Semi-non-touring type dudes - answer me this:

[vifferman]

I've just bought a very nice tankbag from Kerry at Motohaus (thanx, Kezza! :niceone:) and it has magnetic flaps that fasten it to the tank.
[Here comes the question...wait for it...wait..... - OK]
I've heard that if you put credit cards near the magnets, they'll be rendered thingummy (you know - ferkd.)
What else should I not put in the tank bag in case the strange black voodoo magic that is magnetism wrecks it/them? (<--That was the question, in case you missed it).

Is my digital camera safe? My cellphone? I won't put my TV in there, as I've had bad experiences before with TV screens, small inquisitive children, and strong magnets. :whistle:

[skelstar]

Oooooh, I hadnt thought of that *cringe*, ummm...cassette tapes and VHS tapes, but then who uses magnetic storage media now anyway (apart from hard disk drives)?

[MSTRS]

I've just bought a very nice tankbag from Kerry at Motohaus (thanx, Kezza! :niceone:) and it has magnetic flaps that fasten it to the tank.
[Here comes the question...wait for it...wait..... - OK]
I've heard that if you put credit cards near the magnets, they'll be rendered thingummy (you know - ferkd.)
What else should I not put in the tank bag in case the strange black voodoo magic that is magnetism wrecks it/them? (<--That was the question, in case you missed it).

Is my digital camera safe? My cellphone? I won't put my TV in there, as I've had bad experiences before with TV screens, small inquisitive children, and strong magnets. :whistle:
Good point. Glad my cards/camera/phone etc have suffered no ill effects from their journeys in my tankbag. Not sure that it is an issue really.

[Str8 Jacket]

If you have your credit/eftpos card in a wallet and the metalic strip is covered then that's sweet, cards have been known to stop working if the metalic stripey bit "meets" your cell phone too. I have also heard that your business swipe card MAY also stop working if the sensored part of the card is exposed to metal . . . (hoep this makes sense)

[Zed]

I've just bought a very nice tankbag from Kerry at Motohaus (thanx, Kezza! :niceone:) and it has magnetic flaps that fasten it to the tank.
[Here comes the question...wait for it...wait..... - OK]
I've heard that if you put credit cards near the magnets, they'll be rendered thingummy (you know - ferkd.)
What else should I not put in the tank bag in case the strange black voodoo magic that is magnetism wrecks it/them? (<--That was the question, in case you missed it).

Is my digital camera safe? My cellphone? I won't put my TV in there, as I've had bad experiences before with TV screens, small inquisitive children, and strong magnets. :whistle:Yep, one of my eftpos cards got wiped years ago as a result of being on/near the bottom of my tank bag. From then on I kept my wallet in my jacket pocket or right on top of the bag clear away from the magnetic base...twas a bit of a pain having to continue to remember doing it.

Havn't heard of other items being effected by this, but sometimes you never know till it's too late...didn't Kerry brief you on the pros & cons? :psst:

[Lou Girardin]

The better brands have wallet/cellphone pockets under the top flap to prevent these probs.

[James Deuce]

Never had any issue with the magnets doing stuff in.

Howver be aware that the magnets will pick up little bits of ferrous material. I use a piece of the stuff you can buy from the $2 dollar shop to put under rugs to stop them sliding. Prevents the surface touching the paint and can be replaced cheaply. Never had any issue with the bag falling off either.

[skelstar]

Heres a tip. Dont attempt to take your cat to the vet in your tankbag. Even if its just down the road. Not sure if it was the magnetism or what but the cat was ferked after that. Next money I forked out was for an animal therapist.. did you know they even exist??
Dude I wet myself when I read that, and then I wondered if the cat 'was ferked'
because of the 1000cc engine running just underneath it? :)

[skelstar]

Only 400cc, I dont know what the cat's problem was then...gotta just harden up I guess.

[Phurrball]

Heres a tip. Dont attempt to take your cat to the vet in your tankbag. Even if its just down the road. Not sure if it was the magnetism or what but the cat was ferked after that. Next money I forked out was for an animal therapist.. did you know they even exist??

Nice one SM . :rofl: - I'm going to show this post to our little darling. Somtimes I think a trip in the tankbag is just the therapy she needs...;)

[Especially after last night's effort of bringing in some freaky, bird-sized, West Auckland moth that started laying eggs everywhere in its death throes...GROSS!]

[vifferman]

Hey, thanx guys. :niceone:

I usually carry my wallet in my shirt pocket or left inside jacket pocket, my swipe card for the gargre/front door at work lives in the top right pocket, and cellphone goes in my right shoe (it's a special shoephone) or left outside jacket pocket if I don't have my shoes to carry around. Watch stays at home, or goes in left shoe (it's a special light-powered shoewatch). Digital camera goes in a bag somewhere (and stays there, while I'm having too much fun to stop for photo opportunities...)

Here's a tip, for would-be terrorists: make your weapons out of titanium. My watch has much more metal than my belt buckle, but my (largely ferrous) buckle sets off the metal detector, whereas the watch doesn't.
(I think I pissed off the security dude at the airport once, demonstrating this Homer-style to my wife: "Watch goes in.. watch goes out... in..out...in...out."
"Belt buckle goes in..." BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

[**R1**]

I watched a show on discovery a while ago (i was unemployed and had nufin beta to do) The show was called mythbusters and they tryed to kill a credit card with magnets and unless you scratch the shit out of the magnetic strip on the back they were all sweet... and they had some big magnets...

[vifferman]

I watched a show on discovery a while ago (i was unemployed and had nufin beta to do) The show was called mythbusters and they tryed to kill a credit card with magnets and unless you scratch the shit out of the magnetic strip on the back they were all sweet... and they had some big magnets...
Hey thanx, Aaron - that's good to know!

[vifferman]

Howver be aware that the magnets will pick up little bits of ferrous material. I use a piece of the stuff you can buy from the $2 dollar shop to put under rugs to stop them sliding. Prevents the surface touching the paint and can be replaced cheaply. Never had any issue with the bag falling off either.
I was thinking, "How the hell is that supposed to make a difference?", as there's already material covering the magnets (also the magnets in the flaps are cunningly opposite to others with the opposite polarity in the base, so the flaps stay shut when off the bike). Then I realised you probably meant you put the 'stuff' on the tank, so any ferrous crap the magnets gather is between the bag and the layer of 'stuff'. Yes?

[James Deuce]

I was thinking, "How the hell is that supposed to make a difference?", as there's already material covering the magnets (also the magnets in the flaps are cunningly opposite to others with the opposite polarity in the base, so the flaps stay shut when off the bike). Then I realised you probably meant you put the 'stuff' on the tank, so any ferrous crap the magnets gather is between the bag and the layer of 'stuff'. Yes?

You've got it :)

[Ixion]

I watched a show on discovery a while ago (i was unemployed and had nufin beta to do) The show was called mythbusters and they tryed to kill a credit card with magnets and unless you scratch the shit out of the magnetic strip on the back they were all sweet... and they had some big magnets...

You can run as honking big a magnet as you want over the mag strip, with no harm. But, COLLAPSE even a smallish magnetic field a few times, and it's another story. Tis a collapsing magnetic field (or, worse, one rapidly changing polarity) that does it not a static field

[vifferman]

You can run as honking big a magnet as you want over the mag strip, with no harm. But, COLLAPSE even a smallish magnetic field a few times, and it's another story. Tis a collapsing magnetic field (or, worse, one rapidly changing polarity) that does it not a static field
So, a degaussing wand would do it?

[RiderInBlack]

Use Magnetic Tank Bags all the time. Have had no problems with any of my Cards, or Celephone, or Dig Camera. My cards are in a normal card holder and just get throughen in with eveything esle in the bag. All sweet:Punk:If you are still worried just put you cards in the side pockets or map-holder pocket so they are not directly next to the magnets.

[pritch]

I've heard that if you put credit cards near the magnets, they'll be rendered thingummy (you know - ferkd.)

That's true even other cards will wreck them. Your bank will give you a pamphlet listing likely causes of failure. Mine gave me one anyway...

[b]What else should I not put in the tank bag in case the strange black voodoo magic that is magnetism wrecks it/them?

Things you may need in a hurry go in the tank bag: snacks, camera, tiedowns (on top), duct tape, Leatherman tool, maps, reading glasses, whatever else you may need during the journey. I also keep the tyre gauge and the mini chain lube in a pocket of the tank bag. (Not quite what you asked I know...)

One of those little torches that strap around your head would be good too, and that should probably also be in the bag.

Anything, the loss of which will end your trip, should be on your person: bike keys, wallet, ferry tickets, etc.

I also have the cell phone in a pocket of my jacket. I'm aware that some people consider this an injury risk. But the phone will be no bloody use if I can't get to it for any reason.

Salamat jalan

[madboy]

tankbag hasn't had any ill effects on my cards (admittedly in wallet), or cell, or dig camera, or shoes, or sandwiches in the year or so I've been running a tankbag. But my apples don't like the tankbag.

[Ixion]

So, a degaussing wand would do it?

I refuse to answer that question on the grounds it might discriminate me! :rofl:

[notme]

:hitcher: Interesting point - magnets have a (duh) magnetic field surrounding them when in free space.

As soon as you put the magnet close enough to something that's a good conductor of magnetic flux (such as steel) the magnetic field is confined within the steel, cos it like going thru steel more than air.

So, while your tank bag is on the tank, there is almost no stray magnetic field to destroy credit cards and the like....and i've noticed my old bag had the top half of the magnets shielded anyway.

Of course, i might have to give the bag away for a beer because the CBR has a plastic cover where the tank should be :oi-grr:

[Biff]

So, a degaussing wand would do it?

Hell yeah - or place it on top of the TV when you switch it on, to the tune of the degausse coil going "boinghmmmm".

The degaussing coil in a TV is a big killer for those VCR tapes that people are forever leaving on top of the TV. Or is it just my kids and Ms Biff?

[Sniper]

Hell yeah - or place it on top of the TV when you switch it on, to the tune of the degausse coil going "boinghmmmm".


Is that what that sound is, thanks for the new info :)

[vifferman]

But my apples don't like the tankbag.
Err... thanx, but that's a bit more personal than the info I was looking for. :eek5:


Anyways, I tried the tankbag out last night, just to see iffenit would take my normal range of 'stuff' that goes in my backpack. Ayup - swallowed it with ease.
Shoes, cellphone, camera, watch, pants, lunchbox.
Didn't use it this morning though, as the weather was threatening inclemency (whateverthefookthatis) and I couldn't be bothered transferring stuff from my backpack and sorting out where to put my horrible wet-weather gloves and my slippery wet-weather pants.

Heh. Freaked my wife out last night - emailed her (in response to a very expensive clothes-buying expedition she told me about) and said I'd bought a new $850 helmet, $300 gloves, $250 tankbag, and put a deposit on a Sprint ST.
She saw me from the bus last night and told me, "You were just kidding - you were still wearing your old helmet when I saw you go past the bus!" But (however!) if I'd wanted to prolong the anguish, I could've told her quite correctly that Kerry would've had to order a helmet for me, and the Sprint isn't due for a few days. Instead, I let her off the hook, and told her I had no intention of buying anything. She loved the tankbag though - it's pretty damned kewl.:Punk:

[James Deuce]

The new little wee tankbag I got sticks really well to the metal plate in my head. Keeps my hands free for other things.

[Sniper]

The new little wee tankbag I got sticks really well to the metal plate in my head. Keeps my hands free for other things.

I wondered what that nasty pimple thing was

[vifferman]

The new little wee tankbag I got sticks really well to the metal plate in my head. Keeps my hands free for other things.
Do the magnetic field enhance or interfere with 'normal' (for you) brain activity?

Hey - if the new little wee tankbag sticks to the plate, it must be steel or iron. Do you have to drink copious (that's "cop-PEEEEE-us") quantities of Coke (TM) to stop it rusting? :spudwhat:

[vifferman]

Took my rack off today, and test-rode the new tankbag. It easily swallowed all my AssortedCrap(TM) without the need to expand its height. The bike looked weird without the packrack on, but handled a little better without the pendulous weight to the rear of the back axle.

[dawnrazor]

I watched a show on discovery a while ago (i was unemployed and had nufin beta to do) The show was called mythbusters and they tryed to kill a credit card with magnets and unless you scratch the shit out of the magnetic strip on the back they were all sweet... and they had some big magnets...
saw same program, and was about to comment the same thing, the magnet myth is very over rated, in fact you have more chance of doing damage to the strips by inserting then into bank machines that have been poorly maintained, and are exposed to weather, grit and dust get into the slot and tear the crap out of the strip very easily.

[vifferman]

See last post (added photos - wouldn't let me do it before...)

[Dodgyiti]

Old thread dug up because an article in Two wheels magazine is saying that you should not carry you creditcards etc in a magnetic tank bag.

I do it all the time, in the bottom part right on top of the magnets sometimes not even in my wallet- just loose. No issues, either with that of my phone and media player.

I think it's a bunch of arse really. Unless there are some banking cards that it can happen to and not others.

My advice is to change banks to a more biker friendly institution.

Anyone honestly say their cards have been wiped from magnetic tank bags?

[Ender EnZed]

I read the same article and thought much the same thing. I carry phone, cards, camera, bag of magnets...never had a problem.

[The Pastor]

i'd be more worried about the paint damage of the straps trapping dust.

[vifferman]

They debunked the "magnets wreck the magnetic strips on credit cards" thing on Mythbusters some time back.
In any case, my particular tankbag has not only a padded base but also has some other stuff between the magnetic flaps and the bag contents, like the padded back and straps to turn it into a backpack, and the bits to expand the pack.
Yes, the biggest danger is grit adhering to the magnets then vandalising the paint (which they've done. Majorly).

[sAsLEX]

I dont have a metal tank top, but a silly plastic air box cover........ problem solved?

[zahria]

Oooooh, I hadnt thought of that *cringe*, ummm...cassette tapes and VHS tapes, but then who uses magnetic storage media now anyway (apart from hard disk drives)?

I've had my wallet in mine heaps, no issues. Same with camera etc. Thought had never occured to me?

[nosebleed]

Dodgyiti: surely this speaks more about the quality of Two Wheels magazine than it does about bank cards.
The Mythbusters article was mentioned as long ago as '05 when this thread was first posted, and yet a staff writer would still think this 'fact' is noteworthy today, despite (old) evidence to the contrary.

I'd be changing magazines... But that's because I'm a fussy coont like that.
I've stopped buying BRM until either 1) the editor starts to read the articles and does his job pre-press, or 2) they invest in a spell checker and use it.

It's only small stuff, but I'm not gonna pay a premium for lazy effort

[slofox]

Just use a seat bag that straps on. Never scratches the paint, no magnets, carries tons of junk, expandable to carry even more junk, got little pocket for phone which connects via bluetooth to Blueant Interphone...works for me.

[Highlander]

How do you find the seat bag (other than "turn around and there it is" :dodge:)? We are thinking about getting one for my wifes bike.


Just use a seat bag that straps on. Never scratches the paint, no magnets, carries tons of junk, expandable to carry even more junk, got little pocket for phone which connects via bluetooth to Blueant Interphone...works for me.

[slofox]

How do you find the seat bag (other than "turn around and there it is" :dodge:)? We are thinking about getting one for my wifes bike.

It's probably the best accessory I ever bought for the bike actually...carries puncture kit, rain gear, map book, wallet, phone, spare change for a coffee, tyre pressure gauge as standard. Expanded, it can carry a change of clothes and a pair of shoes as well...oh and compressible lunches fit in as well...great piece of kit.

[Sharry]

I bought a tail pack when I had my Jade, it was great. Held everything I needed to take to work and expanded for a bit of shopping.

Just note that it can only be used on a bike that does not have a high exhuast that stops you strapping it on on one side.

[nothingflash]

There's three magnetic lines in the swipe panel of the card that run the length of the card. One carries the account details, one carries the card details and the other carries the PIN details. The card is fucked when another magnet pulls either one of those together and they touch.

I used to work in this area of a bank and had this pungent stuff you could "develop" the black swipe panel with to see it.

[Dodgyiti]

Thanks for the input folks.

I hold (held) some respect for Two Wheels magazine, been reading it since before I could go for my licence. I guess it is just some shoddy journalism.

Old wives tale, and they could have maybe put it out for discussion in their forum to see if anyone had experienced the problem.

Missed the Mythbusters episode on this one, guess it is just a myth.
It's easy to see how this sort of myth and be put so deep into our conciousness. There are 4 threads on the subject at KiwiBiker- I just dredged this one up because it was the oldest and I remembered reading it 4 years ago and wanted to know if anything had changed.