Whats in your tank bag?

I looked and looked and did not see this covered already. Now that I am riding longer distances, I plan a little more carefully and thought I would share the things I take along in case of emergancy or just plain neccesity. Hopefuly others can share as well, maybe get some good ideas for some basic items that everyone should carry. I will start it out next post.

 

Well lets see here. I have a:
pen and a tiny pad of paper. The sticky notes kind.

A small towel, bout the size of a dish towell. I have used it to wipe the rain off of my seat after it started sprinkling when I was in a store, much better then riding home with a wet butt! Also could be useful for other things.

My new bike needs a screw driver to remove my seat and thats where I keep my insurance and registration, not too mention its never bad to have a screw driver, or prying device handy

I saw this on the net before, so I am adding this to my essentials - paper towels soaked in windex and sealed air tight in a ziplock bag. Very nice way to get rid of bug fatalities -Yes I know you shouldnt use wood derived products on your shield but this is for in a pinch

Also thinking of adding a small peice of wood to help my kickstand out in mud or gravel

I carry a prepaid cellphone, so I can call in an emergancy without having to bring my regular cellphone and be bothered by people that dont have my prepaid number

And that is my essentials, I got plenty of room for a few small useful items anybody got anything cool that is not on my list?

 

Condoms, factory toolkit, beer, and my pot stash........

And wire, gotta have wire.

Also, a paper towel that has been saturated with water and a little dish detergent closed in a baggie is perfect for wiping the bugs off your eyeshield......and forks. Don't let them bugguts ruin you fork seals.

 

I am using the windex soaked rag for the bugs... but what is the wire for?

aha! a useful edit about the fork seals.

 

I keep a plug kit, a co2 tire inflator, a couple of space blankets,and I'm trying to find a small enough first aid kit. but got to leave room for thumper on long trips!

 

Why wouldnt I think of my tires? Good one, added to my wish list.

What is thumper tho?

 

If it is what I think it is its a back massager....

hmm lets see what do I carry in my tank bag...

small first aid kit
extra pair of undies and socks
copies of insurance and registration
bottle of water
advil
paper and pen
camera
oh yeah.......a roll of toilet paper in a ziplock bag.
oh one more thing... an emergency card that has personal info on it if I am found after having a wreck. but I think I'm gonna change that to the coat thingy that was offered up in another thread...

Crusty

 

That is quite a list. I will be adding some of your stuff to my list too, thanks crusty!

 

A plastic thingie that goes under the sidestand so it wont sink in asphalt.

One of those Giva bike covers...the stretchy kind.

Pair of reading glasses cause I cant see shit without them.

Wallet with some credit cards.

Colt Cobra .38 with +p hydroshocks ( long rides only, like overnight or longer and riding alone)

Thats about it, I have a very small tank bag so I can slide it way up the tank and doesnt get in the way moving back and forth or when I want to get under the screen.

 

thumper always has 230gr hollow points. you never know what people are up to these days. my tool kit is under the seat so that saves room in the tank bag

 

I need a cover, I park mine in the sun daily in front of my work.. althoagh I love to see people on the road breaking their necks to get a good look at my bike, I am worried about getting sun faded

That plastic thingie you speak of, I was thinking of just a small peice of wood, do they make such a thing or did you make it?

As for the second amendment items, I am pleadin the 5th :wink:

 

one thing i heard about doing, if your not packing a thumper, is keeping a fake wallet on the top and your real one in the bottom...
just a cheap wallet packed with the bogus credit cards that you get sent in the mail every day.
in case you get held up just throw that out and take off...

 

Yeah, but after my bankruptcy thats all that my REAL wallet has in it

 

I am unloading my tankbag now. Six pounds of chicken breasts, six videos, some hair goo and two half gallons of OJ. I got some other stuff in there too but that will have to wait until tomorrow. Bigass tankbag? Yep.

 

I think I could fit that in my bag, if it was all the way expanded and packed right.. as long as it was dvd's and not vhs :biggrin:

 

camera, microfiber cloth, maps, cellphone(2 in case 1 doesn't have a signal), multitool, water, extra ear plugs, wallet.

to be added: widex-soaked paper towels in a ziplock.

 

yay someone liked my idea!

On a different note, what cell phone(s)? I am guessing 1 verizon 1 att?
Just an educated guess from being n the biz. I could be way off too.

 

Well guys I hope this posts keeps going, I am going riding this weekend and will have compiled my list by then using some of your ideas as well as my own. Lots of good ideas so far. I ride daily to work so some things wont always be with me but I am gonna make a list for my daily ride ( less then 10 miles ) as well as my long distance rides. a tank bag inside of a tank bag if you will.
Thanks for the input fellas!

 

cellphones

t mobile + verizon

verizon has a wider coverage but there are some spots where it's weak and t mobile covers some of those weak spots. knew about the windex thingy a long time ago but never packed one. thanks for starting the post-it's a good reminder to bring one during rides. :thumbsup:

 

I use t-mobile cause of the cost and for other "nerdy" reasons as well ( hackability ) but I know verizon is ussually gonna work and t-mobile is a 50/50 chance. If I had the money I would have a verizon phone for my emergancy phone and a T-mobile phone for my regular phone. I might look into verizon prepaid to take over my t-mobile prepaid next. Thanks for the input doode!