On bike luggage. What is the best combination?

[andyclift]

Beyond that it's a bit of a pain as I'd rather bungee stuff to the back seat area (I mostly travel with the passenger seat removed) and it needs to be taken off when leaving the bike

As my wife's CS has soft luggage which is hard to make secure she bought a Paksafe security net. http://www.amazon.co.uk/PacSafe-120-Secure-Backpack-Protector/dp/B000KFTBFU This is a steel mesh net which is designed to be placed over a rucksac and padlocked to a solid object. The mesh makes it hard to either open the sac or slit the material to remove contents. It works just as well over her luggage, padlocked to the frame, and expands enough that we can get our jackets under it so we can leave them, safely on the bike for sightseeing.

They work so well I now have a smaller one which can be used on luggage on the rack or my tank bag.

I have never had any luggage stolen but £50 gives great piece of mind.

 

[Happyhenry]

The panniers are a given - trouble with the top box is that they are not flexible. I usually have clothes, cooking gear and food in the panniers and tent, sleeping bag (in a water proof liner) and mat in the 'big bag' on the back.

As for the tank bag - very useful for camera and bits and bobs and of course a map on top. Though I do find the current GS tank bag a bit big.........did you know that BMW actually make two sizes of 1200 GS tank bag? I have the smaller. I have never worried too much about having to take the tank bag with me for fear of getting it stolen - I tend to avoid towns anyway. You can get a little lock to hold the zippers together?

The big bag on the bag gives me more options than having a third rigid box on the back........oh, and I don't think they look very cool

Wot he said.

I do use a topbox for poodling around town - it doesn't give the width problem that panniers do in traffic. Touring is hard panniers, big Ortlieb across the back and a tankbag for the essentials, valuables and for toothbrush and smalls when on a ferry - all the rest gets left on the bike.

I like the pacsafe idea - I've used the cable version in the past for threading through the frame, luggage and pannier handles, but the mesh version sounds good.

 

[Eastriding2002]

Instead of a tankbag for all your "essentials" needed close at hand, why not consider a bum bag. I got one of the Oxford ones, holds a spare visor behind the bag, and all the useful pockets and pouches left me space for coins, wallet, MP3 player, sunglasses, passports etc.

Best £16 I spent last year!

 

[andyclift]

I have a Kriega bum bag and Kriega hydration pack with extra luggage pocket. Useful, well designed, waterproof and very high quality- but not nearly the capacity of a tank bag and not practical with pillion passenger

 

[luckylucian]

I've a Kreiga bum bag - found it fitted the pillion too

 

[North]

I find my top box to be most useful and use it all the time. I am no slave to fashion and do not care how it looks.
If people really cared how things looked, most of them would never leave their houses and be seen in puplic.

And as far as handle goes, GET REAL. You don't load it with gold bars.

 

[andyclift]

I am no slave to fashion and do not care how it looks.
If people really cared how things looked,

North

Have I missed something on this thread. I can't find a single reference to the look or fashion of luggage. Until now just sensible suggestions.

 

[North]

North

Have I missed something on this thread. I can't find a single reference to the look or fashion of luggage. Until now just sensible suggestions.

There are comments that tops boxs don't look cool and look like crap. So, I guess you missed them, until now.

 

[andyclift]

No didn't miss them but hopefully read them in context

top boxes are not "cool" to many riders

Personal opinion that OTHER riders may not think they look cool

Personally I can't stand the look of them

But he goes on to give a reasoned arguement why he would/would not use them

 

[North]

And my point is who cares what it looks likes.

Anyways, I guess you don't like my post, so be it.

 

[HORIZONTALLY OPPOSED]

And my point is who cares what it looks likes.

Anyways, I guess you don't like my post, so be it.

Now now girls play nicely or we will take away your toys.

 

[Happyhenry]

Instead of a tankbag for all your "essentials" needed close at hand, why not consider a bum bag. I got one of the Oxford ones, holds a spare visor behind the bag, and all the useful pockets and pouches left me space for coins, wallet, MP3 player, sunglasses, passports etc.

Best £16 I spent last year!

I do use a small Kreiga bumbag. Handy for the lippy and compact but I don't like the idea of anything, like a Leatherman or a camera, punishing my kidneys if I have an off and having had a buckle break on one once I don't really trust bumbags with my valuables if worn behind.

 

[Jon P]

I'm curious or maybe I'm paranoid. But all these people who talk about carrying soft bags / rolls of luggage on the rear of the bike - what do you do when you want to park up in some French or Spanish or UK town centre so you can go look at the sights / eat in a restaurant / visit a museum etc? Do you leave everything inc your riding gear on the bike? In which case is it still there when you get back? Or do you lug it all with you?

Or - as I suspect - is your idea of touring just a series of day long rides from camp site to campsite, with sightseeing being what you can see from no more than 10 ft away from the bike?

There are no sights worth seeing in cities / towns as far as I am concerned - that's why I ride a GS..........to me the sights are the back roads and mountains.

As for security - if I happened to stop (only very briefly) in a populated area who would want to approach my big bike when there are people around and start off loading my luggage?

I have to say that a few years ago I did ride though a lot of Europena cities, including places like Barcelona and often stopped for lunch with no bother at all.

 

[Wuz]

Im about to venture on my first jolly to scotland in April, so was also questioning to myself what to take regards luggage. I have bmw standard top box and panniers, i also have a tank bag. was going to use the panniers and top box, and remove the pillian seat (as her in doors is staying 'in doors') to accomodate the tent and sleeping bag, but not sure now. Thinking now about leaving off the top box and taking the tank bag instead!!! getting really confused now!???

 

[andyclift]

Do you leave everything inc your riding gear on the bike? In which case is it still there when you get back? Or do you lug it all with you?

Or - as I suspect - is your idea of touring just a series of day long rides from camp site to campsite, with sightseeing being what you can see from no more than 10 ft away from the bike?

Having, for many years, toured in UK, Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, etc. I have never lost anything from my bike or campsite.

Although recently I have invested in Pacsafe nets and bags for clothing and helmet, for years we have just bungeed bike clothes over the seat, left the tank bag and rack as is and secured helmets with cheap wire locks. On occasions I have forgotton to remove the satnav and twice I have left the key in. On one occasion I came back to find a note to tell me my key was in a nearby pub.

I do venture more than 10 feet away from the bike, often leaving it for the best part of a day, no problems.

Although I am sure that kit does get knicked, and this may prompt posts from those who have suffered, I think the vast majority of people are honest and it's not an issue to get paranoid about. Enjoy riding the GS and don't worry about it.