Offline
Hi, I have just read so many posts and have been taking notes .... This is an amazing site ...
My husband and I are planning to ride Route 66 in 2016... I have learnt so much and wish to thank everyone for commenting...
We are from New Zealand
My question is "what to take with you on a motorbike" ...
No Room!!!
We are hoping to buy a bike in U.S. But we can not take much... Please help , any fellow bikers out there
Offline
you just have to pack light. most times you don't take but three changes of clothes and hit the laundries as you go. depending on how much your going to ruff it determines what else you carry. get a bike with saddle bags, full faring, and trunk. there are hiding compartments in the faring and the saddle bags have more room than you think. let me know if I can be of any service to you. Come find me when you get to Joplin Missouri....innkeeper@joplin66hostel.org
Offline
Hey nzbiker2, My wife and I are planning a trip on Route 66 this summer. We will leave Chicago on July 23 and be in Phoenix AZ for a wedding on July 30th. When are you planning your trip? We'd love to meet up if you're riding the same dates!
Offline
Hi Dansing,
We will miss you ! We are leaving NZ on June 18 th and going to New York for 3 nights and then flying to Minneapolis, where we are hoping to buy a bike and then riding to Chicago about 25 th June .. And start the trip ...
My husband and I are so excited and have been reading everything we can about every Route 66..
We leave USA 21 July
It would have been good to meet up
Cheers
Offline
Hi Joplin 66hostel,
My husband has just laughed at me , we have been riding for a long while and he says what is different ....
Well .... Going half way round the world for a start ...
But we would love to call in and have a beer with you ..
We are so excited ... And a wee bit daunting ... Reading how you find your way on Route 66!!!!!
Cheers NZ biker2
Offline
Gosh, sorry to say we miss you both as my bloke and I are doing the route for our honeymoon but in August 2016. I too am looking at the top box and paniers on the Harley we have here (using a hired bike of similar type) and thinking crikey some of one panier has a bit of engine taking up the room. My endeavour is to lose a lot of weight in order to have really small clothes, hmmmn Easter is coming and with only 5 months to go..... plus reading about the amazing food venues there, Cozy Dog etc I don't hold out much hope.
Well am glued to this site for tips and already thinking 3 changes of clothes!!! arggh toiletries, a couple of info books, room for helmets in top box so we are not carrying them about with us, waterproofs (did I mention I am from England?), sun cream..... at least two pairs of shoes!!!!
again any tips regarding weather we will go through...and things like should we bring towels? and can you get wash liquid in the laundries or do you have to carry that with you? Are there regular loo stops when on the open road? (Don't ..... I am not very outdoorsey). Would be very much appreciated.
Offline
The July and August temperatures for the southwestern states; Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, will average around 94º F. Temperatures of 100º F are not unsual in July in Oklahoma and Texas. The temperature in the Mojave Desert area be close to 100º F in July and August. When stopping at rest stops in the southwest be aware that rattlesnakes seek out shade during the hot days. Some of the rest stops will have signs warning of snakes in the area.
Happy travels. I used to ride a bike and I miss it. I don't trust my reaction time enough to ride now. 🙁
Offline
Be prepared to lose some power in the higher altitudes. A fuel-injected bike will at least run better than a carb'ed bike. A carb'ed bike will run rich in the lower density air. Not enough to worry about in terms of modifying the air/fuel mixture or anything since you won't be there long but you will also just be down on power generally, even with an FI bike.
Offline
Instead of buying a bike, you can rent one or rent one with touring set up in advance. Look at Eagle Rider for ideas. They are separate from the H/D ownership, but are often located in H/D dealerships. Not cheap, but well located and supported financially, so not likely to disappear.
Offline
Pity we will miss you ..... coming from across the ditch from you guys woulda been cool to ride together in the USA ..... We leave Australia on the 11th May into Detroit and ending our trip 7th July from LA ..... we are getting married 4th July on Santa Monica beach as a great ending to a great trip .......
Offline
To Maureen,
I have just packed my little saddle bag , and have rolled all My t-shirts only 4 ,2 shorts, 2 pants , we are wearing mesh jackets with waterproof liners , we also have polypropylene as warm which roll very small.. We only have 2 weeks left . So getting excited now . Had friends who have been over there in ARizona 31 plus temp , so hott Sr. In July I suspect .. Have a fantastic time
Offline
Ha ha, left a reply earlier on your Excited post.
And well you must be going so soon.
Have left you lots of questions before seeing this post, thank you so much for pre R66 tips.
Can’t wait for all your advice post R66 trip.
Enjoy the adventure!!!
Thanks again
Maureen
Offline
Maureen said:
Again any tips regarding weather we will go through…and things like should we bring towels?
Hi, guys! I’m not a biker, so I can’t offer much advice about that, but I can show you some things about summer weather in the Southwestern US.
[ I'm testing Imgur codes, so please bear with me ]
Early Summer is dry and pretty hot, but our rainy season will kick in some time after June 15th. Moisture will get drawn up over the Southwestern US from the south, resulting in afternoon thunderstorms. Where I live, in Albuquerque, the rainy season usually gets going sometime around July 4th.
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge
From NWS El Paso
Offline
Here are some clickable thumbnail images from NWS Albuquerque -- pretty hot weather today, and some moisture moving north this weekend.
Offline
From the Albuquerque NWS Home Page, here are a couple things that you might like to look at:
Monsoon Awareness Week - June 12-17 Some good information here. Flash flooding is a very real danger in the Southwest, particularly during the “monsoon” season.
And here are today’s weather graphics from NWS Albuquerque (clickable thumbnails)
Offline
Hi to "JoeInABQ from Alburquerque
Thank you for all your weather reports , they are very informative ... We will have to check in with people along the way , like we are staying in motels so hopefully people will help out with the weather , people have told us to be careful in the desert...
Will only 6 days left... Have packed , clothes, 3 changes , sunscreen, 1 pair sanders , a hat ....have read my 2 books on Route 66 Tom Snyder and Drew Knowles ADventure Handbook.. But a friend was going to the US so have got the EZ 66 guide plus maps on each state ..emptied the cameras ready to take loads of photos... We are so excited now..
Offline
NZBiker2 am counting down the days for you!!!
JoeInABQ many thanks will study those links, and hope that the monsoon season will be over by the end of August! Didn't even think to check and just assumed 'abroad' would be sunny and dry all the way in that month, though the film Wizard of Oz suggests different in Kansas!
Am going to look up the types of weather links for the other states on R66 to see if they can inform what we take, and what we might encounter.
very much appreciated.
Maureen
Offline
We are beginning our Oklahoma to San Francisco trip in a week. Following much of 66 to Santa Monica, then up to San Francisco to see our son and daughter-in-law. On the way back we will be checking out some of the sites that we by passed on the way out. I just checked the forecast for the desert area. We will be going through there on the 23rd. The temp is forecasted to be 115°F (46°C). Probably be even hotter on our way back.
Glad to be riding in an automobile with air conditioning.
Offline
I hope you all have a great time on your upcoming Route 66 trips! Dennis1949 mentioned that there is some very hot weather expected this weekend, so here are some more weather graphics below. (clickable thumbnails)
Maureen said:
Am going to look up the types of weather links for the other states on R66 to see if they can inform what we take, and what we might encounter.
Maureen, I’d suggest that you look at the National Weather Service website. There’s so much information available – just click on the map.
Offline
thank you so much JoeInABQ, have bought factor 50 only!!! oh, and do you know if insect repellent will be needed? ABQ? Albuquerque?
would you say to just check that link a couple of weeks beforehand and then when out there?
thanks again.
Maureen
