Basic Supply List for a 14 - 20 day trip cross country USA

Any advice on what to pack for a cross country trip across the US in the spring/summer season. Staying in hotels, so no outdoor equipment necessary. In terms of tools, what is a must to have and also what is good to have if I have the room?

Thanks alot    

Recommend you consult your owners manual.  As an example, my manual tells me what I have to do to remove a tire plus the tools required.  So, a review will help you figure out what tools are needed.

Other than tools, here some other considerations.  What is your plan in case you and/or your bike become disabled during the trip? Roadside assistance? Money set aside for contingencies?

As others have stated, you're out in the elements.  How will you dress when it's 95, blazing sun and stuck in traffic?  Prepared for rain? If you run in cold weather, what will you have?

Access to rest areas or other road-side stops may not be convenient.  Carry toilet paper in a zip lock bag and perhaps bring along anti-bacterial moist towel wipes to take care of "less-than-clean" toilet facilities.

Happy motoring!  Vince.  

In '06 I did 3k in 2 weeks, so, here's my take. Those compression sacks are good. You can squish your clothes (and dirty laundry in a separate bag) down by 25%.

You do the laundry, and replace the fresh stuff.
On the what to wear, I'd look at something like a FlexII jacket. Not much to store, last trip, I had a cortech, and a mesh jacket, always had a full jacket served up on the handlebar.  

For tools, I carry the tools I use to do all the routine maintenance. Whatever tools you actually use, are the tools you should carry. Pay particular attention to any tools that are needed to adjust the things like the handlebars and levers. You'll probably find that the position you have things in for local riding isn't quite where you want them to be for hours on the road. The first day of a trip always sees minor adjustments being done on my bikes to fine tune the riding position.

I usually carry one set of decent clothing for setting in a restaurant after stopping for the day, several days of underwear, but only one set of outer wear for riding. The outer wear gets filthy the first day, but you shower and change as soon as you get a room, so it doesn't matter. A couple small ziplock baggies with premeasured laundry soap powder in them. Plan on washing everything you aren't wearing, at one time every 4 or 5 days. The bathing suit that keeps you out of jail when you go to the pool, also doubles as something to wear when all your clothes are in the washer.

Leather is fine for local riding, but textiles are much better on the road. It only takes about three days to start growing fuzzy white stuff if you can't keep your leather dry. If you end up taking several trips a year, leather boots and gloves need replacing annually.

Pack everything on the bike a week before your trip, then do all the routine maintenance and live out of what you packed for that week. You'll quickly discover what you can and can not do without. Practice going over the bike quickly, checking for loose stuff. Some parachute cord, duct tape and a couple extra bungies don't take up much space but they may become indespensible if something wants to fall off.

regards,
Joe  

bring alcohol if you are planning on going through Utah...

That includes beer or wine...  

What??? you mean having alcohol  ain't a given? Ok, I've been in hotels that told you if they found alcohol in your room, you were going to be charged for what the hotel would have charged you... if they had it.

If you are on the road for a couple weeks, I'd suggest packing a little vial of Nik-wash. It's designed for the high tech fabrics and most of the outdoor places carry it. It will get the bug guts off the jacket, and the sweat out of the jacket pits. Pre-measure one load, and pack in. After a week or so, you may welcome the breath of freshness. BTW, for a lot of jackets, Nik Wax is a really good waterproofing agent. Do that one at home... the jacket needs to be clean... and wet.