non-bungee cargo net

[CODan]

I need a little cargo net for strapping light things to the seat, rack, top of my bald head, etc.

I'm aware of the dangers of bungee cords, though I think the ones with small hook and cord minimize this danger.

So I'm looking for a cargo net, bike sized, that doesn't use bungees but instead uses webbing and buckles. Anyone know of one?

Thanks.

 

[JamesK]

What exactly are the dangers of bungee cords?

 

[CODan]

What exactly are the dangers of bungee cords?

I personally haven't had a problem but I've read accounts of the hook coming out and taking out an eyeball, and of the hook coming loose and dropping into the wheel or chain and bringing the rider down.

Probably 1/100,000 but I like things that are optimized.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Another example of technology being a hinderance instead of a positive. Been riding road bikes and using bungee cords since the 70's, and never had a problem till someone on the internet said it was a problem. LOL

 

[El Cajone]

You could buy a cargo net, throw away the hooks if you really see that as a problem, and then combine the net with some ROK loop-thru straps. That should give you something close to what you want.

 

[lnewlf]

I've had one of these power nets for years-https://www.aerostich.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=cargo+net They are the Mutz Nutz-small squares, adjustable hooks, and they don't lose their stretch over time.. not nearly as risky to the eyes as scary bungies!

 

[Blind Squirrel]

... They are the Mutz Nutz...

Can't be very good. My mut doesn't have nuts!

 

[Knifemaker]

Just carry a roll of Saran Wrap with you ....take off the passenger seat and wrap up your crap to the seat and put it back on the bike. No eye damage and if done well, waterproof.

KM

 

[SacramentoMike]

Just carry a roll of Saran Wrap with you ....take off the passenger seat and wrap up your crap to the seat and put it back on the bike. No eye damage and if done well, waterproof.

That's pretty clever. Have you used that yourself? Might look odd, but it would absolutely work, and accommodate most any shape load. Movers use the same thing now, only wider.

On the bungees, I had occasion to spend a lot of time with an eye surgeon a few years back. He was the one who first told me about bungees and the damage they've caused. Damage he had to repair more than once. He won't let his family use them at ALL. It's no urban legend.

Those power nets look darn useful too. Doesn't that Aerostich catalog have the coolest stuff?

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

A few years ago I was putting a bungie on my V-Twin, my grasp slipped and the thing snapped back and hit me in the face a lot less than an inch from my eye. Haven't used one since.

I gave away my last couple to BeemerDonS when he visited. He uses them, but he's blind already, so it doesn't matter much, I guess.

I have a bungie net still in the package that I am too leery to use, though I keep it for that one time nothing else will really work.

 

[CODan]

On the bungees, I had occasion to spend a lot of time with an eye surgeon a few years back. He was the one who first told me about bungees and the damage they've caused. Damage he had to repair more than once. He won't let his family use them at ALL. It's no urban legend.

A few years ago I was putting a bungie on my V-Twin, my grasp slipped and the thing snapped back and hit me in the face a lot less than an inch from my eye. Haven't used one since.

Ahhh, so I'm not crazy after all.

My main concern is breakage of the cord or the cord coming out of the hook, then a load sliding off the bike and possibly getting caught in the wheel.

I'm probably gonna make what I want.

 

[Knifemaker]

Just carry a roll of Saran Wrap with you ....take off the passenger seat and wrap up your crap to the seat and put it back on the bike. No eye damage and if done well, waterproof.

That's pretty clever. Have you used that yourself?

Actually I did many years back. My ONLY form of transportation was my RD400. Was at a job related outing and won a 18 lb turkey in the raffle. No bungies with me , no backpack , no duct tape. Saw one of the ladies wrapping up the leftovers from the days feast and borrowed the roll of plastic wrap.

The RD's seat is hinged on one side, so I had to feed a foot or two of the wrap at a time between the seat and the frame, while holding the bird down on the seat. Ended up with about 6-7 layers of wrap around the rear of the seat and the turkey.

Took a little effort to stretch the wrap while pushing the frozen bird down into the seat foam, but when done it was quite firmly in place and removed easily with a carefull swipe of my pocket knife when I got home.

I have seen shorter rolls of the same type of plastic wrap they use to wrap pallets with. This stuff is thicker and stronger than the kind of wraps used for food, and seems to stick to itself better than some food wraps.

Uline sells it in 3" and 5" rolls...in different colors:

https://www.uline.com/bl_5400/Uline-Mini-Wrap

KM

 

[mferriter]

Harbor Freight sells 12" x 12" cargo nets with hooks for about $3. I don't like the hooks either ever since a co-worker told a story about a friend losing an eye with a bungee. Multiple hooks lessen the chance of it flying loose, however.

I've also mounted them in each half of the sidebags and top case. In the side bags it allow you to open them up with out stuff falling out. In the topcase, it allow you to pack the lower and upper halves independently instead of just a big pile of stuff.

 

[mferriter]

Harbor Freight sells 12" x 12" cargo nets with hooks for about $3. I don't like the hooks either ever since a co-worker told a story about a friend losing an eye with a bungee. Multiple hooks lessen the chance of it flying loose, however.
I've also mounted them in each half of the sidebags and top case. In the side bags it allow you to open them up with out stuff falling out. In the topcase, it allow you to pack the lower and upper halves independently instead of just a big pile of stuff.

you can also take off the hooks and put on carabiners or snap hooks (the ones with a spring mounted clip to keep them in place).

 

[Lyrics36]

FWIW, I simply used some old perforated (heavy tarp) I had around the farm, attached simple carbiners I picked up at a Tractor Supply and use it.

Tarp stretches a bit, but not like bungee nets and carbiners work fine. Never had a problem and is cheap. Harbor Freight sometime has those perforated tarps for sale. Just get the heaviest one. That way it won't rip if you pull to tight.

Otherwise, you just get a bigger square and fold it over on itself for more strength then attach. Larger size is advantageous also if you have multiple bikes and one has a bigger rear seat than the other

Hope this helps

On the bungees, I had occasion to spend a lot of time with an eye surgeon a few years back. He was the one who first told me about bungees and the damage they've caused. Damage he had to repair more than once. He won't let his family use them at ALL. It's no urban legend.

A few years ago I was putting a bungie on my V-Twin, my grasp slipped and the thing snapped back and hit me in the face a lot less than an inch from my eye. Haven't used one since.

Ahhh, so I'm not crazy after all.

My main concern is breakage of the cord or the cord coming out of the hook, then a load sliding off the bike and possibly getting caught in the wheel.

I'm probably gonna make what I want.

 

[dsmack]

I have a friend who has a scar just below his left eye from a broken bungee strap/hook. He was lucky!

I found a elastic net with six nylon hooks in the sporting goods section at Wal*Mart that has done yeoman duty on two motorcycles over the years. Probably very similar to the ones mentioned from Harbor Freight.

It is elastic enough that it will accommodate anything from a single item to larger things like a rolled sleeping bag/ground pad with no problem.

 

[mr.paul]

+1 on Aerostich. If they don't have a packing option you like, get the food wrap.

I like bungee nets so much I carry 4 of them. Actually, that started when I was on a trip on my Vmax and my overload started shifting. I stretched nets over everything and it held it in place for 1,400 miles. Looked absolutely ridiculous. But it worked. I often have the 6-hook net across the back of my Feej. The hooks fit around the Givi grab bars easily. The back 2 hooks I hook together at the back and have the other four hooked over the bars. You can then just pull up the net a bit and slide something on the seat under it. Easy and breezy. Actual bungee cords are a different matter. Allows a lot of shifting around. Yeah I know the net can do that too. I prefer the ROK type straps as they specifically don't stretch too much if I am looking at something the net can't handle.

I have had occasion when I have seen a fellow motorbike'est struggling with how to transport some surprise find. I have lent them a bungee net and they were a convert. Nice to have a saddlebag full of stuff sometimes.

truely a humble opinion, mr.paul from Minnesota