Bungee cords and bungee nets

[2WheelTiger]

I'm a member of another forum and there's a guy there who swears that using bungee cords and bungee nets will absolutely result in your load getting sucked into your rear wheel.....locking it up.....and putting the rider on the ground.

Obviously his reality is different from mine but he did make me curious.  I just want to get some usage numbers from people who really ride.

Do you use them?
Are you scared of them?
You've personally seen a load come loose from someone else's bike.
You've had your own load come loose.

No, I don't need any internet links to pictures or stories about some guy who once had a problem.  We don't know what kinda idiot he was or how long the wheelie was just before the problem.  I just wanna find out how many of us use bungees and how many won't.

[DavidLSI]

I use them and I have had a bungee corder bag slip over the edge and into my wheel.  All that happened was the bag was ruined.

[M.Brane]

 I use cords every day to tie my lunch down on the pillion. Haven't had my lunch sucked into the rear wheel yet. I guess I just don't ride fast enough.

 I also keep a net handy to secure other items like pies.

[R.Markus]

I strap everything down with pull straps. I then cover my entire load with a bungie net. I don't use bungie cords.

The net is mostly just a backup. It also allows me to tuck things into it during the ride such as a beverage or other items.

I've had both bungie cords and ratchet straps break. I saw one gentleman have a bungie cord snap and pull his lunch box (a soft sided cooler) under the rear and get wedged between the wheel and fender...he came to a quick stop. Luckily he was slowing for a stop light anyway.

I've had a lot of riding partners have loads come loose while using bungie cords as the only tie down method. I've picked up a lot of lost camping equipment on several trips and returned it only to pick the same items up later. This is why I went to pull straps (the non-ratcheting straps you find with the ratcheting ones at Walmart or wherever) to secure my loads with a bungie net wrapped over the whole thing.

[Orson]

I'm a member of another forum and there's a guy there who swears that using bungee cords and bungee nets will absolutely result in your load getting sucked into your rear wheel.....locking it up.....and putting the rider on the ground.

I actually had this exact scenario happen to me.

I wuz crossing Nevada on a day that had cross winds of probably 40 mph. So much that I was leaning slightly into the wind to remain upright. I had a sleeping bag bungied to my grab rail behind the seat of my old FJ. I assume that the strong cross wind gradually shifted the bag off to the side enough to where it was eventually sucked into my rear tire, locking it up at approximately 80 mph. When I was slowed to about 30 mph, the bike began to fishtail and eventually spat me off.

There was a bent handlebar and some broken plastic and a flat spot on my rear tire, but I wuz able to limp into Tonopah for repairs.

That wuz enough to make me swear off loose luggage for good. Now, if it doesn't fit into the tank bag or saddle bags, it ain't going. Granted, I am probably mostly to blame for not doing a better job of packing, and the side winds played a role...still, I prefer to remove that "what if" from the equation.

Plus, I remember reading a report stating that a lot of people suffer eye injuries or lose eyes every year to bungee cord accidents.

[Kool shades]

I'm not a fan of bungee cords... I was following John & Jane Doe pulling their camping trailer. A bungee cord went straight up (like the rubber band you used to fire at your little brother, ya you remember what I'm talking about...).  Anyway, It went up, and then right into the windshield of my car. Slab traffic prevented any avoidence.

[greench440]

Bungee Nets  

Bungee cords  

[Troubl]

Used two bungee nets to secure my duffle bag to the back of the bike.  Used two in case one failed.  Held it securely for 1600 miles.

[kevin_stevens]

I don't trust bungies for anything.  Notice a complete lack of ratings for either working or breaking strength - that's your first clue.  

KeS

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Bungee Nets  

Bungee cords  

+1

But Rok Straps are the bee's knees!

[Windblown]

I 've had loads shift with bungie nets. However the biggest problem I ran into is when my unused bungie net came loose and got sucked up by the chain. Jerked the bike around as the metal hooks got drug between the chain and sprockets and took out my crankshaft seal as well.

At the end of the day it's operator error. I sure am a lot more careful with them these days.

[Fourstring]

I use a combo of cords and my net for just about everything around town, from equipment carts to tires.  One of these days I'll spring for the Rok straps, but I'm a really cheap bastige.  On tour it's usually just the backpack under the net.

[dinolee]

Ask FastCat to show you pictures of what happens when you use bungee nets.  

After hearing about and seeing pics of her ordeal, I will never use them again.

[Magnarider]

I've used my bungie net for just about everything.  Used it to hold down my duffel on the magna for 5100 miles, and to run tires out to get them mounted 40 miles away (thank you Givi sidecases for a wider area upon which to set things).  I do have to say that those ROK straps look pretty sweet.  Might have to invest...

[maddjack]

+1

But Rok Straps are the bee's knees!

I agree ROK Straps are the way to go

[dm_gsxr]

I use bungee cords, nets, and straps.

Straps for securing the load. Cords to belay loose ends. And nets to keep stuff from flapping. I generally use trash bags to protect things like the sleeping bag so the net keeps things like the bag from blowing up or shredding when moving.

I hate having stuff flapping in the breeze.

For day to day, I have a Givi trunk or a backpack for what I carry.

Carl

[ctbandit]

I often bungee net a spare helmet to the passenger seat. I've also netter a pass. jacket, camera bag($1K+ in equip), lunch box, and more. I've never had a problem with it and don't foresee having one.

[Geezer]

I use both nets and cords depending on the load. I always use extra bungees in case one fails. When I have a big load I use straps, but even then I use a bungee or two to keep tension on the straps.

[R.Markus]

This is my setup...It holds up extremely well. This was taken after a pretty good get off and nothing even moved, unlike the mess on the red LC4 on the right. In his defense, he broke both of his pannier mounts the day before so his original mounting points for that bag weren't usable anymore. The bungies are just a temporary fix from what extra straps we had.

[Fast Blue]

Cords all the time every time


Nets ? not a chance

[zer0netgain]

I use them sparingly.  They work, but they are not always the wisest way to secure a load on a bike.

[02Tac]

Just about every day I use the bike to commute to work I use a bungee net to hold my lunch cooler to the back seat. Works just fine.

[Zerosum]

I a bungee net for a couple of years, in conjuction with a luggage rack on my Hawk GT.  It was okay, but it took a while to get the load situated.  I had my share of mishaps.  Though I did learn that a Nalgene water bottle can hit the highway at 65mph and remain intact!  

When I first got my V-Strom, I put an honest topcase on it.  I can't believe I dicked around with the bungee net as long as I did!  It's so nice to be able to toss stuff in, latch it, and go.  I might use bungee nets as "secondary" storage, but that's it.  

[jsanford]

I use a bungee net on the Monster, anchoring it to the frame, when I carry stuff on that bike.  Usually it's for "bare" riding: me, the monster, gas money.

My F650 came with a Givi plate installed and it wasn't long before I bought a topcase. Now I can't imagine going without--although I had the BMW topcase for my F800 and it was far less practical.

[JonS]

I just finished a 3,000mi ride and used two cords to hold tent poles and sleeping pad. Thats about all I would use bungees for. For their purpose, nothing moved the whole time. My new solution is no more moto camping... ever. Cheap motels from now on.

[Orson]

For their purpose, nothing moved the whole time. My new solution is no more moto camping... ever. Cheap motels from now on.

a toothbrush and a credit card is the ninth level of Nirvana