Great info for lady motorcyclists! (as far as I think so, anyway!)

Do you LOVE carrying a PURSE on a ride, but freak out that it’s gonna fly off when riding, or takes up too much room in a tank bag/saddlebag? Get one of those traveler-neck pouches that we use whenever we go ashore on a cruise, the ones that go under your shirt. I have a Samsonite Royal Traveller. It folds into 3’s (like a regular wallet), have a velcro closure, with a long enough cord (they have adjustable ones), it can be bandolero-slung around your neck across your chest & under your opposing arm, and can go under your top item of clothing i.e jacket or vest, or even ‘round your neck under your tops like how we wear it while traveling. Probably ‘round your neck & down your tops if it’s hot/summertime: if winter & cold & if you wear thermal T-necks, then slung across your body under your jacket. It’ll still carry your credit /debit /insurance cards, money, a pen, some paper, bandaids, ID.


What can you put in one of those ‘Traveler under clothing neck pouches’?
· ID
· Vehicle/health/credit/debit cards
· Pen
· Paper
· Bandaids (if possibility of heel blisters)
· Money
· I have a little jewelry baggie for a day’s worth of pills in it-my regular meds (except the ‘controlled substances’-those go in their original bottles under my seat where the tool kit and registration is-more on that area later), some aspirins, couple of cough drops & mints.
· For extra room, I, I scan the fronts in, 4 at a time then the same 4 back sides, then insert them into a word doc & print with the fronts and backs on both sides, then cut ‘em out, fold & stick into the pouch.


TOOL KIT #1-The leather bag mounted on the handlebars. I actually call it my Makeup Bag because this is SO good for makeup and those helmet extender/holder thingys for putting more than 1 helmet on your helmet lock. I put in a tube of lip gloss (doesn’t leak out or melt if hot), mascara, a small travel brush, hair ties, banana hair clip and a doo-rag in a baggie. The nice thing is that as SOON as you take off your helmet, the brush is right there with a mirror (the rear view ones, dorkbreath!). If I’m stopped at a light that I know will be a long one, I can take off a glove, take the lip gloss out, put it on, put the gloss back then put the glove back on. Takes practice. CAVEAT-unless you have one of those modular full-face helmets that you can lift the jaw part off, you CAN’T put on lip gloss with a full face! Another CAVEAT-if you wash your bike and use the hose, TAKE EVERYTHING OUT OF THIS LEATHER BAG!


TOOLKIT #2 (actually a toolkit AREA)
On my bike, I have a small space down from my seat, on the left side of the bike that has a locking front cover. This is where my actual toolkit is, along with my registration. This area is BIG ENOUGH for me to put the following items:
· Toolkit that came with the bike (comes in handy when one of the guys asks for it. Me, I’ve only used it to tighten my rear view mirror when my bike tipped over and screwed up my mirror.)
· Meds that NEED to be in their bottles i.e ‘controlled substances’ such as Adderall or IBU 800. I always keep leftover extra bottles for traveling purposes, and only put in 1-2 pills.
· Flashlight (and I check to see if it works before each ride)
· Glow sticks
· Bungee cords to lash things down or to use as a belt for the trash bag-raincoat
· Extra lighter pair of MC gloves (if necessary-if it’s winter/cold, I’ll be bringing my tank bag and can put them in there)
· Visors that are el-cheapo from the 99 cent store
· Small thingy of duct tape
· Largish trash bag rolled up, it can be used to put over you in case of rain

In a largish baggie:
· Registration
· Photocopies of the front and back of medical insurance and AAA cards
· Actual vehicle insurance card that supposed to stay with the vehicle
· Mini-pad
· Bobby pins & hair tie
· Money, not much & in different denominations, just enough to buy lunch and a tank of gas, plus maybe $5 extra (so that’d be around $30 tops)
· Change in case of metered parking
· Sunscreen stick (like a glue stick)
· A small pocket knife combo thingy
· Bandaids
· Business cards inside a first aid reminder fold-out
· AnOTHER thing of lip gloss plus some undereye concealer and eyeliner stick
· Paper, pencil, pen
· Latex gloves in case I gotta do something on the bikeExtra batteries for the flashlight


TANKBAG CONTENTS AND STORAGE:
A tankbag is a MUST for the girl biker: more storage space! (especially if you DON’T have saddlebags)
You may ask, “Lynne, WHAT can I take or keep in my tankbag? Is it REALLY that great?”
OMG, HELL YES, especially since we’re used to purses and keeping all kinds of shit!!! You can use it for:
· Makeup (more better makeup vs the bare minimum in the makeup bag on the handlebars), moisturizer, sunblock
· Brush, hairspray, banana clip, hat, doo-rag
· Meds
· Extra sunglasses, glasses
· Cellphone batteries, camera batteries, camera storage cards
· Food, water
· Small first aid kit (I carry a bigger one, but that’s a fanny-pack specific to motorcycle accidents)
· Bungee cords (I keep my spider bungees in them)
· If I DO bring a bigger purse, it can go into that.
FIRST CAVEAT-read the FREAKIN’ INSTRUCTIONS! I had NO CLUE for about 18 months that a tankbag works best when the one end IS ATTACHED TO THE STEERING COLUMN OF THE BIKE. It can be snapped on or kept on permanently, but IT NEEDS TO BE ATTACHED IN THE FRONT. I will say one word and you will understand…WIND. The wind, especially any cross winds, or if you don’t have a windscreen, will LIFT THAT SUCKER OFF, magnets or no magnets. This is NOT a good thing when you’re trying to maneuver in wind conditions, much less when you need your left hand to hold down your tankbag to keep it from flying up and off.
I like my bigger tankbag because, believe it or not, it also gives my inner thighs a break from the cold wind that comes under my windscreen.

I have three tankbags-
1. The smallest one is Cargo Basics; it’s a small version of the traditional tankbag, has magnetized flaps, a main zippered compartment, an outside stiff zipper compartment for a cellphone or a camera with Velcro to keep the item from falling out when you unzip it, two side zipper ‘pockets’ that are at least the size of an extra pair of sunglasses, a shoulder strap accessory to turn the tankbag into a purse, inside zippered netting area, and a top handle. It’s pretty neato for day rides if you don’t want to take a purse but want to take more than the Traveler Wallet, but ONLY IF you’re riding and not shopping OR your bungee cords in another part of your bike can handle any extra shit, IF you’re going with a significant other who has saddlebags (or someone in the group who lives by you and can take your shit in their saddlebags) and IF the weather remains constant so that you don’t have to shed clothes. I have actually put my spider bungee inside the main compartment, just in case.
I can put my cellphone, business cards, insurance info, a pen & pencil, some paper, a few makeup things, plus a smallish wallet inside. It won’t take my long ‘ladies’ wallet so I have to be creative re: how to keep that stuff in there.

My two bigger tankbags both have the following features :
· One main zipper area
· 2 side zipper ‘pockets’ big enough for a couple pair of glasses & other stuff
· A top zipper area that’s clear for a map or whatever you NEED to have on top to see
· The ability to become a backpack
· Bottom zipper area
· Inside area on the cover for stuff
· Handle on top
· Attachment thingys to attach the damn thing to the steering area.

2. The larger one’s make is ICON and kept its shape for a couple of months, now has become kinda, well, shapeless because of all the shit I’ve stuffed into it over time, and the magnets don’t work as well as they did. It’s the biggest tankbag and in addition to the above features, ‘telescopes’ upward if I need it to & can carry a helmet if needed. It’s good for longer hauls where I need more area for stuff and for shopping items, for my jacket or clothing if I decide to shed. THIS IS WHY LAYERS /LAYERS /LAYERS are good for clothing choices-they can be shed & stored vs. one or two BIG whompin’ jacket/sweatshirt combos. This tankbag WILL take my biggest jacket, although I gotta do some creative ‘stuffing’ and the bag comes up to my chest area when stuffed. Sometimes I’ll just ‘spider bungee’ the whole sucker to the back of my bike. Since the whole bag has a ‘looser’ construction feel to it vs. a ‘stiffer’ feel, the clear area can take more than a piece of paper or a thin thing of gum. I usually put in some extra sunglasses & my cell phone in there. A bad thing can be that it’s a bit unwieldy to turn into a backpack then stuff the shoulder pieces back into its little area. If you have heavier stuff to put in there, it can mean a really bottom-heavy, loose backpack, PLUS if you turn, you can nail somebody. The final iffy thing is that the clear area isn’t big enough for an 8 ½ X 11 sheet of paper so you have to fold the edges a little of your paper.

3. The last one is a Cargo Endurance, a little smaller and stiffer, holds the shape better (so far, anyway), is in fact squarer and is a little bit better engineered. I notice that the Cargo line has stiffer tankbags. It’s a newer bag for me and apparently they listened to riders because it is easier to use. The entire bag zips off its base and the base can stay on the tank. The bag’s shoulder straps are then exposed for the backpack feature. The base also has that clear plastic piece, so you could just use the base piece for traveling. The clear parts on the main bag and the base are big enough for an 8 ½ x 11 piece of paper, BUT are NOT good for something bulky like a pair of sunglasses, probably because it’s not a flexible or ‘loose’ as the ICON bag.


MORE GENERAL TIPS AND TRICKS:
· 24 Hours Between Bottle and Throttle.
· If you’re wearing your ‘colors’ vest or a jacket that you’re probably not gonna take on/off, I put my debit card for gas fill ups in my inside zippered pocket. Easy to get to, easy to store, just take off your gloves, reach inside your vest, slide it in & out, replace, done.
· On that note, if you’re going an extended distance on your bike (out of state, etc), might be a good idea to call your bank & let them know where you’re going. It’s a total bummer to try to get gas, get a msg to go inside, have to pay with cash or another credit card so you have dig thru your purse for another one, while all the time you have to go potty and/or the group leader/your significant other is waiting, waiting, WAITING.
· I always bring extra sunglasses, extra reading glasses and a pair of those sunglasses ‘readers’. I also have an extra pair of clear glasses for those times I wear a ½ helmet after dark and I HAVE to wear glasses. Sunglasses for riding, reading glasses for restaurants, and sunglass ‘readers’ for walking around town. Problem is, they don’t make cheap sunglass MOTORCYCLE readers. I know, too much shit.
· If you usually keep stuff in your front pants pockets while riding, and you go to buy leathers, HINT-regular generic leathers will usually have a long, deep pocket. These are handy and can hold lots of stuff EXCEPT that the leathers look like SHIT on your body. They’re functional and THAT’S IT. If you go shopping for ‘girl’ leathers, a) your local Harley shop will have lots of great chaps for our types of figures, b) wear the jeans you usually wear then try on chaps. Then try to put stuff in your pockets. You may find out that the chaps COVER your jeans’ pockets. Like I found out. I’d usually keep money and a lip gloss in my front pocket, but I can’t GET to my pockets now, and c) when you have the chaps on, TRY TO MAKE THE MOTION OF UNDOING THE CHAPS AND YOUR PANTS AS IF YOU HAD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM. This is the BIGGEST CAVEAT I can tell you. THE BIGGEST. Time is of the ESSENCE. Who has been at a gas station waiting to fill up (I don’t know about you, but I’m a lot of times in the last group towards the back), finally fill up, have to RUN to the potty then try to get ALL that stuff off before you wet your panties? AND the whole group is getting impatient, wondering ‘where IS she?’. Of COURSE you’re in the group with the gruffest, most time-conscious leader in the whole State. ‘Nuff said.
· Learn to take on/put in/take off your inside jacket lining. Learn what it feels like/the difference in warmth. Do it before you go on a ride.
· For keeping your MC key handy & not lose it, in my makeup bag (I’m just gonna call that leather bag on the handlebars my ‘makeup bag’) I have that helmet holder metal thingy & have a carabiner on it. I snap off the carabiner & put my regular MC key on it then snap it to my jeans loop or purse. I also use a bungee type of thing attached to my MC key. It doesn’t do that much scratching on the side of the ignition area and I’d RATHER the scratching vs. lose the damn key, especially since I can’t get to my front pockets anymore. (But the chaps DO look SEXY with the lace in the back leg area-it was SOOO WORTH IT!)
· I also bring an extra set of lighter gloves-sometimes your heavy ones are too hot and/or get sweaty which makes them HELL to get off and on, so I just bring an extra set. Glove liners can help with the sweat too, but again, they can make you hot.
· If your hands are cold EVEN with your best cold-weather gloves and glove liners (like if you’re on a longer ride with no hope soon of thawing out by dipping your hands into a hot pot of coffee), take some latex gloves and put them over the glove liners but under the regular gloves. Will make you more comfy.
· There is NO CURE for helmet hair. I even went thru wigs that might’ve staying on my head when the helmet comes off. Hope you look cute in a doo-rag or with a hat on.
Ok, ok, I DID come close to looking ok with helmet hair. This was only with a full-face and medium to longish hair, plus a TON of extra makeup to draw attention away from my hair. I brushed my hair up, secured it with a banana clip and a couple of hairpins. When I got ready to put on my helmet, I brought the banana clip down to my neck area and put the helmet on. The banana clip stayed on and kept my hair from flying and tangling. When I stopped, I took the helmet off, got the brush really quickly outta my makeup bag, rebrushed my hair, put it up with the banana clip and replaced the bobby pins. It only worked for the first 4 stops, though, before my bangs started protesting and going straight on me. Probably better to bring a hat. I can NEVER figure out how to do that damn doo-rag plus it’s hell to put my hair up into it. The doo-rag can be good for hotter days when there is NO WAY your hair will even come CLOSE to looking good after it comes outta your helmet. Unless you bring a hat. So practice with the doo-rag. I don’t know how guys do it.
· If your helmet is starting to get kinda loose & you only realize it while on a ride, put on a a doo-rag. It’ll help keep the helmet a little bit snugger and doable until you can put in more padding or get another helmet. That’s why I grudgingly take a doo-rag; if the helmets feel like they’re getting loose (especially in hotter weather), I don’t want that loose-fitting sucker catching the wind and snapping my head back. You can get solid colors really cheaply at your local swap meet. I keep some white ones in Ziploc bags, otherwise they get dirty.
· A ‘spider bungee’ is a bungee cord that has 8 hooks on it and will completely ‘bungee’ something to your back seat or whatever you want to attach something to. Very handy to have when 2 bungees will crush the life out of anything you want to hold down. I’ve actually brought home a huge whole pie on the back seat of my bike with a spider bungee and some creative box-packaging.
· Long earrings will work ok with helmets-just gotta try ‘em out first. They may ‘bug’ when wearing a ½ helmet. They also take the focus away from helmet hair. Having a great body does too.