Biking Essentials

Anything you like about motorbikes
Gimlet
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Gimlet »

My own essential: Kriega 30L US tailpack.
Brilliant piece of design Kriega's add-on luggage system. So quick and simple to get on and off the bike and utterly 100% waterproof forever. I tend to put clothes in mine when I'm touring and I'd happily ride a week through continuous rain without using a lining bag and I know they'd be bone dry at the end of it.
No the cheapest but worth every penny.
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Dodgy69
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Dodgy69 »

Just testing BIG bag so all others fine... Fingers crossed the straps will be out again. 🤞
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Dodgy69
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Dodgy69 »

Got Lomo bags aswel but not as heavy duty as the givi..still waterproof though. Kriega bags great aswel. Got the small us10 to strap under pillion seat but since I've had the quick release tank bag, not used.
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Bigyin
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Bigyin »

As others have said pinlocks ..... how the fuck did we manage before them

What i tell the students .... pinlocks so you can see, warm gloves, spare gloves, warm kit, dry kit, clothing with armour on all the sticky out bits including ankle protection

For the more experienced i always carry a puncture kit under the seat, cable ties, small roll of gaffa tape and basic tools. With a top box all of that is easily carried so IMO if you are commuting its essential as a rucksack to carry work stuff is something that wont slide as well in an off and will set you tumbling
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GuzziPaul
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by GuzziPaul »

When I went to Le Mans last year on my Le Mans I bought a set of cheap throw over panniers as I wanted something with a few comparments in to carry clothes and spare visor, gloves, waterproofs in one side and tools, a litre of oil, lock and puncture moose. I wanted to access to stuff without having to open a single big bag to sort through a load of stuff at the roadside. I knew they wouldn't be waterproof so I used two bin bags for stuff I wanted to keep dry.
For extra security they were held on with Roc straps. The trouble was the bike side of the panniers was lined with rubber to pretect is assume from road spray, and this rub against the bike body work and scuffed it.
I've had three tank bags multiple different rear luggage, but now I reckon my deafault luggage would be a roll top bag on the pillion seat held on with Roc Straps.
I do have a rack in the loft that will fit the Guzzi and a top box in the garage that I used when I went done to St Tropez on my first Le Mans. I think I'll fit the rack next year to go to the Guzzi 100 Anniversary if i'm taking a tent.
Gimlet
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Gimlet »

Bigyin wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2020 11:02 pm As others have said pinlocks ..... how the fuck did we manage before them
Pinlocks are a good call. They are a game changer, but I hate having to faff about with them. Mine never seem to work for long (regardless of which helmet it is) before they need attention and once I've taken them off I can never get them fitted right again and they won't seal, or won't stay sealed.
I'm naturally dexterous and good with my hands but wrestling a delicate piece of floppy plastic is akin to working with cloth. It just doesn't compute.

They are good, as long as someone else has fitted with them.
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Rockburner
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Rockburner »

Gimlet wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 9:17 am
Bigyin wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2020 11:02 pm As others have said pinlocks ..... how the fuck did we manage before them
Pinlocks are a good call. They are a game changer, but I hate having to faff about with them. Mine never seem to work for long (regardless of which helmet it is) before they need attention and once I've taken them off I can never get them fitted right again and they won't seal, or won't stay sealed.
I'm naturally dexterous and good with my hands but wrestling a delicate piece of floppy plastic is akin to working with cloth. It just doesn't compute.

They are good, as long as someone else has fitted with them.
I've never found pinlocks to work. I hate that the area of the visor not covered mists up and creates 'blinkers' that restrict my peripheral vision.
I've also had the pinlock surface itself mist up. :(

Daily application of Bob Heath visor spray on the inside, and Pledge on the outside works for me. :)
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Gimlet
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Gimlet »

Rockburner wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:00 am I've never found pinlocks to work. I hate that the area of the visor not covered mists up and creates 'blinkers' that restrict my peripheral vision.
I've also had the pinlock surface itself mist up. :(

Daily application of Bob Heath visor spray on the inside, and Pledge on the outside works for me. :)
I found some Bob Heath anti mist spray in the garage cupboard last summer. Must have been 25 years old at least. Still worked a treat on my knackered X-Lite pinlock.

I sometimes use a beeswax spray polish from Tesco on visors. I try not to put anything on the Pinlock until it's properly knackered because they cost so much but that stuff is good. Take ages to buff the smears out but once shone up it works very well as long as it isn't to cold. Brilliant on the outside of the visor for beading off the rain.
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GuzziPaul
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by GuzziPaul »

Pinlocks. I put mine on the previous helmet clear visor from new and never took it off. It was never a problem. I had it on my clear visor as i though thats where it would be neaded. However, riding early mrning on cold days with a low sun I needed one for the tinted visor as well. When I got my new Arai i bought a tinted visor and an additional pinlock as well, got a better deal. That night I fitted both visors with pinlocks as soon as i took the film of the visor and there thay have stayed.
Mist admit though I don't like the frame you get within the helemet appature.
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Buckaroo »

Decent pair of gloves. I spent way too many post winter rides where the defrosting digits gave me so much pain. I've had kidney stones for 30 years and they bastard hurt. My frozen hands weren't far off.
Oh and proper waterproof trousers. It's a wonder we've two kids when I think what my nadgers went through in my early biking years.
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Yorick
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Yorick »

GuzziPaul wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 9:02 am When I went to Le Mans last year on my Le Mans I bought a set of cheap throw over panniers as I wanted something with a few comparments in to carry clothes and spare visor, gloves, waterproofs in one side and tools, a litre of oil, lock and puncture moose. I wanted to access to stuff without having to open a single big bag to sort through a load of stuff at the roadside. I knew they wouldn't be waterproof so I used two bin bags for stuff I wanted to keep dry.
For extra security they were held on with Roc straps. The trouble was the bike side of the panniers was lined with rubber to pretect is assume from road spray, and this rub against the bike body work and scuffed it.
I've had three tank bags multiple different rear luggage, but now I reckon my deafault luggage would be a roll top bag on the pillion seat held on with Roc Straps.
I do have a rack in the loft that will fit the Guzzi and a top box in the garage that I used when I went done to St Tropez on my first Le Mans. I think I'll fit the rack next year to go to the Guzzi 100 Anniversary if i'm taking a tent.
What are they ? The website is shite.

On my rack I just use a ratchet strap to secure the bag. That can't move. How do the Roc straps work ?
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Re: Biking Essentials

Post by Brommo »

inewham wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:39 pm
Yorick wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:31 pm How do the Roc straps work ?
Like this
Roc Straps are SUPERB. loads better than bungees or ratchet straps. Had mine since I got a deal from the old VD days. cracking product