As a boy I used to hit the road with ten bucks and empty pockets. The boys and I cruised all over Wisconsin and I never needed anything. Lately, however, I'm carrying more junk and it's become a problem. More to the point, I've noticed that this is a trend and a problem for lots of people.

Saddlebags have always been around. However, I'm discussing little things, not clothes or heavier items. Yikes, look at my pockets and you'll see a cell phone, a knife, a flashlight, hay-fever meds, a fob garage door opener, loose change, a partridge in a case I buy a pear tree...

It looked like I was carrying walnuts or golf balls. I'd either sit on the stuff, or have to frisk myself to find anything. So being a manly man I decided to rememdy the problem. I bought a purse.

I walked throught the motor clothes section a few weeks ago and found a small ballistic nylon carry-all that fits on your belt. Black and orange and wearing the bar-n-shield. The department manager told me she cannot keep them in stock. In fact, they now offer black leather purses with studs and quick-disconnet snaps to hook to belts or the loops, and I've seen lots of guys wearing them.

Old blackpowder shooters will recognize them as "possibles bags." All I know is that my pockets are empty, the weight of the crap is carried on the belt and your hips, and if my wife wants to do non-biker stuff, I slip it off and I'm ready to go.

You flame me, Maynard, I'll tell my mommie and hit you with my purse...

https://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb23 ... 01-110.jpg

My My,,, what next? Neon lights on the bike?

LOL. Careful what you wish for...my shop sells LED strips. They make a bike look like Walt Disney joined the Angels.

BTW, Wisconsin just passed our CCW provision. I think fanny-packs are going to be making a come-back for just about everyone, including bikers.

I like having my stuff in my pockets.. someone with a "really sharp" knife can get away with it all with just one cut on a fanny pack.

LOL. A ruggedly handsome guy with a sharp knife usually knows which end is sharp...

Here's an analogy. I once told my wife that if I won the lottery it would tickle me for one reason. Not the love of money, but the freedom from money. No more budgeting, no more counting pennies at a gas station, no more checkbook balancing. You could get some form of a debit card with a return address for a personal banker where you have an account and let him worry about it. In fact, you might never touch money again.

Same thing with "carrying stuff." I don't want to have to worry about spare change, a clean fork, a fresh microfiber cloth, a cell phone, and all of the other handy stuff we might need on the road. If I ride, I slide on the pack. If I'm in my truck I have similar junk already stashed in my console. One of my clients always carries a "sea bag" with a huge strap over his shoulder since he takes city buses and works a fair distance from home. His worry and concern is probably heavier than the bag he totes around.

My goal is worrying less about minor things. When I ride the real joy is peace, and I hate to have those first few miles tied up in working out the day's problems. This modern rendition of the 1830's "possibles bag" just frees me to care less about mind-chatter.

I thought you'd appreciate the "sharp knife" scenario...
I use the packs all the time for hiking and non-motorcycle adventures. I live a few miles from "Surf City" USA and we go to the beach all the time, the packs are a great way of keep every thing handy, free of sand and dry. I just figure when I'm out riding that the leather wallet I'm sitting on might just be the thing that keeps the meat on that part of my butt once I start sliding on it....

Yup, like the sharp knife reference. In reality, my EDCs are the only thing I know that is sharper than my tongue!

I also carry the typical Harley chain wallet. I bought the smaller 'pouch' no pocket one with a zipper. Everything goes into the same wallet, all mixed together. The whole thing could fall out of my pocket and nothing would be lost. I don't carry much--a debit card, a few bucks, my drivers license, my registration card to The Mothers and Fathers of Italian Americans...

I use a chain wallet but mostly just go with my regular one, sometimes I keep it in my jacket pocket zipped up safe.

I've thought about this for a few days, and also viewed the way guys carry stuff at the shop. Even how they mount pouches, saddlebags and tie-downs. It looks like one of the major issues we have is how to carry things in general.

Now granted, I'm a minimalist. I plan my day and carry what I need. As for "bike related" concerns, I make sure I have a knife, a flashlight, gas money and a cell phone. As for Spinner (which is also a delivery vehicle) I do have a rack and larger case--which I haven't used this year. I have made sure that the jackets I have come with the larger inside pouch-like pockets.

Since I simply don't like riding in the rain I have never purchased a formal rain suit. I do have Harley's waterproff boots and my ballistic nylon jacket was featured in the MoCo Enthusiast as being waterproof.

This is why a smaller bag fits my needs. I don't plan to carry much, but needs change for the day I ride. Most times people hand me a knife to sharpen, and the bag carries 'work.'

Yeah, score one for locking saddlebags.
As for the pocket stuff, I keep my "new" little flashlight in the lighter pocket of my jacket cause I pretty much never ride at night without a coat on, old biker told me that one. I have a clip knife that clips in my front pocket, keys are stashed in my outer jacket zip pocket. Cell inside chest pocket. Wallet either sit on or stash in the left outer zip pocket. I used to have and I might go back to the belt holster for the knife but it takes too long to get out in a hurry. I don't like having the knife in my pocket just in case something happens it could stick me. At least the holster will contain it safely away from me and probably rip off. I keep my jacket in my saddle bag when I'm not wearing it and just take out what I need if I leave it in there.