Ortlieb rack-pack.

[utopia]

Waterproof, roll-top, holdall-type rack-pack. I bought one at the show.
Has anyone tried one? The few reports I've heard have all been good.
Mine is the 31litre (medium) size, though I'm now wondering whether its a bit big and I may change it for the smaller one.

I did consider the Ventura system, but I don't much like the design of their racks...all looks a bit messy, so I'm designing my own.

I also got a couple of new bungees...'Rok straps'. They're adjustable length, adjustable tension, and have soft hitch-type attachments. Expensive at nearly a tenner each, but look very handy. Can't recommend them yet as I haven't tried them out, but they certainly look the part.

Just need to finish the rack design and get a prototype built before the summer comes now.

[SunEye]

I have spent years using an Ortlieb Rack Pack (49 litre 61cm long) strapped to the back of my Kawasaki ZRX1200R. I strap it onto the pillion seat. I used to use some bungee straps, but recently I have been using two Zuru link straps, which work very well and don't scratch things like the ends of bungees can.

To be honest since I bought the Ortlieb Rack Pack it has become the bag that I use whenever I go away anywhere regardless of my means of travel. It's totally waterproof and appears to be reasonably rugged (my bike has fallen over twice with it on the back and it has suffered no damage). I've been using it for about 8 years now.

I'm currently trying to work out how I will attach the Ortlieb to my M1100 for when I next go away somewhere. The back of the M1100 is narrower than the ZRX1200 and doesn't have useful grab handles for strapping things to.

[utopia]

I have spent years using an Ortlieb Rack Pack (49 litre 61cm long) strapped to the back of my Kawasaki ZRX1200R. I strap it onto the pillion seat.

Thanks for the feedback.
My pack is shorter than yours (54cm compared to 61cm.) I was concerned that if I strap it on with this dimension running across the bike, rather than front to back, its length might make it unstable....hence the reason for considering the even smaller one.
Which way do you strap yours on and have you had any such problems ?
If you've been ok with 61cm then mine should be ok, particularly on a rack rather than the seat.
I don't want to have to strap mine onto the seat cos I'm likely to have a pillion there a lot of the time.
Of course I could make my rack wider, but then it starts to look too ugly.

[SunEye]

I strap the Ortlieb across the bike so it sticks out either side (although it's narrower than the handlebars). It's never been a problem. I strap it down tight and because it has soft stuff in it (clothes, etc.) it doesn't move. It also doesn't hang down at the ends either. The bag is too stiff for that to happen unless its only half full. That's really the only thing I would say is to always pack it reasonably full, but that would apply to any soft bag you were trying to strap to your bike.

http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1p4VGludrApx4rVQQ0Tjk8OFM7ilF9NMDoVpYai_GWvnsisAA MLPTmnP-ALKbUVwVV6mAuPzBSBxZXmN1HFugJmw/IMG_32.JPG?psid=1

You can see the bag on the back of my ZRX in this photo. I used to strap it on (as seen in this photo) with bungess that formed a cross and attached to the grab rails (back left to front right and back right to front left). With the Zuru straps I use one either side of the bag attaching the straps to the grab rail on each side.

As far as stability of the bike goes. With 10-15kg strapped on the bike on the pillion seat the bike handled fine. It's a heavy bike 223kg dry, so it probably didn't notice a few extra kilos. Because I've ridden more miles like that I came to prefer how the bike handled. It never slowed me down in any way and I always had complete confidence in the front end of the bike especially after fitting Michelin Pilot Road 2 tyres that turn in quicker than the Bridgestones I used to use.

[utopia]

Excellent. Thanks a lot. I'll definitely keep the size I've got then.
Nice 'top of the world' photo btw. If the pack stayed put that far, I should have no problems.
And, as the magistrate told me, you can't beat a bit of photographic evidence.....:rolleyes:
I'm assuming thats you on the left? (just so I'll recognise you cos I owe you a beer)
Thanks again.

[SunEye]

Yes I'm on the left of the photo. It was taken at the top of the Col du Galibier (2645m) in France in October 2008. On the way down (on a North facing slope) the Triumph Sprint ST 1050 (rider on the right of the picture, bike in the centre of the picture) hit some ice. No significant damage, just a few scratches.

I've done 36,000 miles on that bike. I'd say that at least 80% of that was done with my Ortlieb bag on the back.

As you can see the Sprint ST panniers are wider than the handlebars. This resulted in on off for me later that holiday when we had stopped in the middle of a village to discuss possibilities for lunch. The Sprint ST pulled away slightly before me, but because he was so close to me his left pannier clipped my bike and pushed me over before I know what had gone on. I thought I'd stalled as I'd gone to move off and lost my balance. I got my revenge later in the holiday when the panniers got a good kicking at the side of the road from their owner for being ****e. It was as funny as watching Basil Fawlty giving his car a thrashing with a tree branch.

[utopia]

I witnessed a similar bit of motorcycle rage when my mates honda 305 failed to start coming out of mallory park one day back in the 70s.
The bike had been playing up and had just been "fixed" by a local dealer, to little effect.
My mates frustration was so great that he drop-kicked his crash helmet the best part of 100yds across the car park field.
He never did have a lot of patience.