I have a laptop with dual SSD hard drives and make sure it's in a padded bag and it's been fine. I might think twice with regular hard drives based on how much the packs vibrate.

 

What's a "laptop"?

 

I carried a notebook computer in my saddlebag for a two day trip. No problem, and never thought about having one.

What it probably went through before I even bought it at the store is probably more than I'll ever put it through!

 

I've got a Lenovo X201 that goes with me on overnight trips and to work. No problems so far, but just in case I've got the 'no questions asked' 3 yr. warranty.

 

I've carried a couple of different laptops on trips for several thousand miles with no problems save one. On one trip, I was carrying the laptop in a backpack. I encountered quite a bit of rain on that day. When I tried to turn it on in the hotel room that evening it was dead. It turns out this brand of laptop has a moisture sensor. After drying out overnight, the laptop worked again and has ever since. Since that episode, I always wrap the laptop in a plastic grocery bag when packing it -- regardless of where it's being carried.

 

I carry my work laptop in my saddlebags every day of the week.

 

Take mine to work 90% of the time with no problems (mac book pro)

 

I've been a network administrator for about the past 7 years and carried several laptops to and from work, usually strapped to the back seat or sissy bar as I've never ran with saddle bags.

Your hard drives are probably the most suseptable to damage, but I still think you'll be fine. I would have it in a case and not just tossing it in a saddlebag though. It'd be a good idea to buy an external USB hard drive and back up your laptop to it, regardless of riding with it or not. Also if you want to be a little extra safe, you can remove the battery, though I don't go through that step myself. Heck, I have dropped my laptops a few times and I think those 2 to 3 feet dropps are worse than miles of riding.

Here recently, my company bought me an iPad2, I just toss that in an old helmet bag that straps over my shoulder and that's what I've been using for the most part.

 

I carry my work laptop in a back pack. It won't fit in my saddlebags and I have been too nervous to bungee cord it down. Anybody have good recommendations on securing it to the back? I have an 07 FXSTC so there is not a good sissy bar to strap it to.

 

I usually carry a mac book pro while I'm on extended trips. No problems.