Sturgis 2024 Gear Packing List

We are getting ready to head to Sturgis again this year (July 25, 2024), and this time around, I thought I would do a “gear pack out” video and post similar to what I do with my long-distance backpacking trips. This is how we pack our motorcycle for a 17-day trip.

Keep in mind that we do not have a pull-behind trailer (it’s in the works for our Route 66 trip), and we will be staying in hotels nightly (so no camping). This trip is also a motorcycle rally trip, so we have packed accordingly, lol. Once we get to Sturgis, we will head to Wal-Mart to grab full-size items (like soap and shampoo, etc..), laundry detergent, etc…

We, of course, also plan on buying more shirts once we are out there and will mail them and souvenirs back home before we leave Sturgis so we don’t have to worry about adding more weight to the bike.

Instead of separating everything by category like I do in my backpacking gear posts and videos, I am separating it by the location of where it is located on the bike.

SADDLE BAGS

Clothing

The list below is in addition to what we are wearing: pants, a T-shirt, and our riding boots, as well as what will be located in our overnight bag on our luggage rack. These items will go in our saddle bags, each with a maximum load of 20 pounds.

TOURING PACK ITEMS

These items will be located in our touring pack, which has a maximum load capacity of 30 pounds.

Professional Camera Gear: Canon 5d Mark iii,
Sunblock
Hand Sanitizer
Purse: This is just a small purse to carry my ID, credit cards, cash, and some small misc. items
Potty Supplies: Consists of a Walmart bag, gallon zip lock (for trash), baby wipes, and a small lightweight trowel to dig a hole in the event we are in BFE and need to do our business off the road.
iPad
Geocaching stuff: We like to geocache to help break up long rides (or hikes, for that matter), so I bring stuff to put in the bigger geocaches.
Gun & 2 Mags
CPAP: ResMed Air Mini, mask, tube, and cord
Electronics Bag: We carry cords to charge everything, a satellite communicator with SOS, two wall plugs, and 2 battery banks.
First Aid Kit: My husband is an EMT, so he carries more in our first aid kit than most. We have sheers, bandages, 4x4s, tape, a tourniquet, stop-bleed, tape, Neosporin, and other odds and ends that he feels might be needed.
Umbrella: I know this may sound silly to have, but just like when I am hiking in the crazy sun, this comes in super useful if you are, say, stuck in traffic where the road is closed down, and the sun is beating down on you. Or, if you need to get into some quick shade (we often ride in triple digits). It is a trekking umbrella, so the outside is silver to reflect the sun, and the underneath is black, creating a major temperature difference when underneath it.

Total Weight: 17 pounds

LUGGAGE RACK

The items on the luggage rack consist of our overnight bag that has our medications, and other stuff we would need overnight in a hotel room. The max weight for the luggage rack is 10 pounds.

Duffle Bag
Heating Pad
Workout Shirt (one for me and one for Jerry): We work out at the gym regularly at home and plan to do quick workouts in the morning at the hotel gym
Workout Shorts (one for me and one for Jerry)
Workout Bra
Meds: Both OTC (cold, allergy, Aleve, zantac, immodium, tums; only a couple of doses of each), Daily Vitamins, and Prescriptions
Sleep Shirt & Shorts: Only for me, because Jerry says he will just sleep naked lol
Toiletries: Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Shampoo, Conditioner, Lotion, Hair Brush, Hair Tie, Deodorant (all of these are travel size)
Makeup: While I don’t typically wear make-up, I do take it on trips in case I feel like getting dolled up
Skull Caps / Headbands

Total weight: 9 pounds

ADDITIONAL ITEMS

These are items stored elsewhere on the bike, typically in their own holders.

Go pro Hero 10 (mounted to handlebar and fork)
Water Bottles (we have a water bottle holder on each saddle bag guard that also has a zippered pocket where we put snacks, and a two cup holders near the seats).
Water Bottle Straws: We wear full face helmets and it’s almost impossible to try and get a drink while riding, even with a sports cap on the bottle. These are usually made for backpackers, but found they work really well for riders too!
Helmets
Helmet Headsets (so we can talk to each other, listen to the radio, and answer phone calls)
Cellphone Harness This allows me to securely wear my cell phone around my neck so I can take pictures and video while cruising (don’t worry, I am the passenger, lol).

Video of the Motorcycle Packed

Update: Since this video was posted, we decided to remove some tops as we will be buying shirts when we get to Sturgis anyway (and already plan on mailing a box home). The gear list above is the most current.