How to carry all your pillion's luggage...

If you are a solo rider with lots of gear for the GS Challenge...or maybe just a "careful packer" rider with a "less-than-careful" pillion, here's an option for when the top-box, pillion and tank bag are already full...







...No we can't afford it, dear!

...or this one - even works on a 1150...

No - this complete defrays from the principle of biking - just learn to pack small and light. If you dont have place for it you go without. If you want to take so much junk with rather take the Landy or the Pajero or whatever sidewalk parker you use. Regards

LeRoy Olivier wrote: just learn to pack small and light. If you dont have place for it you go without. If you want to take so much junk with rather take the Landy or the Pajero

Unless you want to take your 4 star accommodation with! I still think a nicely colourcoded one will look lovely behind the big blue LT.

Seems you can fit a trailer to any bike - RT would also do then.

At the moment I don't need the extra space. Being single has it's advantages. However, as soon as I have hair dryers and other things to pack, it might just be an idea. (Clour coded of course!)

By then you will have to learn to make do with the left hand pannier - the top box and right hand pannier will no longer be available.

Let the pillion take his/her own bike

Anyone notice that the picture above has the sidecar fitted to....



....a BMW R80GS PD Classic with twin headlight, custom screen and after market front fender bracket...?

Ditto LeRoy---This is plain bad. A cross wind, pothole or overloading will find you in Baragwana Hospital ward 3, 4 and maybe 5

And laying still wont help. Principle here is to learn how to travel light, take what is necessary and pack light. Have learnt over the last 5 years how to pack the LT, get everything in and still to have al that i wanted.

A few years ago we were traveling down to the Southern Drakensberg region, and stopped off at Clarens - 2 days and one painting later we were on our way - painting in the top box beneath the luggage bag. Took some tight packing, but we got there.

No sidecar or trailer necessary.

I tried the following move:



Between King Williamstown and Grahamstown we hit a terrible storm with rain and wind and when we arrived at Grahamstown, the white bag was AWOL.

Me thinks that if something is not fixed to the bike, me rather leave it.

One of the people on this forum said: Take half the clothes and twice the money.

Yep, if you can afford it, it is definately the most convenient. What you can't get into the panniers and top-box must stay home. The rest you carry in your wallet

JohanGT wrote:
Me thinks that if something is not fixed to the bike, me rather leave it.

One of the people on this forum said: Take half the clothes and twice the money.

Agreed, I feel MUCH better if everything is in the sidebags or in the tankpack ... the rest I buy along the road or learn to get along without it

I remember on my first long trip to Mozambique, I had my soft bag tied down on the seat behind me (never had the convenience of a top box). Suddenly the biker behind me (Pennels) rode up next to me waving me into an urgent stop.
One end of the tie-down got loose and was about to entangle in the spokes of the back wheel. Till then I rely on a cargo net rather than tie-downs.
So whatever goes on the bike, make sure about how its fastened!

Seen the tankpacks (pictures) Does it not damage the paint on the bike and is it not in your way?

it sure does damage the paint if mounted directly on the tank area does not matter how careful you are. There are ways around it though.......

- stop caring about the damage; or
- don't use a tank bag; or
- use a tank bag that mounts on the petrol cap thus not touching the tank directly; or
- temporarily protect the area where mounted on the tank

MadnohB wrote:
- temporarily protect the area where mounted on the tank

This is something that I wish I knew about or reralised when my bike was new. It is not so bad on teh tank, but against the side of the tank where my pants press against the sides the paint is much duller (sp?) than before...

Note to myself is that if I am lucky enough to buy a new bike again I'll make sure I pre-order that protective film that goes on before I use it too long

Joe---Explain that protectibe film. First I hear of it. Where do you get it and how does it work.

That is true! And stay away from those elastic bands that seem so tight, it is all just smoke and mirrors. It works until it does not work and then your expensive goodies go on a trip of their own.

If you need to tie something down, use proper straps.

The best known and tried and tested paint film protection is supplied by a company called VPS. They use 3M product. Have a look at the website at vpsprotection.co.za

Been using the protective film from "Venture Shield" for 4 years now. Model specific precut decalls for each bike, almost invisible if applied correctly and super strong.

This bike had the product applied on all the indicated areas....basically all chip and scratch sensitive areas



a more close-up pic.....note the slightly glossy edge of the bellypan which is the film

MadnohB wrote:Been using the protective film from "Venture Shield" for 4 years now. Model specific precut decalls for each bike, almost invisible if applied correctly and super strong.

This bike had the product applied on all the indicated areas....basically all chip and scratch sensitive areas

Hi MadnohB,

where did you get the film and did you have them fitted or did you fit it yourself ??

Henk wrote:Joe---Explain that protectibe film. First I hear of it. Where do you get it and how does it work.

Hi Henk,

I went to this site....

http://www.ventureshield.com/dealers.asp#Results

Bear wrote:.....where did you get the film and did you have them fitted or did you fit it yourself ??

Got it from Full Throttle (@ about R1k per set) and we fitted (mostly the Mermaid ) it. However, it's not easy and in the process, we wasted some "panels"

Nowadays, I see Venture Shield has a local importer (it's an Australian product) and they offer fitment included in their price (refer to their ad in BikeSA)

I did not use all the supplied decalls, for example I did not fit them to the outside of the mirrors and front fairing. It can be removed easily - for instanse if you want to trade - and the previously covered surface will be chip and scratch free. It's also a very durable product with no discolouration in 3 years (longest we had it on 1 single bike)