Kriega tailbag: Setup

I've been using my Kriega US-30 for well over 5 years now.

In that time it's seen daily commuting, overnighters, running errands and everything in between.
It's seen torrential rain and extreme heat.
It's 100% waterproof, rugged as hell, and relatively lightweight.
It has never let me down.


The US-30 provides enough room for a large laptop to lay flat for commuting to the office.

I can easily store my wets and basic tools and still fit extra clothes, shoes and whatever else I need for touring.

Off the bike it has a shoulder strap so you can lug it around easily.

All. Very. Versatile.

So - by way of the new MT09, it was time to again setup the Kriega.

Step 1

Remove the seat to access the sub-frame - you'll need to locate some spot to thread the mounting straps. 

For the rear straps I used the last set of frame tags which hold the rear faring on

Step 2

Use two of the four straps supplied and thread one through on each side

Step 3

Repeat Step 2 for the forward mounting straps. 

I used the gap between the sub-frame and the seat-lock. 

Step 4

Tidy up all the dangling straps and make things neat. 

Step 5

Attach bag.

Done and done

In the past I've used cumbersome Ventura packs and their associated (and required) frames which attach to the bike - this type of luggage is good, however it is not transferable from bike to bike. 

On the other hand, the Kriega gear can be used on any bike, it does not detract from the aesthetics, and when removed, leaves all but no trace of ever having been there - no frame, no brackets. 

Just - gone. 

\BitSar

The packhorse. 

-----more like, donkey....

A riders' guide

Here it is.

1 – Think before you ride.

Every single morning before the commute, and for that matter any weekend blat too, I employ a process of getting myself and the bike ready. 

It is the same ritual every time and it centres me – I engage with what I am about to do.

This is a common training technique which shifts focus and consciousness to the task at hand.

2 – Take command

You are riding a motorcycle – you are exposed, you are at risk. Be proactive and choose your risk as much as possible. 

Don't be complacent and let the risk choose you.

3 – Have “brain space”

If you set off and identify that you are not riding well, not seeing things play out like usual or think there is something “not right with the bike”......chances are something is not right with you.

The bike is very likely to be behaving exactly the same as yesterday – but if it feels different today then something is different – that something is more than likely you.

Learn to identify these “yips” and counter them accordingly. This may mean stopping.

NB** baring mental "yips" check the basics like tyre pressure, chain tension, throttle and clutch lines/cables. 

4- Radar and intuition

To be proficient you need to be able NOT to think about what the bike is doing and how you are controlling it.

The bike should be controlled via telepathy. You think, the bike does.

Believe me after years of MTB and Road race cycling – the bike is an extension of the body.

Control leads to having ample capacity to scan the environment for cagers, pedestrians, cyclists and other riders alike. 

Being in control of your bike is relatively easy.

Contemplating the actions of others and reacting appropriately is a skill unto its' own.

5 – Don't

Don't be timid.

Don't allow yourself to hesitate – indecision takes time, when you need to make a choice time is not always on your side.

Most of all – don't be a victim.

6 – Everything else

Filtering, splitting, cagers and traffic.

Weekend blats, touring, overnighters and tomfoolery.

Everything else is the reason to ride all the time – do it safely.

Be engaged in the process and enjoy.

Footnote:

If you are not a target – you will less likely become a victim.

This does not mean be aggressive – it means be in control – as much as possible.

\BitSar
--getting on with it and "riding" it out

GOR!

Every Australian motorcyclist knows the term GOR - Great Ocean Road - one of the all-time must ride roads comprising of more than 350kms of Coastal road, Rainforest cuttings and spectacular views.

So it was on for the GOR this Saturday. Pumped.

We were not going to complete a full run - much less in fact - due to the ride being a single day trip and the  forecasted heat.........the forecast was right......

An early start was a must - get up, hit the road and get the first 1.5 hour slab to Torquay completed.


The sky was already looking scorched. It was 6:50am and I was about to throw a leg over the Ape and hit the black top: tail bag packed, full tank, empty bladder. Game on.





I swung past my buddies place for a pickup at ~7:15am - quick G'day - onto the next meeting point.....

The third rider joined us in Belmont on the outskirts of Geelong. 8:30am meet - done. We rolled into Torquay by 9am for a quick regroup and caffeine then onto the GOR!

Heading out of Torquay traffic was starting to build - the GOR is a key tourist location and of course I had forgotten this was a long weekend with a public Holiday on Monday, needless to say - traffic was shite!

Coming into Lorne is was evident that we were going to have to use some "special motorcycling technique" to find holes in the mindless procession of cages. The GOR is posted from 80kp/h to 100kp/h with the majority of the switchback corners somewhere between 30-40kp/h advisory speeds. Most of the vehicles we encountered were travelling in full-blown sightseeing mode - a mode with a max speed of 60kp/h and the unconventional practice of braking hard mid corner and refusing to use the "Slow vehicle" turnouts F#^King A$$hole B4stards....

Enough was enough. Time to get creative with some passing maneuvers.

Eventually we punched through and managed to string together a beautiful run into Apollo Bay

The black stuff was warm, sticky and twisty, encouraging the bike not to be upright for very long, flicking the nose in another direction and getting the butt-cheek off the seat......

Having made our way into Apollo bay and after seeing the horrendous traffic which was back building before continuing further down the GOR, the decision was made; back track - head inland into the Otways....

Not that the Otways are a bad thing. Oh no - quite the contrary!

We stitched our way through Skenes creek and the Otway National Park. A lovely road in the shade of the rainforest with very little traffic and a more moderate temperature, from here we continued out through Deans Marsh in the hunt for some rural fast sweepers.

Without the tree canopy the temperature starting rising. It was getting HOT - I mean really hot. Out here with zero breeze and no shade we started to feel the couple of hundred kilometres already travelled.

We had another break. Fill up with water, empty the bladder, you know, do your bit for the environment - water a tree eh?

<-- look in the backgroud of this pic....what an environmentalist!




From here we changed pace. We all engaged "Cracking on Mode" - this is a mode well-known to any seasoned rider - it means "over it for now.......crack on!" Through the fast rural sweepers and back roads of inland Western Victoria I think is fair enough to keep the average tempo to a moderate $1.50.......

As we stumbled across Ballan - heading for different location - we decided another short hiatus from the saddle was in order, quick bakery refuel for the humans; the bikes would have to wait for the final refuel point in Bacchus Marsh no more than 25kms away.

Making the final stop we refuel, shake hands - "safe home fellas.....see ya next time!"

The last slab homeward bound is when the aches of the day start to come on. You've been on a bike for 8 hours, ridden near as makes no difference ~500kms in 37 C heat - BUT!

You have the biggest shite eating grin on your face for the effort....


Riding really does enrich your life - it takes you to places which are not accessible in a cage. Not because you can't drive the route we took, you can. But I'll damn well guarantee you if you'd spent 8 hours driving it you'd be wanting to forget it, not savour it.

You can't get to where we were with 4 wheels - simple as that!

I did make it home, but by then I was slightly broken


Thank you gentleman for the ride, as always - a pleasure.....
Where next?


\BitSar

Pilot Road 3

So I've been meaning to post on the Michelin PR3's.....................here it is.

I've had these boots on both ends for well over 5,000kms now...

At first they felt a little strange - not bad, just a bit odd......this soon passed...

When they were fitted I originally ran them at "normal" cold pressure of about 32/34 F/R......this was a huge part of my problem......Sport Touring tyres - as these are - have a heavy carcass and require higher cold pressures......once this was rectified, the PR3's validated themselves and lived up to hype.....I now run 40/42 F/R cold pressures.....

The past 5,000kms have seen lots of commuting, a fair bit of wet stuff, a multi-day ride and lots of weekend scratching in the twisties.....

The harder compound centre band means the commuting miles aren't killing the tyre and squaring them off......the deep sipes in the tread of both the front and rear make wet weather performance simply astounding! I have never felt so comfortable and confident with a tyre in the wet........seriously.......

For the faster stuff on more technical roads......yes....they are not a super-sticky, super-sport tyre......the shoulders do have a softer compound which heats up quickly......but yeah.....these are no Pirelli Rosso Corsa's........they make you work a little bit harder to keep the bike compliant when pitched over.....but hell - you can still get rid of the chicken strips.........

For longer rides and touring they are brilliant.....very solid on the road - comfortable and long wearing......

After the distance travelled I really struggle to find any appreciable wear....for anyone looking at a great "all-rounder" which is focused slightly towards longevity, all weather riding rather than balls out blats......take a look at the PR3's

\BitSar

Slack

A post for post sake.......in a way.

It's been busy times of late with work and life etc......other than commuting and minimal weekend blats my riding has suffered.......bummer.

I've got a "long term review" in the pipes for the Michelin PR3's coming so stay tuned on that one.

Other than that - thanks for reading guys and gals.......there is more riding to be done - some overnighters are also planned - see how the Ape goes with some light touring.

FYI - still loving the bike.............she's a good egg.

\BitSar