How To Pack Your Motorcycle For A Road Trip
The days of the lone-wolf biker with just a toothbrush and a bedroll are long gone. These days we all take more stuff on tour, and packing it right takes some planning. Photos by Greg Drevenstedt.
What kind of luggage do I need"
Before you decide what to take on a multi-day trip, you need to figure out how you?re going to carry it. If you have a touring bike with built-in bags, no worries there. But for bikes that require add-on luggage, there are two options. Hard cases give you more security than soft luggage, and unmatched weather protection for the contents, but at the expense of weight, size and, well, expense. Expandable soft luggage is lighter and cheaper but a lot easier to zip?or cut?open to get at the contents. On the plus side, soft luggage makes unpacking for the night a breeze. Just take it all off the bike in one unit and unpack it in the room. (You can do this with some hard cases, too, but not all.) A tank bag is handy for small things you want easily accessible?sunglasses, sunscreen, your phone, maps. Backpacks don?t work out that well for two-up riding except for the passenger. Neither pilot nor pillion should have anything hard and/or pointy in a backpack in case of a get-off. Stow your camping steak knives somewhere else.
A tank bag is the place for things you need often, or in a hurry. Its weight is centrally located on the bike, but high up, so put the heavy stuff at the bottom.
Stay balanced.
Position the heavy stuff low and as far forward as...
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Backcountry Discovery Routes | Ep. 70 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast
27-04-2024 08:34 - (
motorcycle )