Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/649593
17. Hydration Bladder or Backpack According to WebMD, heat exhaustion "is a heat-related illness that can occur after you've been exposed to high temperatures, and it often is accompanied by dehydration." Heat exhaustion can include water depletion and salt depletion, so you should drink plenty of water supplemented by sports drinks (to restore electrolytes lost through sweat) and salty snacks. The easiest way to drink water while riding is to wear a hydration backpack, which includes a water bladder and a drinking tube that can be used on the go, even with a full-face helmet. We've logged a lot of miles with Klim's Nac Pak http://www.klim.com/Nac-Pak-3319-003.html ($99.99), which comes with a 3-liter Hydrapak bladder and multiple compartments for carrying snacks, tools (#10), maps (#1), sunblock (#15), a hat, etc. Read our 10 Tips to Stay Cool on Hot Motorcycle Rides 18. Spare Face Shield/Visor If you use a tinted face shield or visor during the day, you'll want to carry a spare clear shield in case you end up riding at night. We generally avoid riding after dark, but traffic, a flat tire (#7) or other delays can leave you many miles from your destination when the sun goes down. It's also good to have a spare face shield in case your primary one gets badly scratched or damaged. We recently tested the Bell Qualifier DLX full-face helmet, which comes with a Transitions SOLFX photochromic face shield that goes from clear to dark tint when exposed to bright light. The Transitions face shield is available as an accessory ($119.95) for all Bell helmets that use its ClickRelease system, including the Star (2015 and earlier), Vortex, RS-1 and Revolver. Read our review of the Bell Qualifier DLX Helmet 19. Motorcycle Owner's Manual and Spare Bike Key While it hardly makes for entertaining reading, keeping your motorcycle owner's manual on the bike and being familiar with its contents can be very helpful. It stops well short of being a comprehensive service manual, but it contains valuable information about routine maintenance, load capacity, electrical system charging output, proper tire inflation (see #8), making adjustments to the suspension and controls, and much more. We also recommend carrying a spare bike key with you in case your main key falls down a storm drain, breaks off in a saddlebag, goes missing at your campsite or gets lost inside the liner of your riding pants (yes, all of these have happened to us). Store the spare key in a safe place, such as a chain around your neck like a set of dog tags. 20. Tank Bag This list includes a lot of things to carry with you on a motorcycle tour. Big touring bikes have saddlebags, a top trunk and perhaps a couple of fairing compartments for storing gear, but other bikes require strap- on soft luggage or accessory hard luggage. For convenience, though, nothing beats a tank bag. Most tank bags have a map (#1) pocket or a compartment for a GPS (#2) on top, and they have a large main compartment for easy access to extra gloves (#12), sunblock (#15), face shield cleaner (#17), snack bars, cash for tolls, earplugs and countless other items. Dowco's Fastrax Backroads Tank Bag ($159.99) is a good choice. Its made of heavy-duty 1680 denier polyester, has 19 liters of capacity (expandable to 27 liters), can be mounted using magnets or straps, has a high-viz interior to help you find things quickly and includes a map pocket, rain hood and reflective detailing. Read our review of the Dowco Fastrax Backroads Tank Bag 19 20 TOURING TIPS 20 Most Essential Things You Need on a Motorcycle Tour www.FavoriteRidesAndDestinations.com | ridermagazine.com PAGE 78 SPRING 2016 ISSUE 01 / VOL. 01