Baggage. Warning boring- I’ve even bored myself 😂

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

My new bags turned up and they make the back of the Himalayan look like an armchair

This latest set up isn't for camping its for hotels and accommodation only. I haven't tried it out yet but the idea is the Givi tanklock bag which is quick release can have valuables (wallet, passport, bike documents etc) in it and can be quickly removed from the bike if you want to have a pee or go and look at something. It will also come in handy on the ferry as it expands to 26 litres and means I can pack it for overnight without disturbing anything else. 

The two black 20litres can be opened easily without removal so access to food, tea, waterproofs will be a doddle. They allow the panniers to be opened easily and a big bonus they are just under Ryanairs allowed underseat bag dimensions so we can fly in and not faff about, just stick them on the pannier and go.

I got the chocolate teapot out to see how this will look. Ridiculous is the answer but if it works I don't care. I'm now entering the ludicrous territory of the things on the bike being worth more that the bike

 

Expanded

The whole shebang looking pretty bad 

 

So what you got that works for you?

oh and a gif for Six n Buck save you some time. Thoughtful arent I

[XTreme]

1 hour ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

an be quickly removed from the bike if you want to have a pee

This bag acts as as a piss bottle? @Sir Fallsalot will jump at this shit!

And is that an oil leak on the engine?

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

21 minutes ago, XTreme said:

This bag acts as as a piss bottle? @Sir Fallsalot will jump at this shit!

And is that an oil leak on the engine?

Nope put your glasses on

[Pedro]

1 hour ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

So what you got that works for you?

 

This is the way, vario cases in their smaller tucked in version were enough for two up touring for 2 weeks. The smaller exhaust side case carried the overalls and everything bike related, the left bigger one carried clothing and was taken to the room. No camping, obviously.

There was still place for souvenirs, to carry food or whatever. 

If the two plastic bottles carried for survival aren't enough and you want proper booze, the cardboard wine bottle boxes sit nicely on top 

 

They extend, which is great for supermarket runs, but then they get wider than the front and the front is wide enough already.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

I like it @Pedro especially the two big boxes under the cargo net but if two panniers were enough for me I would be ok with the Givi hunks of metal I have. Unfortunately I have to carry a hell of a lot of food and some kitchen equipment with me because I'm a coeliac and getting gluten free foods not a given which is really really annoying, before that happened I always travelled light and ate wherever. 

 

A bit off topic but about the camping thing. I know you're not keen on camping (totally understandable) but I don't think you should write the idea off completely.

I certainly wasn't at all keen. I'd been camping once as a child (Bala in the pouring rain), didn't like it and never went again preferring a good quality hotel. I assumed people who camped were poor or mad but then I got a motorbike and met a bunch of very strong very adventurous women who had travelled significant chunks of the globe (some RTW) on motorbikes. They explained about how to travel without a set destination or time restrictions.

Their adventures were far more exciting than anyone elses I've ever heard but to do what they do meant embracing camping because you don't know how far you'll want to go in a day (or even necessarily where) or if accommodation will be available for you when you get to wherever it is. They pointed me in the direction of the right kit and I was surprised how comfortable and convenient camping was... as long as its not raining!

It's a different way of travelling and thats what the runs up and down the UK have been about testing out. I love it. I reckon you would to. You let go of everything and just go where your whims and the weather takes you. The feeling of freedom and letting go is incomparable. 

Unfortunately they also explained the part about the less you spend the further you go so camping also has a part to play there (unless you're fortunate enough to be a trust fund baby ).

I definitely do not like camping in the rain its just not fun and thats what I figured out on the last run, if its raining persevering is daft just try and find a hotel and dry out but if I cant and have to spend a night in a tent in the rain that is a price worth paying.

I tried out your method of going onto booking.com and finding somewhere the night before or in the morning and it works really very well until you get into popular areas or theres an event on. I nearly had nowhere to sleep twice and ended up riding much further than I wanted to to find a bed. That sort of travelling is certainly not everyones cup of tea but being able to mix it up brings a lot more freedom and freedom is manna from heaven

 

[boboneleg]

I only have one thing to say........................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

how cruel to that poor little rear shock absorber  

 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

7 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

I only have one thing to say........................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

how cruel to that poor little rear shock absorber  

 

Its a Royal Enfield it can take it..

[Catteeclan]

Couldn't you pack a parcel and post it to the house in Spain?

10 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

I only have one thing to say........................

how cruel to that poor little bike  

 

Fixed.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

1 minute ago, Catteeclan said:

Couldn't you pack a parcel and post it to the house in Spain?

Fixed.

Since Brexit you're taxed on everything you send/receive! Based on what its is and the value. Its both very confusing and annoying.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

and it causes huge delays because customs don't understand it either so whether a parcel would turn up while you were still there is completely unknown.

[Pedro]

35 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

A bit off topic but about the camping thing. I know you're not keen on camping (totally understandable) but I don't think you should write the idea off completely.

I like camping, haven't done it in ages though, nothing against it and I do know that quietly waking up in a tent is a nice way to start the day.

However, I hate carrying a big mess, like yours, on a bike. I'd much rather have a lightly loaded big bike than a loaded light bike.

Regarding going wherever you feel, that's what I do except I find a place to sleep at the end of the day. Sometimes it doesn't work well but most of the time it does. What kind of adventure are you going if you stress about stuff like that? Worst comes and I'll either have to sleep in a crappier place than I'd want, a more expensive place than I'd want, ride till later, or sit down and just sleep with no tent. I've never been in a place where I couldn't find a place to sleep anywhere in Europe, slept a couple of nights in a car in Sweden and Norway but that's pretty much it.

I do enjoy being able to have a nice shower at the end of a hot riding day, and then cold wine feeling all fresh and clean. Not to mention swimming pools.

My opinion on this isn't of an experienced traveller though, on a motorcycle I've only been a few times to Morocco and apart from that never went big distances outside of Portugal.

[busabeast]

2 hours ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Nope put your glasses on

Which pair though  

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

8 minutes ago, Pedro said:

I like camping, haven't done it in ages though, nothing against it and I do know that quietly waking up in a tent is a nice way to start the day.

However, I hate carrying a big mess, like yours, on a bike. I'd much rather have a lightly loaded big bike than a loaded light bike.

Regarding going wherever you feel, that's what I do except I find a place to sleep at the end of the day. Sometimes it doesn't work well but most of the time it does. What kind of adventure are you going if you stress about stuff like that? Worst comes and I'll either have to sleep in a crappier place than I'd want, a more expensive place than I'd want, ride till later, or sit down and just sleep with no tent. I've never been in a place where I couldn't find a place to sleep anywhere in Europe, slept a couple of nights in a car in Sweden and Norway but that's pretty much it.

I do enjoy being able to have a nice shower at the end of a hot riding day, and then cold wine feeling all fresh and clean. Not to mention swimming pools.

My opinion on this isn't of an experienced traveller though, on a motorcycle I've only been a few times to Morocco and apart from that never went big distances outside of Portugal.

I’m with you on the shower and the glass of wine bit, not so much on the big mess part

I’m a practical person. Function will always trump form for me.

The place I couldn’t find anywhere to stay because everything was booked up was Scotland but I don’t need to stress about it I have a tent for back up

 

[busabeast]

My go to's are Oxford sports throwover panniers, Oxford tail pack and Oxford xl tank bag, tank bag stays on the bike pretty much permanently and expands big enough for bait box, boots and overalls for work and its still not full the tail pack I have no idea on its size....60l maybe and 30l each side of the panniers so safe to say I am not short of storage when it's all strapped on

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

10 minutes ago, Richzx6r said:

My go to's are Oxford sports throwover panniers, Oxford tail pack and Oxford xl tank bag, tank bag stays on the bike pretty much permanently and expands big enough for bait box, boots and overalls for work and its still not full the tail pack I have no idea on its size....60l maybe and 30l each side of the panniers so safe to say I am not short of storage when it's all strapped on

I wouldnt use words like strapped on round here

I have a small tankbag arriving on Monday. The large one I have I didn't get on with at all, it obscured the whole dash on the Bandit but then I am a short arse!

[busabeast]

10 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

I wouldnt use words like strapped on round here

I have a small tankbag arriving on Monday. The large one I have I didn't get on with at all, it obscured the whole dash on the Bandit but then I am a short arse!

It does the same on mine when it's extended to its full dimensions but I don't really care to see my speedo too often 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

The tankring also arrived yesterday. I was well pissed off because only one of the dilled holes aligned. I thought I must have bought a wrong part but I couldn't have as the bike specific part fitted, it was the generic Givi ring that didn’t align so I spent a good hour faffing about very slowly and carefully shaving bits off with a drill hoping it didn't damage the integrity of the tank ring and leave it in a weakened state and possibly a tankbag in the face while on the motorway
 

Finally it all fitted nicely and packing up I discover a separate piece of paper in the bottom of the box under the other things saying-

Cheeky barstewards they don’t mention it doesn’t fit and you’re gonna need a drill before you buy it!

[busabeast]

3 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

My ring also arrived yesterday. I was well pissed off because only one of the dilled holes aligned. I thought I must have bought a wrong part but I couldn't have as the bike specific part fitted, it was the generic Givi ring that didn’t align so I spent a good hour faffing about very slowly and carefully shaving bits off with a drill hoping it didn't damage the integrity of my ring and leave it in a weakened state and possibly falling out while on the motorway
 

Finally it all fitted nicely and packing up I discover a separate piece of paper in the bottom of the box under the other things saying-

Cheeky barstewards they don’t mention it doesn’t fit and you’re gonna need a drilling before you buy it!

[busabeast]

What can I say I couldn't help myself 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

5 minutes ago, Richzx6r said:

It does the same on mine when it's extended to its full dimensions but I don't really care to see my speedo too often 

I have to confess for no reason I can fathom on the Bandit I'm bad for leaving the indicators on, fine on the other bikes but not that one dunno why, so the tank bag had to go.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Just now, Richzx6r said:

What can I say I couldn't help myself 

Didnt even see that one!

[Sir Fallsalot]

2 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

The tankring also arrived yesterday. I was well pissed off because only one of the dilled holes aligned. I thought I must have bought a wrong part but I couldn't have as the bike specific part fitted, it was the generic Givi ring that didn’t align so I spent a good hour faffing about very slowly and carefully shaving bits off with a drill hoping it didn't damage the integrity of the tank ring and leave it in a weakened state and possibly a tankbag in the face while on the motorway
 

Finally it all fitted nicely and packing up I discover a separate piece of paper in the bottom of the box under the other things saying-

Cheeky barstewards they don’t mention it doesn’t fit and you’re gonna need a drill before you buy it!

I bought a mahoosive tent once for camping with the car when i got it to the campsite i found there were no instructions with it so spent almost 3 hours erecting it and was one pissed off fucker at the end of it, the rest of the weekend i was composing in my head a letter i going to write to the company to complain when i got back home, that was until i got the bag to pack it back into and this big white flap stitched to the inside of it caught my eye it had the instructions on it  

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

1 minute ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

I bought a mahoosive tent once for camping with the car when i got it to the campsite i found there were no instructions with it so spent almost 3 hours erecting it and was one pissed off fucker at the end of it, the rest of the weekend i was composing in my head a letter i going to write to the company to complain when i got back home, that was until i got the bag to pack it back into and this big white flap stitched to the inside of it caught my eye it had the instructions on it  

Thats as good as last year when I had to beg n borrow tent pegs from all over the shop cos Mr Slowly forgot to pack them.

He pitched it in an area with lots of bits of wood on the ground and one particular lumpy bit was most annoying.

Packed up and I was ready to fling this lumpy annoyance into the trees. Yep you guessed it

[Sir Fallsalot]

1 minute ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Thats as good as last year when I had to beg n borrow tent pegs from all over the shop cos Mr Slowly forgot to pack them.

He pitched it in an area with lots of bits of wood on the ground and one particular lumpy bit was most annoying.

Packed up and I was ready to fling this lumpy annoyance into the trees. Yep you guessed it

I've done exactly the same thing but even lifted the tent to check they weren't there before scrounging some

[Pedro]

47 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

I’m with you on the shower and the glass of wine bit, not so much on the big mess part
 

Try and put that tankbag on the bike, with all the rear stuff in place, then next time you get on and off it with your riding gear remember my words, BIG CLUMSY MESS!