Securing Luggage on my Burgman 650 Seat

Summary: There is ample storage in a Burgman 650. In case a bit more storage is required, the pillion seat can be easily converted into a luggage rack. Read how some Dry Bags and some bungee cords make the extra space.

Storage on my Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive is simply great. I have done quite a few trips requiring the camping and longer trip set-up associated with the relevant equipment: It was never an issue. What posed an issue was the fact that I could fit all I needed into the Burgman, but I had no space for the gear I had on.
Think about going for a scenic walk along the route taken. If it is cold enough I can leave the gear on. If I do this from a camp base site, I can leave the gear there… but on a longer trip — like the one I am planning at present (Feb 2010) to ride around Australia — this might be not feasible.

The Storage Problem at Hand

Luggage on Closed Seat

Here the storage problem as it present itself:

• A multi-week trip
• Covering long distances
• No fixed (or entirely predictable) schedule
• I may end up in the sticks without fixed accommodation
• I have the opportunity for fixed accommodation en route

Given the above, I need to be self-sufficient in regard to accommodation (carrying a tent, etc.), water and some food supplies. I will not need this equipment all the time.

While I can fit all I need, including tent, sleeping bag, etc. into the 60 litre trunk of my Burgman, I wanted the option to store motorcycle clothes and helmet somewhere, when not needed. The options I could see were: the luggage rack, a top box, or the space on the pillion seat.

The Storage Options

• The Luggage Rack
  Is only good for 7 kg, and is not wide enough for a good load distribution. Good enough for the daily trips, but not for longer.
• The Top Box
  Well, I have my auxiliary fuel tank in its place; while some space it available to fit the wet gear into the roll bag, it is not really a storage space.
• The Space on the Pillion Seat
  My preference for this trip.

The (Storage) Space on the Pillion Seat

Luggage on Open Seat

I thought a while about this option. The best luggage candidates to travel here are: the tent (inner and outer), the sleeping bag with liner, and the self-inflatable mattress. I reckon half of the time — as in nights — the gear would stay on the pillion seat, because I will be sleeping in fixed accommodation. All that was needed, was a good way of affixing "the bag" containing it all.

The FarRiders forum community put forward some good suggestions, focussing around waterproof dry / stuff bags. The usual Internet research revealed a range of options. Different brands have similar products. I decided to get Ultra-Sil™ Dry Sacks from "Sea to Summit". I bought two 35 litre bags in green and blue, and a red 20 litre bag. These are very rugged, yet seem to be the lightest bags on the market.
The "red" bag caters for the sleeping gear. It goes into the "blue" bag with the inner and outer tent.
The "green" bag is a spare. I have got some use lined up for it: either as a spare, in case the blue one is damaged, or for some motorcycle clothing I will stuff into it (in case I cannot fit it in the trunk).

Some people are concerned about using bungee cords due to the injuries and damage these can cause. I have been using bungee cords for decades; when used properly, these work well. At least I never had any issues with them. The key points are: do not over-stretch the cords. Make sure to grip the hook firmly. Know where to place the hook prior to stretching the cord, etc.

A Practical Solution for the Bungee Cord Hooks

Cut Fuel Line Piece for a make-shift Protector for Bungee Cord Hook

Make-shift Protector for Bungee Cord Hook

Bungee cords and plastic covered seat don't really mix well. The bungee cord hook will eventually penetrate the plastic seat liner at the edge of the seat, damaging the liner. I had some 1/4″ (6.4 mm) fuel line left over. I cut six pieces off, each 5 cm long. I then cut-off a 5 mm stripe. This rubber tube piece clamps onto the seat edge and provides a nice liner protection for the bungee cord hooks.
What I will do later is adding a strip of double-sided sticky tape to the inside of the tube pieces. This should keep them in place, and I hopefully won't loose the "protectors".

I have strapped the waterproof dry sack onto the pillion seat, and carry it out for a few weeks. This will allow me to assess, whether this set-up is a viable, more so practical solution. I need to be able to lift the seat easily, and also avoid putting too much weight on the plastic seat, its hinge and gas strut. The weight is comfortable (I shall weigh it and post the weight), but I have added an extra rod that goes between seat and frame to keep the seat in the open position.

Luggage on Seat

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