Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125704
The Essential Touring, Camping Rider '" ." '" c. ;: '" M . c' ..., ~ w Z W ...J U > u By Charles Clayton - . Headin down that long lonesome highway bound for the .mountains and the pillins. Sure ain't nothin here gonna tie me and I got some friends I'd like to see again. - Bronson's Song My motorcycle is the ticket to freedom, adventure, change. Like when the pressures of publishing get tough. I toss a few things in my knapsack, check out my best bike and get in the wind, as they say. Now, I have nothing against cars, I own several. But I don't think they should be compulsory. For fast acting, long lasting relief, give me a cycle, and a ride like up Highway I, on the rugged rim of the west. "Then came Bronson" says it all. All but the details which I can provide. A , typical episode shows the character as he rides "that long lonesome" and camps in the woods somewhere, off the road. This is what I do and judging from the numbers of people I see wearing knitted watch caps (Bronson hats) riding bedroll-festooned motorcycles these days, so do a lot of others all of a sudden. To them I dedicate this article. WHAT TO RIDE Motorcycles are versatile tools, all righ t. But certain ones are better for certain jobs. You can ride a Hodaka to Alaska and back, it's been done. But it's like sawing lumber with a W' drill. Any machine u350" or bigger can be a touring bike. Forget the highest perfonnance models. They pay a heavy price in wear and tear for their brief, incredible speed. They are fine for around town but not reliable enough for ex tended touring. We didn't· say a touring machine should be tame. A healthy handful of instant power held in reserve is good insurance when the inevitable clod tries to deck you with his ,car. Many people swear by the virtues of Harley-Davidson (you can get spare parts from any tractor s'tOre) or BMW (dependable, smooth, comfortable) but I prefer a dash of spirit in my mounts and so keep coming back to the big vertical twins. The new 3·cylinders by BSA and Triumph also make good tourers but weigh a little too much, as does tbe Honda 4. This makes thelJk'no fun at alI off the pavement. "Your special advantage is the experience of uncertainty, which you buy at a bargain rate. Uncertainty keeps you on the qui vivre, the best stance for seeing and learning. You don't know who you'll meet, what experiences you'll have, which places you'll see off the rut, 'what things you'll learn that aren't in t.he guidebooks (this one included). A nd despite the difficulties, getting started and keeping going is not that hard. Your troubles will usually offer you no alternative but to cope with them. And you do." -Hitch-hiking In Europe Folding sterno stove costs $1.25, extra can of fuel 25 cents. Good for areas where open fires are taboo. Aluminum cookware kit includes fry pan, bowl, covered pot and plastic cup for 95 cents at most camping stores. 2 cooking pots. Canteen and fitted aluminum cup. Toilet paper. Safety razor. Soap and towel. 35mm camera and film. Notepad and pen. Folding Sterno stove. Salt and pepper. Dried soups. Canned stew. Dry grains and fruit. Coffee and tea. Change of underwear and sox for each day on the road. Clean clothes (long sleeved shirt, warm pants) . Fork & spoon. Generous flask of brandy. Halizone tablets. All together the bag and contents weigh just 19 Ibs. Some light travelers point out that the fork is redundant. F or a hiker, whose every ounce must be paid for with energy, I agree. But motorcycle travel allows a degree of civilization along for the ride. The fork is a nice luxury in an otherwise basic -kit, the b.randy is handy to perk up your spirits when the cold rain falls and you have to press on. No·cost sissy bar was fashioned by cutting loop from Hodaka front fender brace and In my pockets I carry a clasp knife, bolting to 4 holes drilled in seat frame. matches, tobacco, money, credit cards, drivers license, ownership papers, handkerchief, lip salve, peppermints, A recent ride I took froO'\ Long Beach and weight of everything is determined and sunglasses. Cans are opened with to the San Francisco peninsula (800 by its usefulness. My pack contains the pocket knife. Food in addition to miles return) occupied a leisurely 3 days I sleepinR baR and canvas cover the stuff in the sack is purchased fresh and brought out front many of the techniques and tools I have along to cope with "experiences." TRAVEL LIGHT Preparing for the trip is part of the fun. I limit my pack to essential gear, plus a few luxuries. My latest sleeping bag is a disposable paper thing, good for 5 to 7 nights, then you burn it to cook your last outdoor breakfast. It cost $5.00, takes a little space and was adequate for 35 degree nights. Nylon/down bags are better, take up the same space and are reuseable. But they cost upwards of $40. If I were on an extended trip, like Bronson, I would probably want one. Nearly everything that goes into the sack has at least two uses, like the sleeping bag, and the size