DRIVING
↓ MOTORCYCLES44 April 2019 _ PopularMechanics.comTOP:^PHOTOGRAPHBY^ NIGELPARRYMotorcycle
Road-Trip Essentials
Or, how to fit a
gallon of water
into a pint glass.
/ BY DAVID
CURCURITO /EVERY FALL, my friends and I ride from upstate New York through the
Blue Ridge Mountains to the edge of the Tennessee–Georgia border and
back. We average around 350 miles a day for six days straight. Mornings
are cold, sometimes foggy. Afternoons can be blistering hot. There’s light
rain, heavy rain, more rain, and back to cool in the evenings. Bringing
along everything you need to be safe and comfortable is an exercise in
choosing the right bike and packing only what you need.THE BIKE
BMW K 1600 Grand America
The Grand America has 123 liters
of storage space, 37 in each side
bag and 49 in the top case. Every
compartment has a beautiful lining
and lights, so you can find a paper clip
to scrape the bug out of your helmet’s
ventilation. Heated seat, heated grips,
GPS, stereo, cruise control, gear-
shift assist, reverse—did I mention
this is a motorcycle? For such a big
bike, though, it’s nimble in corners
and fast off the line. Among the best
long-distance, high-performance
motorcycles you can buy. $25,595When your hips start
to stiffen up after a
couple hours of riding,
you can stretch out
on the footboards.RAIN GEAR
Rev’it! Pacific 2 H2O
Here’s the deal: Nothing
is going to keep you
completely dry. There’s
so much air moving
in every direction that
there’s no way some
wet isn’t going to creep
into your pant leg or up
your jacket. The move is
to buy a one-piece suit
that’s easy to get on
and off quickly. $130BAG
Oxford Drystash
Sometimes you’re in
a downpour and only
concerned with making
it the next 30 miles.
You forget to close the
luggage compartments
properly. This bag guar-
antees that your socks
and underwear stay dry.
Because there’s nothing
worse than wet socks
and underwear. $33PANTS
Speed and Strength
Critical Mass Jeans
No need to pack regu-
lar pants when you’re
riding all day. I prefer
comfort and safety in
one. This is a denim
jean with knee and hip
protection, but it actu-
ally looks cool when
you get off the bike
for dinner at the local
barbecue joint. $150BOOTS
TCX Hero WP
Like they say in the
army, keep your feet dry
and warm. The Hero WP
has motorcycle-specific
ankle protection and
grip, and the inner lining
will keep the rain out
of your socks. They
also work in the cold.
All that, and they look
great. $250GLOVES
Rev’it! Summit 3 H2O
Warm, waterproof
gauntlets that protect
your wrists from wind
chill and rain seepage.
Plus, palm sliders and
knuckle protection, and
fingertips that work
on a phone screen. For
really hot days or after
hard rain, I also pack a
pair of short, perforated
gloves. $130