July Safety Briefing
- Loading /Packing
Finally the good riding weather has arrived and many of us are thinking about taking road trips some of us will be packing for an extended period of time and some for just a short trip, but whatever our plans there are some principles to be followed in loading gear and persons on our bikes. It might not seem like it, but it is quite possible to reach the Gross Vehicle Weight Limit - the maximum weight your bike can safely carry. Of course you should know these figures for your bike. My RoadKing has a GVWL of 1259 lbs and weighs in at 500 lbs less than that from the factory. Two riders can easily total 400 lbs with clothes and heavy jackets, add 50 lbs of gas and oil, 20 lbs of accessories and 75 lbs of luggage and one easily exceeds the weight limit! We’ve talked about adjusting the tire pressure and shocks for increased load. As a reminder, I increase my rear tire pressure from 36 to 40 lbs and my rear shock pressure from 10 to 30 lbs.
Most often luggage is either carried in saddlebags or in a carrier attached to the passenger seat or luggage rack. Often we use both. Center of gravity on a bike is one of the factors which most influences its safety and handling. Pack your heavy objects on the bottom of your saddlebags and work up with lighter items at the top. Distribute your load approximately equally between sides and where possible keep the weight as far forward as possible. You might be surprised at what an additional 30 lbs of luggage propped up high on a sissy bar will do to your handling. Oh yeah, that luggage rack is rated for a certain load. Check it out.
Ok you’ve got the heavy stuff on the bottom and you still look like the Grapes of Wrath. What now? Of course, lots of bungees! Whoa! If you need to tuck in all those loose pieces, please use bungee NETS where possible. Riders have been killed when a loose bungee got caught in a rear wheel. Nets with multiple attachment points minimize this danger, but other stuff can obscure taillights, or signals, break loose and cause road hazards. Make sure everything is tied down and tucked in! One of Murphy’s laws pertains to the fact that anything you need on a trip will be in the most inaccessible portion of your luggage. A little planning goes a long way, put your rain gear on top and your sunscreen handy. Tuck a business card into a pocket of your rainpants and attach a mailing label to your camera or film canisters.
Ok, we are still twenty pounds overweight and its important stuff. The US Postal service not only can send things ahead, but provides cheap storage as well. In Florida one year, I mailed myself all my cold weather stuff to General Delivery from Daytona to Tampa, then took off on the bike to Key West for a week. On my return, I picked up my cold weather stuff in Tampa and rode home. Meanwhile I was free of all that stuff. The charge was less than it would have been to rent a small locker. This kind of strategy even works for extended trips. Going West in summer and wont need that cold weather stuff until you hit the Rockies? Mail it to yourself in Denver!
Ride safely and have a great time