I wear the leather and bring a light duffel to pack them and the boots in at night.

 

+1 on night riding. back in october i was in the neighboring state, hour and a half ride. didnt leave until about midnight, when i road up originally it was 60's with sun, beautiful day. it was 33 and windy on the ride back. my entire body was numb to the bone.

 

All great ideas - Zip lock bags a must - One thing I did not see is roll all your clothes and rubber band them in a tight tube. You can pack all kinds of stuff. As for the bike, as stated, basic tool kit. Also, just in case, take a few extra fuses. If you have some kind of mini LED head lamp that clamps onto your ball cap. Never know when you need some extra light. Better to bring it and not need or use it than to need it and not have it. No matter what, have a great time, be safe and share your adventure when you get back.

 

if your crossing in montreal and going to gaspee bring warm clothing cause its colder the closer you get to the sea.

best store to buy what you need canadien tire or walmart, it has tools, clothing and food.
the water is good take it from me i live here.
for hotels try best western they will give you a discount if you are a hog member, lots of small hotels all along the roads. only if your going to gaspee will you need to have reservation since its a highly touristic place.
same if your going to ontario lots of road side hotels and same store canadien tire and walmart, and good water to.

have a good and safe ride

 

Thanks for the advice! The more we plan the more it looks like we are going to head towards Quebec City through VT and then head back south through ME and NH back into Mass. We had some thought of stopping in Montreal, but we're not sure if that is a motorcycle friendly place to be with 20 plus riders.

 

I'm thinking "red & white" = USA. We have American & ALR flags on our bike so guess we should take them off if we cross the border.

 

There is always Google

 

tire repair kit

 

Each tour that I go one, I take less than the one before. My first big trip (9K) i packed a 2/4/6 amp charger, a spare battery, service manual, atlas, extra cloths and far too many tools.

Now I just take several days of old t-shirts, underwear, socks and pants and throw them away each night. Then stop and buy cheap Walmart stuff for another few days and throw that away. Only the most basic tools and the small ride atlas that HOG sends each year.

The essentials include one good rain gear set. A pair of light gloves and one pair of heavy water proof gloves. Credit card and cell phone. I don't think that I even need the tourpack anymore.

I usually ride with my sons and that first big ride after I retired we found that we all had some of the same stuff. Now we coordinate and each has something that will serve all.

 

We all have a tendency to overpack for trips. Yoy wear one set of clothes and pack for 3 days. Always a laundry available so you don't overpack clothes. Have your bike checked and possible oil change 1-2 weeks before your trip and mechanically you should be safe. Tire repair kit for a flat and minimal tools should do it.
Make sure you have your passport, maps, money, credit cards. Always chaps and warm jacket. Prefer clothes that dry quick so I wear lightweight cotton or rayon trousers vs jeans that stay wet for hours.

I have traveled USA and Canada for 40 years and the key is pack light and have fun!