Resources for Touring

     I've been cleaning out the Pit Stop 'garage'. Here is a mess of information about, and links to vendors selling stuff useful for motorcycle touring and camping.  I've got a "bookstore" page, in association with Amazon.com, where you can get motorcycle touring books, some at a discount, safely, and on-line. Also, if you have reviews of something which you think is particularly useful and would share with other riders, your comments are welcome and will be considered for addition here.  Send reviews and recommendations (or critiques of something already listed here) to me.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Clothing
• After-market stuff for touring & camping, plus cartoons, sound effects!

• Aerostitch Roadcrafter Suits, extremely rugged, well-made, one- or two-piece suits appearing more often on long range road riders, but they strike me as too baggy and 'dorky-looking'.  Most riders I know who wear them, like the investment, but none ride bikes with large fairings, so I don't know whether they would keep you cool on, say, a Wing or Tour Glide.  Colors are pretty ugly, and too dark for someone who spends a lot of time riding in hot, sunny climates, but I know guys who ride bikes with small fairings and do wear the suits in hot, sunny weather.  Contact RiderWearhouse, 1-800-222-1994, 8 S. 18th Ave. West, Duluth, MN, 55806-2148 for a catalog of these and other touring stuff.
• Deerskin, gloves, chaps, coats, such as those offered by Thurlow Leatherworld, 619-279-9004, 4807 Mercury St., Ste E. Dept. M, San Diego, CA 92111 (send $3 for catalog and samples), are an excellent alternative to cowhide leathers and the high-tech fiber touring gear.  Another source is JRC Gloves in Washington state.
  Deerskin gloves DO NOT BLEED - no black stains on your hands after a day in a hot sun.  When they get dirty, or collect a lot of sweat, put the gloves on and wash your gloved hands with Woolite or another mild detergent and let dry!  The gloves won't shrink, they clean easily, and air dry.  This also means that if it starts to rain, you don't have to cover your gloves, just let 'em dry later. Finally, deerskin, unlike cowskin, breathes, so you don't notice as much sweat as with normal leather gloves.  I've used deerskins for at least ten years now, and have never gone back to cowskins.  Olympic makes a relatively inexpensive (and crude) set of tan, unlined gloves (about $40), which you might try before investing in a good pair from Thurlow.
       On a related note, James A. says he gets good use from deerskin leather work gloves he gets at Wal-Mart for $19. I do, in fact have a pair of their lined gloves that I wear in winter when I'm forced to ride in my truck to get around the D.C. area.
• Electric clothes, such as chaps, vests, gloves, can be a godsend when pass into a zone with very cold weather.  My riding acquaintances (but not me) have had some good success with Widder's line  (in U.S. call 800-WYBCOLD, international riders call 805-640-1295).  This past winter I needed their electric gloves; a small clip hooks to the battery posts, a second wire connects the gloves to the first wire.  (Or you can hook the gloves to a Widder vest or chaps, which in turn is hooked to the wire on the battery)  The gloves never regularly worked, the wires kept coming unattached from the plugs (had to reconnect the wires every 3-5 days!).  I would really have liked more heat, and there not only is no rheostat to alter the heat setting, you can't tell from the switch which position is on or off! I had to go to the web site to get a hint of which way to set the switch on/off. I ride in weather down to 25 degrees; I need glove liners below 40 degrees 'cause these don't work well to keep me warm.
       James A. writes that he also has had problems with the flimsy wiring harness coming apart on him. What can I say, we're just two VERY ACTIVE guys!
• Waxed Cotton Clothing - such as Belstaff raingear. I used to have a several "brush popper" shirts I bought in Texas. They're designed for horse riders who cut cattle out of brush - they've waxed and not only do they hold back the rain, brush poppers are also good at turning aside the thorns of mesquite trees. (I know, I know, not a lot of those when touring by motorcycle, but it does attest to the ruggedness of the treated cotton).
       James A. writes that he likes the stuff, too, but has also noticed that they don't breathe well (obviously the wax blocking air flow). He says his Belstaff raingear is so dusty (from not washing it) that now he looks like Clint Eastwood.

• NEW!!Glass Act cupholders - I don't know about you, but I make fewer pit stops when I have a cuppa coffee in MY cupholder. Check out this cupholder for long distance road riders.
• Ride a Hawg on the Cyber-slab!! Ferget yer MS Internet Explorer or Netscape!! Ride my CyberHawg down the Internet!
• "Low Beer Warning Indicator Light" - I've been exploring the wide world of making my own graphics (obvious on this site) and came up with something EVERY biker NEEDS! This gif is my own design, it's a flashing indicator that you need 'nother beer. Park the bike, first, though.
• Motorcycle/Camping Cartoons - well, they seemed funny when I collected them. Pass 'em around your campfire or post in your garage.
• Sound effects - some loopy sound effects for your computer, and instructions on how to put them on your Windows 95 computer for various Windows "events" (example, I have the sound effect of a Harley starting that I use when my Windows 95 starts, and Arnold Schwarznegger/Terminator saying "Hasta la vista, baby" when my computer shuts down). Lots of other sounds and if you have any good 'uns, send 'em to me!
• Kompact Kamp makes a variety of small, lightweight trailers for motorcycles. My first tent trailer was one of theirs and I enjoyed it. Can hold 2 people (snugly). Complaint: VERY hard to put gear into the trailer - gotta lift the tent plus the supports; not a lot of room for gear. Kudos: Don't know it's back there when you are riding. They also make a cargo trailer which could haul a lot of stuff.
• Trip Planning Guides is a review of several different types of web sites that can help you plan for a trip across the world, across the country, or whatever. Written by me in October, 1998.
• Trip Planning Software is a review of computer software that helps you plan your trips. Written by me in April, 1998.
• PYROMID Grill (Reviewed by Michael Baribeau) "These folks make an awesome portable charcoal grill (in several sizes) - it's 100% stainless steel, folds into a package one inch thick (ours is 12" x 12" x 1") and is guaranteed for five years. It cooks for at least 1.5 hours on 9 pieces of charcoal. We know motorcycle campers who have carried this as their only stove - you can even do breakfast on the optional griddle. Contact: PYROMID 3292 South Highway 97, Redmond, Oregon 97756 1-800-824-4288."
• Remove Before Flight! (Reviewed by Michael Baribeau) Motorcycle Lock Tags. "Haven't tried this product yet, but it is recommended by several magazines and was sent as a suggested add to this site. As a former military pilot, this thing makes tremendous sense to me, and the cost is very low. Now, if we could just hook these to kickstands..."
• USA Venture Craft makes a variety of small trailers for motorcycles. I currently have a Kwik Kamp which was made by the company they bought out, but they still service it, provide supplies for it (talk about going beyond the call of duty!). Tent sits atop the trailer, you can get at cargo by lifting just the lid, not touching the tent. They also make a cargo trailer designed for Harleys, called the "Hauley" (this is just too cute). Good company, good product.