Tramping backpack on the bike

**gatch** · 29th December 2009, 17:45

Originally Posted by centaurus

I ride with a backpack too, but a small one. Here I am talking about a big backpack with inner frame, used for multiday tramps, that can hold all my stuff for the holiday (a 60-70 L backpack). I would hate to have to ride the bike with one of those strapped to my back. And I'm pretty sure it's quite dangerous too.

I wore a 60l pack from Nelson to Dunedin, fuckin damn near broke me.

Here's an idea, take whatever size backpack you want, also a big tank bag. Put some of the bigger bulky things in the tank bag while you are riding, IE sleeping bag, jersey, wet weathers etc, then when you are ready to walk, stow them away in the pack again. For the sake of cutting down the bulk of the pack on the pillion seat.. Make it more manageable..

Or something.

**Chrislost** · 29th December 2009, 17:46

Originally Posted by centaurus

I have decided to do my holiday on the bike this summer. I was wondering if I can use a proper backpack as bike luggage (proper multi day backpack). I'm thinking of securing it to the bike, not carrying on my back. This would save me the expense of buying bike luggage and also allow me to do tramping while on holiday with the bike.

Has anybody tried this? Any ideeas or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Oh, I almost forgot. I have a 99' ZX6R. Small back seat but it has the grab rails on both sides of the seat which could be used as support/tiedown points.

use heaps of ductape

**Cloggy** · 29th December 2009, 17:48

Can you fix a bit of plywood on the back of the bike as a platform to support the pack?
Sit the plywood on the seat and secured it to the bike via the two grabhandles you have. Screw, clamps, ratched tie-downs, whatever works.
Then you have a nice flat surface to lie your pack across the bike and secure the pack to. You might then even be able to use the pack's harness to secure it around the plywood.

**gatch** · 29th December 2009, 17:49

Originally Posted by Chrislost

use heaps of ductape

Or that..

On the back of my buddies gsxr (with rigid pack frame) we had a 50l potting mix, foam troughs, a hose, some short bits of timber, various boxes of assorted knick knacks and paddy whacks. All held on with duct tape. Then there was me and the rider ha.

**karla** · 29th December 2009, 18:54

depends where you are going of course, but you might find that there is a courier running each day and that you can post the pack to ahead of yourself every two or three days. Then just ride with the bare essentials. That's what a lot of cylists do coming from the Glaciers to Wanaka when they are expecting a few hill climbs.

**Quasi** · 29th December 2009, 19:07

I have done many miles, over both islands, two up, on various bikes, with loaded tramping pack strappped to the back. Was longways rather then acrossways, but never a problem encountered. strapped on with bungee's. Go for it and have a wonderful holiday.

**centaurus** · 29th December 2009, 21:15

Originally Posted by Quasi

I have done many miles, over both islands, two up, on various bikes, with loaded tramping pack strappped to the back. Was longways rather then acrossways, but never a problem encountered. strapped on with bungee's. Go for it and have a wonderful holiday.

This sounds interesting. Give some more details. How did you position it lengthwise? Didn't it obscure the rear lights? Was it streching beyound the rear of the bike?

**jafar** · 29th December 2009, 21:58

Originally Posted by centaurus

This sounds interesting. Give some more details. How did you position it lengthwise? Didn't it obscure the rear lights? Was it streching beyound the rear of the bike?

I travelled through America with a sports bag bungeed over the rear seat & never had a problem with it.
Lay the bag lengthways down the bike & use good quality cords to hold it to the grabrails. You can also tie to the pillion pegs & there are usually some tie points under the bike if you look for them.
Put the solid stuff where the ties are going to be & leave your loose stuff @ each end. Check the position of the bag regularly during your journey & make adjustments as you go, worst case is you may have to stop into bunnings & get some rope or cord to lash it down.
If the bag is going to protrude over the tail of the bike invest in some duct tape to protect your painted surfaces.

**BMWST?** · 29th December 2009, 22:06

Originally Posted by Quasi

I have done many miles, over both islands, two up, on various bikes, with loaded tramping pack strappped to the back. Was longways rather then acrossways, but never a problem encountered. strapped on with bungee's. Go for it and have a wonderful holiday.

plus one.a tramping pack aint that long.The pillion space plus tail peice will be heaps long enough.Some cloth and tape to protect surfaces,three or four bungee cords(dont forget it will try to move backwards and forwards when you brake and accellerate

**MaxB** · 29th December 2009, 23:29

Originally Posted by karla

depends where you are going of course, but you might find that there is a courier running each day and that you can post the pack to ahead of yourself every two or three days. Then just ride with the bare essentials. That's what a lot of cylists do coming from the Glaciers to Wanaka when they are expecting a few hill climbs.

Got held up in the post office for quite a while yesterday by a student type doing just that. He explained that it was cheaper to courier his pack home than pay the excess baggage charge on the cheapo air ticket he had.

**TomJ** · 29th December 2009, 23:47

I had great pac rack on my old GPX that worked great with 35l climbing rucksac. I also carried my son's cricket gear inc bat on the rack. As long as weight is kept low then all should be sweet

hope your trip goes well

**MaxB** · 30th December 2009, 00:24

I loaned my GS850 to a mate for a holiday and it came back with a pack frame fitted. The tramping pack was fitted vertically and just unclipped. That would be a long term solution.

But for now just lash it on and go. The only things not mentioned so far are maybe to take out the inner pack frame if it will come out and use the pack straps as extra security on top of the tie downs and bungy cords.

**Bounce001** · 30th December 2009, 06:42

Have done many many kms with luggage strapped on to the bike.

1. Make sure (if you are strapping it on across the bike) that it is no wider than the handlebars.
2. Make sure the weight is distributed evenly.
3. Wrap everything in rubbish bags inside the pack.

Have had saddlebags and a tent etc all the way around the south island and had no trouble at all. Also on new bike with no saddlebags have had all sorts strapped to it with no problems.

**Quasi** · 30th December 2009, 07:20

Originally Posted by centaurus

This sounds interesting. Give some more details. How did you position it lengthwise? Didn't it obscure the rear lights? Was it streching beyound the rear of the bike?

This was some time ago and the pack was a mountain mule. Totally differant from todays modern packs in that it was short and squat, while the modern packs are long and narrow. So did not hang out over the back. Pack all the havy stuff in the bottom of the pack so that the weight is towards the middle of the bike rather then at the back of the bike.