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

[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" )? 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" )? 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.