Specific to Women

The battery is not the issue...it is the carb...I am told it is a common issue. (Also I think there is an XT thread on ADV)
If I were you, I would always keep your tank full and have treatment in the tank (it is blue but i cant remember the name of it) and run the fuel out of your carb if it is going to sit.
I got my carb cleaned up $200 and didn't ride for a month and it wouldn't start again. Yup a other $100. :)
(I ride my GS 650... But just can't seem to part with my 250). .

Are you talking about StarTron fuel additive for the E10 fuel crap...
Also Sta Bil also has a blueish one for E10 .. That also stabilise fuel..

Hmm, I was always told it was best to charge a new battery on a trickle charger/tender instead of a quick charger as the best way to charge a new battery. Never once in 20 years have we had a battery killed or blown up that way.

None of my chargers, charge a battery up fast...
no more then a 2 amp. charger.. For my bikes...

I follow the booklets that come with my batteries.. And add the acid...
Let it sit then put a charger on it... It takes like 5-8 hours for a 100% full charge... If you charge a new battery 75% ..
that's ALL it will ever charge to ..

I don't CHARGE a battery up with a tender it's just that a tender...

But hey that's just what I have been doing for 38 yrs....

Sta bil that sounds familiar. I think that is it

Good stuff... I/we use it in ALL our combustion engines on the farm...
Plus we use only 100% gas when ever we can...
It keep fuel stabilised for up to 1 year...
I'll also use SeaFoam ... And MMMO (my bike has plastic sliders that get sticky),,, in the fuel...
Star Tron will stabilise for 2 yrs...good stuff...It's a little more expansive..
If my one of my bikes are going to sit for a while.. I'll put that in and run it till it gets through every thing....My bikes have 6 carbs,, And I don't want any varnish in them...

Thanks all - will do

I found out about Wickers from another female rider. If you get on their email list, they have frequent sales.

I also wear Icebreakers and SmartWool, mostly in the cooler months. Wickers are better for hot weather (and much less expensive).

Good stuff!

I fully expected to see someone else post this solution:

I have just-past-shoulder-length hair that knots up like crazy if I don't protect it from the wind. Tucking it up in my helmet is uncomfortable and I don't like braiding it.

I got a few Buffs (http://www.rei.com/gear/feature/search/Google/Buff) to keep the wind off my throat when I ride in the cold. These are AWESOME for hair!

I just make a low ponytail, pull the Buff over my head like a do-rag, and put my jacket on over the tail, which stays put.

Bonus: No more crazy helmet-hair bangs!

Don't forget Aerostich. They custom fit everything.

+1

I was looking for a 'stich when a buddy pointed me to this local guy who was selling some of his gear (sad story there). Like SS said, it felt a little weird at first, then it was like it was made for me.

And -- bonus -- I feel like I have a waist again.

The pants that came with the jacket are my version of the little black dress that I plan to fit into next spring. Almost there...

<sigh>Here's a trick I learned from my riding buddy:

I have a Gerbing's jacket liner and gloves, plus heated grips, so my top parts stay pretty comfortable when the temps start dropping. But my legs get numb and the liners made for my textile pants (First Gear and Olympia) are just so-so for keeping heat in.

I picked up some Pearl Izumi running tights (http://www.rei.com/search?query=amfib). On sale, they were still over $100, but they are the most comfortable, windproof, water-resistant drawers I have ever owned. This was a great investment, in my opinion.

I'm not petite by any stretch of the imagination; I found the men's sizes are quite generous AND long enough to cover my ankles.

Plus they are not so bulky that I can't move, which is what happens when I layer.

I live in MN and ride year-around, so I feel somewhat qualified to make a judgment about this subject.




</sigh>

Alright... I will add my two cents.

If I were as high maintenance as the original poster, I think I would have to shoot myself...

Lord almighty...

I have done many many many trips, including a 10 week one, by myself in the middle of winter all over the US... as a woman... and I do not plan on having a sex change any time soon.

1. Shaving... shave the pits once a week on a trip.
Forget about the legs as you will be wearing long riding pants for 95% of the time.
Forget about the pubes, but take some surfing shorts to wear over the swim suit so you don't offend the locals.

2. Underwear is OPTIONAL except it is required for 'that time of the month'... in which pads work fine.
And if you get good pads, you don't even have to change the underwear every day!

3. The best thing under riding gear is lycra tights. LOL.
They sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide... and you can rinse them out and they will be dry in the morning.

4. Forget about wearing a bra, as a tight leather jacket will do you the same justice.
Maybe bring a sports bra if you want to jog in the morning.

5. Soap? Fuck that shit. Shampoo does the same thing.

6. Eyeliner is the only makeup you will ever need.

7. Deodorant... good...

8. Tent, pad, sleeping bag, stove, food, etc. phone, i-pod, laptop... all essential.

That is all I have to say about traveling as a woman. I don't mean to be mean to the OP or just to be negative, but I read the original post and the first thing I thought was... OH LORD!!!

It was good for a laugh, though.


PS- Take a self defense class or martial arts before you go. Always carry pepper spray, readily accesible. Always check in on a regular basis with your home base with as much details of where you are and when. If you are traveling with a partner still do these things... because you just never know.

I like you.

LOL.

You can't smell yourself when you are moving at 60 MPH!

:eek1 That is definitely NOT and option for this girl. I can't even begin to imagine how uncomfortable that would be, not just going over speedbumps and the like, but with boob sweat and all :huh (suddenly noticed the lack of any large-racked smilies on this website!)

I'm not a commando girl, either, but I don't buy any high-end undies for my travels, just a couple pair of normal cotton ones. I do, however, make sure they're cute because with all the not shaving, infrequent showering, and general lack of maintenance I feel like I need something to make me feel pretty at the end of the day. Cute undies and black eyeliner does the job just fine

I agree with you on the other points, however! Traveling as a woman does not have to be such a high-maintenance ordeal!

I can't image anything more likely to spoil a ride than bouncing over the less than pristine roads I tend to encounter. Though I prefer microfiber undies, they are less likely to end with monkey butt than cotton. Since much of my riding is in humid east Texas anything that wicks moisture away is a good thing. Plus the wicking coolmax shirts take practically no room in the bike and for winter riding the wicking the thermal shirts are only slightly more bulky.

Even though it wasn't meant for me specifically, thanks for all of the great advice! Have bookmarked three of the websites for future reference.

You are exactly right LB. we all have different "needs" and every type of riding creates different needs on top of each ladies individual needs.

Anyway, my suggestion for underwear only works for dual sport and dirt riding. I have started wearing bike shorts and for long rides, bike shorts with padding. You don't wear any underwear with them and if you buy the right pair they are super comfortable, no riding up. I wear them all year round. They make them with different thicknesses etc.

I am not comfortable unless I wash my hair every single day too. I was blessed or cursed with the greasy genes and none of you want to see me after more than a day without washing it. It will smell in my helmet and feel and look awful the second day, so rather than carrying enough shampoo with me, I pick up the travel sizes at gas stations every couple days. We all have our "thing". Other than shampoo I can pretty much rough it with everything else though.

My very first cross country trip a few years ago on a Harley with my boyfriend,, I started out with far too much "stuff". I ended up shipping a bunch of stuff I brought home. I didn't realize until I got started just how little I really needed.