Securing gear over the rear RT seat.

Since I'm getting ready to ride from Dallas to Paonia and Spokane , I'm trying to figure out how to secure a duffle bag and perhaps a role bag over the rear seat. I've only made a few three day trips and the stock side saddle bags worked great with room to spare. The duffle bag can hold all the camping gear and I'm going to use a second bag for addition riding gear and maybe even something like a camping chair. I don't own a rear hard center case and I really want to keep the weight inboard anyway. I always keep a rain suit using a bungee net on that tail shelf and it's come in handy a few times so I prefer to leave it there if I can.

Sorry for sounding dumb, but where the heck do you run straps if the saddle bags are hooked on the side rails? Ive seen bikes with bags on the rear seat though I just can't figure out how or where to run straps. I hear the Helen Two Wheels straps are good, but can't figure out where I'd run them.

Any hints???

I've used carabiners and Bungee Buddies on the bags. The Bungee Buddies are mounted to the bags (you get to drill a hole ) and the carabiner fits through the hole. From there, you can use some nice straps with fastex clips to secure your stuff.

You should be able to find Bungee Buddies for not more than $2.50 or $10 a set of 4. Install them just like the instructions say and they won't leak.

You can get carabiners at your local climbing store (REI is a good source). You don't need any high tensile ones, just some cheapies. I bought straps from Any Mountain, but any length of webbing with fastex clips would work. I'm kind of fascinated by Rok Straps, which have an elasticized section on the strap that keeps tension on the straps and keeps your stuff from escaping out the end.

Luggage Straps

Get some Luggage Loops for about $15 from Aerostich at www.aerostich.com and some quick realease cargo straps ($14) and you can do just about anything you want as far as strapping down your gear. The loops can be installed on your saddle bags and/or your trunk. The straps are very long and can be trimmed to your needs, just be careful not to leave loose ends, any flapping end will tear a hole in just about any of your gear. I ride about 50 miles and, as things settle, I then re-tighten everything. I carry lots of camping gear and have never had any problems.

I use the adjustable Rokstraps. Depending on where you buy them, they're about $12 each.

Each end has a soft loop and there's a Fastex buckle in the middle. You can put each end through its loop, around any exposed frame tube, rack, or even a footpeg. One side has a short length of flat bungee type material, the other is a long piece of 1" nylon webbing. They go on quickly, they're easy to put on over any load, and the you just cinch them down for great security.

No holes to drill. All the usefulness of a bungee chord, but none of the drawbacks. They can't come off the bike, and when you cinch them down, their size is custom just for whatever you're carrying.

I personally like the simplicity of the straps (and bags) from our own BMW riding Helen Twowheels. Give her a call and she'll be happy to explain exactly where to put them. Better yet, if you can wait until after you start your trip, you'll find her selling her products at the Paonia and BMW MOA rallies. Her demos are a lot of fun. She also has a packing seminar at the National Rally.

Michael

Maybe not directly answering your question, but something to consider for the future is Mag's Bags, which cover the rear seat and drop down to the luggage on either side.

http://www.magsbags.com/journeybag.html

For $2.99 at Walmart I purchased a set of 12' straps with spring loaded clips on one end, and a loop on the other. I used these to hold my tent and sleeping pad on my bike for the Square Route Rally.

They held up great and didn't slip at all. I just can't see spending the $13 for the same thing from Aerostitch!

Jim

The aerostich straps come in a set of three so they're not $13 each, but still more than $3ea.

JimVonBaden said:

For $2.99 at Walmart I purchased a set of 12' straps with spring loaded clips on one end, and a loop on the other. I used these to hold my tent and sleeping pad on my bike for the Square Route Rally.

They held up great and didn't slip at all. I just can't see spending the $13 for the same thing from Aerostitch!

Jim

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LOL The Walmart ones came in sets of two for $2.99.

Jim

KBasa said:

I've used carabiners and Bungee Buddies on the bags. The Bungee Buddies are mounted to the bags (you get to drill a hole ) and the carabiner fits through the hole. From there, you can use some nice straps with fastex clips to secure your stuff.

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I thought about going the bungee buddy method, but have looked at the engineering of the System Cases and do not feel comfortable with providing an upward pull on the bags.

I use the following and am always able to find a way to get stuff tied down:

• Aerostich Adjustable Bungee
• Mini Bungee(s)
• Bungee Net
• Bungee Buddy
• Aerostich Frame Loops
• Aerostich Frame Loops Royale
• Cargo Straps of various lengths picked up in a camping store

If those don't work, I figured I should not be carrying it on the RT. So far the oddest shaped thing I have put on the seat is an XM SkyFi boombox, out of the box.

I guess I'm different from Brad on this one -- I like my bungee buddies, and the upward pull is not an issue.

To wit: Removing the bags from a K11 is an exercise in patience, cunning, and verbosity. One must hold his tongue just right, pull up while pushing in, lift out while pushing down. All while muttering under one's breath the most obscene of noises.

Faced with such a ritual for removing system cases, how could a bungee buddy possibly become the impetus for a bag falling off?

So, I have two buddies on the top on each side, one on the back of each case, and since I ended up with eight in my purchase of two bags of pre-packaged gizmos, I put the last two on the tag to help secure it to the license plate frame. So far, I've never tied off to them, but they are there.

I also have a set of Helen Twowheels straps. They are good stuff, and I love bantering with Helen (she fears no man), but rather than use her packing system alone, I use a hybrid system with the addition of several bungee cords and two stainless steel snap links.

The packing sequence is:

- First, hook all the straps and bungee cords to their respective tie down points. (Details below)
- Put the tent on one saddle bag, and chair on the other, parallel to the line of the seat.
- Kayak bag goes on the passenger seat next to the top box.
- Medium sized duffle goes in front of it (ie., next to me for a backrest).
- Finally, the small duffle goes on top of the Kayak bag and medium sized duffle.

Strapping details: Before stacking on the bags, I put a snap link on the front bungee buddy on each side. The stuff is piled on, and then an honest to God, safety to the winds bungee cord (2, actually) is stretched from the rear buddy on each side, to the snap links in front, to act as an initial tie down for the whole load.

After that, Helen's straps are crisscrossed over the whole load, connnected to the snap links on the front, and to the sides of the luggage rack in the back.

The tent and chair are packed in their bags with the openings facing rearward as to not catch wind. A short bungee cord is used in a "barber pole" wrap from the back top bungee buddy to the one on the rear of the system case to give a bit of security to the tent and chair.

Haven't lost anything yet.

And yes, after it is all strapped thight, getting into the topbox is a real pain ...

I would like to see a picture of that set-up!

Jim

My camping gear transport

Here is my gear on the bike. I will use two smaller duffels over the side cases when 2 up. they contain clothes and other light items. I put fuel, stove and other heavy things in the side cases.

The platform for the topcase I installed works great for the bags, and makes a great place to run the Helen Twowheels straps. Since this picture was taken, I have purchased a waterproof boat bag from Bass Pro Shops. It was 39.00, and has super heavy duty hardware, handles, and it looks like it will take a lot of rain to get anything wet.

Another plus is the bright yellow color of the boat bag. It is certainly easy to pick out in a crowd. Anyway, here is a look at my stuff for a week solo.

Looks good Gale!

I should have taken a picture of my RS when I went to the Square Route Rally. It worked OK, but with my daughter going to the next one, I have to rethink how to pack.

Jim

Re: My camping gear transport

lorazepam said:

Here is my gear on the bike.

Another plus is the bright yellow color of the boat bag. It is certainly easy to pick out in a crowd. Anyway, here is a look at my stuff for a week solo.

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You are already packed for the Solstice Ride ?!?!?!

Actually if you could bring the boat bag to the Solstice it would be cool. I am still in the equipment shopping mode for the ride to Spokane.

My goal is to make a plate the will hold a upack, and work with one of the makers of same. I want it to be wide enough to hold tent and chairs, then wrap around over the side cases, and secure with a bungee buddy and a 'biner along with a strap. It will be very secure, not shift at all, and hold a lot of stuff.

Boy oh Boy! Some great ideas and great support from fellow BMW riders ! Thanks!!

Well here's what I ended up doing at least so far: I made the plunge yesterday and went with Bungee Buddies drilled into the tops of the side cases . I hated the idea of drilling into the cases and thought about the possibility of them pulling loose under stress or letting water in, however the hardware is pretty substantial with a large diameter washer on the inside, plus I have four points to tie down from. The bags I'm using won't protrude out to the sides very far so I don't think the wind will be much pressure on the bags even at speed. Now it's down to one more bag and the straps, but at least I'll have a place to tie down stuff. I had never heard of ROK Straps and they look pretty cool as well as the Aerostitch products. It can't hurt to have some extra strapes, so I can at least make it to the rallies and possibly switch out to some others at the rally that will suit me better.

Here's the cool thing I found yesterday from a rider at the local dealer which might have changed my mind had I seen this web site. These are products specifically designed for the RT and LT and the owners of the company own those bikes. They have a shelf made to go over the rear seat of the RT using the existing bolts on the bike so there's no need for drilling plus it removes easily. (Pricey but very well done.) The line is called BMR Products and I ended up buying their dash board shelf to replace my perfectly good RCU shelf. Their dash board shelf will hold a Valentine radar on the right, a GPS in the center and an XM satellite radio on the left. All with special hoods designed for each item. How cool is that! BMR Products

And recalling the obvious ...

Be sure and lock the lower catch on system cases so they are secured to the frames. The fact is, Brad does have a point, as a bag could shake loose.

Several years back, one of the Mississippi club officers lost a case off his K bike -- and the particular case just happened to be the one with all the club pins, rosters, and such in it.

Because it was a winter time meeting, he got in after dark and did not realize it was gone until hom in the carport. He and the others with him recalled him putting it on the bike, but in the ribbing and banter going he, he forgot to lock it. So he lost the club stuff, and his bag in the process.

Be sure and lock the lower catch on system cases so they are secured to the frames. The fact is, Brad does have a point, as a bag could shake loose.

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Of course this doesn't apply to the newer R bikes. They lock only with the handle.

Jim

Of course this doesn't apply to the newer R bikes. They lock only with the handle.

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The bags on the RT are pretty amazing in that they won't fit or lock down and you can't get the key out unless they are mounted properly. Pretty hard to ride home without the key