csogbk Posted July 20, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 20, 2011 Looking for pics and suggestions on loading my 2nd gen. My tent ( Catoma Solo Rider, I'll post a review after my trip) and sleeping pad are wider than the trunk rack and seem to push the antennas out, prohibiting their movement. I don't want to snap them going down the road. I will be traveling one up and plan to use the pillion seat for the tent, pad and a small cooler. Does anyone have pics of their Ventures loaded for long trips / camping? Suggestions on bungee cords, tie downs or attachment points would be appreciated. I searched but didnt come up with much. Any pics, help or suggestions would be appreciated!! Thanks and stay safe! csogbk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chabicheka Posted July 20, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 20, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massey130 Posted July 20, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 20, 2011 I have thought about the same thing. before actually doing this, it is just a design thought with no doin it to see. so, my thought was to cut a board (lined bottom for bike protection) that is wide and long. drilled holes on each side to be tied to the rear passenger hand rails and/or rear trunk bracket. from there build as necessary for your equipment. how wide/deep depends on board material and skill at cutting out front/rear seat lines. plywood makes a good choice, but I have much log sawn wood so my choices are a bit wider than some, maybe less than others, but we all have our special niches.\ I have seen the hitch mounted boxes that I have liked, but I haven't reached the need to go there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby G Posted July 20, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 20, 2011 Whatever you have on the back seat can be easily strapped down to the grab rails. If it's not a flat surfaced item like a duffel or suitcase, put a seat-sized flat surfaced piece of plywood or other material down first so as to not damage the seat bottom. Weight is not so much the issue as distribution of weight, so try to keep it centered as much as possible. Use ratchet straps instead of bungie cords, and crank it down good. If weather is a concern like it was for us, carry some 33 gal. trash liners with you to put your gear into before securing it on the bike, and some electric or packing tape to tape the loose bag seams and edges so they don't flap in the wind (which will drive you nuts after awhile!). I don't put but 10 to 15 lbs of anything on my rear trunk rack, usually a bag with my rain gear, second helmet, and things I might need to get to easily. (Remember, you won't have easy access to the tour pak.) I am going to install a trailer hitch soon so I can carry a small cooler on a hitch-mounted carry platform, which I already have. Someday I'm going to get a small pull-behind trailer, but the platform will get more use right now. Wish I had some pics for you from my two long rides this year. If I can find them, I'll post later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hummingbird Posted July 20, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 20, 2011 I know this won't help very much but this is how I load for a road trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufftom4 Posted July 20, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 20, 2011 This was my first gen when I drove the BRP I put a small 2 man tent with my sleeping bag and the trunk rack and put a sissy bar travel bag on my back rest and used a folding cooler that I would store under the bag until I camped, then I would go get food and drink for dinner after I set up camp and in the hard bags I stored everything else. Now I bought a trailer to make things a little easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted July 20, 2011 Share #7 Posted July 20, 2011 This is a pic of mine loaded for a 2 week trip. Tent, Sleeping Bag, Pad. I used a smalll cargo net to go over everything. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWa Posted July 20, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 20, 2011 Note the convenient location of the cooler on the passenger floor board. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyder Posted July 20, 2011 Share #9 Posted July 20, 2011 Hey, I'm getting ready for a two week trip and I LIKE that cooler location! Never thought of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted July 20, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 20, 2011 Note the convenient location of the cooler on the passenger floor board. Mike I'm guessing that the ice doesn't last long, the cooler being in the downstream 'heat wash' of the engine and all.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted July 20, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 20, 2011 Looking for pics and suggestions on loading my 2nd gen. My tent ( Catoma Solo Rider, I'll post a review after my trip) and sleeping pad are wider than the trunk rack and seem to push the antennas out, prohibiting their movement. I don't want to snap them going down the road. I will be traveling one up and plan to use the pillion seat for the tent, pad and a small cooler. Does anyone have pics of their Ventures loaded for long trips / camping? Suggestions on bungee cords, tie downs or attachment points would be appreciated. I searched but didnt come up with much. Any pics, help or suggestions would be appreciated!! Thanks and stay safe! csogbk If you have the saddlebag rails installed on your bike, you can use them for bungee mounting points for a tent, across the back under the tailight, resting on the rear fendertip, and you can bungee a small mattress pad or something similar to the sides of the rails. If you bungee a tent across the fender, use some sort of protection for the paint, such as a soft cloth or foam pad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linemech Posted July 20, 2011 Share #12 Posted July 20, 2011 I put the tent and two collapsible chairs flat on the luggage rack, with the antennas between the two chairs, on top of those I strap two sleeping bags and a small collapsible cooler. Probably over the recommended max, but haven't had a problem in at least a half dozen camping trips, always two up. Multiple bungees to the luggage rack, nothing in the trunk that I'd need en route as I don't want to be opening the trunk loaded. No pics that I can think of, but it works. When I get where I'm going, We'll unload take the cooler to the nearest store, fill it with ice and whatever else, strap it on and back to the campsite. Has worked so far. Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnightventure Posted July 20, 2011 Share #13 Posted July 20, 2011 With the camping pads strapped to the grab rails it scuffed the saddlebags a little and I had to buff them. http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad166/midnightventure/CIMG0013.jpg Now this is the ticket except for having to ride a Venture up a ski slope where BMW Adv bikes were being dropped right and left, ( Aerostich VBR Rally in Duluth MN) http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad166/midnightventure/CIMG1753.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted July 20, 2011 Share #14 Posted July 20, 2011 Now this is the ticket except for having to ride a Venture up a ski slope where BMW Adv bikes were being dropped right and left, ( Aerostich VBR Rally in Duluth MN) http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad166/midnightventure/CIMG1753.jpg That little one-wheel trailer is somewhat similar to the one I built. Mine doesnt have the deck above the trailer wheel, but I thought about putting one there. (I prefer to keep the weight lower) Is it yours? Do you have any more pictures of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnightventure Posted July 21, 2011 Share #15 Posted July 21, 2011 Yes it is mine. The big cooler was kind of a proof of concept thing. I have since replaced it with a plywood box. The insulation in the cooler just used up to much space. Here is the only picture I could find of it after I installed the plywood box. http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad166/midnightventure/trailer/plywood.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnightventure Posted July 21, 2011 Share #16 Posted July 21, 2011 Have you got a picture of yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted July 21, 2011 Share #17 Posted July 21, 2011 (edited) Yep...its amazing how similar they are. I used a modified torsion swingarm for the suspension, and kept the trailer as an open frame design...that way I can bungee on whatever I need, whether its a cooler, or a totebox for going shopping, or a tent and sleeping bags. It appears we both used a small u-joint in the design, and used a standard 1-1/4 inch receiver tube. I added a very stout U-bolt to tighten it up and remove all play in the receiver receptacle. I zip-tied a spare tire under the deck, and always carry a couple of small tire irons, and spare tube. It pulls like a dream, and will carry about 120 lbs. I like to keep the weight below about 75 lbs for best handling. It weighs 60 lbs empty. I keep the tire inflated to about 18-20 psi. Great minds think alike...or so I've heard. Edited July 21, 2011 by tx2sturgis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnightventure Posted July 21, 2011 Share #18 Posted July 21, 2011 Very similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWa Posted July 21, 2011 Share #19 Posted July 21, 2011 I'm guessing that the ice doesn't last long, the cooler being in the downstream 'heat wash' of the engine and all.... It lasts a lot longer than no ice. And I can get to it while i am riding. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillrider Posted July 21, 2011 Share #20 Posted July 21, 2011 Either the grass is tall or the rear tire is flat (think tire). But it shows the loading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csogbk Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share #21 Posted July 22, 2011 Thanks for all the replies fella's, some great ideas!! I love the cooler on the passenger floorboard!! csogbk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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