"One last thought...keep your sleeping bag on the bike when you are not sleeping in it. If you ever get caught in a Black Hills hail storm, you will understand why. And you will be wanting to buy me a beer for that advice if you get caught in hail, in the middle of nowhere."

Shooter5074 what a great piece of advice . I am in the early stages of planning my ride to Sturgis . One of the many things I have been thinking about is what can I do to protect myself and my bike (mostly my bike) if I am caught out in a hail storm . Problem solved. Thanks

 

Funny thing is, every time I go to the Black Hills (I go the week before the rally.... I hate lines), I get caught in heavy rain and sometimes hail. The 2010 hail was terrifying........

176 days and the wife and I will be heading there yet again. It's like a quest to have a week in the sacred hills......................

WITHOUT GETTING DUMPED ON

 

I use a Saddleman's back seat bag and a luggage rack that mounts to the sissy bar. Went on a 1 week bike trip and had plenty of room.
Larry

 

pack a rain suit for sure . bed roll and small tent cpl changes clothing some cold gear, temps can drop close to freezing at night ocasionaly even in summer. pack clothing in ziplock bags to keep them dry,lots and lots of bungee cords you don't want any gear to suddenly shift causing an imbalance and a crash

 

Check out threeharleyguys.com web site they posted some info on packing for a trip, used there info before was pretty good.

 

Shooter where do you stay in Rapid City? I been researching places in Custer, Deadwood, etc and prices kinda crazy.

I'm looking at going to Sturgis the week before actual event from Central Texas this year after getting back from Afghan.

 

I'm not sure where you're staying. Almost all of the campgrounds have daily U.P.S dropoffs these days. For years I've been shipping a lot of my stuff in an old Coleman cooler wrapped in fiber tape. You can pack a lot in there and have it waiting for you when you arrive. Dump out the clothes and fill with ice & Beer. When its time to head home pack up the cooler and U.P.S. it home. A no brainer!

 

Before my first trip a good number of years ago I purchased a used T-Bag that had the pocket that fit over my passenger back rest. It was the expandable version, and was/is very versitile. I usually went solo, so I'd pack it and let it rest on the passenger seat, and I'd use it as a back rest. I could then strap stuff down to the rack I had on the back (this was a FLSTF). I could also just pick up the bag and take the whole thing into my tent/motel room. And, a trash bag served as a raincoat for my T-Bag. Best practical investment I made for long trips.

 

A couple of tie-down straps to help lash all of the stuff securely to the bike can be useful if you or a bud ever find the need to put a bike on a trailer or truck.
Captsluggo