Not knocking anyone's techniques... but I've read this one before and never really understood it.
First of all, if underwear and socks are old enough to be tossed they get tossed, not retained until I go on a trip. Besides, I take too many trips to ever hope to accumulate such a large collection of ratty underwear and holey socks. Not like they take up all that much room.

To the OP... a one night trip doesn't take much planning.

 

the biggest problem is over packing.half the fun is figuring out what you really need to take with you.pack light and bring a water bottle.
if you need something you can buy it on the road.

 

+1 on laying out what you're taking and leaving 75% of it at home. GREAT idea and VERY true.

 

When I said "overnight trip", I meant I would be leaving on Thurs morning, riding and staying overnight Thurs night. Then riding Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, again staying in a motel each night, then riding to visit relatives Tues and Wed, drinking beer at the American Legion in Olean NY so need to at least smell somewhat presentable. I am riding with another group for 3 days, then solo for the other days.

 

So very well said!

 

Not something you need to sweat about too much. A few pairs of socks and drawers, a couple of t-shirts, a pair of 'clean' jeans for after the days ride, ditty bag, maybe runners if you don't want to wear boots all the time, rain gear, any spare parts you feel the need to carry and that pretty much covers it.

Pack the heavy stuff down low and the stuff you might need to get at in a hurry someplace accessible. Bag liners are great - use them.

Unless you're going to Outer Mongolia, you can always buy whatever you need and didn't bring. No big deal.

 

If you have a rack on your tourpack, get one of these.....



It's a T-Bags Space Saver. With nothing in it, you can compress it down to a very small package. Expanded, it holds an amazing amount of stuff. It fastens to the luggage rack with velcro strips and once mounted, is very secure. It comes with rain cover.

Here's a link to their website...

http://www.tbags.com/detail.aspx?ID=89&SelectedCat=4

 

Use the liner. Pack your clothes and toiletries into it. That way when you stop for the night, you just pull it out and go into the motel.

Worked for me--2 weeks, over 3k miles (VA to MI UP & back via back roads).

Tools/tent/camp stove & cookset in left bag; clothes & toiletries in liner in right bag; extra helmet, cold weather & rain gear in tour pack; sleeping pad strapped to top of tour pack rack, and sleeping bag in waterproof stuff sack strapped to rear seat.

Bike never felt unbalanced, and the couple times I stopped at a motel, it was nice to be able to just grab the bag liner out of the hard bag and go into the room.

 

Interesting place to stop for a beer, grew up in Olean, live in MD now, have not been back there in years. Have a safe ride.

 

I leave all my daily required stuff in the saddlebags all the time.(rain gear, sweat shirt, light jacket, differnt gloves, simple tools, etc.) On trips I'll put more bike stuff in the saddlebags, (bike cover,cleaning supplies etc) and there is still room in the bags for more junk. Then on trips the tour pack is just used for clothes and toiletries put in the liner. At the hotel the only thing I grab then is that bag out of the tour pack. Two-up we also use a bag on the tour pack rack. Have gone ten days two-up, no problems. Proves to the wife that she can travel light!