Howdy,
You planning a big trip soon?
Well let me see... For a weekend trip only, I will pack a single pair of jeans and socks, a few underwear and t-shirts. I always carry my first aid kit, roadside repair kit for flats and minor stuff, rain suit and extra visor and glooves. Normally, all this goes in the E50 topcase with room to spare. I also usually strap a cable lock and my bike cover to the back seat with my web bungee. Keeping the bike covered at night seems to help keep folks from messing with the bike. I guess it is not as enticing looking
For the long trips, I have used only the E50. We did 10 Days running around the Four Corners area in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. All I used was the E50. However, I was not carrying the first aid and roadside repair stuff at the time. Now I never leave home without it. That being the case, I now will use the E21's with the top case. I put stuff like the rainsuit, extra gloves, repair kits, first aid kit, etc, ... in the side bags. I put all of my clothes and personal affects in the top case. This way, at the end of the day, the only case I have to take off the bike is the topcase. Although, I generally take all three anyway so the cover will fit over the bike.
As far as clothes on long trips, I pack two pair of the biker shorts. I wear these under my jeans and riding pants when it is cold out. If it is real cold and I will be out all day, I wear longjohns over them. When it is hot, I will wear them alone under my riding pants. Each night, I rinse out the pair I just wore and let them dry in the hotel room. I will pack one pair of jeans again if hot weather and two if cold. I pack about 1.5 shirts per day. Somewhere in the middle of the trip we will do laundry. I'll take a few pair of shorts for relaxing in the evenings. I might take a pair of tennis shoes. Although, my boots are so comfortable that I generally wear them all day, even after getting off the bike.
The first few times you take a long trip, you will be inclined to take everything you can think of!! I did this and I had the E50 with two E360 side bags!! Everytime I pulled away from a stop or got on the gas hard coming out of corners, the front end would come right up
Resting after a blitz through the Cherohala Skyway!
My partner in speed... R.I.P. for such a pretty bike... another victim of Lime Creek Rd.
You'll notice the topcase is mounted backwards. This was to bring the center of gravity a few inches back towards the front of the bike. It prevents a passenger from using the rear seat though. However, it does make a difference on the wheelie proneness of the bike, hehe.
After you do a few trips, you'll figure out what you like to bring while still being able to travel relatively light. Everyone is slightly different.