Motorcycling with a load

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Motorcycling with a load
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Motorcycling with a load

Motorcycling with a load
Transporting luggage on the motorcycle

Those who go on vacation by motorcycle cannot avoid taking more or less luggage with them. Which often worsens the driving characteristics of the machine. Read here how to pack properly and which measures on the machine make driving safer.

Markus Biebricher

04/11/2012

The belongings for the motorcycle vacation or the weekend tour can be stowed in very different ways on the machine. There are complete, comfortable luggage systems with suitcases and top cases. But also softbags, which do not require a carrier system and are lashed to the bench like saddlebags, as well as a luggage roll do their job. You can even travel with a backpack, at least for a few days: one strapped to the tank, the other strapped to the back – the most important utensils find their place there too.

Whatever you decide, it is important that the maximum payload of the motorcycle is not exceeded on the tour with large luggage and a passenger. And although modern machines are generally considered to be easy-care comrades, a few manipulations on the two-wheeler are urgently needed before the journey can be started. For example on the chassis. The attitude that is sufficient for the soloist can completely surrender with maximum ballast. Because, as the measured values ​​on page 32 show, the rear suspension and tires in particular are extremely demanding. Almost the entire weight of a passenger and the attached luggage systems rests on the rear axle.

This stress must at least be compensated for by changing the spring base and, if possible, setting the compression and rebound damping more tightly. For those who mainly ride in touring trim, it is worth purchasing a retrofit strut specially tailored to the high payload. Because in principle only a harder spring and a correspondingly designed damper setting can optimally compensate for the extreme load. Anyone who saves the trouble of having to adjust the set-up before the start of the holiday will be punished by poor, sometimes dangerous driving and cornering behavior if things go very badly.

The same applies to the tire pressure, which must be increased. The values ​​are usually given in the driver’s manual, if not, depending on the load, with all radial rear tires from 160 mm width 2.9 to 3.1 bar cannot be harmful. On the other hand, the pressure on the front wheel only has to be increased by 0.2 to 0.3 bar to 2.5 to 2.7 bar due to the barely increased wheel load in order to maintain braking stability and steering precision.

In addition to improved cornering stability, the high tire inflation pressure reduces wear, because the flexing work of the tire and thus the heating of the rubber tread is lower. And high temperatures are always synonymous with unnecessarily high wear.

Wear also causes problems for the drive chain if it is adjusted too tightly. Particularly if the swing arm is deflected a long way, it is essential to ensure that there is sufficient play when retightening. What can best be checked by a third person when fully loaded.

A Suzuki Bandit 1200 S was packed to document how the driving dynamics change with maximum payload compared to a solo ride. On the handling course, on mountain passes and during the brake test, the Bandit showed itself from its best side even in full travel trim, but made it clear that a good 210 kilograms of payload is not without consequences. Acceleration ability, braking behavior and lean angle, all recorded via data recording, change significantly. For this reason, a detailed test drive in full regalia and with a passenger over the well-known house route is a must before the start of the journey. Do the suspension and damping fit? Or does the box rock up? Are the main stand and exhaust already scrambling across the asphalt when turning? Does the tank bag interfere when turning, does it even press the horn button? What happens in the event of an emergency stop? Then overtakes the baggage roll on top?


Motorcycling with a load


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In curves, the lean angle is reduced with the load, and the rear of the machine can really rock up due to the extremely stressed tires.

Those who sort out the defects and errors in good time can still make improvements. The same applies to clothing. Helmet and boots should have one or two trips behind you before your vacation, because this is the only way to find pressure points or other really annoying properties later on the trip.

And be careful: motorcycles packed with fat run out of breath sooner. The less power, the more dramatically the load hangs on the ropes during a sprint, which can lead to a critical bottleneck, especially when overtaking. Even the powerful 1200 Suzuki slackened noticeably in the comparison measurements. Anyone who relies on the mountain of torque of large-volume engines and, as usual, cocks the throttle at half the maximum speed, will be amazed at a sometimes lethargic start.

When cornering with a pillion passenger and extensive marching equipment, the right choice of line and cornering technique play an even greater role than when performing solo, because the heavy machine reacts more slowly to course corrections and it hardly allows a harshly initiated evasive maneuver or steering maneuver when touching down in an inclined position.

Therefore, choose a forward-looking driving style that is adapted to the changed conditions. Which does not necessarily reduce the moody curve break. Motto: Fun shared is fun twice. In this sense: have a good trip!

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