Tourpack Weight Limit?
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 165
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Tourpack Weight Limit?
Hi all. Just joined this site, and it's full of great information and recommendations. I also just signed all of the paperwork on my '07 Ultra in Vivid Black, now all that I need is for the snow to finish melting and the temps to come up just a little bit (live in CT) so I can ride it home...the wait is friggin' killing me! But, the posts on this site helped save me money on both exhaust (I went with SE Slip-Ons instead of going deaf with Rineharts), and from adding the Harley radio-installed GPS system.
I had a question on the weight limit of the TourPack. I know it says it is 20-25 pounds. Is that a limit of the mounting system they use, or do they say that because excessive weight can affect the handling of the bike? Unfortunately I don't have the bike here to look at it (yet), but was wonderig if there was any type of aftermarket add-on or tricks anyone has used to get a little more carrying capacity out of the TourPack?
Thanks,
Sean
'07 FLHTCU - Vivid Black
'06 XL1200C - Black Pearl & Cherry Red
I had a question on the weight limit of the TourPack. I know it says it is 20-25 pounds. Is that a limit of the mounting system they use, or do they say that because excessive weight can affect the handling of the bike? Unfortunately I don't have the bike here to look at it (yet), but was wonderig if there was any type of aftermarket add-on or tricks anyone has used to get a little more carrying capacity out of the TourPack?
Thanks,
Sean
'07 FLHTCU - Vivid Black
'06 XL1200C - Black Pearl & Cherry Red
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
RE: Tourpack Weight Limit?
Welcome to the forum. I too am new here but can answer your tour pack question for the most part. I truly believe that handling is the main reason for H-D setting this limit. With all that weight up high, if the ol scoot gets to leaning somewhat when stopped, you may be in for a rude ground greeting. ANyhoo, the material would be the second reason and possibly the first...but the material that the pack is made out of (fiberglass/plastic) is thin, and with the shock from the road, say if you had it filled with concrete, would wallow out the holes, and create cracks; inevitably breaking free and falling off. (worse case scenario). I have had alot more than 25# in mine, I also have a rack on top that I have packed with tent, camping chairs,leathers and other crap for the road, and I am sure I am exceeding the limit. Bottom line, do it if you wanna POSSIBLY take the chance of breaking something. I think it is alot tougher than they lead on to be. I ride my scoot (Road Glide) pretty hard and have had no problems. Just load it with common sense in mind. Distibute your weight evenly and as low as possible. i.e. tools in hard side bags, sleeping bag on top of tour pack. Cheers!
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 513
Likes: 6
From: Reston, Virginia
RE: Tourpack Weight Limit?
Welcome from Northern Virginia. I've never weighted stuff as I was packing, but try to keep the heavier stuff in the saddle bags on my Ultra. I am carefull about stuff on the luggage rack though. Not a lot to distribute the weight but four dime sized washers on fiberglass. I think it is more from a liability issue than anything else. Your passeneger sits at the same height.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,428
Likes: 2
From:
RE: Tourpack Weight Limit?
All manufacturers set publicized weight limits on the conservative end of the scale. I'm sure they've tested the actual failure weight, but doubt you'd get them to tell you.
Handling is a big factor and probably the reason for the low number. A few years ago, I loaded my Heritage Softail down for the trip to Bike Week. I had a big luggage rack pack with roll bag on top and lots of stuff behind me in one of those monster bags. As I pulled out of my motorcycle garage in the back yard, I nearly ran into my house as I overcorrected a slight swing.The additional weight acts like a pendulum on the suspension.
Try to load heavy stuff like tools, etc in the saddlebags and cloths and stuff in the tour box. I keep extra gloves,raingear and stuff in a luggage rack bag on top of the tourpak so that it's veryeasy to get to.
Handling is a big factor and probably the reason for the low number. A few years ago, I loaded my Heritage Softail down for the trip to Bike Week. I had a big luggage rack pack with roll bag on top and lots of stuff behind me in one of those monster bags. As I pulled out of my motorcycle garage in the back yard, I nearly ran into my house as I overcorrected a slight swing.The additional weight acts like a pendulum on the suspension.
Try to load heavy stuff like tools, etc in the saddlebags and cloths and stuff in the tour box. I keep extra gloves,raingear and stuff in a luggage rack bag on top of the tourpak so that it's veryeasy to get to.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,440
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From: Columbus,Indiana/ Arecibo,Puerto Rico
RE: Tourpack Weight Limit?
Don,t laugh but wife and I were on a ride last summer and she spied a roadside market. needless to say she bought 2 watermellons and 3 dozen ears of sweet corn. A tight fit and more than 25 lbs. I use the tourpack a lot to go shopping with. Have fun!!! LOL DAN
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RE: Tourpack Weight Limit?
I know that the weight can be a factor when picking a bike back up. A couple years ago the wife and I went on a road trip to the Mt. Saint Helen's volcano view point. We stopped for some lunch at a place along the way. I had tried turning around on gravel and slipped and dropped it. We had stuff in the tour pack. A couple of fella's came and helped me pick it up. I didn't catch the one guy when he did it or I would have stopped him. He grabbed the tour pack and used it to lift. It broke the frame that the pack sits on. We were able to finish the ride but I did lose one of the main bolts. I had a buddy weld the frame back together and got a new bolt. I figure that it was likely that the frame would have broke whether I had stuff in the pack or not but it did get me to realize that there is a limit to how much the frame of the tour pack can take. It is only made of tube steel and not the greatest stuff at that.
Welcome to the forums. Ride safe.
Welcome to the forums. Ride safe.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 32
From: Houston, Texas
RE: Tourpack Weight Limit?
While I might not be adding anything new to the discussion, let me throw in my $.02 for your consideration.
I've been told by more than one service manager that the weight limit is for liability considerations (top-heavy load affecting handling) than it is for the actual capacity-before-cracking issue. The tour pack itself is supported in 3 points underneath the "box" and two from the front corners onto the bike's frame. However, despite this security, I added quarter-sized washers inside and outside thebox when I added my Kuryakyn tour pack extension. Then I also added a top mounted luggage rack, again with large washers (inside they are the quarter-sized washers, and outside they are chromed "star" washers). All this is intended to dispurse the weight over a greater area of the fiberglass. I can tell you that it DOES affect the handling, and once had it come over on me slowly -- like a bad dream, it was so slow. But we righted it and were on our way none the worse for any damage.
What I have found to be of benefit is to store the heavy things (shoes, tools, etc...) in the saddlebags, then the next heavier items in the tour pack, then items you need during the day or things that don't fit elsewhere in the bag on top of the tour pack. (Also, if you travel solo, opt for putting the items in a stropped-on bag where the passenger sits rather than on the rack -- it moves the weight forward and lower...)
Hope that all helps.
BTW, the Kuryakyn tour pack extender actually STRENGTHENS the support rack under the tour pack, due to its larger frame and support points. Now that we have the extra couple inches, I don't know how pre-'06 owners get along without the extra room!
I've been told by more than one service manager that the weight limit is for liability considerations (top-heavy load affecting handling) than it is for the actual capacity-before-cracking issue. The tour pack itself is supported in 3 points underneath the "box" and two from the front corners onto the bike's frame. However, despite this security, I added quarter-sized washers inside and outside thebox when I added my Kuryakyn tour pack extension. Then I also added a top mounted luggage rack, again with large washers (inside they are the quarter-sized washers, and outside they are chromed "star" washers). All this is intended to dispurse the weight over a greater area of the fiberglass. I can tell you that it DOES affect the handling, and once had it come over on me slowly -- like a bad dream, it was so slow. But we righted it and were on our way none the worse for any damage.
What I have found to be of benefit is to store the heavy things (shoes, tools, etc...) in the saddlebags, then the next heavier items in the tour pack, then items you need during the day or things that don't fit elsewhere in the bag on top of the tour pack. (Also, if you travel solo, opt for putting the items in a stropped-on bag where the passenger sits rather than on the rack -- it moves the weight forward and lower...)
Hope that all helps.
BTW, the Kuryakyn tour pack extender actually STRENGTHENS the support rack under the tour pack, due to its larger frame and support points. Now that we have the extra couple inches, I don't know how pre-'06 owners get along without the extra room!