Overweight and well prepared or...

[davsato]

mine has honda panniers and topbox and if i cant get everything i need for a week away in one pannier theres something wrong, so the two panniers hold all the bits and bobs with plenty of spare room and the topbox stays empty, boot space for lid+jacket when i stop somewhere. this is for hotel travel obviously, camping is different all 3 boxes get stuffed and a big ortlieb tent bag strapped to the pillion seat too

[Mark Manley]

A few years ago I pulled up next to the only other bike taking the same Dover/Calais ferry as me. The other chap said
"going far?"
"Australia"
"I wouldn't have beleived you if it wasn't for the spare tyre, you have less than I have for a weekend in Belgium"
I had been well advised by another traveller and took nothing I did not use and needed nothing I left behind. Since then I have bought better, smaller, equipment and carry less on overland trips fitting everything into a pair of aluminium panniers and a tank bag, this includes a full set of camping and cooking gear.
Incidently I never needed to carry the tyre, finally fitting it in Malaysia when I got fed up with carrying it before it was really worn out.
Less is best.

[Alun]

Great post Mark. Sounds like you understood something most of us only find out when we're 2 weeks into a trip and wondering what the hell we packed all this gear for. Just in case, of course.