Dry bags for motorbike trips and camping.

[Throttled]

This was discussed at the rally, so i thought I would add a thread on using dry bags on your bike. Mine are from Lomo

http://www.ewetsuits.com/acatalog/rucks ... sacks.html

which is a rucksack that you can take off the straps and it holds 60l. It is £21 plus delivery. The other was a 40l from Aldi and cost about £14. Here they are on the bike (without top box as my son was on this trip)

They contained two self inflating mattresses, a fold down stood and my big tent, which is two man plus space to put the motorbike. They strap on easily with bungees and keep your stuff dry and I think more secure from prying eyes and coming away from the bike. Lomo do a range of dry bags and holdalls that are all under £30 and include a bike specific 40l one for £11.50 plus delivery.

A search of ebay finds a 70l bag for £2.28 plus 99p delivery (worth a punt in anyone's money)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20-40-70L-Wat ... 58a4cf0fb2

So time to end scary looking piles of kit bulging out of a bungee net and get a dry bag or two.

[kitty]

I personally liked the bin bag and gaffer tape look I had going on =P

 

 

On a serious note.. Probably a good idea to get some

[RantMachine]

Having discovered that if a tent fits in my panniers then it doesn't fit me, I think I'll be investing in one of these so I can tie my three man tent across the seat. Very smart idea and a bit more reusable than the bin bag look (which I also resorted to last year).

[Tango]

We got a pair of Ortlieb dry bags from an overland adventure stand at the NEC bike show a few years back now.....they had a special show price on them, but I can't remember what we paid for them....but it wasn't much.....

[Abraxix92]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200888173464? ... 1497.l2649

That's what mine was 80L for less than £15

[numptyspence]

if we are talking dry bags then we have to talk about the best way to secure them to the bike.

I have done the most common ways

Using rope and putting a bight in to cinch the gear down. through to the bog standard bungee cables. They work but the rope cuts into the bag and the bungee can either damage your bike with the metal hooks, or the elastic can split.

But the best i have found is the rok straps

(Not the best link i know)

They hold your dry bags (well anything really) safely in place no matter how much jiggling your load takes. Also with no metal bits on if they ever did spring off your eyes are safe (nudge nudge Ricky)

[Joeman]

if we are talking dry bags then we have to talk about the best way to secure them to the bike.

I have done the most common ways

Using rope and putting a bight in to cinch the gear down. through to the bog standard bungee cables. They work but the rope cuts into the bag and the bungee can either damage your bike with the metal hooks, or the elastic can split.

But the best i have found is the rok straps

(Not the best link i know)

They hold your dry bags (well anything really) safely in place no matter how much jiggling your load takes. Also with no metal bits on if they ever did spring off your eyes are safe (nudge nudge Ricky)

 

Wish I'd had some of those for the rally!!

I bought a dry bag but I didn't want to use metal bungees as they would damage my bike so I ended up with loads if stuff in a rucksack which killed my back.

These would have been the ideal solution!!

[Throttled]

There are bungees with tough plastic hooks from Halfords (and other places I presume).

A dry bag is also a great way to pack a tent without having to try and stuff it back into its original bag.

[Joeman]

There are bungees with tough plastic hooks from Halfords (and other places I presume).

 

 

Plastic hooks would still be quite pointy and capable of scratching paintwork. Plus my bike doesn't have many places to hook onto. These ROK straps could wrap round the rear subframe..

[numptyspence]

In terms of failure its usually the elastic pulling through the hook.

The hook is usually only involved when releasing the hook or when the mounting point fails in some way

the rok straps dont seam to fail that way. Mainly because both ends are always secured and the strap open using a catch in between

sorry not trying to sound like im preaching

[littlecat]

owen uses the rok straps to secure our tent and bedrolls to his pillion seat... unless of course we're carrying a Maia... in which case it turns into the ridiculous mountain of gear bungeed to my bike

[Abraxix92]

owen uses the rok straps to secure our tent and bedrolls to his pillion seat... unless of course we're carrying a Maia... in which case it turns into the ridiculous mountain of gear bungeed to my bike

 

You don't carry THAT much.....