Contact Overland Solutions for all your custom modifications and setup for overland travel.               Discover the extraordinary with Compass Expeditions.

Go Back   The HUBB > Technical, Bike forums > Equipping the Bike - what's the best gear?
Why not a back-pack? Why not a back-pack?
Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Equipping the Bike - what's the best gear? Anything to do with the bikes equipment, saddlebags, etc. Questions on repairs and maintenance of the bike itself belong in the Brand Specific Tech Forums.
With more than 58 destinations worldwide, Edelweiss Bike Travel is Number 1 in guided motorcycle tours!
1 Off Motorsports - Improve your riding experience with our parts and accessories!

Reply
Page 3 of 3 1 2 3
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #31  
Old 14 Oct 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Queenstown, New Zealand
Posts: 103
Obviously a number of factors have to be taken into account - the rider, the bike, the road surface, the distances, the amount of gear, the design and construction of the backpack....

I carried all my gear in a backpack (Gearsack) on my rides across Australia and wore it on my back.

The first time I had too much stuff and the straps cut into my shoulders, even though the shoulders don't support all the weight.

After learning my lesson I took only the essentials on subsequent rides and had no problems at all.

If you're out in the middle of nowhere on a highway with no bend in sight there's no problem loosening the straps and letting the seat behind you take some of the load. Handling really is not an issue in that situation.

Two advantages of wearing my backpack:

1. It helps to keep me warm on a cold day and stops the wind whistling up my back.

2. The reflective writing and triangles on it make me more visible at night.
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 15 Oct 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: bellingham, WA, USA
Posts: 1,436
Quote:
Originally Posted by flying biker View Post

Two advantages of wearing my backpack:

1. It helps to keep me warm on a cold day and stops the wind whistling up my back.

2. The reflective writing and triangles on it make me more visible at night.
This is hardly a ringing endorsement. Aren't there other, more direct ways of providing visibility and staying warm? I mean, which don't compromise handling or comfort? I don't have any problem if you want to wear a backpack (I wear a little one myself from time to time if it's expedient), but surely there would need to be better reasons than this to wear one all day, day after day.....? On long journeys (three months, six months, more) I carry a lot of gear; no way it's all going on my back.

Or perhaps this was your point after all?

Mark
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 15 Oct 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Queenstown, New Zealand
Posts: 103
markharf I'm not suggesting those are the reasons that I wear a backpack, they are merely two extra benefits of the particular backpack I own.

I use a backpack because I've found it a perfectly satisfactory way of carrying my gear.

As I said before there are lots of variables, but I'm a tall guy on a big bike and I travel light so comfort and handling are not compromised.
Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 3 of 3 1 2 3

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes
Linear Mode Linear Mode

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What do you pack everything in? Alexlebrit 4WD Overland TRAVEL 13 26 Apr 2007 17:15
Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and back - next spring? spakur Sahara Travel Forum 13 7 Dec 2006 12:29
Driving back or flying back from India to NL? peerke Route Planning 4 2 Oct 2003 00:49
Germany - Senegal and back with the motorbike Bloody Sahara Travel Forum 2 29 Jan 2002 19:24
Burkina Faso back to Morocco Andy Hunt Sahara Travel Forum 0 24 Jul 2001 16:44


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:12.

Contact Us - Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Website - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top