Advice Needed: Packing the Bike

Hey folks!

Im after some advice on the best way to pack my bike. Im travelling home from Melbourne to Newcastle at xmas for 4 weeks. I would like to know the best way to pack everything i need onto the bike. Currently I have 2 backpacks, a long travel bag with wheels and my navy kit(duffel) bag. I wish to take enough clothes for 4 weeks, toiletries and laptop, which has its own bag. Bike is a zrx1200.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Chris

backpacks can be a pain on long rides chris, specially if they're laiden like they sound they will be... as a general concept weight on the tank is a good idea, ie tankbag and then you could try and bunger the long bag and the duffel bag to the tail...

i'd put a ventura rack on it cos you can tie shitloads of stuff to them, but that may not be an option...

I picked up some Oxford soft panniers - well worth it and using them on my QLD trip

Ventura rack + RJays bag also handy

As Wayne said....celebrate the move by buying a Ventura rack, with that amount of stuff any other way will be a pain..... esp the backpack
Good luck with the trip Chris

you are going home

so firstly you dont need clothes for 4 weeks , use the washing machine

either go ventura or

consider tank bag for essentials and consider sending a box by aus post

apart from the laptop i did 2 weeks in queensland including other shoes into a tank bag , you would be surprised just how much stuff you dont need

Hey Mate,

My Wife and I just did two weeks on the road and we packed it all in one Ventura Gear Rack bag.

One huge benefit was the use of SPACE BAGS to GO.

http://www.spacebgtogo.com

We purchased these from TARGET, but I guess you could get them most places. These are really neat, they work like the Vacume Storage except instead of needing a vac to suck out the excess air, you just roll them flat and a non return valves ensures all the air gets out and stays out. your clothes will pack really flat. PLUS they are water proof to keep them dry.

Cheers

I like that tip Rusty!

hadn't thought of doing that before..

Going to try and get some of those spacebagtogo tomorrow - look ideal for the panniers

Cheers Rusty

You need just one pair of underwear for four days, on the second day you turn them inside out, on the third day you put them on backwards and on the forth day, you turn them inside out again. If you have a buddy going with you this doubles the time as after four days you just swap underware. If you have seven people you only need one set apiece, (7x4=28, 4 weeks). If I can be of more help let me know. The God of the universe drinks scotch on the rocks with a beer chaser.

Post the large heavy stuff by mail to arrive when u get there, carry as little as possible, even if its $100 postage it will make the ride that much easier...

Yep, post that shit home and tank a small bag for the trip and enjoy the ride

Ventura rack + RJays bag also handy

I have the same setup..ventura rack and a rjays bag....completely waterproof and big enough for your travelling needs.

Well, unfortunately i had a bit of an off the monday before i was supposed to leave so the bike is still in vic and i drove home to newcastle.
The bike came off worse than i did as i only got bruising but all the front end plastics are shagged along with the instrument cluster, radiator and brake pedal. A couple of other things got damaged too but not bad.