H20 on the go

If you're going to hammer out major motorcycle miles, you need to stay hydrated. That's why many LD (long distance) riders have found ways to slurp at sixty (mph, that is.)

If you pull off this project, you will be amazed how a quick hit of cold water reenergizes you during a long day in the saddle.

I used to Velcro a Gatorade bottle inside my fairing. But before a recent high-speed fly-by of Colorado, my son helped me rig this set up:



Here's what you need:
• 1-liter Camelback
• Right-angle bite valve
• Retractable key ring, preferably with a nylon cord
• An insulated bag for the Camelback.
• (Optional) A tube insulator kit

Basically, you want to stow the Camelback in your tank bag, route the tube out the throttle side, looping to the clutch side so you can pull it to your mouth with your clutch hand.

On my Rocket Pocket 11 liter Marsee tankbag, the tube perfectly coils about the bag.

The retractable key ring pulls the tube safely and cleanly back to the same start position. (I got mine free at work. www.aerostich offers them for a price, so do many hardware stores.)

How to make it better/cheaper:


• Buy a "Skeeter" Camelback. This one-liter bag comes with an insulated mini-backpack for kids And a right angle valve. At about $25, it's cheaper than buying the individual components. Cut off the shoulder straps, and you're good to go.
• Check your helmet clearance. A half-helmet is no problem. A solid full face requires some maneuvering. A flip-up works great; a slight tilt and you're golden.
• Get the optional insulated tube kit. The water really gets warm, exposed to the sun in the clear, blue tube. (Some guys just blow the hot water back into the cold water. Given how grungy Camelbacks can get in short order, backwash is the last thing I want to drink.) On the other hand, that clear, blue tube gets cagers' attention!

The nice thing about the Camelback gear is the big fill mouth. You can walk into the gas station, unscrew the big lid, go to the soda pop dispenser, and fill it with ice and water. The ice will keep things cool for many hours. (The water comes out of a spigot on most soda dispensers. Looker for a little black or white lever hidden among the pop spigots.)

You can also wear a larger Camelback (and afford yourself some spine protection.) Or stick one in the spine-protector pocket of your high-end motorcycle jacket.

But that's not as easy to refill as a tank bag set-up, and your coat will weigh a ton.

So, how does it work. I dunno. Ask this guy:



Lest you think this is all a wee bit extreme, check out how the Iron Butt Association guys (11,000+ miles in 11 days) do it. They have some great LD tips here:

For a bigger gulp of various hydration solutions check this out: