Luggage weights
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,319
Likes: 1
From: Deep South Texas
[QUOTE=Clint55;6788681]
I am riding two-up and my wife is more than 125 pounds. I managed to shave 2 more pounds off the rack portion, so I am below 40 pounds for the entire set-up. The weight is no higher than the passenger backrest.
I am just trying to figure how much load I should be safe with./quote]
Maybe I missed something......... but the one huge factor that doesn't seem to be considered here is whether or not you are riding two-up or solo. My wife weighs in at 120 and so I feel very comfortable placing just about anything I want on the bike if I'm riding solo. The basic rule of placing the most weight as low as possible always will apply.
Some guys have wives that weigh a lot more than 125 and ride without worries, So......if you are riding solo, just pack the light stuff in the tourpack and put about whatever you want right on the passenger seat.
Maybe I missed something......... but the one huge factor that doesn't seem to be considered here is whether or not you are riding two-up or solo. My wife weighs in at 120 and so I feel very comfortable placing just about anything I want on the bike if I'm riding solo. The basic rule of placing the most weight as low as possible always will apply.
Some guys have wives that weigh a lot more than 125 and ride without worries, So......if you are riding solo, just pack the light stuff in the tourpack and put about whatever you want right on the passenger seat.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
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From: Bedford UK
I reckon we add about 50 pounds or so when loading the tourpak and saddlebags on tour (we just got back from a 2,500 mile trip). Remember that is almost half another person, so add a little extra air in your rear tyre. 2-up in touring mode I actually add 6 pounds to both tyres.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 17,717
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From: NY
As previously mentioned putting the heavier stuff lower will help.
The limit Harley has for the luggage rack is 10 lbs but you can go higher than that as long as you don't go crazy.
The tourpak is not the most sturdy piece but if you pack it carefully and also use your bags you can get alot of stuff on there.
The limit Harley has for the luggage rack is 10 lbs but you can go higher than that as long as you don't go crazy.
The tourpak is not the most sturdy piece but if you pack it carefully and also use your bags you can get alot of stuff on there.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
I have soft Harley drop-in bags for my saddlebags and tourpak. It is a two-handed job to put in (or lift out) our tourpak bag!
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,873
Likes: 13
From: NW Arkansas
I think you'll be fine. Do a little test ride around home before you leave. The extra weight will make some difference, but not enough to notice during "normal" riding,,,IMO. (Good advice above reference air pressure!)
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 218
Likes: 1
From: Rocky Mount,Va
I put a T_Bag loaded for a week with moma on a street glide with a stealth rack,smaller than what you built,a little squirmy at speeds but doable.
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We just got back from a 2 week ride from North of Toronto to Virginia Beach and back (with a family visit in between). We sent a bunch of clothing and shoes ahead a month earlier and planned to mail it back to ourselves for the return trip. On a t-shirt stop at a dealer in Richmond we found this luggage bag -
http://www.saddlemen.com/store/index...oducts_id=7299
Its not meant to be used on the tour pack rack, but it fits perfectly so we went with it. My wife packed the tour pack bag and the new bag using space bags (that you roll the air out) We brought it all home with us. I weighed it all when we got home, 40lbs in the pack and 40lbs on the rack, plus all the stuff in the side bags. Handling was obviously heavier but I had no problem with it. I'm pretty sure that continued riding like this would result in a broken tour pack so I plan to do some mods to the framework of the pack and some framework to the rack mounting
Kevin
07 Ultra
http://www.saddlemen.com/store/index...oducts_id=7299
Its not meant to be used on the tour pack rack, but it fits perfectly so we went with it. My wife packed the tour pack bag and the new bag using space bags (that you roll the air out) We brought it all home with us. I weighed it all when we got home, 40lbs in the pack and 40lbs on the rack, plus all the stuff in the side bags. Handling was obviously heavier but I had no problem with it. I'm pretty sure that continued riding like this would result in a broken tour pack so I plan to do some mods to the framework of the pack and some framework to the rack mounting
Kevin
07 Ultra
Excellent thread - stuff that I've been wondering about myself. I've got a Kury Tourbag from a previous bike (the kind that is designed to sit on a rack and strap around the sissybar) - been thinking that it might be too much weight to sit on the Tourpak...