Cooler on bike for long rides?

Joined
Nov 5, 2012
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Fayetteville, AR
Going through Southern TX, NM, AZ, UT in 3wks from now.

Thinking maybe take a cooler.
Best recco's?
How attaching? web of bungie cords?
Soft cooler or hard shell?

Pic's of your rig with cooler?

thnx!
 
Joined
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I use a soft side cooler that has a frame for a handle and wheels. Picture something like one of those soft side suitcases that you wheel around and carry on an airplane.

For me I haven't done a trip in high heat but I like the frame to it to give me a back rest. The cooler has handles on the side which I bungie cord to my antenna mount so it pulls back on the cooler against my top box.

Do you have a top box? You could also tie off to the grab bars. Some have strapped to the saddle bag handles if they don't plan on removing the bags. For me I pack gear in the cooler for the trip, unpack at the camp site then head to town for ice and beverages in the cooler.

Polar Bear coolers are very popular and I have been thinking about upgrading to one. They hold the ice a long time but I haven't traveled much in hot weather.

Let me see if I can find a pic.

Here is a pic from my trip home from Moonshine last year. I had another bag on top so I secured it with a tie down strap as well I guess.

 
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Joined
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PolarBear soft side 12, with a camelback (water only)and ice in it, tied to the back seat right where ScubaDave's is.

I'd do one of those rear peg cooler mounts, but I use the rear pegs a lot.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
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xlnt, thnx... checking out some options right quick...

I have the factory passenger backrest on my ST11... thinking of drilling some holes in the metal side-plates and mounting some loop-hooks for easy strapping.. between those and the passenger grab-bar should be able to triangulate a good tie-down system.
 
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If you look at my pic you will see I have small rope (550 paracord) that I use to hook tie downs and bungies to. They work well and I keep a few on the bike all the time for stuff like this.
 
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SilverSTreak

Bill Royal
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Going through Southern TX, NM, AZ, UT in 3wks from now.

Thinking maybe take a cooler.
Best recco's?
How attaching? web of bungie cords?
Soft cooler or hard shell?

Pic's of your rig with cooler?

thnx!
I'm with sennister here and run a soft sided roll around cooler on my passenger seat. It doesn't actually sit on the seat - I use a collapsible dolly that, though it has its own wheels, I set its frame on a piece of wood that actually rests on the grab bars. I secure that using ratcheting tie-downs. I then attach the cooler by setting its wheels into and between the frames of the dolly (just happened to fit perfectly!). I secure that to the dolly frame using regular tie-downs.
I run an extended drinking hose from the bladder to my helmet so I can sip as needed without having to stop - you'd be amazed how much more likely you are to drink enough when you don't have to stop to do so. When its REALLY hot (say above 95, I run with the hose in my mouth all the time, but under that will keep it secured to my tank bag so I can insert it as needed. Have done so with a full face helmet, but it is much easier with a modular (flip-up).

The pros of this setup are:
Capacity for a 100 oz water bladder, a six pack of beer (for the end of the day, in case I find myself in a dry county), and still take a 6 to 8 lb bag of ice which is usually enough to keep it all chilly for a full days ride.
Makes a great back-rest
Provides for additional storage on top and in side pockets.
Melting ice provides plenty of cold water to soak your t shirts, headbands, etc.

Cons:
Though removable, I generally don't unless I'm stopping somewhere for multiple days, so don't plan on accessing your under-seat storage on a routine basis.
Melted ice means you'll need to siphon out the water at the end of the day. Thinking bout trying dry ice, but supply seems problematic.


For filling, I use a small camping dry bag to fill with ice from hotel machine and then pour into cooler or occasionally buy a bag of ice when necessary.

I used this rig on first on my 1100 and now on my 1300 for over 100,000 miles and just LOVE it. Only sucked the bladder dry before then end of the day twice - once on my State Capitol tour when we pulled into Phoenix AZ at noon and the temp was 104, and once again on the return leg from my 4 Corners tour when we pulled into Yuma AZ at 4:00 PM and the temp was 114! (highest temp I ever rode in)

2012-06-18 08.03.35_resize.jpg
 
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Years ago I made a very cheap and effective setup with a piece of aluminum sheet (can't recall the exact thickness, at least 1/8", maybe 3/16") and a regular Playmate cooler.

Cut the aluminum to a little larger than the cooler footprint, ground the corners round, drilled holes in each corner for bungee hooks, painted it black.

Drilled mounting holes in the pattern of the ST1100 rear grab rails, removed mounting rail bolts, reattached cooler platform to rail mounting holes with slightly longer bolts.

Put Playmate on top, secure with bungees.

I think the aluminum sheet cost me $2 or so, 4 bolts were another buck, had the spray paint and Playmate already.
 

Bigmak96

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Polar Bear on the Pillion seat for me too. If spring ever gets here, I have a 24 that will be given a try on the Wing. The 12 worked fine but had very little extra room for anything but the Camleback bladder and ice. I should be able to add some Garoraid and the like too, now.
 

amorley

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Polar Cooler mounted on top of duffel on rear seat at the Horseshoe Bend overlook just below Moki Dugway in Utah in 2011. Large 3 litre Geigerrig bladder which is pressurized so no need to suck. Just bite and the water flows
 
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