What is the general consensus on this? I just about bought an alpinestars backpack last night on ebay to tote my belongings on longer trips and stuff...Then I got to thinking about safety and wind resistance....Would this hamper either? What is your prefered method of carrying belongings?? Thanks in advance!
I use a Eddie Bauer Campus pack with the waist strap. It's also reflective so it makes me more visible during the night. I mostly use it for my work Laptop so I couldn't really give you an opinion on long distance but it does grab a hold of the wind at times if its not on tight.
Those AXIO hard packs are ffin' tits as far as looks.
I don't know. There's a lot of contraversy about this subject. One side says you should never wear a backpack because you could mess up your back if you crash and have one on. Then I hear well it's OK if you wear a back protector. Then I've heard it's only ok if you have a pack with a built in back protector. lol. You'll just have to make your own decisions. I have a jansport I use for long trips and such. But honestly, 90% of the time I either keep stuff in my tankbag or tailbag. Gear is enough to have attached to me while I'm riding. If you are going to get a backpack let me recommend one with a waist strap and a snap in the center of your chest to keep the shoulder straps in place. Keeps the shoulder straps from rubbing on or touching the inside of your arms while you ride and the waist strap helps keep the pack secure. I guess that's my only :2cents: .
The safety issues are all real and can be really aggravated by what you're carrying in it. Whatever it is, you could land on it in a crash.
Then there's the comfort aspect. Even a little weight can start to feel real heavy on a long trip. Tank, tailbag, or both for me. They attach easy and carry easy when off the bike.
Saddlebags are probably even better due to lower weight on the bike but are clumsier to use and tend to be harder to mount and harder on the bike's finish because of how they lay over painted surfaces. With some effort, they can be made suitable for longer hauls and the lower weight is better in the twisties. JMO
Tank Bags are the way to go IMO. On longer trips maybe adding a set of saddle bags. The couple of times I rode with a backpack I felt too limited by it.
I ride with a backpack alot; going to the girls house for the weekend or to haul my work clothes to work. The heavier the pack is or when it's stuffed to the hilts makes for an uncomfortable ride whether long or short distance. As for tank bags, I have one and when i used it it kept me from being able to crouch down and made for one hell of a head whipping when trying to keep up with my buddies who were on liter bikes (mine is a 600). I ended up strapping the tank bag to my rear seat at the first gas stop.
It depends, for me: sometimes a backpack works, sometimes not. For short trips or carrying light stuff (clothes, tennis rackets, or sparring gear), the backpack works very well. For longer trips the tankbag or rear bags (tail- and saddle-) work best. The rider needs to figure out what works best for him/herself. :thumb:
I did lay on the tank bag, but going 100+ mph trying to keep up with the zx12r and zx9r whipped my head back and forth badly because my head stuck up too far over the top of the windscreen.
I did lay on the tank bag, but going 100+ mph trying to keep up with the zx12r and zx9r whipped my head back and forth badly because my head stuck up too far over the top of the windscreen.
Riding around with the right motorcycle backpack shouldn't be an issue at all. Actually, their materials are more heavy duty (to withstand the air resistance) and usually they have more features that are motorcycle-related (back protector, hyrda pack,....etc)
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