Carrying weight on the bike

[Silver_Fox]

Cripes. A friend has weighed up his camping kit to go on the back of his hire bike and it's 25kg

How will this affect handling/riding? The same as you're taught (when learning) about pillion passengers?

[grr666]

That's not much weight really, there could be 25kg difference in weight between me and you theoretically.
Luggage is easier than a pillion anyway, it doesn't ever need a piss or wriggle around halfway round a bend*.


*if strapped down properly.
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[Matt B]

As said, not much difference really. Will depend on how and where it is carried though. Strapped to the seat where the pillion would be will make the least difference. Stuck out the back of the bike on a rack, or in a top box could cause some stability issues.
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[Albigularis]

Mainly it depends on the bike.

R1200GS loaded with two 14st+ fatties and about 50kg worth of kit, felt the same as it does with just me on it, just slower.

Z1000 with me and a 10st pillion felt like the front wheel was for display purposes only.

That said, 25kg shouldn't make much difference. If he's mega concerned, get a tank cover and put some of it on the tank to keep the weight central.
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Biking history so far-
Aprilia RS125 - Kawasaki ZXR400 - Triumph Street Triple R - Suzuki GSXR1000 L3 - BMW R1200GS - Kawasaki Z1000 - Kawasaki ZX10R C1H - Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Touring - Suzuki Hayabusa

[Silver_Fox]

At speed or at all variations of it? The guy in question has this exact bike. That's quite a sizeable top box

https://www.motorcycles2hire.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/images/2015/06/nc700x-e1410180553238/1289204487.jpg

[Vincent]

I'd tell him to put all the heavy stuff in the panniers and keep the light stuff in the topbox. As Matt B says, any weight behind the rear axle will effect handling to some degree.
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[Silver_Fox]

Great, thanks. It's just common sense I guess

[stinkwheel]

The white sack of coal by itself weighs 25kg.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/imm039.jpg

The above is how NOT to do it but still made it through a deep ford and 5 miles of semi-frozen dirt tracks. Keep the weight low and central as possible.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Rogerborg]

25kg for a 3 day trip? In the UK? He's been watching Long Way Round too often. Give him a slap and tell him that you can buy anything that you actually need if and when you actually need it.
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[sickpup]

[johnsmith222]

[sickpup]

[Silver_Fox]

[G]

My KTM suffered with loads of weight hanging further back than the official rack goes.

Didn't have the same problems with a chunk of weight in official panniers and a maybe 60kg pillion.

So keep it as far forward as possible.

[CaNsA]

We're doing bike packing again?

My CLR125
https://i.imgur.com/3KUtiEQl.jpg

My ZXR400
https://i.imgur.com/AuvJQNL.jpg

[Pete.]

The average big bike's weight will change around 20kg between full and empty, 25kg isn't so much. More affect out back on the pillion than mid-bike in the tank of course but you really shouldn't be bothered by it.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Albigularis]

[Sload]

[sidewinder]

The divvy handles better with a bit of weight on the back
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"Nitrous is like a cheap hooker, you want to hit it but are scared of the consequences

[Lord Percy]

25kg is nothing.

Have you ever taken a passenger before? It's like that apart from it's sat rigid on the bike, and it only weighs 25kg.

[thx1138]

pfft. I am 25kilos lighter than when I first ventured into the health and fitness thread circa 2013.


I put my camping gear into a rucksack, tent, sleeping bag, cooker and utensils. it has a waist belt which I fasten well and I just slacked the shoulder straps so that the weight sits on the passenger seat, doesn't really affect handling at all and doesn't pull of my shoulders cos weight is on seat. Though I do ride quite sedately

[Yaka]

i have always wondered when i have seen bikes with way way too much kit on even more than bikes in cansas's pics. do they ever get in trouble taking the bikes on the motorway? or are traffic cops ok with it?
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[deadwolf]

https://www.kcplazasportbikes.com/photos/racing_hpt_10-10-04/image/sjaak-above9136.jpg

25kg is still going to be less than most pillions and as many here have already mentioned, as long as it's not sticking out behind the bike itself on a topbox, there shouldn't be too much of an effect on handling.
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[Silver_Fox]

Never ridden with a pillion. Never really ridden (just passed)

Attaching things to the pillion, cargo nets, bungee cords?

[delsol]