how to pack your bike for a trip

[-Savage-]

How To Pack a Motorcycle For a Trip
[taken from https://motorcycles.about.com/cs/beginners/ht/packamotorcycle.htm]

Packing a motorcycle for a trip is more of a challenge than packing your car. This procedure is geared for one motorcycle rider. If you have a co-rider, you'll probably need a trunk or other external trunk behind the passenger.


Here's How:

1. Create a packing list of everything you want to take and where it will be placed on the bike.

2. Depending on the bike, you'll need saddlebags, a tailpack, possibly a tank bag, and at least 3 bungee cords.

3. Clothes should be tightly rolled up to assume the smallest space.

4. Use the packing list to place items in the various storage areas. Include your jacket as a storage area.

5. Evenly distribute the load on the left and right sides. Weigh the bags on a scale.

6. Don't put too much weight on the back of the bike. See your owner's manual for limits.

7. After all necessities are loaded, place your rain gear somewhere on top of the bike secured by bungee cords. You don't want to have to unpack when it starts to rain.

8. Double check your list to ensure that everything is on-board.

9. Place the packing list in your jacket or other readily available spot.

10. Have a great trip!


Tips:

1. Use removable bags in your saddlebags to be able to easily move the contents from your bike to a motel or campsite.
2. Always place items you don't want to get wet in plastic zip-type bags.
3. Try to keep items you need on the road in a place where they can be easily accessed.
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My Bikes - - - Royal Enfield 500 with sidecar, VFR800, CBR600FX,
Peugeot Speedfight 100, Kymco Hipster 125, GSXR750K5, Jawa TS 350

[nick.h]

Vacuum storage bags look like they would be helpful.

Nick
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[Italjet MM5A] ll [Rieju RS1 Evolution] ll [Suzuki GS500e] ll [Suzuki GSX600F] ll [Honda CG125] ll [Pug Elyseo 125] ll [Yamaha YZF750R] ll [Yamaha Thunderace] ll [Yamaha R6] ll [Triumph 955i] ll [Hayabusa RZK3] ll [Suzuki RGV250] ll

[stinkwheel]

Get throwovers out, stick clean underpants, waterproofs and thermarest in one. Fill the other with cans of beer. Bung on bike. Dinnae worry about it being a bit lopsided, strapping the tent across the top will stop them slipping off.

Stuff sleeping bag in dry sack, strap down to sports rack along with tent using two bungees.

Go!

At least, that's what I do, I can pack and load my bike for a rally in less than five minutes.
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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.

[Bendy]

I'm with Stinky.

Lists? Weighing stuff? Checking the owners manual? What happened to the carefree biker, living day to day on the open road, thumbing your nose at 'the man', rejecting authority and all the constraints of modern living...

[McGee]

Im with lee
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◙◙► K6 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 1000 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► 96 RF600r ◄◙◙
◄◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙►◄◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙►◄◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙►
Its pronounced Jixxer!

[stinkwheel]

Don't believe everything you read in manuals either. According to the instructions and the label attached to my sports rack, I am not supposed to put any more than 2.5kg on it. I have personally had well over 50kg on mine (sack of coal) with no ill effects. That is overloading it by 20 times the recommended maximum.
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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.

[yambabe]

Go with Stinkwheel!

Sleeping bag, towel, alcohol in one pannier. Clean undies/clothes, flipflops & food in the other. Make-up, deodorant, toothbrush, bog roll in pannier pockets. Tent, chair, airbed, small table on back seat (I don't have a rack ) bungeed to keep panniers on. Toolkit, map, torch, bits & bobs in tank bag. Phone & wallet in jacket. Go.

I too can pack my bike with enough gear for a 3-night rally in less than 15 minutes, and I'm a woman!

I agree with putting the stuff in your panniers in carrier bags though.
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.