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Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 2 Jul 2015
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I ran a simple cable with a small padlock through the loops of the bags on the back of my bike when crossing borders, just in case anyone was tempted while I was away from the machine. Otherwise the bags were unlocked for my recent ten week trip in southern Africa. Always ALWAYS have what you really can't loose on your person (in my case in my tank bag which I never left on the bike) and relax, most people are honest.

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Old 2 Jul 2015
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I zip tie the buckles together or use small cable combination lock similar to those use by airline travelers.
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Old 4 Jul 2015
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Agree. Anything you do is to try and keep honest people honest. A bit like not leaving your phone on a table and going for a piss. Best is to keep it in sight.
Keeping things looking worn and dirty may help but in some countries they look at things differently. Worn and dirt may not look without value.
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Old 11 Jul 2015
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I have been kick this around for some time and while I ride 2up the security is abit different than solo as keeping an eye out is much easier or in a group but solo it is something to really ponder .I would probably go with an hard box .
the other thing to not discard is an alarm with at least 2 other levels of restraint,this would keep the coyotes away.thinking of pacsafe ,locks and the ball socket chain or similar. I think around this while looking at packing lighter.
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  #5  
Old 12 Jul 2015
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Never had a problem in 10 years with soft luggage
It helps if there are two of you! We virtually never leave the bikes unattended with luggage on and every night take everything into the room with us (including the bikes on occasion!) We have crappy old soft bags tied on with bungees and never had a problem. On the rare occasions we abandon the bikes with luggage on we take all valuables with us.

We also have a wire mesh security bag we put valuables into, which we padlock to something metal somewhere unobtrusive in the room, so we can leave computers etc when we go out. Not so useful when camping!
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Old 13 Jul 2015
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I tend to have camping gear (which in total can be expensive) in roll bag. No security. If it gets stolen then I'm tramping or sleeping in hotels I guess.

Valuables usually in a tank bag that always comes with me if I'm off the bike, but if you're hijacked that's gone and there's no going to be any more travel photos.

I did take a pacsafe with me to Morocco and used it Spain. It was a pain since they are designed for backpacks and open on the long side. I guess they work well in roll bags, but I found that it worse holes in my drybag.

If using a pacsafe always get the next size up from what you need.

If leaving your bike gear as happens if you say go to explore something whilst on the between towns, then never leave your helmet/riding gear unless it's locked. You need it more that most of your other stuff.
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Old 14 Jul 2015
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our 1st long trip, years ago, with our BMWs, we had Alu boxes... way too heavy and pointless. Locks can be opened in 10 seconds.

Our latest trip, last year, across Northern and central Asia, we decided to go "light"!
I had Andy'z soft panniers, just "secured" with additional Rok Straps, to stop them moving too much round the luggage frame.

The camping gear was on a roll back on my husband's bike, this had a Packsafe mesh as we used it rarely.

For everyday bags the packsafe are a PITA, and to be fair, outside of Europe, no one will touch your luggage. My panniers, covered in dust, scraggy and on a 10 year old Honda XR125 did not make us look like rich! Even the cops in Kazakhstan, never bothered to stop us when driving along side us, after having a good look at our sorry state!

You can see pictures on my website and blog (links below I think).
Passports, money and valuables are either on us, or on our backpacks, while my pocket camera and my iPad were in my tankbag (hidden under toilet paper, water and food!) .

We left the bikes abandoned many times (including tank bag) at border crossings, or for coffee, at patrol station, and no one ever touched anything.

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