Any Backpack or Travel Bag Suggestions?

I have done a lot of miles around Europe and the ideal luggage for me is one that easily unpacks from the bike. I have simplified a lot with the Stryker. Small saddlebags and one big bag should be enough. Hubby takes the tent.

I carry my own stuff so I can take what I want. Including my hairdryer and straighteners. ;D

Backpack for me. That way I don't have those dreadful looking bags hanging on my beautiful bike.

I bought a nice alpine stars backpack with a helmet carrier

11Stryker said:

Patrice you must take a hairbrush also!! LOL

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Yes, I do. But the hubby and I share that and besides it would fit in the pouch on the front of my bike.

j4patrice said:

11Stryker said:

Patrice you must take a hairbrush also!! LOL

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Yes, I do. But the hubby and I share that and besides it would fit in the pouch on the from of my bike.

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That's cool! Just having a little fun with ya and throwing a Jab at my Wife.

11Stryker said:

j4patrice said:

11Stryker said:

Patrice you must take a hairbrush also!! LOL

Click to expand...

Yes, I do. But the hubby and I share that and besides it would fit in the pouch on the front of my bike.

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That's cool! Just having a little fun with ya and throwing a Jab at my Wife.

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No problem, I can take it. Does your wife ride or does she just bring her hairbrush? LOL

j4patrice said:

11Stryker said:

j4patrice said:

11Stryker said:

Patrice you must take a hairbrush also!! LOL

Click to expand...

Yes, I do. But the hubby and I share that and besides it would fit in the pouch on the from of my bike.

Click to expand...

That's cool! Just having a little fun with ya and throwing a Jab at my Wife.

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No problem, I can take it. Does your wife ride or does she just bring her hairbrush? LOL

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Ya we ride 2-up 90 percent of the time and a Hairbrush is no.1 Priority!

11Stryker said:

j4patrice said:

11Stryker said:

j4patrice said:

11Stryker said:

Patrice you must take a hairbrush also!! LOL

Click to expand...

Yes, I do. But the hubby and I share that and besides it would fit in the pouch on the from of my bike.

Click to expand...

That's cool! Just having a little fun with ya and throwing a Jab at my Wife.

Click to expand...

No problem, I can take it. Does your wife ride or does she just bring her hairbrush? LOL

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Ya we ride 2-up 90 percent of the time and a Hairbrush is no.1 Priority!

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LOL. You should get her a Stryker of her own and then she can carry her own hairbrush. ;D

Sounds good to me, but she is dead set against riding her own bike, but she enjoys riding with me.

Hey wife and I use the same brush. Saves packing room.lol My hair is as long as hers, where it still grows anyway. :-[

Please don't start a thread about which type of hairbrush is best.

Toby said:

Bare minimum??? huh/

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I know their is a bike under their somewhere?

StrykerJan said:

Please don't start a thread about which type of hairbrush is best.

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Hahaha that was funny. Wife wont go anywhere without her Swiss Army Knife though. Says it's the best. The only thing it's missing is a hairbrush.

I have my swiss army knife too but don't think i will get it on the plane to take it over there.

Can't go wrong with anything from Kuryakyn...If you aren't going for more than a day or two and won't be more than 50-100 miles away from civilization, you can probably go with a roll type bag that straps to your handlebars. This will help cut down on the wind hitting you as well. Anything longer (or further away from civilization) I'd go with something you could strap to the rear fender, Kuryakyn has some cool saddlebags that mount without needing side supports. If you want to go a little cheaper, I just picked up a cool "Motorcycle Backpack" from Wal-Mart for $29. It has multiple strapping/mounting points and a pouch that will fit a Camelbak water bladder perfectly.

I looked at the Kury packs and they did get very good reviews. Since traveling on bikes is new to us, I'm not sure of the best solution. I can see the Grand Tour bag as fitting a lot of items. For those that have this, can you feel a lot the drag on the bag/bike. I guess it's hard to imagine how much wind resistance it gets without a picture of someone sitting in front of it. Normally we pack light, except when we go on scuba diving trips...then we take a lot but 90% of it is gear. I can see us going for a long bike trip weekend, staying in a hotel somewhere. So I think we would just need to take the basics....and a hairbrush!

I have the grand tour and love it. If you are riding solo, you can strap it down to the rear pillion and use the included lumbar support. Works geat for long trips.

J&K said:

I looked at the Kury packs and they did get very good reviews. Since traveling on bikes is new to us, I'm not sure of the best solution. I can see the Grand Tour bag as fitting a lot of items. For those that have this, can you feel a lot the drag on the bag/bike. I guess it's hard to imagine how much wind resistance it gets without a picture of someone sitting in front of it. Normally we pack light, except when we go on scuba diving trips...then we take a lot but 90% of it is gear. I can see us going for a long bike trip weekend, staying in a hotel somewhere. So I think we would just need to take the basics....and a hairbrush!

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as far as drag goes that's really going to depend upon you, I'm wider than the grand tour so there's nothing there that wasn't already there. When I've had mine on which is usually a good bit as we've been blessed with nice weather and I take a lot of work home this time of year my bike seems to feel more sturdy, and having the backrest is sweet. If my wife would quit telling me I look like an old man I'd leave it on there. and you can have it on in off in no time, maybe 30 seconds.

I see many of you have used the kury gran tour bag has anyone used the kury ultra gran tour bag? I'm thinking I might need the extra room and would like to purchase a tour bag this weekend. Just ordered the tall quick relase back rest and the luggage rack.

iweldit said:

I have the ultra and daily tour bags. They work well together. I packed enough stuff for five days in them. Good backrest as well.

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Nice.