Bags on or off...

[Soloew]

I am about to participate in a motorcycle safety track day put on by some rider coaches from the California Superbike School here on our flightline in a few hours, and was wondering if most would remove their side cases or leave them on. The training is supposed to focus on proper cornering at (realistic) street and highway speeds...All opinions/suggestions welcome, thanks!

 

[daddyg]

I'd take them off . That's just me.

 

[fjr23]

I just took the MSF Experienced Rider course with the bags on. No problem at all. Note: the top speed on the course was only 20mph but lots of figure 8's, u turns etc.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Doesn't matter how fast or slow you're going to go. What if it tips over, even at a slow pace? Take 'em off.

 

[Soloew]

Thanks for the quick replies, I was leaning towards taking them off, I have taken the MSF Experienced rider course with a different bike, according to the description of this track day it promises to be much faster paced (advises speeds can be in excess of 60 mph). I was mostly wondering if it would be a better experience for me with them on simply because I usually ride with them on.

 

[Speed3]

Off...if you go down why chance replacing something that takes 3 seconds to remove?

 

[Threepointlanding]

You know, I've not even rode my bike with the bags off (not even without the top box). I'm going to try it today. I just got the thing a week ago.

I've been riding on my permit for quite some time, just renewing it. I'm actually going to get the license this time, and when I go for the test here in GA (which they've cut down to four phases), I'm definately going to take them off.

 

[luvtoride]

If you take the bags off & dump your bike, you're just going to scratch/crack a different part of the bike. 6 of one & 1/2 a dozen of another. Don't be lulled in to thinking that you're saving the bike if something happens because you aren't.

Actually, I'd think that the bag would be easier to paint/replace than the subframe... or whatever it is that you'd hit without the bags on.

 

[Rory]

I think most trackday organizations would require you to take them off, so maybe there is no choice in the matter.

 

[noland]

FYI,

If you keep the bags on and go down they're toast but you could add these as shown below on the right in a 1988 photo. (lol)

 

[luvtoride]

I think most trackday organizations would require you to take them off, so maybe there is no choice in the matter.

True... didn't even consider that.

 

[spike747]

I recently went down at highway speeds with bags attached and I was so glad I had them on. Fixing the bags will be much cheaper I think then if I didn't have them on. As it sits now I only have to replace bar end, mirror, highway peg, and brake lever. Plastic is usually not that expensive the replace, but the engine parts and other metal is either really expensive and impossible to replace.

I was sure glad I had the bags on.

 

[Speed3]

I think most trackday organizations would require you to take them off, so maybe there is no choice in the matter.

True... didn't even consider that.

Every org I've ridden with ( most on the East Coast) do require them to be taken off. Can you imagine coming out of a turn full throttle and having a hard bag in your line? LOL...pucker moment for sure.

 

[Robert Ford]

I am about to participate in a motorcycle safety track day put on by some rider coaches from the California Superbike School here on our flightline in a few hours, and was wondering if most would remove their side cases or leave them on. The training is supposed to focus on proper cornering at (realistic) street and highway speeds...All opinions/suggestions welcome, thanks!

Does the AF consider the FJR a "sport bike" as the term applies to their latest stab at protecting us from ourselves?

 

[NEPA Jim]

I have frame sliders on mine that would help in a oh-crap drop with perhaps little damage with the bags off vs on. At speed I am not too sure if the bag or the exhaust can would cost more in a minor slide? I think I would go without them and chance the can. Sliders may be a good quick addition. It's a sturdy frame.

my 0.2 cents

 

[FJRBluesman]

Leave 'em on. They act as great bumpers in case you drop it.

 

[boomerang]

Doesn't matter how fast or slow you're going to go. What if it tips over, even at a slow pace? Take 'em off.

Same theory applies on the street! Do you take them off on the street just because it might tip over?

Personally, I like the way the bike handles with them on. If I were going for speed though, I would take them off.

 

[boomerang]

I am about to participate in a motorcycle safety track day put on by some rider coaches from the California Superbike School here on our flightline in a few hours, and was wondering if most would remove their side cases or leave them on. The training is supposed to focus on proper cornering at (realistic) street and highway speeds...All opinions/suggestions welcome, thanks!

I'm sure they will have you take them off,but it's always been my opinion that you should train the same way that you fight.

 

[sergeantnic]

I took a similar course a couple months ago at Macdill AFB. It was a military sport bike riders course that they did on the flight line. I took my bags off just to save the weight and not have to worry about tearing them up should something happen.