| Author | Message | ||
     Lemonchili_x1 |
I remember there was a thread along these lines a few years ago, but thought I'd start a new one in case folks have newer ideas. I started a new job on monday  and I've been supplied with a laptop which I have to take pretty much everywhere, and take home each night. My new employer is also ok with me riding to work and to project sites/seeing clients etc, as long as I use common sense on when it's more appropriate to use the car. I expect I'll probably be riding about 3 days a week, and it's 40 minutes from home to the office. I have Buell laptop shoulder bag, and a laptop back-pack which is a bit smaller than the Buell bag overall. I also have these:  Though I don't think the laptop will fit inside, and one of these:  I'm currently using the Buell laptop bag, and it seems ok swung around so it's on my back with the extra strap around my waist. I'm curious about using the seat bag though, as it could save my back in the long run, but not sure how the laptop would take the bumps (or the vibration of the X1). Any thoughts, or do's & don't's? cheers, chili | ||
| Americanmadexb |
it most likely won't fit in the saddle bags, but it will fit in this tail bag..  btw, they are $72 at http://tinyurl.com/2ao5ncm (Message edited by americanmadexb on July 13, 2010) | ||
| Bartimus |
I have always used a backpack made for carrying a laptop with good success. My employers have had no problems with me riding with one of their laptops, as long as I used common sense... | ||
| Froggy |
As long as the laptop isn't running you don't have to worry about vibrations doing much damage to it. You would be more likely to break the screen by having something crush it in whatever bag you use. I usually transport mine in the Ulysses Triple Tail bag, but I wear it on my back as when I am data logging I want to act like a shock absorber for it. | ||
| Videoninja |
I have no laptop advice other that the shoulder bag you already have, but I must say congrats on the new job | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
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| Doerman |
I carry mine in the backpack. Less vibration and possibility of impact. Melanie is carrying her netbook in her tankbag on the trip around the US. Netbooks are small though. Most tankbags would not hold a standard size laptop. | ||
| Slaughter |
Pelican laptop box, tied to the pillion. Piece of cake and rugged beyond belief. http://www.pelican.com/cases_detail_storm.php?Case =iM2370  | ||
| Videoninja |
+1 pelican also has a lifetime warranty | ||
| Court |
I carry mine in a backpack as well. I'm less concerned about impact protection than I am the high amplitude low freq vibration that so like to unseat pins in boards . . .I hang mine over my back in an Aerostich Courier bag adjusted so that I "carry" it and the edge of the bag just rests on the seat to take any weight off my shoulder. Don't even know it's there. QUALIFICATION: It's been years since I've done this and laptops are MUCH BETTER than the days I was running around the country with a IBM 345 with a little monochrome monitor. I suspect the current crop can take about anything. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
I've hauled my laptop around for years and 50,000 plus miles in my backpack. Saves the tank bag for other stuff I may pick up along the way. I ride most days, even when it's 15-20 degrees. Never had a problem. | ||
| Rpm4x4 |
I backpack it as well. LOL, I guess I backpack everything for that matter!  | ||
| Rpm4x4 |
BTW on my vacation this week I saw several really bright orange backpacks that motorcyclist were wearing. I kinda like that. I may try to find one of those. | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
Thanks folks  The Pelican box looks very tough. I'm guessing it's reasonably water resistant too? The only thing that worries me about carrying it on my back is, well, my back! I used to carry a Toshiba on my back everyday and ended up with middle back pain, not serious but annoying. It was however about 1996, and I was also carrying the power supply, a diary, and usually a whole heap of drawings and manuals (and the seat on the Yam FZ750 wasn't the best either!). The new laptop is an HP ProBook and seems reasonably light, and work have thoughtfully bought a second power supply so there's one for home, one for the office. A lot of the time I think I'll just be carrying the laptop, maybe wet weather gear, and lunch . When I need to carry more I might give the tail bag a try, maybe with the shoulder bag inside it. ... but I must say congrats on the new job Thanks! It was time for a change, and though it's only my 3rd day, it seems like a good move - they have cookies (Message edited by lemonchili_x1 on July 14, 2010) | ||
| Slaughter |
Pelican case is waterproof AND AIR TIGHT! They have a knob that you use to vent the case if you're changing a lot of elevation or travelling on airlines. There's a good reason the Military and special operators specify Pelican cases for the transport and handling of delicate (and important) gear. Lifetime guarantee with 3 exceptions - shark bite, bear attack and children under 5 http://www.pelican.com/support/guarantee.php  | ||
| Bikertrash05 |
I would suggest the Icon Squad 2 backpack in black camo, but it might be more than you are looking for. | ||
| Ourdee |
I carried mine in a soft laptop case inside the top case on my Uly during HC. | ||
| Wbrisett |
On my CR, I leave it in the computer carrying case that I got one year instead of a wage increase. It then goes in a backpack that I wear during my commute. However, on the Uly, it goes in one of the sidecases, or the top case depending on how much stuff I have to haul around. I've been doing this for quite some time now and I've never had any issues with my laptop. I take it pretty much everywhere I go (homecoming, work related trips). Wayne | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Sounds like a good excuse to add another bike to the stable.  "But darling I need a R1200GS for work, it's got big enough sideboxes to get the laptop in & it'll save my back in case of an accident." | ||
| Rwven |
The Buell Tailbag/Backpack has a laptop pocket. That's what I use. I also carry a spare belt, spare face shield, all my electronic cords and chargers, two bottles of water and, if I am camping, my folded ThermaRest mattress in that thing. | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
"But darling I need a R1200GS for work, it's got big enough sideboxes to get the laptop in & it'll save my back in case of an accident." A f#$%ing GS!? Do I look like some kind of farmer f&^$ing giles??? What were you thinking!? If I wanted to go ploughing I'd get myself a proper tractor...  | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
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| Dalton_gang |
Talk to Josh. I haven't seen him on here for a while but He can be found on SLAB in the storm fronts section. He has the best setup I have seen so far. I think his set up consisted of a hard, locking, weatherproof case bolted through a second rear seat. Changing it to stock is as easy as changing the seat. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I did probably 30,000 miles with a backpack carrying a laptop on an XB9SX and M2. No problems with the laptop, but the backpacks will wear out (I think I went through four of them). And I needed to add a sternum strap to them to get them to feel secure enough that they were not a distraction. Now with the Uly, I switched to a smaller laptop, and a smaller shoulder bag, and I put it in the locking side bag. Both small and medium sized laptops will fit, but the small ones with a small bag are easier to drop in there and latch without risking my dekelhalters. The big benefit of the hard luggage is if I need to stop and get something at a big box store. You can't leave the laptop on the bike, and it was a hassle (for me and them) to deal with security at the big box stores. Obviously, walking into the store with a backpack full of laptop stuff (backup drive, thumb drive, cables, card readers, etc) is hard for them to know if I stole anything without a 45 minute execercise in unpacking and forensics. So I'm loving the locking side bags... but did fine with the backpack 99% of the time. | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
"...I wear it on my back as when I am data logging..." Ok Froggy, I'm curious... data logging what exactly? Bike data or environment or video maybe? FB - I can't see my new boss being really pleased with me taping the laptop to the pillion seat, but it would be cost effective!!! I guess the thing I was concerned about was the vibration/road shock if I put it in the tail bag, but now that I know that's not really anything to worry about as long as it's turned off, I'll give it a try for a few days, and try the backpack as well and see which is easiest to live with. The other option is to pinch Vamp's Zephyr, it has a top box!  Josh's setup sounds almost ideal - very cool, clever, and easy to live with. I'll go hunting for info For the record, I do quite like GS's (and Triumph Tigers ), but after spending some time on Ken's Uly I can't see me owning something like that, they're just a bit too tall and too "upright" for my taste... | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
I found a pic of Josh_'s setup, very neat:  | ||
| Koz5150 |
I carry mine in a backpack every morning. I also keep an extra plastic bag in the backpack just incase there is a possibility of rain on the way home. I have been doing it this way for the past 5 years. | ||
| Jaimec |
I use the Buell laptop bag too. I'd rather it on my back/shoulder than on the bike getting hit with every bump and vibration the bike takes on a typical commute. On the K1200LT I have no problem with putting it in the trunk or saddle bag since that thing rides a LOT smoother than the Buell. The advantage of an 850 lbs tourer is that it has a much better sprung-to-unsprung weight ratio than a typical sport bike. | ||
| Ratbuell |
If I wanted to go ploughing I'd get myself a proper tractor... And that from a tuber owner. I LOVE IT!!! If I'm on anything other than the Ulysses, my laptop goes in my backpack. I love the Buell slingbag - single cross-chest strap doesn't impede shoulder movement, and it has a waist strap to keep things from flapping around. If I'm on the Uly, I've found my laptop (granted, an old-ish Gateway - nothing special) prefers to travel on end as opposed to laying flat. I'll put it in one of those foam-padded laptop sleeves, pack the inside half of a Uly bag, slide the laptop between that half of the stuff and the retaining bungees, load the other half of the bag and close 'er up. No problems yet that way, and that included our Homecoming journey all the way around Lake Michigan. If I carry it flat in the topcase, the combination of flat with the bouncy-nature of the topcase way back there...I get power supply issues and it gets all wonky. I need to take it apart and tighten everything anyway... Congrats on the new gig - don't eat too many of those cookies, though, or that X1 will start to feel small real quick! | ||
| Doncasto |
 Shown above is my Uly set for a cross country run a while back. The size of the Pelican case on the triple tail was dictated by my 17" laptop. I fabricated custom bracketry to support the T-tail via the existing hard bag mounts. |
