Taking a road trip on a motorcycle can be a lot of fun, but a lot of people avoid it because they think well I can’t get enough stuff on my motorcycle. Well, here to dispel that myth we have Lindon Able from Rommell Harley Davidson in Annapolis. Welcome back to Goss’ garage.

LINDON ABLE: Thanks for having me Pat.

PAT GOSS: O.K., this myth about I can’t get enough stuff on my motorcycle.

LINDON ABLE: Well, I think people just want to carry too much stuff right? So it is a myth. There’s an old adage that says “saddle bags won’t carry everything that you want but they will carry everything that you need.” And I think this is especially important in the case of a road trip. So you need 3 categories of things. Clothing, obviously, it’s not that kind of road trip. But you just need fewer items than you think. There’s washing machines out there and you don’t need a fresh pair of jeans every day and so forth. So pack less, go for variety not quantity. You need riding gear so in the variety department same thing with riding gear you want to be protected and comfortable out on the road. So you’ll need a rain suit or something to keep you dry. You’ll need a vented jacket or something to keep you cool when it’s hot and layers to keep you warm when it gets cold outside, but you can carry plenty of that stuff within your saddle bags.

And then there’s other things, a tool kit, even if you’re not confident enough to use a tool kit you might run into a friendly stranger who might help you fix something if you have the tools to do it. A first aid kit. You know even if nothing serious happens, something to take care of bee stings and burns and things like that when you’re out in the elements. A quarter of oil with a paper funnel to keep from making a mess if you need to add some oil to your motorcycle. Things like that. And you can carry all of those things in a lot less space than you think.

PAT GOSS: O.K., now not every motorcycle is like a Harley and has the saddle bags.

LINDON ABLE:  Right, right

PAT GOSS: So you have a solution here.

LINDON ABLE: Well there’s lots of luggage example out there. This is one, it’s an excellent piece, but with a back rest and luggage rack or a back rest on your back seat you can put a nice piece of luggage that can carry things that can carry a lot of gear a lot of extra gear whther you have saddle bags or not.

PAT GOSS: O.K., now I noticed we have a big collection of stuff here.

LINDON ABLE: Yeah, so when I came in today all of these things and more fit inside my saddle bags and I had room to spare. People think it’s surprising but there’s plenty of room.

PAT GOSS: So it’s not as difficult as people think.

LINDON ABLE: No, and it’s epic, so if you have a motorcycle and you want to go see the country and you’ve been wringing your hands over “I don’t know how to do this” get out and ride it’ll be the greatest thing you ever did.

PAT GOSS: O.K. Lindon, thank you.  And if you have a question of a comment drop me a line right here at MotorWeek.