New to touring

[sam.ye]

hey guys,
I've been riding for over 2 years now. My trusty cbr250rr has treated me well in this time. Bu now, I plan to take it to some new extremes.
I have never been long distance touring on the bike before, so I have none of the equipment for touring. So far the list of gear to obtain is:
1) Tank bag
2) Saddle bags
3) GPS
4) larger windscreen if available
5) adjustable rearsets if available

I'm not sure what sort of aftermarket windscreens are out there for the cbr, same with the rearsets. Do any of you know?

Do different bags fit different bikes, or is it all very much one size fits all? What are some good bags out there?

Cheers for your help

Sam

[jbs80106]

Hi!  Depending on what your budget is, a range of tank bags and saddle bags should be available.   I started out with ome removeable mesh bags with waterproof liners (I think I got them from motodirect.com) and a magnetic tank bag from the same place.  I've not yet made the move to a GPS, just a good road map, print out the route from Google maps or similiar and off I go.

Probably for a sportbike you'll be looking at some of the smaller sized bags but should carry enough to even do overnites if you fancy.  Probably can do a pretty good sized tank bag though.

Last summer I did 600 miles on my K75, and summer before that an overnight trip to Utah then across WY.  Given weather changes in colorado I used my tank bag, the hard-bags on my bike and strapped on the removeable bags so I had plenty of space....could have gone further if the budget allowed...

[Orson]

I first went touring at the age of 18 by bungey-cording a dufflebag onto my seat  

No fairing, no GPS, no nuttin'.

Just hit the road...you'll figure it out as you go  

[Cablebandit]

Just hit the road...you'll figure it out as you go  

 

sage advice there.

[ConPilot1]

I first went touring at the age of 18 by bungey-cording a dufflebag onto my seat  

No fairing, no GPS, no nuttin'.

Just hit the road...you'll figure it out as you go  

Yep. What the Mod said. +1. My set up was a GS550L, canvas military O.D. surplus soft saddlebags, a woolen Army blanket, my small backpack/daypack stuffed with a sweatshirt, tshirt, extra socks, and a pair of jeans,
and a California map stuffed in my jacket pocket. All that shit strapped on the pillion seat with Kmart bungee cords.  

[coho]

I first went touring at the age of 18 by bungey-cording a dufflebag onto my seat  

No fairing, no GPS, no nuttin'.

Just hit the road...you'll figure it out as you go  

Plus a million.  
Trial and error is the best (possibly only) way to decide what gear is right for you.

[Orson]

that said...a tank bag is pretty handy...and it's the closest to your bike's center of gravity, meaning it will affect your bike's handling less than other luggage locations.

[Dan K]

Add a bigger bike to the list and you'll be good to go! Just kidding - any type of tail bag / tank bag combo should be enough.  If you need more, add a back pack.  As long as your list includes cash/credit card and mobile phone, you're good to go.

Socks - get some socks that dry up quick, you can wash them by hand, hang them up and have fresh socks in the morning.  A very nice thing, depending on your climate...

- Dan

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I first went touring at the age of 18 by bungey-cording a dufflebag onto my seat  

No fairing, no GPS, no nuttin'.

 




So I'm going to assume that the 250 is a good fit for you? You're happy with the physical AND engine size? Otherwise it is silly to put much money into bike-specific gear. You might want to check out the classifieds on various moto sites and pick up some cheap used bags to test out until you get a better feel for what you want out of your ride  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

 If you need more, add a back pack.

...and the first words of dissent appear  

I do not recommend a backpack, for a couple of reasons:
- it can increase fatigue to the wearer
- it can be an issue if there is a get-off. It can affect how you roll (or don't roll), not to mention it could cause a spinal injury if you land on something inside of it.

That being said, the first kit I'd pick up would be a tank bag. I personally hate to ride without a tank bag because that's where my camera goes, and if you've look at any of the rides on my website, you'll see that I don't travel far or often without my camera). Then a tail bag, if necessary. Side bags would be the final stage (they can affect handling, wind dynamics and fuel mileage. But they're great as buffers if your bike falls over!)

GPS - that's up to you and what you want. I like the ability to change my route at the last minute, or to find something along the way. I also like being able to check ahead to see if the road I'm taking actually goes through (although I confess that often takes the fun out of it, so I try not to do it unless I need to know). GPS can also be useful if you have a short fuel range, or are traveling through cities or other congested, poorly-signed areas.

Windscreen - personal choice. None of my bikes have ever had good wind/weather protection. Instead, I rely on good gear to keep me warm/dry. The wind on my head/chest was never an issue for me.

[Skee]

I first went touring at the age of 18 by bungey-cording a dufflebag onto my seat  

No fairing, no GPS, no nuttin'.

Just hit the road...you'll figure it out as you go  

I quickly discovered that having a second bungey cord was an immeasurably good thing  

[Daniel Kalal]

My first long trip looked like this in 1976:


That was the aerostich roadcrafter of the day--tourmaster or something like that.  I then moved on to saddle bags and a rear trunk and a tank bag.

These days,  I pack like this for a two week trip:


No saddle bags, no tank bag.  Just the small duffle (and a real roadcrafter).  You'll hear lots of advice saying to pack light.  It's true.  Don't carry around dirty shirts and underwear--wash them as you go.

[sam.ye]

I may get a bigger bike later on, but i do plan on keeping the smaller one as well. my GF may wanna learn to ride in the near future haha.

by the sounds of it, any bag should fit on the 250. by fit i mean it'll secure on without the need to install extra mounting points. is that correct?

[Justin]

Is that Orson with his first bike?  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

by the sounds of it, any bag should fit on the 250. by fit i mean it'll secure on without the need to install extra mounting points. is that correct?

Yep, that's correct. Some things to keep in mind while shopping for a tank bag:
- waterproof? Vital if you keep cameras in there  
- will it hold what you need?
- is it easy to move to refuel?

A quick search led me to this bag. The magnetic bag has worked well for me in the past, but some riders are concerned about dust between the magnets and tank scratching the paint.

Other mounting options are straps and fuel ring.

[sammyseaman]

I first went touring at the age of 18 by bungey-cording a dufflebag onto my seat  

No fairing, no GPS, no nuttin'.

Just hit the road...you'll figure it out as you go  

We is old, my friend. We is old  

[Mr.Black]

We is old, my friend. We is old  

Beats the alternative Chimpster, beats the alternative.

[Orson]

by the sounds of it, any bag should fit on the 250. by fit i mean it'll secure on without the need to install extra mounting points. is that correct?

I am wary of using bungey cords anymore after a strong side wind in Nevada blew my duffle bag into my rear wheel   got sucked in then locked up the wheel at 80 mph.

no more for me. If it doesn't fit into the saddle bags, it's not coming.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I am wary of using bungey cords anymore after a strong side wind in Nevada blew my duffle bag into my rear wheel   got sucked in then locked up the wheel at 80 mph.

no more for me. If it doesn't fit into the saddle bags, it's not coming.

Good point, but it also helps to use the "right" equipment. I will swear by ROK straps and a good cargo net to hold just about anything to my bike.

[Mr.Black]

Its been said already. Take a trip and figure out what you did and didn't need. Work it out from there.

Last years trip;



After receiving many comments and suggestions,

This years trip will look like this;









Screw what others say. Take what you want and adjust to your own desires.

Secure everything very well and don't forget the toilet paper!