How much luggage?

[sauluk]

Got a 6 day (5 nights) trip to the French Alps booked and currently only have a Kreiga US-20 tail pack. How much more will I need?

I don't fancy a rucksack and any kind of bulky tank bag as I want to enjoy the roads! Would I be alright strapping another US-10 onto the tailpack? 30 litres total?

[FG1]

There's a rear seat with a topbox for sale on here somewhere. You should get all you need in that.
I have the same set up, everybody copied me, and it works a treat.

[sauluk]

I've not got the SV anymore, got a CBR600RR so a top box isn't really what I'm after, what capacity is the top box then?

[FG1]

I think it was about 45 ltr

[L3nny]

I did a similar length trip with just some Oxford first time throw over panniers (http://www.oxford-shop.co.uk/item3129.htm). There was more than enough space. In fact I only ended up wearing half the clothes I took.

There were some people at one hotel we stayed at who were on a 5 day trip and just had a 20l tank or tail bag. They were Scottish though, kilts don't take up much space I suppose.

[STRAMASHER]

A mate went to the Alps and SOF for 2 weeks with 15! I go with 30L tank bag, missus easily fills 52L top box:rolleyes:. Still take loads of **** I never use or wear.

Get your packing down to an art and bin/buy clothes.

I take some wee sachets of washing powder for when I am laid up for more than a day.

I have another pal who took shoe polish and folding clothes hangers with him. (London boy).Still gets slagged rotten 15 year later.:)

[Dicky Ticker]

Depends how you want to be dressed in the evening.I am going to Scotland for 10 days 1 pair jeans,casual shoes,3 t-shirts,3 skiddies,3 pair of socks and my washing gear,not much for 10 days but I drop into an Asda[George] or any cheap shop and buy cheap stuff I can sling after I have worn it.My own good gear I can rinse out and leave drying in the room while out if things get desperate.
If it is raining or cold just sling your bike jacket on to go out as you probably be taking it off when in the bar/resturant anyway.
I wouldn't imagine you would need a lot of gear as you will have a full day on the way down and a full day on the way back so 6-2=4nights.
When you pack roll everything up tight and it is amazing how little space you actually need,a bit creased but clean.
Travelling light has advantages and disadvantages but I prefer the former

N.B I am presuming you are staying someplace and not camping,so you can get towels supplied.

[dizzyblonde]

Did ten days in France with a tailpack and Tankbag. Came home with extras too :-)

Being a burd, we tend to take the ktichen sink, so with that in mind I reckon your US-20 and a tank bag will suffice.

Trust me, a tankbag, is so useful on a long trip. I used to think they were big and bulky but now, on long trips, its good to sprawl over 8)

[Luckypants]

A tailpack will get everything you need in it. Use the underseat area for tools / tape / spare levers etc. A tank bag for all those often needed items like travel docs, maps, bottles of water, phone, etc.

[ricky]

I did a similar length trip with just some Oxford first time throw over panniers (http://www.oxford-shop.co.uk/item3129.htm). There was more than enough space.

i have this set for my trip to France got them from ebay brand new at 26 pounds

[sauluk]

There's no room under the pillion seat on the CBR that's for sure! must be about 1 cm of clearance under the seat! There's a honda tool pack in there and is a nightmare to get back in, requires a lot of squashing.

I'll be staying in B&B's in the middle of nowhere to be honest so I'm just going to take a pair of shorts & flip flops as opposed to trainers and jeans. Add on 6 pairs of kegs and 4-5 half decent T's and some other essentials.

I reckon the US20 will fill pretty quick so am probably going to strap a US10 on top. Anyone got one they want to lend me?!

[L3nny]

Should have bought a fireblade, you can sleep under the pillion seat on my bike :D

All I took with me to wear in the evenings for 5 nights were 2 smartish T-Shirts a pair of jeans a pait of shorts and a pair of trainers.

If you are using soft luggage get everything and put them in Zip loc bags, i.e. 1 zip lock for clean pants, one for dirty, 1 for socks etc.. That way if it chucks it down everything will stay dry and the stinky dirty clothes wont make the clean ones smell.

Also take those small socks, the ones you wear with trainers when you wear shorts, they take up hardly any room and I find them more comfortable as they dont go as high as the bottom of your leathers.

For riding in the day I wore football shirts, these are really cool and take up less room, they also dry really quickly so you can wash them.

Don't forget things like sun cream and some sort of first aid kit incase something unexpected happens. Also take cable ties, electrical tape and other stuff dor the same reason.

[speedplay]

I've got the kriega 20 tail pack that I'm using for work.
I can get all my work clothes and my laptop in it but think I'd bung a couple of the 10 packs on the sides if I were going away (or use my soft panniers).
Another trick you can use is to get a couple of compression sacks to put your kit into before stuffing it into the pack.
Its suprising how much space you can gain that way.

[Luckypants]

There's no room under the pillion seat on the CBR that's for sure! must be about 1 cm of clearance under the seat! There's a honda tool pack in there and is a nightmare to get back in, requires a lot of squashing.

Can't be worse that the VFR! :D My tools live in my tank bag, but I can fit the spare levers, scottoiler, loobtube, side stand puck and a few other odds'n sods in there, just be creative. :D