 |
| My 2006 BMW R1200RT fully packed |
The total weight carrying capacity (payload) of my R1200RT is 520 pounds which includes me - the rider. If you subtract the rider weight (including riding gear which can be heavy because of the body armor protection) the allowable weight is less than 240 lbs. However that would mean the bike would be at the maximum load. The more weight you carry the poorer motorcycle performance and lower gas mileage. So pack less and lighter for better performance. I'm sure that 240 lbs. of stuff would be bigger than 172 L unless I was carrying rocks or lead. Next I need to consider how the weight and bulk of stuff is evenly distributed on the bike. If all the heavy stuff is packed on one side it will affect riding. Last year on another trip I was forced to repack my gear after the second night on the road because my bike was so unbalanced. The bike always wanted to drift to the left. After re-packing the rest of the ride was so much more enjoyable.
It is important that gear be securely attached to the bike (also making sure straps or loose ends don't get caught in any moving parts). Nothing worse than having something blow off when riding and/or having a strap get caught in the wheel - that would ruin your day and maybe even the whole trip. You also don't want to "over stuff" a pannier which may cause a hinge to become sprung and maybe bust open while riding finding your stuff spread all over the road. On one motorcycle trip a few years ago the right pannier fell off the bike (not the R1200RT but my F800GS) while traveling down the road. Stuff was strewn all over the road. Luckily no one following me hit the pannier or any of my stuff - that could've caused an accident. Turned out the pannier attachment mechanism was faulty. I then used a "zip-tie" to secure the pannier to it the bike so it wouldn't fall off again. When I got home I had the pannier replaced.
My riding partner Stuart has a beautiful Honda GL1800 or Goldwing. His bike has two panniers and a top case too. He also has a small suitcase mounted to a luggage rack on his top case. His payload weight and capacity of his Goldwing are greater than my bike. Stuart is the kind of guy that likes to pack a lot of stuff. Last year he brought fishing waders, fishing pole, wading boots, fishing gear, a hatchet and lots of other stuff. This year his wife will come along riding on the bike with him. He'll be carrying gear for two people - rider and passenger. As a result this year he is looking to tow a small one wheeled trailer behind his bike to carry all his and his wife's gear.
Now that I know the size and weight capacity I need to determine what to pack. There are four stuff categories - bike (tools, spares, etc.), camping (tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear, etc.), personal (clothes, sundries, towel, etc.) and extras (GPS, knife, camera, cellphone, etc.). As the trip date approaches closer to two months or so I'll start making detailed and specific lists of gear for each category. The big important items are easy to remember, it's the little things that you miss or wish you had packed. I will edit and re-edit my various gear lists right up until I leave.
Riding clothes are: heavy jacket, mesh jacket (spare), riding pants, riding boots, silk glove liners, warm weather gloves, cold weather gloves, skull cap, and long underwear. I'm pretty frugal at packing "leisure" (after riding) clothes: one pair of pants that can also be used as shorts. 2-3 pieces of underwear (socks and briefs) and 2 T-shirts, one sweatshirt, wool hat, and water moccasins. Each night (when not raining or wet) after riding I wash, rinse and dry one set of underwear and T-shirts. That way I'll always have fresh clothes. Other personal items I bring are small towel, bath kit (toothbrush, soap, toothpaste, etc.), first aid kit, and necessary medicine, Camping gear is tent, ground cloth, cot, collapsible chair, cook kit (pots, cups, and plates), eating utensils, stove, stove fuel, lighter, lantern, water container, water filter, soap, and sponge. Extras generally consist of GPS, knife, cup, small flask of whisky, a book, sketch/note pad, pen, tablet, cellphone, chargers, solar panel, sunglasses, and hat. Last year I had a limited amount of room to carry just a few groceries.
Keeping in mind even weight distribution I have developed a method to my packing. Gear will be weighed and sorted to the appropriate luggage bag. I pack clothes in the left pannier. Extras and sundries in the right pannier. Cooking gear, stove, lantern, some tools and extras in the top case. And finally, the big big bulky stuff like sleeping bag, tent, a collapsible chair, tarp, stove fuel, spare water, and other extras in the large 49 L bag. This bag is mounted on a rack that is mounted behind me and in front of the top case. To test and confirm my packing "system" I might start test packing well before the start of the trip the various luggage with stuff to understand how it safely and securely it all packs together.
The one nice result of my systematic packing is that setting up camp and breaking down camp is easier when you understand what and where gear is packed. Instead of looking for stuff or wondering where it goes having a system makes camping easier. It is important to remember to bring only what you will need. If you must have something you can always stop and buy it. Then the problem is where to safely and securely pack it.
It is important that gear be securely attached to the bike (also making sure straps or loose ends don't get caught in any moving parts). Nothing worse than having something blow off when riding and/or having a strap get caught in the wheel - that would ruin your day and maybe even the whole trip. You also don't want to "over stuff" a pannier which may cause a hinge to become sprung and maybe bust open while riding finding your stuff spread all over the road. On one motorcycle trip a few years ago the right pannier fell off the bike (not the R1200RT but my F800GS) while traveling down the road. Stuff was strewn all over the road. Luckily no one following me hit the pannier or any of my stuff - that could've caused an accident. Turned out the pannier attachment mechanism was faulty. I then used a "zip-tie" to secure the pannier to it the bike so it wouldn't fall off again. When I got home I had the pannier replaced.
 |
| Stuart on his Goldwing |
Now that I know the size and weight capacity I need to determine what to pack. There are four stuff categories - bike (tools, spares, etc.), camping (tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear, etc.), personal (clothes, sundries, towel, etc.) and extras (GPS, knife, camera, cellphone, etc.). As the trip date approaches closer to two months or so I'll start making detailed and specific lists of gear for each category. The big important items are easy to remember, it's the little things that you miss or wish you had packed. I will edit and re-edit my various gear lists right up until I leave.
Riding clothes are: heavy jacket, mesh jacket (spare), riding pants, riding boots, silk glove liners, warm weather gloves, cold weather gloves, skull cap, and long underwear. I'm pretty frugal at packing "leisure" (after riding) clothes: one pair of pants that can also be used as shorts. 2-3 pieces of underwear (socks and briefs) and 2 T-shirts, one sweatshirt, wool hat, and water moccasins. Each night (when not raining or wet) after riding I wash, rinse and dry one set of underwear and T-shirts. That way I'll always have fresh clothes. Other personal items I bring are small towel, bath kit (toothbrush, soap, toothpaste, etc.), first aid kit, and necessary medicine, Camping gear is tent, ground cloth, cot, collapsible chair, cook kit (pots, cups, and plates), eating utensils, stove, stove fuel, lighter, lantern, water container, water filter, soap, and sponge. Extras generally consist of GPS, knife, cup, small flask of whisky, a book, sketch/note pad, pen, tablet, cellphone, chargers, solar panel, sunglasses, and hat. Last year I had a limited amount of room to carry just a few groceries.
Keeping in mind even weight distribution I have developed a method to my packing. Gear will be weighed and sorted to the appropriate luggage bag. I pack clothes in the left pannier. Extras and sundries in the right pannier. Cooking gear, stove, lantern, some tools and extras in the top case. And finally, the big big bulky stuff like sleeping bag, tent, a collapsible chair, tarp, stove fuel, spare water, and other extras in the large 49 L bag. This bag is mounted on a rack that is mounted behind me and in front of the top case. To test and confirm my packing "system" I might start test packing well before the start of the trip the various luggage with stuff to understand how it safely and securely it all packs together.
The one nice result of my systematic packing is that setting up camp and breaking down camp is easier when you understand what and where gear is packed. Instead of looking for stuff or wondering where it goes having a system makes camping easier. It is important to remember to bring only what you will need. If you must have something you can always stop and buy it. Then the problem is where to safely and securely pack it.
No comments:
Post a Comment