Luggage Backpack for ST1300

DONCZ

Joined
Dec 28, 2011
Messages
24
Location
OAK LAWN ,IL
Bike
st1300
Hello,
im thinking about camping this year with my wife.
Looking for ideas of luggage for ST1300 and how to install this.
Did anybody make some custom mount for his bike?
Do I need to remove top case to mount something bigger ?
Will appreciate some ideas and pictures.
 
I would think camping with more than the bare essentials two up would be pretty tough on a bike without a trailer. You could always fabricate some type of rack to take the place of the top box. This could hold several (2-4) waterproof bags that would be stacked perpendicular to the bike and attached to the rack. Then your wife could also use the bags for a backrest.
I solo camp on the 1300 with a top box and there's definitely not much room left over...if any. Although I am not a minimalist either.
Be interesting to see the input you get.

Skip
 
Good luck in finding anything, anywhere. I gave up a few years back and made this out of 1/4" AL with a couple of pieces of 1/2" x1/2" AL angle under the plate for support.
All by hand, no drill press, etc. Works great, Wifey and I camp several times a season, plenty of room for us.ST rack 3.jpgST rack1.jpg
 
skipcurt said:
I would think camping with more than the bare essentials two up would be pretty tough on a bike without a trailer.
Click to expand...

Agree. I'm pretty packed out on my ST1100 when I camp one-up. No way my wife would fit with all my camping gear plus what she would need. I can't imagine 2-up tent camping safely without a trailer, unless it's just for a night or two with very minimal gear.
 
This what I had in mind , 2-3 nights max camping. But larger luggage will be also nice for longer touring trips ( motel sleep).
SinNH - what can you fit on your rack ? Do you have picture with "ready to go" bike ?
 
Something I found to be a good base plate with plenty of mounting hole options already on it is a drain grate such as this

I used the 9" version on an angle for my ST1100. Seen here

Depending on the brackets you use I would not be afraid to put some weight on them. I did not since the "rack" only mounted with 2 bolts.

If directly mounted it to the grab bar mounting points with 4 bolts it should be fine. I would just get longer bolts, some fender washers and these heavy duty plastic EZ Shims stacked as needed to adjust the angle (they're easy to drill so you can run the bolts through them)

You can see pics of how I used the shims to adjust the angle of the top case I got as well as another angle on the rack here.

Hope that helps.
 
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SinNH said:
Good luck in finding anything, anywhere. I gave up a few years back and made this out of 1/4" AL with a couple of pieces of 1/2" x1/2" AL angle under the plate for support.
Click to expand...

+1 Ended up 3/16 Al 16x19. Slotted around the edges for straps and swiss cheesed mounting holes;
Off the back for two up with and aftermarket backrest on top,
Partially over the rear seat for one up.
Lengthwise for a bicycle rack which I never got around to mounting. Could probably use the passenger backrest as a rider backrest in this configuration but I never bothered.

Had the plate sheared at a local metal supply house to get it home then final size with a table saw with a metal blade at home.
 
DONCZ said:
This what I had in mind , 2-3 nights max camping. But larger luggage will be also nice for longer touring trips ( motel sleep).
SinNH - what can you fit on your rack ? Do you have picture with "ready to go" bike ?
Click to expand...
I don't think I do, because we bought a new computer about six months ago, but I will look tomorrow.
I made the rack to fit the "Roadgear Jumbo Hauler", because all the shelter stuff and many more items fit in it, I keep it all packed ready to go at a moments notice ( tent,fly,pad,pillows,wool hat, ss mug,poles,pint,raincover).
Then on top of that is a large ( about 26"x16" ) waterproof bag with my bag, her bag and different odds and ends.
Right in front of that is a soft sided cooler that she leans back on.
Cooking gear in right side case and her clothes/paint kit.
I take about one-half of the left case for my clothes/sandels, etc the remainder used to stow riding gear as it comes off.
All electronic stows in the tank bag with all the camping utensils gloves, which is in there all season.
That's just about how I pack even for month long rides, for those I go crazy and carry TWO pairs of jeans instead of one.
The ST's sides cases are huge IMHO, well the largest I'm ever had, and can always find a crack or two to push stuff.
One great thing about the JUmbo Haulers they have mutipule hook rings as well as two long nylon straps with snap clips to carry up top the shed riding pants, liners, anything light.
Nastrovia!
 
016.jpg017.jpg004.jpg007.jpgI made this rack and back rest and add a bag I found. Added Honda patch to cover the wrong name. Will hold 2 full helmets and it locks. Rack is 1/8 aluminum. It also has some other brackets to remove flex and another small bracket to carry bag. Bag less than $60. I already had aluminum. Rides great at interstate speeds and is not heavy. I could not make up my mind about the top box or how much I was wiling to speed. So I came up with the rack and back rest so my wife might consider riding. The rack works so well that now I may never add a top box. I have since add a bag cover that I found on EBAY just in case I get in a down pour. The wife part is still seldom to never but she loved the back rest. Riding is not her thing.
 
I would suggest some caution in how you load the bike. It would be easy to fabricate a large plate and then load it up beyond what is reasonable. Don't forget that the weight is up high and hanging out beyond the rear tire's contact patch. Too much weight and surface area can cause wobbling in turbulence (behind a semi) and affect cornering. This is a sport touring bike, and is not designed to haul huge loads - though it will do quite well with the shock preload in good condition and cranked up. If you are going to do a lot of camping with your wife, an aftermarket rear shock might be in your future.
 
Just had idea of additional rack or plate mounted on top of my top box. Did anybody tried this . I probably could fit one nice luggage bag on it .
 
That is correct about over loading the top rack. Extra helmet and gloves or jacket is all I carry in a top bag. It might be hard to travel 2 up camping unless you travel really lite. One up all my gear is on the passenger seat in a dry bag. Allow room for rain gear, first aid kit, tools and tire repair in panniers. To much weight on rack and you will not like the way the bike handles and that is on any bike. I think manual says 10 LBS total box and cargo and that is not much. You want the dog to wag the tail and not the tail wagging the dog. Just be careful.
 
No matter what i will do, there will be always weight building behind passenger. I see a lot of bikes with set up like this.
 
I've run a similar setup for several years and thousands of miles. I've put way more than 10lbs. on that rack when riding 2 up with no ill effects. Doesn't mean its right, but it will work. When riding 1 up I do notice the bag is back there when riding in turbulence.

Remember the higher you stack the luggage, the higher you move your COG. It will also have an even greater negative effect in turbulence.
 
This is the rack I built to haul my camping gear. It was power coated in silver once finished.
It works great and I can adjust it forward, when riding solo, or towards the rear when 2-up.

(IMG_4481.jpg

IMG_8243.JPG
 
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Here is there bracket I had made to mount the rack. It connects using the standard holes already on the ST and I just used longer bolts.

IMG_4485.jpg

And the rack in use:

image1.jpg

IMG_5921.jpg
 
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Im late to the party but have some different ideas
First up i have a 10mm ply plate that has a wood block under the front and a strip of metal i remove my topbox and slot the plate on from front to back then drop in two bolts through the ply and through the plastic plate and install wing nuts underneath this make the plate secure and capable of big and heavy loads. with this you can add a 90 or 120L eurohike transit bag or a plastic tub from a diy store.

below the number plate i installed a steel shelf this was attached to square bar that used the exhaust bolts to hold it with a cross member just behind the number plate. From the cross piece a steel bar went up through the mudguard and looped over the rear subframe. I i were to build it again i would like a way to hinge the shelf to fold it up when not in use with a number plate on the underside. When in use i had a extra plate i would add on the item i was carrying. the rear lights were not affected. This allowed large wide items to be carried when two up.

Finally you could look at the aluminum top boxes they come in 65 80 and 100L. The 65 is enough and is lighter than your existing 45L also it has tie down points on the lid to strap bags or big items onto.

Go with a small pack size tent and for bed a down double sleeping blanket packs small. Then its whatever bed you like i like 2x camp bed airs connected from quechua as a base and a double air pad on top. If you dont like the aluminum cases you could just modify the bottom like my ply plate and slot it on the existing plate and drop bolts through then after the trip hot swap back to your normal one
 
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