[kev_b81]

in my quest to find a bag that can hold a change of clothes, sneakers, and some small miscellaneous items (walllet, house keys, cell phone, toothbrush, etc)..would just havign a backpack strapped to the tail with a bungee net be secure?

any other suggestions? I want something I can take off the bike when i leave it

 

[Gerard7aa]

I bungee my backpack all the time.
I have around 5K miles with a strapped backpack on my bike. Never a problem.
It is however a pain in the @$$ to untie it and re tie every time you need something from it.

 

[BKK Jack]

I used to secure my backback with just the straps. A cargo net would just be added security.

 

[kev_b81]

you just put the straps under the tail and tightened?

 

[tk1971]

Why not wear the backpack?

tk

 

[kev_b81]

a bunch of people told me its a bad idea for safety reasons

 

[BKK Jack]

you just put the straps under the tail and tightened?

The bike I used to do that with was a Honda CB-1. The bungee hooks that came on the bike just lent themselves to a very easy way to secure the backpack. I haven't tried it with the SV yet, but I think the little hooks on the passenger pegs should work. Maybe with the top strap wrapped around and secured to the pegs under the grab handle.

Why not wear the backpack?

It's more comfortable to not wear it, especially on long rides where you would prefer to not have that little bit of extra weight on your butt.

 

[Jawn]

I have many thousand mile with a backpack secured with a cargo net on the tail.

Why not wear the backpack?

tk

You wouldn't believe how heavy it gets after while, really starts to hurt the back and butt.

 

[Paulie]

why not just put the straps of the backpack under the rear seat and then tighten it down so it doesn't flap around?

 

[candela]

You wouldn't believe how heavy it gets after while, really starts to hurt the back and butt.

You ain't lying. I got used to commuting with a one strap backpack about an hour each way. Once I started strapping that backpack to my bike, I felt nekkid.

 

[tk1971]

I guess my commute is not long enough (about 50 miles each way). I have an Axio Urban pack (hard shell preventing the stuff inside from jabbing @ me if I ever tumble with it) and carry my helmet visor, so that I can switch between the mirrored one and the clear one. I wear my boots @ work, so I don't need shoes. I also wear my layers (thermal shirt, etc) going in, but in the evening, the pack holds any extra clothing I don't want to wear on my way home.

tk

 

[Currently]

Get a good bungie net with metal hooks ... not the plastic ones.

The net I use is a brand called Eclipse.

Like many here, I used to commute with a Swiss Army computer backpack that was loaded. Never had a problem, plus the bungie net allows you to use garbage bags to protect the backpack if it rains.

 

[leaftye]

It's more comfortable to not wear it, especially on long rides where you would prefer to not have that little bit of extra weight on your butt.

Mesh and perforated jackets work oh so much better without a backpack. When I took off my backpack last summer it felt like fall had arrived.

 

[JPOnion]

a bunch of people told me its a bad idea for safety reasons

I've heard the same thing. In sudden maneuvers, such as taking a sharp corner or avoiding an obstacle, the weight of the backpack could (even if on tight) shift around in unexpected ways. I've worn backpacks before and have felt the weight of the backpack move a few times, though i think it was the contents in the bag rather than the bag itself.

 

[jameswing]

One of my students live in the hills and rides to school through some good twisties with his laptop held on by bungies. He's been doing this almost everyday for the last year on a mid 90s katana.

 

[tk1971]

How big are your backpacks?

LOL

tk

 

[pne]

have ridden thousands of miles with a backpack bungeed as well, I've only had problems once, but that was because I had tons of stuff in the backpack, another small pack, and a pair of shoes all bungee'd under the same net, and I was railing twisties.

 

[SasSV]

+1. When you wear a backpack in the summer with the mesh, it attracts heat and stops the airflow to your back. I've been wearing a messenger bag, but I've been thinking about strapping it down too. I need to try it one day soon.

Mesh and perforated jackets work oh so much better without a backpack. When I took off my backpack last summer it felt like fall had arrived.

 

[Frogger]

I typically travel wearing a backpack and with a larger bag bungied out back. It's been sturdy and reliable for at least 3,000 miles.

Regarding the wear vs. bungie argument for a backpack, I really don't like having things attached to what I'm riding because it slows the handling. On my bicycles, I don't have any water bottle cages and wear a camelback instead. Likewise, if I only have one bag on the bike, I wear a backpack instead of attaching it. Handling is unchanged/quicker, and it's easier to get on and off the bike at stops, and that's coming from somone with long legs. Just presonal preference.

 

[Spacecoast]

I think the real issue is being sure that straps don't end up getting loose and caught in the tire/chain. I recall reading a short article in the paper about a motorcyclst getting killed because a strap came loose and locked up his rear tire. Take care in ensuring that the backpack straps stay tied up.