Take A Road Trip – Pack Your Motorcycle Luggage

The open road. The fresh air and wind blowing through your hair. The surge of the engine as you rev it. The fluid feel of the motorcycle on the road as it glides along. You've made preparations for this trip. Your only wish is that you had more storage space. Well, wish no more. There are options.

The subject of storage on motorcycles has long been an issue of concern. With no room for a trunk, not to mention it might look silly, the storage for a motorcycle has been very limited in the past. The first type of luggage system we are going to look at is the saddle bag system.

Taken straight from the old west, cowboys would use two leather pouches, connected in the middle by a piece of leather, and it would be either attached to the saddle, or simply placed underneath the saddle. Each bag would be draped over each side of the horse, and usually wasn't very big. Today's saddle bags are crafted in a similar manner. The saddle bags are usually constructed from real cowhide or PU (man made leather). A quality saddle bag will have strong nylon straps and nickel plated buckles and studs to prevent them from rusting. There are several styles available that could include studs, metal buckles, fringes, conchos, waterproofing and rain gear.

The next type of luggage became popular when Peter Fonda, playing the role of a motorcycle rider traveling to New Orleans, used a backpack to store his luggage on the back of his motorcycle, attached to the “sissy bar”. The sissy bar bag of today can possibly be used as a backpack. There are several materials used in making sissy bar motorcycle luggage. Nylon, cowhide leather, and man made leather are the common types of material used. As with saddle bags, these too can have studs, fringes, metal buckles, nylon straps, and weatherproofing. There are also options available to have wheels and a luggage tote bar for transporting the bag while not on your motorcycle. Some also have reflective strips on the back of the bag, so that when going down the road, drivers can see you.

The motorcycle windshield bag is a unique type of bag, in that it sits on the handle bars of the motorcycle. It is not a large bag, but rather used for storing smaller items like sunglasses or maps. This can even be used for cellphones or other electronics, as some of the windshield bags are weatherproof. Although there aren't as many styles for windshield bags as there are for saddle bags or sissy bar bags, the selection is still varied. Generally made from leather, cowhide or man made, these bags offer a great way to store those often used items while out on a motorcycle road trip.

The last piece of luggage we are going to look at is the motorcycle tool bag. These are small leather or nylon bags made to hold tools, either in a roll-up configuration, or simply as a pouch. Often stored under the seat, it helps to keep your tool kit organized, and safely stored. Many of the same style options that are used with the saddle bags can be found for the motorcycle tool bag.

Motorcycle Leathers And You

I'm sure you have seen them yourself. You see people [usually young] on motorcycles, wearing only T-shirts and shorts and speeding around the town without a care in the world. What's the problem you ask? Why, safety of course!

You see, wearing proper motorcycle apparel is really a safety issue not just a fashion statement. And all too often people find out the hard way as they lose a whole lot of skin as they slide down the road when they are spilled off their bike. Motorcycle riders don't have anything between them and the roadway like automobile drivers wearing seatbelts do. The motorcycle rider is extremely vulnerable when tossed off his bike during an accident.

You can easily imagine how important motorcycle leathers are to a motorcycle rider by visualizing what happens when someone is spilled from their bike. It's highly unlikely that they "land on their feet"! They usually hit the pavement or the gravel on their side or on their back. And considering they usually get dumped from their bike while traveling at some rate of speed they also begin an agonizing slide along the unforgiving surface. What's between them and the loss of skin? Obviously not much if they are wearing shorts and a T-shirt!

Motorcycle leathers are in fact a safety necessity. Motorcycle trousers will provide a lot more protection than denim shorts or even blue jeans will ever to. They offer protection not only in an accident but also from the dust, stones and debris that are kicked up by vehicles in front of you as you drive along. Have you ever had a bug smash against your windshield? Try getting that against a bare thigh on the open highway! And you don't need to get a bee sting when you're doing 80 clicks now, do you? Motorcycle leathers are not just for show. They offer the wise biker protection against the constant hazards of the road and highway.

Motorcycle jackets are more than just a fashion statement. Or at least they should be. Motorcycle jackets [and especially ones reinforced at the seams] will offer you a great deal of protection if you happen to be spilled from your motorcycle and you end up sliding down the road. For that simple reason, don't just go for a thin, fashionable leather jacket thinking you're saving money. A good quality, well-maintained leather motorcycle jacket can last as long as 50 years if you care for it properly!

Driving a motorcycle can be an exhilarating and thrilling experience. Falling off a motorcycle can be a painful one if you're not prepared properly. You won't look cool with a bad case of pavement rash after a long slide down the highway on your back. Choosing the proper motorcycle leathers, from jacket and pants to leather motorcycle gloves may keep you riding the road safely for many, many years.