s, unfortunately that was one of the styling features Triumph carried forward to the new generation. Yup, it’s hard as hell. I agree the Airhawk seat takes some getting used to – especially if you tend to ride “by the seat of your pants”. That little bit of give in the air pockets has caused me a few heart palpitations before I recalled what it was.
    LOL at the Love Butt.

  2. Steve says:

    On the Airhawk,Kriega and the convertible strides. All great kit.

  3. Shybiker says:

    Nice. I enjoy making small additions and adjustments to gear as experience teaches us how to improve our riding-condition. Fun to read about yours. I tried a modular helmet 7-8 years ago and will never go back. The protection of a full-face helmet with the convenience of a 3/4 when flipped up.

  4. Damn you and thank you for this post. Just as I thought I finally put to bed any notion of mounting my iPhone to my Vespa you come along with all the information necessary to make it happen. But thankfully, reading on, seeing the 666 sign as a reminder of the iPhone, and the wonderful photo of the GPS screen showing the route ahead on the phone, I was shocked back to the realization that I don’t want to see that while riding.

    So I’m safe again with iPhone in my pocket and taking my chances on routes with only an occasional glance at a map or phone. Thank you for saving me some cash.

    As always, your photos of your mosey through the world are wonderful. And the things you see — I fear I would miss them. I’m learning though. I saw a fabricated steel alligator along the road yesterday. Actually saw it. Now I just have to stop and make a photo in your honor. And passed two Mail Pouch barns.

    I’ll have to look into the Kriega bags. Could be something useful for me on overnight trips. Right now I used some waterproof bags from canoe trips. They’re functional. Barely.

    Look forward to seeing more of your rides.

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