Gear I´m Carrying

I remember reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and wondering how he fit everything on his bike. Now that I´ve loaded mine, I´m even more amazed when I realize he did it all without bungie cords.

All of this fits into 40 liter Touratech boxes, 2 waterproof sleeping bag bags (the rollup kind, bungie corded on top of the side cases), a tank bag, a tent bag, and a backpack. The backpack is a medium sized internal frame pack, in case I want to get away from the bike for a bit. Cathy also wears a Camelbak pack, but its pretty small.

Camping Gear

Sleeping bag, 3 season
Thermorest - Keeps you off the ground, which keeps you warm.
Tent - I started with a 5x7 ft 3 season tent, and since then Cathy and I bought a new larger tent at REI in LA. Both were freestanding, which is really a must. Also, if you intend to do any serious camping - or you need to get out of the rain in the middle of nowhere - this is your home, and a few extra pounds here are worth it. So are a few extra dollars.
Coleman gas stove - The kind that mounts on top of a 5x12 inch gas cylinder. So far, the easiest option, but bulky.
Water purifier - I´ve used this camping in Alaska, and was using it in Mexico for a bit. I´ll probably use it again.
Cooking kit - A cheap one I bought at Walmart, nesting collapsible pans and a bunch of utensils, plus one extra bowl for everything. When we cook, Cathy gets the bowl, I get one of the pots.
Flashlights - a bunch of maglights with head straps. Keeps your hands free when you´re putting up a tent in the dark.
Water container - 4 liter back with a sip tube and a bite valve, rigged from an MSR bag, Platypus, and Camelbak parts. This goes in my tank bag most of the time.
Leatherman - Hey, it was a gift... and the knife is sharp.
Windproof blowtorch lighter - When it´s the end of the day, and the tent is finally set up, and it´s getting dark, having your lighter not work sucks.
Compass - Not useful on the bike because of its magnetic field, but I try to get off and hike sometimes.

Motorcycle Tools, Parts, Etc.

Set of metric sockets
Torque wrench - because it´s a German bike, and who knows, maybe they´re serious about all of those precise Nm measurements.
Set of metric open end wrenches
Vice grips - in a pinch this can become a clutch or brake lever
Screw driver with heads for various star screws as well as torx, phillips and slot.
Pliers
File
Ruler - A little one, for measuring chain slack
The basic BMW kit - Includes a spark plug wrench, and a whole bunch of small, single l-shaped star head wrenches which I´m definitely going to lose somewhere, which is why I got a screw driver that can also turn them.
Crazy glue - Hasn´t been useful yet, but maybe someday
Electrical tape
Duct tape
JB Weld - I´ve fixed a few things with this
Baling wire
Hose clamps - Your biggest friend for improvised road side motorcycle repairs.
Tire gauge
Tire irons
Tire repair kit
Tire inflator compressor - This was intended to plug into the cigarette socket of a car, but I also have an adapter to the BMW acessory outlet. I bought a standard tire inflator at an autoparts place, and took off the casing and the fan (thanks to Jim, from the ferry to Prince Edward Island, for this idea).
2 spark plugs
Front and rear tubes
Extra clutch and brake levers
Indicator stems
Bulbs for everything
Cables
Miscellaneous bolts and nuts - I got a small fisherman´s fly kit from Walmart, and now I keep all the extra bolts that come with any accessories
Zip ties
Oil filters - I change the oil every 3000 miles, which I´ve been told is excessive, but whatever, this machine has got to last me.
Chain lube - I just switched to an oil from a wax, and I´m ready to switch back.

Clothes and Personal stuff

5 days work of shirts, socks and underwear - I´ve been told this is excessive, but I´m willing to lose the space. I´ve got a lot of synthetic stuff because you can wash it out in the sink with dish soap and it will get you through...
2 pairs of pants, one of them with zip off legs
1 pair of shorts
Polypro top and bottom
Bathing suit
Boots - Gortex boots from a Canadian Army surplus places. They were hot until I broke them in, but they function well for walking around and are waterproof.
Teva sandals
Joe Rocket protective top and bottom - A fine mesh that is great for hot weather, more or less like wearing a t-shirt. I need a jacket when it gets cooler than about 70, though.
Windbreaker
Electric vest - I´ll keep this until I´m through the Andes.
Waterproof top and bottom - Real cheap, and they keep the water out. I don´t trust the windbreaker - the last one I had was also Gortex but started letting water get through at high speeds on the bike.
Toiletry bag - This also carries my sewing kit and a first aid kit in two side pockets. I keep Immodium, chloroquinine, aspirin, iodine, Cipro and assorted bandages in here.
Sunglasses
Pack towel - A camping gimmick, but works well and dries quickly when left under the cargo net at the back of the bike.
Ear plugs
Journal
Books - Right now, only guide books, Tao Te Ching, and some Spanish books. I started with lots more, and read them or just got rid of them.
Moneybelt
Assorted bags of food - In waterproof containers, because I´m sick of having stuff explode.
2 small locks - One of them is extendable to attach a bag to something. It might slow someone down, anyway.
Otterbox - 4x4x10 in, totally waterproof plastic box for passports, title, registration and anything else that´s irreplacable and paper, as well as extra keys and flashlight bulbs.