When I rode up to Sturgis I had a couple weeks also.  I was riding a WideGlide

with soft bags and although I had her loaded down pretty good I got everything I wanted on her.  I've done alot of backpacking and loading the scoot wasn't really too hard.  Now a days they have a lot of luggage items available that weren't available when I rode up there.  Get some strong bungee cords and it shouldn't be that bad.  Riders been doing it for decades.

Someone told me that my new 2010 H-D Ultra Classic couldn't tow small cute trailer to throw my stuff in it because of the newly factory installed ABS Anti lock brake system crap on it Isn't that true anyone? Shit! 

Pack light..... go continental (wear no underwear).  No shaving gear.  1 change of clothes. 1 pr. flip flops (remember Margaritaville).  No extra shoes.

Bungie everything. Use a waterproof bag that can get lost.

2 man/babe tent (weighs 3 lbs).  Collapsible party hat.  Combined magnetic bottle/can opener (stick to bike frame or license plate).  Folding toothbrush (skip the toothpaste). 

Remember some beads and last year's T-shirt.  Skip rainwear, pretend you have windshield wipers. Rubber watch and your all set.  Party in my honor.

Its easy lay a days worth of clothes on a towel and roll em tightly you can fit a weeks worth of clothes in the saddle bags this way. Add a T bag to the back( various kinds on ebay and affordable) set it on the seat behind ya and pack it the same way roll em up.

Sturgis sells a bunch of designer T Shirts and clothing items The buyers may get stuck and unable to add more loads on their bikes as it gets sloppy before going home?

Man, if you're not carrying tent, sleeping bag, mattress and other camping gear you shouldn't have any problems.  I have a Lowrider with detachable bags and a smaller Tour Master bag that doesn't extend above the sissy bar.  I also carry several bungee cords and a small bungee spider net. 

I'd probably carry the same stuff that I'd carry for 5-6 days.  Anything over that is just washing clothes, not needing more.  Staying in hotels really lightens your load.  Most hotels have overnight kits (or individual toiletries) available free for the asking but I don't see you really needing those 'ceptin' you pay for those in the price of the room.  Rinsing socks in hot soapy water at night works well for me and they're dry in the morning to wear again.  Cleaning clothes is your choice, rock in a stream, drop off at laundry or sit for a couple hours in a laundry.

I'd probably carry more clothes than others because after eating road dust or sweating most of the day I need to sometimes feel clean.  Also I don't want to waste time washing clothes everyday.  Staying in hotels there's just something wrong with crawling out of a shower and into smelly clothes.  But that's just me. 

I'd pack;

3 pr jeans (and wear a 4th),
3-4 T-shirts (gonna buy more), 
4 pr socks (couple of good padded, wickable boot socks, couple for walking and wear a fifth),  
bungee a jacket that can live in the hotel if not needed,    
comfortable shoes for walking (like running shoes),
several throw away plastic razors (hotel soap for lather),
couple of bars of hotel soap (whenever I stay in a hotel I steal the soap daily so I have a stock)
large, good towel (a must for cheaper hotels),
sweatpants,
small digital camera (I use an Olympus waterproof, shockproof, 12 MP),
maybe couple pr underwear (probably not cause I haven't worn them in decades except in flightsuits, but a good precaution for chaffing),
can of Cruex (just in case the rawness starts),
1-2 shirts with collars (just to get out of Ts once in a while),
waterproof bag (one came with the Tour Master),
cheap metal knife, fork, spoon,
maps

That's about all that I would need anything else would be a want.  I don't even think I've filled my saddlebags yet leaving plenty of room for shit bought along the way.  There are creative ways to pack that really economize your space.  Anything you must buy on the road costs at least 2-3 times more than at home.

To anyone that's done any 1-3 week backpacking trips alone or with one other person packing a bike, eating bought food, having stores readily available to buy additional items and using hotels makes packing pretty easy.  When you are backpacking you cut the handle off your toothbrush to save weight.  Carrying a beer to enjoy a week into a hiking trip is a real luxury.

Here's my last 5 day bike camping trip a couple of weeks ago.


I've got everything listed above plus sleeping bag, hiking boots, hiking shorts, cans of food and homemade trail mix, 4 man tent, air mattress, extra helmet (never know who you might meet along the way), additional SLR digital camera, Portuguese-English dictionary, book to read, McBook Pro, folded up backpack in the saddlebags for day hikes, several maps, cigars and some other things I don't remember packed on the bike.

Notice the date at the water point.  1865  As the US Civil War was ending the stones were placed on this water point in rural Portugal.  It still provides clean, fresh water for the village as it has for 145 years.  These points are all over the country and great places to stop along the old national roads and refresh.

Good luck on your run, 
Snake