Looks like you guys had a good time. Hope to make the ride myself next year. Will need to trim the old windshield to make fit with apes. I am not far from you...about 60 miles south of Strasburg. Good pics.

 

wet weather gear (not even kidding, after this trip, I invested in a kickass set of harley wet weather gear, and it is totally worth the $$$)
jacket
a few long sleeve shirts (you are going to buy PLENTY of shirts when you get to sturgis, trust me.)
a change of pants
shoes that wont soak all the way through.
socks and underwear can be sparingly, because you can buy them while you commute, and toss the old ones!
the tent and sleeping bag are easy to carry along on the bike, and having a phone charger is a life saver. I had the 12v charger coupler that just piggybacked into my battery tender. 6 bucks at batteries plus.
at least 2 pairs of gloves.
bio wipes (for those "special" moments)
rain covers, or trash bags for any additional luggage that needs covering
a pillow (i used one of those little horseshoe looking things for airplanes. worked like a charm)
bandanas/rags to cover your face, there is LOTS of road debris and bugs that will find their way into any and all crevices on your face. do yourself a favor, and cover those holes!
a small toolkit, leatherman, or something of the sort. changing bulbs in the middle of the night can happen, and when you have to go looking for someone with a philips head or an allen wrench, youre gonna be bummed.
LOTS OF SUNSCREEN! holy **** i was so close to being as leathery as my saddle bag for riding just 9 days. I dont usually use lots of sunscreen, because I tan well, and dont burn easy. but about 4 days in after feeling like my skin was creaking from movement, it was time to lube up.

well, theres most of the important stuff. if you have saddles, utilize them for the necessities, and bungee cord your tent and sleeping bag to the bike somewhere. underneath the front headlight works really well. DONT OVER PACK EITHER!!! I packed way too much **** the first time. I found that out the hard way when I wanted to stuff more shirts in that I bought. there is nothing wrong with wearing the shirts you buy at sturgis. its a bike rally, not a fashion show.

also, carry loads of 1$ bills. you have no idea how much this will actually save you. the convenience of having a few dollar bills ready to go for anything like tolls, cash only gas stations, knick knacks and doo dads and anything else you can think of is great. 50$ in ones will get you farther faster than 3 20's you need to split up all the time. oh, and dont buy **** bungee cords either, or else you could find your gear in the middle of I-80 doing flips at 90mph.....

 

Great frigging write-up and I love ur responses to tone many questions. Thanks for sharing.
Poor fritz!

 

yeah dude, its not a bad ride at all! I had a blast the entire time. this year I think im gonna go up through Canada and come down through yellowstone. If youre looking for people to ride with, let me know! we usually have a group of 5 or 6 bikes that leave from the DC area, and then meet up with plenty of people out that way. youre more than welcome to tag along with the group!

 

thanks 4 sharin someday i think a big trip is planned for hdforum riders
and the hawaii crew

 

Ay, thanks for sharin the pics, delaforce, and the great info. I know a lot of people appreciate it, including myself. I can tell you had a blast. Can't wait til I can make that trip

 

thanks for the pics man... i missed it this year..looking at your pics makes me regret not going again lol. I actually grew up in one of the cities you stayed in (Michigan City).

How was the ride on that deluxe all the way out there? I got an 06 deluxe and was debating on riding it out next year. First years I rode my dads electra glide, so I had no complaints lol...

 

Man...I'm re-living my trip out there looking at your pics...rode from western mass..had a blast I'll never forget that epic trip! Thanks for sharing!

 

Great pics! How many total tickets did your buddy end up getting? Lmao!

 

Great pics thnx for sharing!

As for the speeding stories - share away and ignore the people that want to lecture you lol (most of that will only happen in the main forum anyhow, not in here)