Dry bag and Rok straps

Morrissey

Morrissey

Joined
May 5, 2015
Messages
50
Location
Canada
Bike
2005 ST1300
Hey guys. Rather than having spring, Central Ontario is opting to have a 3rd winter, so nothing to do except dream and spend money on farkles! I attend the Ride for Sight every year, this will be my 20th year going, and I'm looking for some luggage solutions for my camping gear. All my clothes etc will fit in the side bags and my top box will fit my camera gear, air pump and misc items. I always strap my air mattress (double size), tent (7x7 dome), lawn chair and collapsible cooler on the back seat. With my Bandit, my Givi side bags were large enough to hold my sleeping bag. I'm doubting I can squish a sleeping bag in the ST's side bag. So I'm considering getting a dry bag that I can put everything mentioned above and a sleeping bag in it. It will be a lot easier to strap one large bag down to the rear seat as opposed to several items stacked on top of each other!

So I'd love to hear from you what brand and size dry bag do you use on the rear seat of your ST? What length of Rok strap should I get to secure it, and most importantly, where should I strap it to? With my Bandit the Givi mounting brackets gave me several latch points for any straps, but the ST is so much sleeker, I only see the side rails of the rear luggage rack to attach to. Suggestions please and pics if you've got them!

:tent3:
 
I don't use a dry bag, but use compression sacks on all the things like sleeping bags, tents, extra jackets etc. I can get them really small and fit a lot in the side bags, the tent, sleeping bag, pillow, extra jackets and rain gear all go in the side bags. I strap my clothes bag on the rear seat and this leaves my top box empty except for the things I need access to. I even had room to strap on a set of goalie pads to get home for my son. I think I looked a bit like the Clampetts though.

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Been using Dry Spec D38 bag from Twisted Throttle for about 4 years. No leaks,tears or failures of any kind. You can also expand on this system. I use the holdown straps that come with the bag. Riding a CTX1300, which has very limited places to attatch to. Otto
 
I used one of these last summer.

Kwik Tek Dry Pak Waterproof Duffel Bag


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The cost was inexpensive at $44 for the Large. The bottom is firm so it won't sag. The bag opens across the entire length of the top, so it is easy to load, unload and find things inside. I used it in the middle of some drenching downpours that lasted all day, and it kept my clothes dry.

I think the Rok straps I used were 60 inches long.

Chris
 
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I travel kind of light and pack all I need when camping in the panniers and a dry bag on the back seat. I use a roll top bag that is 10" x 32". Before I added a Givi plate to mount a top case this is how I tied down the dry bag bag on the back seat. I tied loops of 1/4" rope around the sub frame rails under the seat to make tie down locations as shown. I replaced the rear bolts in the rack with 1/4" bolts with eyes to make rear-most tie down locations. I used these 4 locations for a few years then mounted a Givi top box. When I did this I added the same type of eye bolts in the forward side of the top box. This top box fits on my other bikes and you can see the eye bolts in the pic of the silver bike. I also use the loop ends of Rok Straps around the grab rail with the other ends looped through the soft rope tie downs. The Rok Straps I use are about 1" across.
 

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I don't camp, but look forward to a motel room at the end of my long days.
But I do have a drybag to recommend:

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/sw-motech-35l-roll-top-dry-bag

The bag comes with 4 Rok-type, removable straps.
I use those to secure it across the back seat, 2 tied to the tip-over bars, and 2 tied in the rear - very solid. No additional straps needed.
It rolls closed, and snaps shut with Rok-type snaps at each end - keeps contents totally dry.
I carry all my clothes in it, and at end of day just unsnap and carry it into the room. No need to go into the panniers or top box at all.
When you get home, the bag can be rolled up and stored in the included pouch.
And - it doubles as a backrest :).
 
I won't be help with strapping locations, but I would suggest a variety of Rok Straps. I have a couple longer, 4 mid size, and 2 smaller lengths. They pack well, have no weight to speak of, and it will keep you ready to buy, carry, or deliver at a moments notice. I picked up a variety pack off eBay for a fairly reasonable price. I also carry 4 normal compression straps without the self tightening section for times when they are appropriate.
 
I use the ROK straps with a section of bungee material. The straps have a loop on each end. Work really well. I'm not much help on a dry bag but, well be interested what others post.
 
I dunno folks. I looked at some videos for these and think they are over-rated. I am sure they work fine, but hear me out. I use these (photos) to wrap around the mounts to use a normal tie down to. Then if in the rare case a Honda ever breaks down and needs to be on a deck, or strapped down I already have the rated loops to do so. These are not bulky but are sure multi-purpose.
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I’ve used the large ortlieb dry bag for years. Model is called rack pack now. I put all my camping stuff in it no problem. They have an XL also and duffles etc. I used the 60” rok strap with it but I don’t camp any more. Both are excellent quality
 
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Tim -- That is how the Rok Strap works. Both ends have loops and one side has a shorter bungee section that keeps things under compression, while the rest of the strap length is heavy web strapping. I don't know that I would strap the bike down with them, but I don't have a shortage of attachment points (ST1100).
 
I balked at the price of a large dry bag and bought a cheap duffel bag (30" x 10 or 12 diameter) on ebay. When rain is forecast I pack stuff in big plastic garbage bags and these go into the duffel. The duffel is strapped to the bike using Rok straps attached to the passenger handrails (like an earlier posted picture). A 3rd strap goes around the back of the bike to prevent the duffel from sliding forward when braking.
 
I don't have a top case. Didn't see the need for one when I wasn't traveling, and when I do travel I use 2 dry bags for stuff. My minor supply of cooking gear and food, tools, extra miscellaneous gear go in the saddlebags. My tent, tarp, poles, etc fit in a small dry bag (35 Liter). I keep these separate from all other gear to keep that other gear from getting wet if the tent or tarp are wet when packing, also keeps other stuff dry if it's raining when I arrive at a camp site (I set up the tarp first and then put up the tent under the tarp to keep it dry inside).

All stuff that goes inside the tent (sleeping bag, mattress, clothes, personal stuff) as well as my camp chair goes in the X-Large Kwik Tec Dry Pac bag (110 Liter). After the tent is set up under the tarp (if that is needed) I can carry the big dry bag to the tent and unpack without anything getting wet.

The 2 dry bags are stacked on the tail over the pillion and luggage rack and held down with the ROK straps like this photo shows. I sometimes will add another even smaller dry bag behind the tent dry bag tied on with a bungee net for my rain gear and extra riding gear liners. But usually I can fit those in the saddlebags.



I use 2 60 inch ROK straps for the large dry bag and 2 60 inch straps for the smaller dry bag. I also use soft loops under the seat on each side to give me a better connection point for the straps in front. I have studs on the luggage rack in back for the straps.

Here is some of what I use:
ROK straps
Soft loops (though getting only the package of 12 inch loops would work since those are all I actually use)
Kwik Tek Dry Pac dry bag (the X-Large is 30 inches long and 110 L, the Large is 24 inches long and rated at 70 L... the 24 long bag is a better fit across the pillion in front of the top case if you have it)
Alps camping chair (just over 24 inches long so fits inside big dry bag)
Teton Sports sleeping mattress (25 inches long and another reason for the longer dry bag)
Teton Sports sleeping bag (packs to only 14 inches long by 6.5 inches diameter so would fit in saddle bag if desired)

Stuff I put in my saddle bags can be left there if I don't use it right away.
I did go through some really nasty rains, and even one with a tornado nearby, with this setup and stayed dry. Yes, I did find shelter from that tornado but it passed on away from me.
 
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I use Sea-to-Summit dry/compression sacks. Not sure what a ROK strap is but maybe I'd better Google it. Instead, I use a couple of 3" wide velcro straps with built in buckles to lash the bag(s) to the passenger grab handles (obtainable at nearly any hardware store). Quick, secure, easy and my wife gets arm-rests.

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BTW- my list of items I use are actually LINKs that take you to Amazon for those products I've purchased through them. The OLD forum used to change the color of the links to make them much more apparent. I'll try to edit my post to show those in a different color.
 
For the last 70,000 or so miles on several bikes I've used the cheap 14$ Walmart roll shut dry bag....same one...never leaked, doesn't flap...my tent and my sleeping bag and my air mattress fit in there comfortably and I attach it to my bike with the 1 inch wide bungee straps that Walmart sells for like 6 bucks a pair....works for me.......come on spring....ff
 
I like my First Gear 25 liter roll top bag on my rear seat for MUST STAY DRY sleeping stuff. My Big Agnus Dearpark +30 bag in it's stuff sack, my Synmat7WL, my feather pillow and a linen sleepsak. The bag has a mutitude of d rings to tie it down with, I use the front bottom ones with a strap with gun sling snaps stretched under the seat and the rear ones with a D ring strap under and behind the rack. Easy to take off and never leaked a drop.
 
STumped said:
I used the hooks under the rear seat for a tie down point.
You can see the large Rok straps in the pic. The smaller Rok straps (yellow/green) are strapped around the saddlebag handle. ;)

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Thanks STumped! I hadn't thought about attaching straps under the seat before. I will give it a try when (if) spring finally arrives. I will hopefully only need one good sized dry bag for my tent, air mattress, sleeping bag and possibly my chair.

I have to ask, what sized (litres) is your tank bag? I see you have bar risers on your ST as well. Do you have issues with them hitting the tank bag at full lock or when riding in a parking lot at slow speed? I'd love to get a small one that mounts on a tank ring, mostly to hold a water bladder for drinking while riding but am worried about clearance with the bars if I choose to get the HeliBar risers I am leaning towards.
 
Morrissey said:
I have to ask, what sized (litres) is your tank bag? I see you have bar risers on your ST as well. Do you have issues with them hitting the tank bag at full lock or when riding in a parking lot at slow speed? I'd love to get a small one that mounts on a tank ring, mostly to hold a water bladder for drinking while riding but am worried about clearance with the bars if I choose to get the HeliBar risers I am leaning towards.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I use the tank bag for. It's the perfect size for a 2 liter Camelbak bladder wrapped in a towel for a little insulation. The tank bag is a Joe Rocket Manta and it's narrow so I don't honk the horn at full lock. ;) However, it's a magnet mount, not tank ring.

https://www.amazon.com/Joe-Rocket-Manta-Magnetic-559-0000/dp/B000Y5AGS2

Perfect size for the bladder and for the handlebars.
 
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