10.000 KM on the ODO: The joy of packing light!

Alaska, my Honda CRF300L Rally, and I have surpassed the magical 10.000 kilometers! That means, we tackled a quarter of the world’s circumference together, while riding on the soils of seven different countries. Well, soils… Rocks, sand, dirt, tarmac, and a considerable amount of saltwater. 

I have put my new partner through more abuse than any of my previous adventure bikes. Some minor damages aside, which were all caused by transportation on the sea, she has been handling it all like a champ. As I said before, I couldn't have wished for a better bike to ride the Americas with. 

One of the reasons why this motorcycle has been my favorite adventure bike so far has to do with my current setup. More specifically, my current weight. The weight of my bike plus luggage, I mean! 

During the three years of riding a motorcycle around the world, I've never had a lighter setup than now. Buying 'Savannah' in Africa, a CRF250L, was my first encounter with a 150-kilogram motorcycle and I quickly realized that it was the way to go for me. However, I have to admit that during season 5, I was still carrying around a lot of luggage, making the bike top-heavy.

Every kilogram counts

When I set off for Ecuador, I re-evaluated my belongings and further reduced the amount of stuff that I was bringing. I saved weight and space by carefully examining each and every item I wanted to bring. For example, I invested in expensive, but special lightweight shoes. This may seem over the top, but you can easily save half a kilogram on your shoes alone! I also bought extra thin leggings and long-sleeved shirts in the hiking section of an outdoor shop, so my clothes take up very little space and add almost no weight. 

The less you bring, the more likely you will think at some point in your journey: I wish I had brought *insert item here*. But at those moments, you should also think: I'm glad I didn't bring *insert item here* because I would have carried it around for months without using it. 

It's impossible to be prepared for every possible scenario on the road, and you have to accept you can't travel with a fully equipped garage on the back of your motorcycle either. You just have to be a little more creative and solve problems on the go and with what you've got! 

Benefits of traveling light

Each and every day that passes by during which you are not thinking: I wish I brought *insert item here*, means another day of being happy that your motorcycle is not terribly heavy! Handling your motorcycle in tight situations, lifting it in and out of little boats, picking it up from slippery mud, or fitting it into a small steel basket to fly over a river in the Amazon… all of it is 100% more fun with a lighter motorcycle. 

No matter how strong you are, picking up or man-handling a 350-kilogram bike is going to get annoying really quickly. Fair enough, I've never ridden a 350-kilogram motorcycle, but the difference between a 150 and 200-kilogram motorcycle is already big enough for me. Those 50 kilograms less can already make or break my day. 

But what can you do to make your set-up lighter?

How to travel light

I would recommend starting with a rackless soft luggage system like the one I am using. That will already save you up to 5 kilograms without the rack alone, and many more if you change from hard panniers to soft luggage. 

The next thing to keep in mind is that the more space you have, the more stuff you will bring with you. Even with the strongest willpower in the world, you will fill up all the space that's available. It is as simple as that. That's why I opted for less volume with my MoskoMoto reckless 80 kit. Instead of having a 30L duffle bag on top of it, I went for a 22L bag. I also removed the 4L pouch I used to have on top. That's 12L of luggage less! Having less storage space forces you to make thoughtful decisions on what to bring with you. 

What those real essentials are? That is different for everybody, I'm afraid. That may not be the answer you are looking for, but it's true nevertheless. I for one, carry an entire video production kit with me. Two drones, several battery packs, drone controllers, a lot of GoPro cameras, audio equipment, laptop, lots of external hard drives, cables, and spare parts. 

Others want to camp and bring all their camping gear with them. Some bring lots of tools, so they can fix whatever is necessary on their bike. I only carry the tools I need to fix a tire and some basic tools to tighten screws and get to my air filter. In case of any serious problems with my bike, I'll need a workshop anyway, as I don't have the mechanical skills to solve those by myself on the side of the road. 

Packing light your way

What your essentials are, you find out by experience, as I did. Those who have followed me from the beginning will have noticed that with each journey my luggage is getting smaller and smaller. It takes time to learn how to pack light and still feel confident about all the things you are not bringing with you that might come in handy one day. 

But once you reach that moment that you think you have the perfect set-up, it will make your motorcycle adventure 1000% better!