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Most manufacturers are happy to answer questions about dimensions if you email them.

kosmic klown wrote: I usually need to carry both a laptop bag with a couple books and my lappy and a backpack with rest of my books, this is really where my question stems from...how do you fit alot of stuff onto your bike.

Backpack goes on your back, laptop bag bungeed securely to the passenger seat.

You can get hard and soft luggage to fit most types of bikes, but I've always used backpacks. On my current ride, I have a backpack on the back seat, with the shoulder straps routed (tightly) under the seat. I can easily put 20 lbs. of junk in there and it stays put. If I need more room, I just add a pack to my back.

Having a luggage rack or sissy bar makes things even easier.

Getting soft bags might be a good option for your books and using a backpack with over chest and stomach fasteners for your laptop. Those types of backpacks are relatively comfortable while riding because they are held snug against you.

Question, anyone ever heard of strapping a pelican case to the rear of a bike? Maybe upright on the seat? I have one laying around and if i could use it as bike luggage it would make it worthwhile to bring it back to the US with me.

kosmic klown wrote:Third: How do you all get your stuff back and forth on the bike, especially a laptop and books? (I saw the post about the clothing situation for commuters or else I would be asking that too)

To head off the questions I am looking to spend ~2-3k for my bike. That leaves ~800 for insurance and ~500 for gear…and I live in Northern NJ.

I used soft luggage for 20 years on my bikes and found a tankbag to be the handiest item to have, got to be a pain in the neck though messing around with rain covers and stuff still getting wet at times. For carring a laptop and books it would be hard to beat a Givi trunk or equivalent. Totally waterproof in monsoon like rains and locked up tight so you can leave your stuff there on the bike a bit. I should have got one 20 years sooner, I can put clothes for a week plus misc other items in my small 33 liter trunk. There are larger ones available. I spent more on the soft luggage over the years than I did on the bottom line lightweight Givi Monolock case.

My 02 GS500 with the Plexi 2 shield for the winter and the spring rainy season and the Givi trunk:



I put a smaller shield on for the summer:



My older 97 GS500E with soft luggage, used similar luggage mostly tankbags on four Hondas before that: