Carrying rifle on motorbike

[Josh95]

Does anyone get to skirmishes on a motorbike?

if so how do you do it?

[Iceni]

The lad who got me into shooting sometimes does.

He throws everything into one of the Black deployment bags, And wears it like a ridiculous back pack. The lad is 6 foot 5 and 18 stone.

In the bag will go a rifle, BB's, Mags, webbing, Batteries ect. He will wear his BDU with a waterproof over the top.

http://www.firestormkit.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=2156

[Duff]

Not the smartest of ideas. Pretty much something I would never do personally. Riding with a large backpack isn't as simple as it looks or very safe. If you can do it then all power to you.

 

But as I say to all riders who do silly things, it's your life. I would only take a light loadout if it was my only option to get to a skirmish.

[Wo1f]

if i go on my bike now, i just change my loadout. i have a backpack that will fit my plate carrier filled with mags, my mp7 plus eye pro, gas etc. If i want to use anything else, then it's a car job lol

[Iceni]

I personally couldn't do it, but he effectively does it every day since he takes all his work tools on the bike as well. And that bag is really heavy.


From what he was saying it's all about how you strap it up, the bag needs to be on tight enough that the weight moves with you, and is also mostly sat on the seat. Get it right and he reckons it's no harder than a stiff pillion or strapping the bag directly to the seat. I think his choice of bike helps as well it's a low custom style with an upright riders position, and plates rather than pegs. I can't ride the thing even without a load as the riding position is really unnatural for me. I'm about 7 inches shorter than him as well!



 

[Guest]

Unless it’s absolutely essential. Backpacks on bikes are a big no-no. Strap whatever you need to the bike, not yourself, it’s far less tiring, and with the weight lower down it doesn’t affect the bikes handling as much.

[Alunduk]

I agree keep away from backpacks! I have managed to get everything in the top box before but I had to split my honey badger in half to do it. It wasn't worth it and after a fast paced cqb day I struggled to get my leg over the damn thing to get home. Everyone laughed  

[Jedi_Master]

You could try the search tool, 3 character minimum length. There are some recent topics about this:

 

 

[mimozine]

get a sidecar, then you can take the wife too, like this!

[Arwen]

I don't, but mostly because there is always at least two of us going so it is just easier to take a car. 

 

However I'm also a "no back packs on bikes" kinda person, but each to their own. Held do a good range of bags, in various sizes at a reasonable price. -

https://www.fc-moto.de/epages/fcm.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=2587584&ViewAction=FacetedSearchProducts&SearchString=held+bag

 

The tank/tail bag for £30 is what I use for going to and from work. Can easily fit gym kit, work clothes and a small laptop in with no bother. Panniers would probably be better for airsoft stuff though - depending on your bike.

 

[Tackle]

I used to use my old xt600e to get to games (occasionally), having previously built my own steel pannier racks, the beauty in this was that I used a clip system that I could bu extra clips for, & add them to any hard luggage I wanted to use, which included my star m249 case, which is long enough to hold most of my rifles.

carrying the kit on your back is a recipe for disaster, high centre of balance becomes extremely exaggerated, all the weight (yours & the kits) is on your spine & your arse, & god forbid you have an rta, the extra weight will affect your ability to control a fall or a roll, & any hard kit on your back is likely to cause you harm, maybe even puncture you.

Seriously, dont do it, strap it to the bike somehow, ensuring its as low as possible & preferably between the the axles.

[Rogerborg]

Oh, snap (sort of), I have the F650GS (800 twin, thanks BMW marketing department).  When I've transported anything long on it (bow, folding chair) I've cabled tied an appropriately sized plastic flowerpot firmly to the pillion peg and hanger through holes drilled in the bottom and side, to form a stable base.  Then perch the item in the pot, and run bungees or straps round it to hold it tight against the pillion seat.

 

[AshOnSnow]

42 minutes ago, Rogerborg said:

Oh, snap (sort of), I have the F650GS (800 twin, thanks BMW marketing department).  When I've transported anything long on it (bow, folding chair) I've cabled tied an appropriately sized plastic flowerpot firmly to the pillion peg and hanger through holes drilled in the bottom and side, to form a stable base.  Then perch the item in the pot, and run bungees or straps round it to hold it tight against the pillion seat.

 

Damn watch out folks, we got leonardo da vinci over here

[Skara]

Wow, we all have BMW bikes here lol.

Proud owner of a F700GS like Arwen's, but in grey/black (and a black/white Triumph Bonneville) 

 

Anyway, had a friend who used to come with his bike, I remember him carrying a large hiking backpack with all his gear in it, wasn't the safest thing but it got the job done..

[Arwen]

Oh I love the flower pot method! That is ace!

Also... I would have had a yellow gs if I could have found one that was lowered. Love the bumblebee bikes. 

[Wo1f]

That’s a very cool idea. Wouldn’t work on my bike though. The rear pegs are tiny and high up 

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Wo1f said:

That’s a very cool idea. Wouldn’t work on my bike though. The rear pegs are tiny and high up 

 Mine neither,  my last two bikes had no rear pegs at all

[Davegolf]

I thought tho only bike carry was a Mac10 or Uzi, single point sling or Bourne style gun in i a side pannier?

[Wo1f]

Sling it is. I’m not putting a pannier on a gsxr 

[Duff]

1 hour ago, Wo1f said:

Sling it is. I’m not putting a pannier on a gsxr 

 

Why's that blud?

 

[Paltala]

I've answered this before but I'll answer it again.

 

For a start, I don't go far. For me to get to my skirmish site it's about 10 mile which is just enough for me.

 

Secondly, I take three bags.

 

The top most bag (Clear panel) is my tank bag, sits on the bike and doesn't affect my steering. That tends to hold my pistol case, face protection, gloves, hat, rifle sling, batteries and battery tester.

 

The right hand bag is the obvious one, rifle bag. Black rifle slip I got from Patrolbase which I put over my back but UNDER the backpack. Sticks out a bit above and down to my left but I've learnt to accommodate it, I just don't filter. 

 

Finally, the big one, my hiking backpack. It's a 65L one I bought specifically for Airsoft and it carries everything else I need. Boots, plate carrier, ammo, gas water bottles, spare t-shirt, rifle attachments. Yeh it gets heavy (Probably 10-15kg) but I'm used to it. Thick, padded shoulder straps with a chest strap and waist strap to held spread the pressure about + with the way my bike is, the bag actually sits on my rear seat a bit which takes quite a bit of weight off me.

 

People mention that it affects handling and well, it does. It slows you down. But you should never be trying to go as fast as you can. Aim to ride smoothly and carefully, be aware of your weight and accommodate. Normally take that corner at 30? Knock it down to 25, just be safe. Its your safety at the end of the day.

 

Final word. If you aren't comfortable taking it. Don't. Never force yourself to take more than you have to, never force yourself to ride outside of your limits and your comfort zone. I did that once and I was lucky to only damage my pride and dignity and not the bike. (Unrelated to Airsoft incident).

 

For reference, here's my bike. Kawasaki ER-6N with a restrictor (Because A2 license lol) You can actually see my tank bag and the way it sits plus imagine the way my backpack can sit on the rear seat thanks to it being somewhat raised up.

[Tiercel]

Ive done it a few times on my bike, had a hiking backpack that my M4 just about fit in (the top few inches of barrel poke out [just the tip!] which I cover in a binbag taped around it).

 

It sucks. A 50 mile trip to The Mall and back via the M25 was horrendous, bag slipping all over your back no matter how well you strap it down, gun rocking about inside, hunched at an unnatural angle to keep the bag upright, by the end of it my back was killing me. 

 

So I bought a large top box that I can fit a folded up tac-vest in, some mags, and an MP5k in. Motorbike friendly loadout done. 

[Josh95]

Thanks guys, some excellent posts here! I have quite a big top box, so I think I will get a SMG of some description, arp9? mp5k and plonk it in there? I can wear my boots and belt ect... on me probably.  and then maybe a backpack to hold some smaller stuff

[Guest]

Vector

[Duff]

Just isn't worth it. Bad enough you wreck a bike and walk away from an RTA but imagine if you snap a bunch of RIF's due to an accident? I'd literally only take SMG's or pisols on a bike and I've ridden well over 20,000 miles laden like the picture I posted earlier.