Anyone carry a laptop on the R1150R?

[ebincia]

Does anyone on this board carry a laptop computer in the system cases of their R1150R?
I have solved the most obvious problem of the bags falling off because of latch failure by applying Cyclerobs pin technique.

Presently I carry a Macbook on my daily commute (70 miles round trip). The Macbook is small enough that I can put it inside a padded sleeve and insert it upright in the left, or right system case. This has worked well so far (2 months), but I am beginning to wonder if the vibration of the R1150R will have negative effects.

If you carry a laptop on your “R” then I’d like to hear what has worked for you and what has not. More specifically, has the vibrations of the big twin caused been a problem?

Thanks in advance,

Ebincia.

[brem]

I carry a MacBook in my right system case inside a messenger bag on my commute about six months out of the year. The MacBook is almost always in sleep mode while it's traveling, if not powered off entirely. I have basically zero concerns about it - if you pay attention, when you flip open your MacBook after it's been asleep for a few minutes, you'll hear a zipping noise, which is the hard disk head un-parking itself and then the disk spins up. Basically as long as the laptop is either shut down, hibernated or asleep, it's immune to damage from vibration, because the hard disk head is securely parked and the hard disk itself is braked, and those are the only two moving parts in a modern laptop. (Netbooks with an SSD disk don't even have that.) It does have an accelerometer in it which will park the hard disk head and brake the disc if it's dropped, but that's only relevant if it's dropped while it's turned on. I commute 4.5 miles one way in heavy traffic (and on %^#@#*&!%-potholed Chicago roads) and it's gone a whole season of doing that with no ill effects. I would say that padding the laptop and wedging it into the case in such a way that in a traumatic event the laptop wouldn't rattle would make it pretty likely that it could survive a crash. My old 12" aluminum PowerBook survived a lowside crash at 30mph while it was in the same bag actually on my back- it was a little bent here and there but we straightened it out and I went on to use it for another year and half. That laptop has a decidedly less advanced scheme for preserving itself in accidents, although the aluminum chassis made it quite a bit more resistant to getting slapped around. The plastic MacBooks are a bit more fragile but if you're worried about it you can get a protective plastic shell for it that's pretty beefy. http://www.amazon.com/Speck-MacBook-See ... FMXZ4CH32C

[towerworker]

I carried a Dell laptop for 3 years on my 03 that I totaled in 07. It wouldn't fit in the system case unless I removed it from it's case. For protection I always kept it in the case and just strapped it to the rear seat. Did many business trips some up to 500 miles with no problems. I got hit by a Mustang doing 50+ and the laptop got tossed 30+ yards into a ditch. Laptop survived. Bike didn't.

Wayne

[Boxer]

I have trouble typing on the small keyboard with my gloves on.

[mad1150]

I've been carrying an IBM or Dell laptop on my daily commute for 2 years. I use a backpack laptop case and it just fits in the right system case if placed at an angle.

When I travel though, that case holds my luggage. So I wrap the whole back pack in an over-sized rain cover and cargo net it to the back seat and top case with the opening of the liner, or back of the pack, facing the top case.

I've never had any problems doing either.

[AndyRR]

My Dell fits at an angle in the right case or in the top case. No problems after thousands of miles.

[bikermeow]

I believe that Pelican has a laptop series. Mount it on the rear rack.



Cheers

[Buckeye Beemer]

I carry a 15 inch Macbook Pro and it has been rough on it. I have 40 mile commute (RT) and I can only carry the laptop in the starboard side case because of the size. I have been looking for a better sleeve/case for the laptop to protect it but I have really not found anything yet that protects it. The inside latch arrangement for the roadster sidecases really limits what can be carried.

Larry

[Hawkman]

I've carried my old Powerbook (15in) using this. http://www.booqbags.com/Compact-Cases-L ... /Vyper-XS2

I just throw it in my tail bag, which has a nice big pad on the bottom, and go...

[Northdowns]

Hi.
I used my bike every day, and for the last two years have carried a basic HP notebook in pannier in its basic bag it came with, which only has very basic padding. the Notebook has travelled the best part of 20K miles like it, not yet having any problems, other than the cold gets to it, and makes the screen a little strange when I first turn it on in the office!!!

Unlike the bike.......see 'Hall Sensors'!!!


Interestingly, I've never suffered the apparent problem of system cases that fall off, the bike has cover nearly 50K miles, almost all of which have been covered with the system cases. I'm careful to ensure that the latch mech has locked into the pannier rail, other than that, I don't give them a second thought.


John

[redline999]

I carried my 17" macbookpro in an Ortlieb waterproof bag with a bungie net on the back for 80 miles a day all last year. a couple of screw came loose here and there, but I am writing this on it now. The only fail was on a road trip,about 240 miles in, the bag had vibrated out from the net (busted clip) and came off at about 30 mph. the whole mess fell of and dragged by the safety bungie I had also installed for about a 1/8 mile. it wore through the bag, and dented and abraded my macbook, but the HD was asleep and parked, so now it's the road warrior mac with scars, but it works flawlessly. No trouble from the vibrations, just the concrete. I would suggest if you aren't going especially far, a waterproof messenger bag and wear it. your body is the ultimate shock absorber for the road vibe, if you can stay on the bike. HP

[ebincia]

Thanks to all that replied. This thread really helped put my mind at ease. Half my life is in my computer!

[bimrluvr]

You should be backing up your laptop religiously (or agnostically?)...just do it very very frequently.

[towerworker]

I now carry a Dell Mini 9 on the bike. I can even put it in the tankbag.

[NoRRmad]

I carry an MSI U-100 Netbook ditto re tankbag carry.