Carrying Large Format Gear on a Motorcycle

[r.e.]

I've just purchased a sport motorcycle with 125cc engine (Honda CBR125R). I plan to use it for local transport in the rural area where I live.

I'm looking for a way to carry an Arca-Swiss camera (4x5, but if there's a way to carry the 8x10, that would be good), one lens, two film holders, a carbon fiber tripod that collapses to 26", Manfrotto 410 head, light meter, loupe and dark cloth.

I think that a backpack, apart from a very small one, will get in the way of driving the bike and/or be uncomfortable, so I'd like to find another way.

This is my first motorcycle and I know nothing about carriers, saddlebags, etc. What I do know is that this is not exactly a touring bike and that the storage space under the passenger seat is quite small.

Suggestions?

[bobwysiwyg]

I ride a vintage 750 myself and have toyed with a trunk-like box mounted on the rear luggage rack (which I already have). So far, if I carry a camera kit, it's 35mm in a backpack, but strapped to the rear rack. Your CBR design doesn't lend itself to a similar arrangement very well. I'm pretty conservative, safety minded rider. I would be reluctant to be wearing a backpack of any kind while riding. They can cause/exacerbate serious back injuries if you happen to go down regardless of why.

[r.e.]

I would be reluctant to be wearing a backpack of any kind while riding. They can cause/exacerbate serious back injuries if you happen to go down regardless of why.

Thanks for that.

[Jack Dahlgren]

I've just purchased a sport motorcycle with 125cc engine (Honda CBR125R). I plan to use it for local transport in the rural area where I live.

I'm looking for a way to carry an Arca-Swiss camera (4x5, but if there's a way to carry the 8x10, that would be good), one lens, two film holders, a carbon fiber tripod that collapses to 26", Manfrotto 410 head, light meter, loupe and dark cloth.

I think that a backpack, apart from a very small one, will get in the way of driving the bike and/or be uncomfortable, so I'd like to find another way.

This is my first motorcycle and I know nothing about carriers, saddlebags, etc. What I do know is that this is not exactly a touring bike and that the storage space under the passenger seat is quite small.

Suggestions?

General rule for carrying things on two wheels is keep the weight low, centralized and balanced. Saddle bags might be good (camera on one side, stuff on the other to balance) but you might have to look hard or make something that will fit on a 125. Most makers would target bigger motorcycles. Another good place is on the tank, but on a 125 there is not much room there. That leaves strapping things to the seat or a rear carrier. I agree that you do not want a heavy pack while riding for safety, back health and comfort. Since you are on a small motorcycle, you might also look at some of the accessories they make for bicycles. They may work for you.

[williamtheis]

I have had a very bad experience on a motorcycle putting the pack on my back (Arca Swiss F-line 4x5 with lenses and holders in a Lowe Pro) on a very low but heavy Yamaha tw200. Bike got into loose gravel and down I went. I was damaged but the camera fortunately survived. Bike on top of you (and the camera) is HEAVY! and I almost couldn't get it up. am rethinking to a quad (but not legal in national parks) or perhaps a suzuki samurai... something that doesn't fall on you and that I can tow behind my two wheel drive truck... just a word to the wise...

[tgtaylor]

I've done month long bicycle tours in Spain and Europe using rear wheel panniers and a rear wheel rack for carrying clothes and camping gear. I didn't use front wheel panniers because I wanted to keep down the weight and also because they cause a front wheel problem with a side wind - has the tendency to pull the wheel out of your hand. I didn't carry LF but I did carry 35mm and several lens wrapped-up in a handle bar bag. But with a judicious selection of gear to bring, and balance you could carry a light weight LF camera - e.g., Toyo 45CF which weighs 3.1lbs, holders, film, etc on a bicycle and I’m sure that you could do it much more easily on a motorcycle - especially if you’re not also carrying extra clothes and camping gear. Balance the camera, holders, etc in the two panniers/saddlebags on both sides of the rear wheel and place the tripod on a rear rack.

[Dave Hally]

I've done some extensive touring on my BMW R100 touring bike, packing 4x5 gear. When I first traveled with a 4x5, it was a lightweight Nagaoka field camera and only one lens. I could fit all of the gear except the tripod in an Eclipse tank bag.
Now I use a Toyo 45A, and have 4 lenses and use Fuji Quickloads, sometimes carring 6 boxes of film. I use a sprung solo seat, which leaves room for a long rack directly behind the seat. I pack all the normal camera gear in a decent sized soft-side cooler, that has a rigid liner. Lenses and camera are wrapped up and padded where needed. This is strapped and bungie corded onto the rack.
The tripod gets wrapped ia a towel and goes into a sack that a folding chair came in. This gets strapped across the rack just behind the cooler. I have a duffle bag that carries the sleeping bag and tent that goes beehind the cooler and partly covers the tripod bag. Everything else goes into saddle bags and tank bag.
It all looks inconspicuous, like camping gear, and I've never had anyone bother anything when I leave the bike and carry the camera gear out to photograph. I use a courier type side bag when away from the bike to hold lenses and film.
I use this same setup when working from the back of the van.
I also have a hard case trunk that can be mounted on the rack for shorter trips, where I'm not camping, or behind a double seat.

[Aahx]

Some examples of bags for that model bike can be found at this forum:

http://www.cbr125r.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=3560

I honestly would have recommended something different than a sports bike though for any kind of longer runs you may choose to make. A cruiser or enduro (for where I go) might have been a better choice for carrying gear.

The best system I have seen thus far for a motorcycle to carry gear and handle inclement conditions is a BMW R 1200 GS Adventure. But they are not inexpensive, nor are the aluminum hard cases that go on the rear. But they defiantly would help protect your gear.

[r.e.]

Thanks Søren, the Oxford Products bags in that thread might work. Also, it turns out that Givi has some top cases that can be mounted on this bike and that are big enough to carry the gear except for the tripod. That said, I think that I want a soft case solution.

As I mentioned at the beginning of the thread, this bike is for local transport. It's just a fun bike for when the weather's good and I'm not going far. For long runs, the Toyota Avalon works just fine

[Mike Anderson]

If your not very experienced with motorcycles I wouldn't load that small bike up until you've put some miles on it.

If you do decide to "load it up" saddle bags that go on the the sides of the rear wheel is the best way to go, keeping the weight as low as possible. Any other way of carrying cargo is going to be less stable (not out of the question, but less ideal). Then take it slow until you get a feel how the bike is handling differently with the load.

FWIW those old BMW boxers (650cc and up) that come with hard side bags are very good, economical bikes for carrying loads.

...Mike