Backpack Recommendations??

[SuziQ07]

Hello!
Does anyone currently use a backpack while riding? I'm looking for a backpack that could also hold my helmet.
Any help is appreciated...thanks!

[mrlmd1]

Go to this thread from a Ninja 250 forum I also frequent, it has a lot of good suggestions - http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12425&
The ICON Squad II (2 videos on there) looks like it will hold everything you may ever want to carry, but there are a few others on there that will also carry a helmet.

Also look at this thread - http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35505

Here's another idea - http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/ ... kpack.aspx

You can go anywhere from $8 at Walmart, to $39 at Lands End, to $125 for the Icon Squad, to $160 or more for others, and everywhere in between. It's only money, but most of these will last many, many years and actually provide some crash protection too. Good luck in your search, there are too many choices to make an easy decision.

[alantf]

Originally Posted by SuziQ07

Hello!
Does anyone currently use a backpack while riding?

Not me, for certain. I like COMFORT while riding, so I've got a box big enough to hold everything I need on a normal ride ( plus a week's groceries when I do the supermarket run) or two helmets when we stop. I just don't feel balanced/safe/comfortable with any weight on my back.

[mrlmd1]

The ones designed for bikes ride pretty low and don't upset balance too much. But I agree and would rather carry stuff in the bags or on the sissy bar or tank bag.
It's when you need or want to take your jacket and helmet with you and carry books and a laptop that those backpacks come in handy.

[skeet monroe]

My cousin used to wear a backpack everywhere he went on his bike. I tried it, and decided I'm not comfortable with it. That's what my saddlebags are for anyway.

I know they are more expensive than a backpack, but I think the pros outweigh the cons. You don't have to remember to grab anything, saddlebags look better than wearing a backpack does, and they are much safer, IMO.

[music man]

Originally Posted by skeet monroe

I know they are more expensive than a backpack, but I think the pros outweigh the cons. You don't have to remember to grab anything, saddlebags look better than wearing a backpack does, and they are much safer, IMO.

Actually for a good backpack that is big enough and comfortable enough for long riding trips, you might actually get a decent set of saddlebags for around the same price. I have an awesome pack I got from a military surplus store, it is so comfortable a lot of people use them for running, it also has the hydration bladder with it (that I have never used), but the drawback to it is, it doesn't have a huge amount of space, but you can't comfortably carry a whole lot in one no matter how big it is or how much it cost.

I like it for in town use, because I can take all my stuff with me easily and quickly when I get off my bike. And I agree with you that Saddlebags are safer overall, because that is just one less thing you have to think about when you are riding.

[Water Warrior 2]

My opinion here so take it with a grain of salt. Call me a safety nut if you want. I would not wear a backpack while riding. If you ever get involved in a mishap and fall there is a good possiblity the contents of the pack could cause more serious injuries. How many small items can poke or protrude upon impact. Bungee the pack to the rear seat if you really need one. Safety lesson over.

[blaine]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

My opinion here so take it with a grain of salt. Call me a safety nut if you want. I would not wear a backpack while riding. If you ever get involved in a mishap and fall there is a good possiblity the contents of the pack could cause more serious injuries. How many small items can poke or protrude upon impact. Bungee the pack to the rear seat if you really need one. Safety lesson over.

:plus1: :plus1: :plus1:

[mrlmd1]

Most of the packs specifically made for bikers are well padded where they contact the rider, are made out of pretty tough material, and actually may and probably do provide some additional back protection during a fall or slide on the road surface. Nobody in any site I have seen has ever complained of small items poking through or protruding on impact or even spewing all over the road. They carry the load pretty low and are not that obtrusive to riding around at moderate speeds.
If you have to carry the contents around with you they are a viable option, although I would have to agree that saddlebags may be better in some instances but they provide very little if any security to items left on the bike, then you still have to pack them up into something else to carry them. If a backpack s not securely attached to the bike, it will be less secure (more prone to breaking loose) and not everyone has a sissy bar or something else to attach the pack to. Like everything else on here generating heated discussion, a good backpack is just another viable option, and if you are going that route, get one designed for a biker and make sure it fits, etc, etc.

[alantf]

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

get one designed for a biker and make sure it fits,

Never knew such a thing existed. What's the difference between one designed for bikes, & the one I bought from the luggage shop, to use as a flight bag on aeroplanes (which I VERY occasionally use on the bike when I'm carrying too much stuff to fit in the box. :??: