screens and luggage

[tam133]

Alright guys, not been on here in a while, suppose mainly due to me moving and the fact i've not been on my bike cos of the toad weather.

Just wanted to ask a quick question, well two. Where is the best place I can pickup a tinted screen for my zxr400?

Also me and my 2 mates are gonna go on our first ever bike trips since we all just passed less than a year ago. Just wondered what is the best way to carry my luggage? We are gonna be staying in wigwams and friends shalley so just gonna have like sleeping bag, clothes etc. So was just wondering what would be the best and safe way to carry it.

[masterofinsanity]

get a decent cargo net and strap it to the pillion seat, maybe bunjee straps too, they are a bit stronger.

[deviant]

question 1: ebay is as good as anywhere.

question 2: personally, I'd use soft panniers for your clothes/sleeping bag/etc and a tankbag for the important stuff (phone, wallet, passport, etc). That way when you are on the ferry/stop in a cafe/whatever you can quickly pull the tankbag (valuable stuff) off and take it with you. Plus you can stick directions in the top of the tankbag.

Tech7 stuff is cheap as anything and does the job. It also fits nicely on the ZXR. Oxford "1st Time" stuff is exactly the same with different badges on. I've got a set of Oxford "lifetime" panniers as well but they are a bit big for the ZXR.

Tech7 luggage set here - http://www.mandp.co.uk/productInfo.aspx?catRef=901543

Personally I can't stand tailpacks. In theory you might be able to use one instead of panniers, and make the bike narrower, but I find them a pain in the butt to fit, you invariably end up with bungee hooks rubbing on the plastics, and you find you can't swing a leg over the tail of the bike to get on. Trying to fit one *as well* as panniers is even worse. We have two in the deviant household but they rarely get used.

Whatever you do, wrap up *everything* in plastic bags before you put it in the luggage. No luggage is waterproof for long at motorway speeds.

[Caz]

soft luggage is a good way to carry stuff - and a bungee net is very useful. I absolutely *hate* tank bags, so my preference is for a tail pack - I have a cargo monster tail pack - it was £80 but you can fit so much stuff in it and it is *very* stable, even when fully expanded. I do recommend putting bodge tape on your pannels where the bungee straps go. I then use a bungee net to secure my waterproofs to the top of the tail pack.
if you need more space, panniers are a good bet too
I carry things like my phone/passport/wallet etc in my bumbag
remember - if you are going out of the country it is a legal requirement to carry your V5 registration document, drivers licence, MOT certificate and insurance certificate with you in most countries. Also ring your insurance company to tell them you are travelling

[rene]

Personaly i HATE tank bags as well, stop you getting behind the screen and put you into a funny sitting position.

Get a R35 back pack as well i've had loads of weight in it (prob over 2-3 stone) for over 3 hours of riding and forgot the bag was there many a time its amazing!

[tam133]

Cheers, not gonna be going for a while still so will start saving and see which option I'll go for. Prob go for the R35 and maybe tail pack, dunno i'll have to seem gonna have to start saving too.

[rene]

good choice! more expensive than most bags but 10 year garentee that it will never brake and although they say its not 100% rain proff id riden a good hour or so in quite heavy rainin and not drop got in.

Best bag i've owned for riding (and i've been though a lot!)

[tam133]

Yeah man thats why I'm prob gonna go for the R35 cos the 10 year warranty. Plus saw all good reveiws for them on the net so look like should be really good, will either get the 35 or 25 but not sure yet.

Is it a kriega bag you've got rene?

[rene]

yeah its the kriega. Id rather have the R25 for everday commuting as the R35 is huge for just a pair of shoes! But when i do go on tripps its well worth the extra size, can fit a weeks worth of cloths and other odds and sods in there no problem. Can also fit a spare lid in and not feel uncomfitable on my back.

When you think your buying normal none water proff bags at £20-£30 a time and will prob last a year and no were near the same quility you might as well pay out the extra £60 and get somthing thats really going to last.

Plus the Zips are huge (the part that always gives up on my other bags) so can really tug them without fear of snapping them or spliting the zip. Highly recomended from me (and everywere else you read about them!)