Careful Packing

The picture wouldn’t look out of place as part of the Progress caption competition. Despite its comedic overtones, the picture serves as a good reminder of the importance of taking the time and trouble to pack carefully.

There are a range of luggage options – hard, soft, panniers, roll bags, tank bags and many others, so finding the right solution for both your bike and your needs is important.

A few points to bear in mind when packing a bike for a trip include -

• Distribute weight as evenly as possible
• Try to keep weight as low as possible by (where practical) placing heavier items at the bottom of bags and panniers to avoid upsetting the centre of gravity of the bike
• Make full use of all the available space
• Make sure soft luggage is safely and securely tied down with straps – a loose strap could spell disaster, even at low speed.
• Tie up loose ends – make sure the loose ends of your cargo straps are secure so they don’t get snagged in the wheels, burnt on the exhaust or dragged on the ground
• Avoid overloading – check the weight capacity of both the luggage and the bike itself (particularly when carrying a pillion) to avoid exceeding the suggested weight limits