Luggage capacity for Europe jaunt

[Jonjo91]

Plans are to hop on the bike and head across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy in June.
I've got a 60 litre dry bag which I can strap across the pillion seat and a 20 litre tank bag so no problems there.

I've also got oxford lifetime panniers which I can use if need be. The question is how much luggage space do others use for a 10 day trip? Not camping so don't need any of that stuff. I've never done this sort of thing before so not sure how much space i'm going to need.

Guess the answer is as little/much as I feel comfortable taking.

[BigHeartedTone]

Jonjo91 said:

Guess the answer is as little/much as I feel comfortable taking.

Correct. But Less is More.

[Hooli]

BigHeartedTone said:

Jonjo91 said:

Guess the answer is as little/much as I feel comfortable taking.

Correct. But Less is More.

Sort out everything you need & then don't take half of it. it's surprising how the more trips you do, the less stuff you take.

[McClure]

Necessities:

Passport
Wallet
Phone
Phone charger
Change of underwear/t-shirt/socks (one set and do "Chinese laundry")
Toiletry bag - toothbrush and travel size paste & deodorant.

Then just add luxuries until you're comfortable or run out of space.

Sorted.



(Honed from two-up trips on a Street Triple - that teaches you what's needed and what's just fluff!)

[3DP]

For a 12 day Euro jaunt I had 110 litres or storage on my last trip. Most of the others had between 60 and 100 litres. In fairness though, I was taking waterproofs and overboots along with 12x socks, t-shirts and pants to be disposable. On the plus side, lots of space at Calais for wine/beer/cheese/pate.

I did a 7 day trip the year before with about 80 litres.

I tend to take a bit too much luggage as plan for most eventualities!

[hornetrider]

Not camping? WTF do you need the drysack for? Two spare boxers and socks. Two spare t-shirts. Pair of jeans. Trainers. Smellies. Wallet. Phone.

Bish bash bosh, all that in your tankbag.

[keebz91]

Me and the Mrs shared 117 litres of storage in panniers and a top box for a 14 day trip and we both said afterwards that we took too much.
Take the bare minimum that you can get away with and you'll enjoy the trip (well the ride at least) a lot more.

[SAS Tom]

For a week in Scotland I took a Kriega R35.



For the same trip with my girlfriend I took this;



You should need something in between.

[black-k1]

As has been said, less is more but I know I don't like doing washing on a trip but I don't like wearing t-shirts, socks or underwear for more than a day when it's hot and sunny.

One trick I use is to hold on to all my "end of useful life" clothing during the year for my Euro trips. I then throw them away after use on the trip giving me an ever decreasing amount of luggage.

PS for a week of hotels I'll start with 2 x 17 l panniers and 1 x 20 l tank bag.

Edited by black-k1 on Tuesday 24th February 15:49

[podman]

As said above, wear your "end of life " gear and/or buy cheap items and bin them as you go, some footwear for £5 a go is no real loss and saves a stack of space on yoru return leg.

In hotter climes, washing your clothes in the sink/shower with some shampoo, will have them dried in a few hours..

I have a 30 litre top box, that does me for 10 days and on the way home, its packed with some duty free.

It always amazes me how much better the bike feels when you rid it of all gear on the way home!

[Pothole]

SAS Tom said:

For a week in Scotland I took a Kriega R35.



For the same trip with my girlfriend I took this;



You should need something in between.

Hills can't have been fun towing that...comfy place to sleep though!

[Chipchap]

I went on the same trip as 3DP who took a "Pickfords Truck" of luggage. This turned out to be fortunate as two of the Ducati's that went with would disassemble themselves as we rode. It brought back memories of a Bonneville !

I went on a 1050 Speed Triple and had the genuine Triumph tail pack combined [after some ingenuity] with a set of Blaze saddlebags. I think I had 54 litres when it was full to capacity.

That did me fine for 12 days / 3300 miles. Fresh underclothing kit every day too.

A

[fergus]

Chipchap said:

Al, were you wearing all your clothes under your kit in that photo?

[MattOz]

A Kriega R35 is plenty for a 7-10 days away if you don't have to take camping gear. Barely feels like you're wearing it.

[Stone Cold]

Done it before and will be doing so again this year 5 days in Europe with just a R35 Kriega rucksack. Washable one piece for under leathers (one of those that will dry out overnight or within minutes of putting it on!) and then a few t-shirts, socks, undercrackers and flip flops

[Wedg1e]

I find the more space I have, the more stuff I take... but on a full-fat tourer that's already fitted with hard luggage and weighs 300-odd kilos, another stone or two is hardly an issue.
On Euro-jaunts I tend to take a meaty toolkit (never needed it but isn't it better than to have something you don't need than to need something you don't have?), big chain and lock, spare boots etc. but if I felt the need to bring more booze back I'd do without them.
Nursy and I have done a few trips to France using panniers, topbox, tankbag and a rack fitted to the topbox, but we had stuff we didn't wear and still managed to find room for some plonk...

[Chipchap]

fergus said:

Al, were you wearing all your clothes under your kit in that photo?

Cheeky bstard. I have gained a bit of timber since we last met.

A

[Chipchap]

MattOz said:

A Kriega R35 is plenty for a 7-10 days away if you don't have to take camping gear. Barely feels like you're wearing it.

MattO has a back as long as a Giraffes neck. A Kriega 30 is what we used for an 8 day 2285 mile trip in 2013. I also noticed my Speed Triple lurking in that photo.

[segart]

Using 'end of life' clothing is a top tip. ere is another. Put te bare minimum of clothes and stuff that you will need, on your bed. Then put half of it back in the cupboard. Whats left is all you will need. Plus a dinner jacket of course.
atb
rick

[Jonjo91]

Thanks for all the replys!

I don't think just a rucksack is enough as I will be taking a chain and lock with me too. Tool kit is under the seat so don't have to find somewhere for that.

I think I will still strap the dry bag to the back, can easily compres down with a bungee strap over it
The tank bag was going to be for passport, wallet etc for fuel stops, boarders. Did people manage perfectly fine without?

The trip will include an evening or two out, think dinner in town and a few pints, not clubbing. So spare shoes and a half decent polo is to be packed.

Taken all the advice on board about putting half of the clothes bag I think I will need! Usually find this on holiday anyway.

FYI bike is a bandit 600s so chucking a bag in the back isn't an issue.