Bill Muneio

For many campers, there is no such thing as too much stuff. Probably the most difficult part of a camping trip is deciding what you can and can’t take with you. And once you’ve decided… where will it all fit? It is a juggling act, where you balance the size, weight, position and packaging of all your stuff to yield a desired level of comfort and self-sufficiency.

I always carry too much stuff, but keep it under control with my own packing system… a combination of gear and a consistent way of packing and carrying it. For short trips I can carry everything I need in the saddle and tank bags. For longer, more remote trips, where self-sufficiency counts, my packing system expands with an add-on rack and “secondary” luggage pieces to safely handle the extra gear. A packing system keeps you from forgetting anything really important at home. It also keeps you organized on the road, so nothing is missed before beginning the day’s ride.

Because it takes time, miles and practice to develop your packing system, first-timers typically find that their primary luggage — their saddle and tank bags — can’t fit everything they want, even for an overnight trip. That means carrying things on top of the bike. Secondary luggage for this purpose is a wise investment. Much of this gear can be seen at rallies, in this magazine, or in dealer accessory brochures. For most people, comfortable camping means using primary and secondary luggage. The right combination is a matter of personal taste.

The main concern is your safety while carrying the extra gear down the road. Weight, and its distribution about your motorcycle, has a lot to do with handling, especially in emergencies. Bulkiness reduces your bike’s aerodynamic efficiency, which again impacts handling. And as you bump & bounce along the highway, vibration and shock causes things to loosen up and shift. Good luggage is a good investment, especially if you camp.

Choosing and using luggage

For primary luggage, the BMW System is a good bet, and there are excellent options available from the aftermarket, too. But when packing a tent, food, clothing for all kinds of weather, spare parts, cooking and cleaning stuff, you will quickly exceed the capacity of saddle and tank bags. You will also quickly see why two-up motorcycle camping is a labor of love.

So you’ll need to add secondary luggage and will need to pay scrupulous attention when attaching it to your bike.

Good options for carrying light but bulky items are weatherproof rubber or nylon duffel bags, or U-pacs. Cascade Designs (800-531-9531,http://www.cascadedesigns.com/sealline.htm) and Ortlieb (http://www.ortlieb.de) have good products. To carry a cooler or camcorder, seat packs and/or rear rack packs work well. RevPak (800-766-2461, +1-805-766-2454) and RKA Accessories have good solutions. Tank panniers have caught my eye lately as a good way to keep convenience items close at hand. Aerostich (1-800 222 1994, +1 (218) 722 1927, http://www.aerostich.com) and Bob Weis (+1-407-895-6216) have good sets. The November 97 issue of BMW ON has Kit Vercella’s test of the Bob Weis K-bike panniers, the ones that sit in front of the saddlebag and behind your leg. Nice!

You may wish to consider a good sturdy luggage rack. I found the stock units available for my G/S and K to be inadequate for supporting large duffels, so I use the Jesse Rack in conjunction with the aluminum panniers (available from Aerostich) on the G/S and the Reynolds on the K. Both are relatively easy to remove when not needed. I am also very fond of my RevPak SeatPak, a rear nylon trunk that is extremely versatile. Together with nylon duffels, the whole set up gives me all the room I need for 10,000 mile cross-country trips.

Rack for Jesse Panniers on R80 G/S holds much more gear more securely than stock luggage racks

However, canvas and nylon duffels wore out and leaked faster than I would have liked. Holes wear was accelerated by packing hard things like tent poles next to the saddlebag or the rack. I’ve really wanted to upgrade from the duffels, so I have recently purchased a U-Pac from Jo’s Custom Creations (jo_upac@yahoo.com or +1-757-596-5372). It’s built well, ties down securely, is reasonably weather resistant, it packs down very small when not in use and it holds a ton of stuff. Another slightly more expensive but more fully-featured product can be seen at www.magsbags.com

Attachment options for secondary luggage include bungie cords, bungie nets and nylon straps. People argue all night about which is best, the main point is to have a backup attachment system already in place should your primary system fail. A combination of nylon straps and bungie nets gives me the greatest peace of mind. I thread the straps around my U-Pac and through nylon Softhooks, which are lashed to the rear subframe. The RevPack attaches in similar fashion. Bungie nets are stretched over everything as a backup. I also use a nylon strap to backup the saddlebag latches and mounts… saddlebags can pop open on the highway and completely fall off, both without you even being aware. How would you like to backtrack the last 150 miles looking for your tent before you could camp that night?

Nylon straps & SoftHooks work the best for me… they’re backed up by a bungie net. Hey… I travel some bumpy roads!

Many BMWs have little in the way of bungie hook lugs, so there are Bungie Buddies you can bolt to your bags and/or other bodywork to do the duty. I have seen, but not used, a product called Bike Belt that provides secure mounting points for straps and bungie cords.

Center of Gravity and space efficiency

Even with extra luggage, motorcycle camping is still no life of luxury. That’s why you’ll want to build your gear collection carefully. Just like your packing system, there’s no one-kind-fits-all solution for camping gear. It’s another balancing act where you set your priorities, deciding top-down what you can least do without. Some people like to fish. Others like to cook. Others are photography buffs. Some like all three. Careful, or you could wind up needing a trailer!

After deciding what to take, your first priority should be weight distribution. Heavy and dense things, such as cooking sets and wet tents, should be packed low and ahead of the rear axle whenever possible. Lighter and bulkier things, such as sleeping bags and tent poles can pack up higher and further rearward. For the steadiest handling, keep as much weight as possible either ahead of or above the rear axle. The idea is to keep the center of gravity as close to where it is on an unloaded bike as possible.

Compressing your gear before packing saves space. Compression sacks squeeze wasted space out of tents, sleeping bags and the like. Stuff sacks are also handy for consolidating loose items like candle lanterns, socks, inner tubes and tire irons. Bag liners help consolidate stuff sacks and clothes.

Pack your compressed equipment tightly inside your duffels or saddlebags to minimize damage and wear from vibration. Whenever possible, keep hard-edged objects, like a camp shovel or tent pegs, away from each other or from a hard saddlebag or rack.

Heavy gear is stored low over the axle in panniers, light & bulky gear is placed in U-Pac and Seat Pak.

And since you’re camping, you will need to group your items according to their state of wetness and/or grunginess while on the road. Plan ahead. If you’re an early starter, you’ll often be packing a wet tent. Put that at the bottom of the “wet-side” saddlebag. Put other things, like sleeping bags and ground pads, in the “dry-side” to keep them clean(er) and dry(er). It is also useful to have a mesh pocket in your luggage for items that can air-dry while you ride.

Art and science

A packing system is a personal thing. You’ll blend creativity and practicality to develop the right one for your touring and camping style. Take your time and don’t buy too much too fast. The best place to shop for ideas, advice and products is at BMW rallies. And for those of you with ideas and advice to contribute, you can post them http://www.bmwmoa.org/camping/packing or write me care of this magazine. Perhaps your experience will help site visitors decide what’s best for their own system.

To see the article in it’s original context go here.
BMW Motorcycle Owners of America | Packing and Priorities.