'13 R1200RT: ideas for attaching bags to rear seat area

New RT here and starting to prep for a couple of trips coming up. I can't seem to find a way to attach bungees or straps to attach a bag on the rear seat area. The rear rack provides places, but who has a solution for attaching something on the front edge area of the rear seat? The grab handles are too smooth and don't really have any way to attach anything.

I considered installing bungee buddies on the top front corners of the hard saddlebags but they are double-walled and thicker than the length of the stud on the bungee buddy. I could put a nylon loop around the frame rail showing below the side cover but I'm afraid that the bungee/strap would then chafe the paint on the side cover over time.

I see Dave Cwi has a new RT and according to his article in the April issue of ON (page 44) has a solution but doesn't say what it is. So, how are the experienced folks here solving this problem? I'm sure there's a simple elegant solution that I'm just not thinking of.

The passenger grab rail is channeled. I have no problems attaching a bungie net with the hook in the channels, and then taking the rearmost hooks of the bungie net back around to stretch underneath the rear rack in the channeled area adjacent to the tail light.

I know the problems you are having as I had the same issues moving from an '98 RT to my present '08 RT. Practicality has largely been ignored in the present design, only esthetics and manufacturing efficiency seemed to have been considered.

What I ended up doing (after several failed attempts at other solutions) was to loop straps on the frame rails under the seat, one on each side, and use those as anchoring points. I had some old anchor straps from H2W and used those as they were long enough to stick out from under the seat. I can easily tuck them under the seat when not being used. I also use the luggage rack as an anchoring point.

I've found piggy back straps (http://www.piggybackstraps.com) to work really well for securing loads to the rear seat. The ends loop on the grab rails and leave no marks.

A couple of Rokstraps to the passenger grab rails work just fine for me. Crisscross them and you're good to go. Or, you could drop a couple hundred bones and pick up the BMW luggage roll. It comes with Rokstrap-esque straps that buckle straight to the bag. Works great.

oldspice said:

A couple of Rokstraps to the passenger grab rails work just fine for me. Crisscross them and you're good to go. Or, you could drop a couple hundred bones and pick up the BMW luggage roll. It comes with Rokstrap-esque straps that buckle straight to the bag. Works great.

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Tried that, it puts the forward attach point quite a ways back due to the way the grab rails are shaped, was looking for a more forward attach point to put the bag right at the front edge of the rear seat. Sounds like some sort of anchor strap under the seat might be best.

When I had separate front and rear seats I used the method Cruzur described.
When I got a one piece seat I made two loops from nylon webbing, punched a
hole in the two cut ends of the loop and secured them to the front mounting
points of the passenger grab handle. Used the same bolts.
The criss-cross method works best for straps secured this way.

BMR rack

The BMR rack is the best solution for carrying stuff if you don't have a pillion.

The BMR rack does look pretty slick. Would be great if on an extended trip and needed to carry bulky camping items.

That BMR rack really does look nice but I really don't want to spend $350 for a solution. So far a strap under the seat is looking like the best option. I'd consider the BMR rack if I always rode by myself, but about half the time my wife is with me and I need the seat.

Have had good success with both Rokstraps and a Kriega bag. Get enough tension and the grab rails work fine.

I use H2W straps to secure my luggage to the grab handles. I've never had a problem.

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/product/7914/Helen_Twowheels_Super_Pack_Straps

straps

Check with your dealer for straps. He may have straps that were used to strap the bike into the shipping crate that came from Germany. He may even give them to you for free!

???
Have carried any number of bags on the back seat and can even get them forward enough to be a sort of backrest though not what I normally prefer.
Rokstraps, 2 pair, crisscrossed. Snugged tight, excess tied off.