Luggage for touring

[famousperson]

I am planning a 1-2 week road/camping trip in May. I will be carrying a sleeping bag, tent, backpacking stove and freeze dried food for at least a week. The system bags are not going to be near sufficient for everything, but I am at a loss for what to use for a bag I can lay or sit on the passenger seat.

I do have a rack but refuse to pay $500-$600 for a little-bitty top bag that wouldn't give me the extra capacity I think I will need. A tank bag will be good for organizing small stuff but still isn't enough.

On my Harley it would have been easy--since I had a sissy bar I could have used a T-Bag or equivalent, but on the R I don't even have a back rest. So I am curious what other people have used or might suggest. How easy is it, or is it even possible, to bungey things to the rear fender? What about the idea of actually wearing a backpack--is that really dumb?

Any and all suggestions will be greatly welcomed.

[ErikM]

What about something like this :

http://www.magsbags.com/grandtouringbag.html

[ErikM]

What about something like this :

http://www.magsbags.com/grandtouringbag.html

[ErikM]

What about something like this :

http://www.magsbags.com/grandtouringbag.html

[deilenberger]

Rok-Straps, and a SealLine bag work just fine. BTDT. The Rok-Strap can be attached around the mount for the normal bags, then the other end down around the rear-footpeg mounts. The short elastic on them makes sure they don't loosen up (they got top-place in the recent Motorcycle Consumer News shootout.. but I figured they would..) Get the one with loops on each end (easy to loop around and fish through..)

http://www.rokstraps.com/index2.html
http://www.rokstraps.com/design.html

My favorite: http://www.thecycleguys.com/default.asp ... oductID=52

SealLine bags are available at anyplace the sells canoing gear..

http://campmor.stores.yahoo.net/boating-canoe-bags.html

http://campmor.stores.yahoo.net/70007.html - this one fits nicely across the back of the bike and factory bags. And it's absolutely waterproof..

I believe ChiTown has also used a front-fender bag.. which might be an option also.

[NoRRmad]

I use a waterproof dufflebag laid across the passenger seat and cross-strapped in place. (I remove the pillion seat and snap on that plastic plate that BMW sells, so that the bag is evenly supported.) That should just about double your storage volume, and acts a bit like a backrest, too. I can't swing my leg over the duffle when the bike's on the side stand, but if I put the bike on the center stand and put one foot onto a footpeg, then I can.

Ortlieb makes a good bag, and Sea-Line (sp?) does too. Find your longest piece of gear (folding chair, tent poles, thermarest) and get a bag just longer than that. Generally, that'll be somewhat less than the width across the system cases.

[taosports]

Great suggestions everyone! Would like to add that you can also find dry bags that have compression straps built in. Very useful when space is a consideration and gives you tie down access for your Rok Straps which I highly recommend. Do not use bungie cords for anything bulky or heavy. And don't use a backpack - after a 400 mile day your back will appreciate it.

As far as tie down points, your 1200 should have plenty but if you need more, these are great additions to the top of your system cases.

http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=1396

Here's my setup for a camping trip I did a few years ago.

[phillyboy]

Hi Famous,
Are you going solo on this trip? If you don't need to carry a passenger, you can use a bag that sits on the pillon area. I have one called the Wolfman beta, but Helen Twowheels also makes a system of bags that looks good. The bag I have uses the passenger footpeg struts as the primary fastening point for straps, as well as fastening to a rear-anchor point such as a top-rack rail or such. I found that the saddlebag (which is basically what the Wolfman bag is) can be used as an anchor for a full-sized internal frame backpack... I just place straps under the saddlebag before strapping it down, and then I strapped the backpack behind the saddlebag and tightened the straps down very firmly. I also carried a backpack as a tank-bag. This system allowed me plenty of room to carry all the stuff I needed for tent camping, and that was without system cases. (this was on my F650) I packed the stuff in the saddlebag within a plastic bag, as it is not waterproof. I think that Helen twowheels makes waterproof stuff. I'm not pushing specific products, just mentioning one that worked well for me.

I sure am looking forward to doing more camping and riding this Spring and Summer on the new R12R. Where do you plan to go, anyway?

[Lost Rider]

I use a Helen2Wheels tent back mounted to the forks on some of my trips. I do like it there, it looks like it balances the bike to me. ( not having a huge pile of crap strapped to the tail..) I use a little gaffer's tape to protect the forks and fender when I do.
I also have used 2- H2W's medium roll top bags mounted on top of the side cases for long 2-up trips, but I doubt I'll be doing that anymore, I've become to selfish to have a passenger for more than a couple of days....

Currently I'm using a Seattle sports bag, not sure how many liter's it is, but it works very well for me.


+1 on RokStraps, it's all I use to rig stuff to my bike, combined with some climbing slings, the mini rokstraps are also quite useful...



If you want to learn about packing, check out Helen's packing system.
Her products are top quality, and she gives excellent customer service.

http://www.helen2wheels.com/

I've been eying one of these.... though it's pricey like most BMW things.







Light-weight setup:
Packed for a 6 day camping trip: tent, thermarest, bag, jetboil, camping stuff, cooking stuff, fishing pole and necessary fishing stuff, scotch, 2 changes of clothes, saw, tools, JBL mini speakers, 3 mountain house meals, MSR Dromedary water bag, led headlamp, led mini lantern, book.








A recent 10 day trip, I needed more space to accommodate the clothing and gear needed to ride and camp in temps ranging from 3ºF to 80ºF
The tent went in a side bag this time. Compression bags are your friend...







Not sure where you're going, but I've found your never too far from a wal-mart to re-supply.....unless your in the West. bringing less crap is better. IMO






Here is a huge camping gear and how you pack it thread....

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237723

[taosports]

Wow! Beautiful photo ChiTown. Where was this taken?

[Lost Rider]

Thanks!

Somewhere in western NC, or maybe virginia.

[Dan-A]

Cabelas has nice waterproof dry bags, generally a lot less than the bags that say "motorcycle" on them, don't know why.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... id=0031809

A couple of bungees held it to the back seat, in this case on my Gold Wing, but I used the same set up on my Aprilia Caponord before I traded it for the R1200R.

I used the dry bag's built-in snug straps to attach a camelback, the kind without a backpack to it (the insulated Camelback has 4 clasps that line up with the 4 snug straps on the dry bag as if made for it):



I bought a drink tube extension kit so I could bring the drink tube around and hook it to my jacket so I could sip water while riding, but not have to wear a back pack.

Being able to sip water while riding really extended my riding range, especially in warm weather.

[NCGS]

What about something like this :

http://www.magsbags.com/grandtouringbag.html

You must REEALLY like that bag, since you posted the link three times..

I have a good friend who's an Iron Butt'r.. He swears by (not at) his Magsbags Grand Touring bag. Only problem is that you gotta have saddlebags of some kind in order for it to work.

[ErikM]

Sorry about the triple posting.. I was at work getting distracted

[BigEasy]

Cabelas has nice waterproof dry bags, generally a lot less than the bags that say "motorcycle" on them, don't know why.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... id=0031809

A couple of bungees held it to the back seat, in this case on my Gold Wing, but I used the same set up on my Aprilia Caponord before I traded it for the R1200R.

I used the dry bag's built-in snug straps to attach a camelback, the kind without a backpack to it (the insulated Camelback has 4 clasps that line up with the 4 snug straps on the dry bag as if made for it):



I bought a drink tube extension kit so I could bring the drink tube around and hook it to my jacket so I could sip water while riding, but not have to wear a back pack.

Being able to sip water while riding really extended my riding range, especially in warm weather.

+1 on the Cabela's bag. One caveat is that I have yet to use one on the bike, but that will change this summer I used 2 of those bags last year on a 16 day raft trip on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Let's just say that the waterproof capabilities were "tested" They comress well and handle easily, I think they would be a good choice, and they are not nearly as expensive as the BMW one.

[mechanic savant]

I've been using the large "moto-fizz" seat bag from aero-stich & though it's not h2o proof it comes w/ a rain cover ..it's a- fing- mazably versitile & rugged ..I also use a magnetic tank bag ( it's a "bike master" from motorcyclecloseouts.com $70 ...& on the "bagage porter" as bmw calls it (I call it a tail or luggage rack) I'm either using a small dry bag or the small moto-fizz seat bag ..Yeah I'm partial to the moto-fizz bags ..happy motoring

[Klink]

I use a Helen2Wheels tent back mounted to the forks on some of my trips. I do like it there, it looks like it balances the bike to me. ( not having a huge pile of crap strapped to the tail..) I use a little gaffer's tape to protect the forks and fender when I do.

Couldn't find a tent on Helen's site - maybe discontinued?

[Lost Rider]

Typo... should have said tent bag, not back.
She doesn't make tents, sorry.

[tobes]

Many good suggestions. I've been using this Nelson Rigg bag for about 3 months. It holds lots and is fairly inexpensive. The built in bungees do a good job of holding it to the bike. Haven't had it very long so I cannot vouch for longevity.

http://www.nelsonrigg.com/pages/Sport-T ... 50-Big.htm

[Dan-A]

..I also use a magnetic tank bag ( it's a "bike master" from motorcyclecloseouts.com $70 ...

I used a magnetic tank bag on the bike the other day and it left some crud in the paint under it.