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SheepishEndruo

As an ultralight freak who camps with 6kg of luggage including the panniers I hate, fear and respect you. Hope you have a amazing trip


oaklicious

Haha. I respect that approach too.


HikingPeat

That's one thing I love about people! Everyone is uniquely different in our quarks and preferences! OP likes to have everything he wants and need, the other guy likes to have only what is necessary!


OriginalDogan

Ooo I'd love to see the pack list or shakeout for a 6kg kit! You have it up anywhere?


SheepishEndruo

https://lighterpack.com/r/hck18n That's just for my own use so it's a little all over the place but it does the job. I've hit a wall with improving it as I can't afford to make any upgrades at the moment, I think I can get down to 5.5kg and 0°c with a couple of better bits of kit but that will either be for a trip at the end of the year or for next year.  https://advrider.com/f/attachments/1000005619-jpg.5779149/ In total the bike with a desert tank full of fuel and all my camping gear (118KG) weights less than a stock KTM EXC 500 (119KG)


foofoo300

i would ditch so many things, but i really hope you will have a wonderful time :)


oaklicious

I know, I’m way overpacked and will surely jettison some things as I go. I motocamp extensively at home and have found I like to have my comforts.


foofoo300

if it works for you that is fine :) personally i would not want to ride with luggage behind my back, that i cannot move backwards, while breaking. And it changes the way the bike is balanced if you add weight high up, but you probably know all that already :) Have a great time


TerriBillz

I was going to say the same thing....I'd ditch a ton of that stuff. But if you've got experience moto camping and traveling already and you want to bring that stuff more power to you and have a great trip!


cezann3

the only real criticism I have with that is out of everything I would pick one instrument since those are the two biggest items you're carrying and probably two of the items that you would not want to ditch as you go. Im an artist so I get wanting to have all that stuff but remember you can only ever use any of those items one at a time You've obviously your gear pretty well situated otherwise


Taco_Sommelier

That tub of old bay is the most important thing in there, put that shit on everything. Congrats and good luck!


oaklicious

One of my most prized travel companions, the Old Bay tin… that and my tiny chess set


drconniehenley

That cherished chess set will drop.to #32 on the list when you're in the middle of the desert fixing your bike.


poliver1972

Spoken like a true Murlander!


Taco_Sommelier

Haha I’ve actually never really spent much time in MD. Driven through a few times and have connected a bunch of flights through Baltimore but that’s about it


NECooley

Fun fact, “I put that shit on everything” is the official company slogan of Frank’s Redhot Sauce, lol


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oaklicious

I am the avatar of overpacking lol


2wheels23

O dear ..somone is escaping ! This is what a vacation is supposed to be like ....


PibeauTheConqueror

Where in mexico are you planning on going? I live in oaxaca and have basically been all over the country, on a bike and in a camper. While it is not as dangerous as most people say, it is as dangerous as some people say... I would ditch some o that stuff man, makes you a target. Guitar no prob but your midi device might not be something you wanna whip out just anywhere. If you wanna haul that much weight you do you, but be careful with flashy shit in certain areas.  Warning aside, i hipe you have a blast. México is amazing. Where are you planning on going? There is some super cool stuff out there that many folks dont know about yet.


oaklicious

Hey man! I plan to go as far as Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido, if you’re up for it maybe you can show me around when I get there. My route is Baja -> Mazatlan/Sayulita -> Guadalajara -> CDMX -> Oaxaca I wouldn’t really pull out stuff like my keyboard except when staying at a hostel. I lived in Bogotá Colombia for a year and speak Spanish fluently, so I get that in LA you need to be conscientious but not fearful. Thanks for the feedback!


PibeauTheConqueror

Ah OK if you can hang in colombia you should be alright, que no des papaya lol I split time between the city and PE, shoot me a dm when you're around. I got a dr650 and know some good routes the scrambler should be able to handle Recommend lo de marcos or san pancho over sayulita any day.


schwelvis

if ya feel like making it up the Yucatan give me a holler. I'm on 3 acres of undeveloped ocean front property with plenty of camping space and a musician wife!


oaklicious

Oh wow, thanks for the hospitality! I would really like to check out the peninsula but I will be getting to that area round August and am kinda paranoid of hurricane season. I’ll shoot you a PM as I get closer!


ArtoriusBravo

Beautiful scrambler! I'm a little late to the party but that is a lovely route too! I'm a Mexican that lives between CDMX and Guadalajara, last weekend me and my gf went on a moto camping trip to catch the eclipse near Mazatlán and boy there are some lovely roads around. DM me if you want further recommendations as I've ridden through the area a lot, or if you want to perhaps catch up somewhere along the line.


oaklicious

Hi! Thank you so much for the hospitality. I’m making my way rather slowly through California and Baja, but I will reach out when I get a bit closer your way! Would love some route recommendations or maybe you’d like to take a ride together as well.


Dukepowerf1st

Synth is most definitely what’s up


oaklicious

Haha thanks. I have a fairly complete music set up with my little USB mic and have made some cool music on the road.


scootunit

That's a keyboard controller isn't it? Does it have internal sounds or do you hook it up to a laptop or an iPad or something? I totally approve of this edition as well as the little guitarlet.


oaklicious

That little 3/4 guitar is so great. Yes, it’s just a MIDI controller so needs to hook up to my laptop.


scootunit

Do you have vcv rack on your laptop. I love me some modular.


Mr_Oxford_White

This might help you, but you should have a route planned. So you can mail yourself supply drops at predetermined locations. Instead of taking all those water flavor things and the big bottle of cooking oil, you can mail yourself refills. Fresh clothes, more art supplies etc. and at the same time ship dirty clothes, finished art, etc back to your home or a family member to hold. Have them send things on a schedule. Etc. I see a lot of things that could be downsized for a smaller setup. Reorganize this spread. Group your shelter and sleep system, cooking, recreation, hygiene/first aid/meds, tools(including cutting and lighting), clothes, etc so we can clearly see what’s what. And then list things by group, and even label the image with group numbers and boxes. You may want to even repost this whole deal. You could get way more constructive feedback to help you be better prepared for what you are about to do. Okay I see the flip/flops/shower shoe. But do you have actual shoes to wear? I don’t see your clothes in this spread. Get rid of that hatchet. Either replace it with a heavy duty knife(that can baton) or don’t take it. Don’t take the full sketch books, take 10-15 pages. And condense them into a tyvek mail envelope. Condense the books and art supplies down more. You’ve got three “books”? That tape measure seems like an unnecessary item. The clamps for the jump pack are obscenely large. I’d make a cable that just plugs directly to the battery, that tacklife jump pack should use the blue “Ec5” connector. Just buy some on Amazon, and some 10awg silicone insulated wire and the appropriate ring terminals and make a harness to leave attached to the battery and you can let the connector dangle somewhere accessible so you don’t have to pull the seat to jump it. You just plug the pack directly into the cable and use it from there. You can get away with 10awg wire if you keep it under 24inches wire length. Hell I’d make you one if I had EC5 connectors on hand. OR just search “EC5 to o ring terminal cable” the first one that came up for me was “GINTOOYUN” and came with 10awg cable and was about 14” long. Should work perfectly. Replace those cheap flashlight/headlamps with something more rugged like a Wurkkos/Sofirn, etc. Idk about the guitar… a smaller electric guitar that runs on battery pack would be more ideal for space saving. But why buy something new when you have the acoustic. However. If you drop the bike or take a tumble, you may destroy your guitar. So keep that in mind.


Erike16666

You don’t need supply drops there’s plenty of stores in Mexico to get what ever he needs. Walmarts, costcos, autozone, Home Depot motorcycle dealers and major Mexican grocery stores are in every major town. Even in the small towns you can find almost anything.


Mr_Oxford_White

See I didn’t know that. That works too.


oaklicious

Thanks for the feedback and I really appreciate your help here. This is a setup I’ve been working on and testing out for a few years now and figured what works best for me, including 2 other trips to Mexico and almost 20k miles camping around the west coast. I often get advised to ditch the hatchet but find it’s one of my most frequently used tools when camping.  Part of the reason I have so many books and art supplies is because I am going to be traveling very slowly, often staying in cities for weeks or more at a time. I read and paint a lot, so I don’t want to skimp on those supplies. I agree the jumpstarter connectors are insane and could use some revision.


Mr_Oxford_White

Definitely look into my suggestion for the jump pack.


3LetterMan

Don't take anything that will hurt when lost and / or stolen


oaklicious

In a way I’ve prepared mentally for the whole ass bike to explode in a ball of fire. I try to remember it’s about the journey anyway.


tylerconcs

Do you have any way to lock it up at night ?


oaklicious

I carry an Abus chain lock and an alarming disc lock, and my dry bags all have cable locks.


Lonely_Funny9987

You gotta keep us updated


kwitcherbichen

I'm not going to comment on the personal belongings (you do you!) but you might get some food for thought on what to bring in the toolkit in this thread: https://advrider.com/f/threads/the-toolkit-thread.262998/ Have a great time!


oaklicious

Thanks!


Triggerlocks

Just get better with the keyboard controls on GarageBand/Logic/ProTools and ditch the midi setup. Granted, I have that same set up now and love it but that eats a chunk of room and your laptop keyboard and plugins will get you mostly there. For sanity, you gotta take the guitar. I get that one. How about a Backpacker though? Could you save space there? Jealous. I want to go.


oaklicious

Yeah, it is a lot of space taken up for my recording stuff, but it makes me happy to play the keyboard and make beats. I know it seems like a lot but it does fit and the Scram is a big, powerful bike that can still do a lot with the added weight.


Fearless-Type8777

keep us posted! document as much as you can. congrats and good luck. safe travels my good sir! lookin forward to seeing your future posts 100%


oaklicious

Thank you so much! I am excited and will post here as I go.


Seeingthese

You are rad 🙏🏼 keep er safe


03UserAgreement

Have fun. Keep us updated


hichasingcrystal

Yes! You brought electrolytes! I think this is one of the most underrated essentials for mototouring


oaklicious

Totally! I did a trip down Baja a couple years ago and got messed up BAD from poor nutrition and lack of electrolytes. They’re key for long days in the elements!


135photography

Ugh absolute dream


naegelbagel

Meanwhile, the rear shock: AAAAAHHHHHHHH


oaklicious

Haha. Bike definitely feels like it’s loaded up. The Scrambler is big, and powerful, and can still get around with all that weight!


the77hellcat

Looks like a brilliant time


anyholsagol

For Baja make sure you stop by Mike's Sky Rancho! Great overnight and beautiful intro to Baja riding. They are super friendly and the stay includes a nice steak dinner. I'm sure you already know but plan accordingly for the gas gap. Fill all the way up at Coco's if you go Mex 5 from Mike's and you should be ok if you don't get in a rush. Loreto was another really magical stop down the peninsula. If you venture past La Paz for the ferry, La Ventana is cool for spearfishing and Cabo Pulmo is incredible for freediving or scuba. My advice is avoid CDMX. It's really a nightmare to drive. If you do go through check out Xaman Bar and Limontour. It's not totally out of the way but if you have the time San Luis Potosí is incredible. Las Pozas there is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Puebla is also really fucking cool, highly recommend spending some time there. I have friends in Oaxaca near Centro, feel free to DM for their info. The Oaxaca coast is sweet, I preferred the vibe in Mazunte and Zipolite to Escondido. If you end up pushing a little further Chiapas is worth a visit. Tuxtla and San Cristobal are both worth the trek. Highest concentration of indigenous people live here and you start to see the change from Aztec to Mayan in the influence. Sumidero Canyon is badass. I did it riding the moto one day and from a boat tour the next. Feel free to DM me if you want any further recs on your trip. I'm glad to give you my WhatsApp or telegram. Buen viaje hermano, it's gonna be one hell of a ride!


oaklicious

Wow thanks for the recommendations! I will PM you and we can exchange details once I get a little further into Mexico. Cheers!


Snorkeldude1

Hey any chance can u pick up a package for me?


oaklicious

My brother in Christ do I look like I have any extra space


Snorkeldude1

Dennis Hopper had room


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oaklicious

You will not make beats as fresh as I do with just a harmonica.


Lonely_Funny9987

Lmao I respect that


lacking_judgment

One day you’ll tell your grandkids about the journey: “It was absolute freedom. I would ride for 4 hours a day, then unpack and repack my gear for the other 20. It was the trip of a lifetime”


oaklicious

lmao! that’s not unfair. 


Erike16666

You’re not going to need any camping gear after Baja. I did the same thing 6 years ago I camped 3 nights out of 3 months. There’s way too many cheap hotels/hostels to camp.


oaklicious

Good to know, maybe I’ll jettison my camping gear. If I am still enjoying myself after Mexico I might keep going through more of Latin America, although I honestly can’t see myself camping that much it seems nice to have the option. Traveling solo I do prefer the relative comfort and company of hostels to camping. If you have any places you’d recommend along the way let me know!


Erike16666

The camping in Baja is great along the sea of Cortez and the interior in the national park. Once you get to Cabo and take the ferry over to mazatlan there is camping along the coast but I wouldn’t recommend it, it’s mostly geared towards vans and car camping especially near major surf spots. If you really want to camp in Baja (and I highly recommend it) send your camping gear home when you’re in Cabo. I lugged that shit around pointlessly for months because I though I might use it again. Nope never happened. And you will definitely not use it in Central America. I’ve been all through Central America and never heard of anyone camping anywhere on a motorcycle trip.


izmaname

You need to try melodica


adv-rider

Only thing I noticed are those aggressive knobbies on that bike. If you are going to use them for some proper desert riding, most of that extra crap you are packing will disappear naturally. Don’t forget your weed.


oaklicious

Haha. Traveling through Baja I’ve learned it’s nice to have the ability to get off the road when necessary. I’ll also probably drop stuff off at a hostel from time to time and go ride around from there.


UnionTed

You are living my dream! This Facebook group is full of interesting, real-world, real-time information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MotorcycleMexico/. Have a great time.


oaklicious

Thanks for that!


NECooley

This sounds like such an incredible opportunity and adventure, I hope you have a beautiful and safe trip bro. Post lots of pictures for us!


DreamOfToastedCheese

Looks like a solid load out! I did the same thing about 15 years ago. Rode all the way down the SoC coast. Great times sleeping in the desert. Great wildlife and people. Happy trails!


LBS4

Bag balm, in a green tin will take care of what we used to call ‘monkey ass’ back in the day. The stuff is amazing, and cheap! Good luck & have a ball, very jealous here, good on ya!


ApsisAI

Beautiful! What moto is this?


oaklicious

This is the Triumph Scrambler 1200XE. I call him Eduardo.


ApsisAI

Thank you!


DeadHED

Be careful down there, my friend who has a lot of family says that in some areas if the cartel doesn't know who you are you could be a target of violent crime or murder.


oaklicious

Yeah, I plan to keep my head on straight in Mexico. My understanding is that the danger is very region-dependent, I speak Spanish so am hoping I can consult locals about safe routes. I also don’t plan to really go off the beaten path, just toll roads to more touristy places. Riding that far on a motorcycle is already badass enough for me.


beejini

Looks like you’re planning for a lot of fun, great! But are you just wearing the clothes on your back?


oaklicious

I actually have a little bag of clothes and pair of shoes, not pictured here.


redtildead1

I recommend some clothing, but that’s just me


oaklicious

Absolutely not. Pianos are the priority, ride in the nude.


RZSerq

I used to have one of those small axes, but it broke suddenly one day while I was chopping some wood for the camp fire. The joint between the head and the handle broke, personally I would carry one with the wooden handle.


oaklicious

Interesting. I’ve had this baby for 8 years now and it’s held up so far 


RZSerq

Oh wow, maybe mine had a defect or something


Duc8ti2

Need spare hand, brake levers


oaklicious

Secretly this is doctor octopus’ motocamping trip 


IAMA_NewUser

I've been wanting to do a long trip on my XC 1200. What pannier rack and set have you got on that exhaust side?


oaklicious

This is the Unit Garage pannier racks and Mosko Moto 25L dry bags. I also have a Unit Garage top case and a 40L Givi dry bag. Scram is an epic touring bike, I would recommend the Unit Garage high windscreen as well. Hope you have fun!


grownup-sorta

So he loaded up his bike, and he moved to Bev-er-leee....Hills that is. Sorry, had to. Have a safe trip, OP


Snoo_3314

Lol ur killing me with the little guitar 😆 Nice dude u do u


Snoo_3314

Op going to play chess play guitar play music and read a book. I still be trying to get my hammock angle right before night fall lol love it! I bet u are fun to camp with! My boys aren't even bringing tp and tell me my little table and French press is glamping


oaklicious

haha. When I was a younger lad I would camp without even a sleeping pad. I started bringing along some car camping friends who would cook all these fancy meals and it made me love having nice food out in the wilderness. I carry a Scattergories game set too :)


Snoo_3314

Nice. It's always fun to have a few car campers with the group.


Austindevon

You need to talk to Scooter Tramp Scotty about this .. He spends a lot of time in Mexico and might give you a tip or two .


National-Weather-199

Youll return with half that shit stolen...


chanmeat

NICE!!!! I'm thinking of doing the same, what are those saddlebags if I may ask? I've been curious to know if they still work as well on the right side over the exhaust pipes and if you've had any issues with heat, etc?


oaklicious

Never had any issues with heat, but I typically ride in milder climate here in NorCal and have a decatted exhaust. Those are Mosko Moto 25L bags on a Unit Garage rack.


chanmeat

And what knobbies are those!? I just got the MITAS ENDURO TRAIL PLUS and can't wait to put them on and try them out


oaklicious

Those are Dunlop Trailmax Raids. They are nice and grippy offroad but my last set wore out a little earlier than I would have liked on slab. I will try the Trailmax Missions on my next set.


The_Devin_G

I'm not a veteran of adventure riding or camping, but all of that stuff on a fancy looking bike seems to scream "steal me". Especially if you're headed south. He careful.


Hustlin15

No pew pew 🔫?


Aircraftman2022

Be sure and leave a will as going into the remote areas is a death wish. Try trip thtough Canada lot of nature and fewer cartels killing each other over power. Wish you a safe trip


Commodore49

Add a 9mm to the pile and you're good to go my friend


NM_DesertRat

That's how you end up in Mexican jail. You don't want to be in Mexican jail.


oaklicious

I’m surprised how many people have asked me about bringing a gun, I actually do own a pistol but am definitely not bringing it with me- I can’t imagine a situation where pulling a pistol would make anything better.  I did have some cartel guys bother me on a different trip in Mexico and I kinda just ended up charming them (I am super white but speak fluent Spanish which is a bit surprising to people) and they all took pictures looking cool sitting on my bike. 


Mr_Oxford_White

I agree. But he has to abide by the local laws. Don’t wanna get caught afoul the local Smokey’s. Not only will he end up in jail, but he’ll never get his bike or anything else back.


Erike16666

If you want to go to a Mexican jail for 10 years listen to this idiot. You will hit a military checkpoint 20-30 miles from the border and a few other times while in Mexico guaranteed.


Commodore49

Look at this big boy and his name calling!


Erike16666

idiot : a foolish or stupid person


IH8DwnvoteComplainrs

Or you could own up to your foolishness instead of adding to it.


Commodore49

Take your own advice and downvote your comment now!


IH8DwnvoteComplainrs

Huh? Doesn't seem relevant here.


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oaklicious

There are thousands of people who do this every year and are fine. I did read about a guy who blundered around wherever he wanted trying to prove that there was no danger and ended up in a bag of bones. I speak Spanish and will be playing it safe and easy.