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luggage

The Knox Studio Backpack

June 24, 2018

Hey, everyone! As someone who commutes to work on my bike and often wants to bring things with me such as lunch or my waterproofs- a good backpack doesn’t go amiss. I don’t miss the days of lugging my stuff around in a cheap, barely water resistant bag with straps so thin that you feel every bump on the road trying to break your collarbone.

So I went looking for a new backpack, something sturdy, waterproof but more than anything- I wanted something comfy that felt as though it takes the weight off my shoulders so I wouldn’t get such a sore neck. And then I remembered the Knox Studio Roll Top Rucksack.

I looked at it for a long time, it’s a good looking bag, a bit different, goes well with a more custom outfit and would definitely look better with casual looking leather than a more race oriented jacket. And I saw it’s price tag of £74.99 [prices accurate 22/06/18] thinking “Blummin’ eck, that’s a lot for a backpack.” but the only way to know if it’s really any good is to give it a go. So I took the gamble and my word am I glad I did.

It might just be because I went from a motorcycle backpack that felt like it had cheese wire for straps but after loading up the Knox Studio Backpack with all my stuff I instantly felt the difference. As in I felt a weight off my shoulders literally. The Straps are wide and comfy, even just that made wearing a backpack actually enjoyable. But with the additional waist and chest buckles all of that weight is spread evenly and the bag isn’t shifting anywhere.

Comfort aside there’s a couple of extra helpful features. Underneath the top of the rucksack it’s actually a roll top bag. So this backpack is excellently waterproof and my gear has remained dry every time, including the time I was caught in a rainstorm on a few-hour’s ride south with water coming at me from all angles on the motorway. If not for that bag saving my change of clothes- that would not have been an enjoyable weekend.

Another handy feature is the helmet carrier. It’s a hidden strap underneath the top flap of the bag that you can secure your helmet to the back of the bag with. It says that it’s only for off-the-bike use but I have a little hack for that. If you fasten up your helmet strap, use the backpacks’s helmet carry strap around that and then use the bag’s two outer straps around your lid’s chin bar [if it has one]- you’ve got a far more secure helmet carrier that I’ve used to ferry extra helmets on several occasions.

After using it for a good while now and really putting it through hell, I’m made up with this bag. My things are safe and dry, I’m much more comfortable while I’m riding so even on the rides to work- the whole experience is just that much more enjoyable without the tired, aching shoulders.

Thanks for reading, everyone! Until next time!
-Matt W at GhostBikes
Visit GhostBikes.com for all your Motorcycle Gear and the biggest selection of Motocross Gear in the North West

Givi Ultima-T Range Waterproof Backpack

June 12, 2018

Most People know the Givi brand as the one that makes all the boxes and special cases, like top boxes and panniers, for motorcycles. But did you know that they do backpacks, too? Givi cover a whole range of products, all to do with helping you get your stuff from A to B. As someone who doesn’t really want to go attaching extra bits of metal to my bike I tend to look most at Givi’s range of soft luggage options when I think I may need a little bit of extra space to carry stuff. And even then I’m mostly drawn to backpacks which is why I’m making this blog entry to introduce you all to the Givi Ultima-T Range Waterproof 35l Backpack.

While a lot of people like their top boxes and panniers, I prefer a good motorcycle backpack. If what I’m doing requires taking more than a reasonable backpack can hold then I likely won’t bother doing it. So a good backpack is essential, it needs to be a decent size but maybe not hardcore hiker huge. And if all that weight is going to be hanging off of me then I want it to be distributed evenly and hanging off of me comfortably.

Which is why the Givi Ultima-T Range Backpack with it’s 35 litres of carry capacity is just right. The advantage of a backpack is that it keeps the weight in the middle of the bike. True- the weight is hanging from you but it keeps the bike from being thrown off balance by having bags hanging off the sides or over the back of the bike. Gear on the sides or back can move the bike’s centre of gravity away from where it should ideally be but too much weight hanging off the rider can be a problem as well. So the 35 Litres the Givi Ultima ensures that you’ve got plenty of room but the backpack it’s self isn’t going to get too huge or heavy. Unless you’re packing bricks or bars of Gold.

To keep your shoulders from getting sore the backpack has adjustable straps and ergonomic padding as well as belt clips. This is to spread as much of the weight across the back, shoulders, chest and waist as possible so that the rider feels the weight less. Too much weight on the shoulders can make them tense up, cause discomfort and affect the rider’s handling. But even if you have the best backpack in the world, I strongly recommend you make regular rest stops on longer trips.

The Ultima it’s self is made from a heavy-duty PVC Tarpaulin, a really tough and waterproof material that’ll keep your belongings held securely together and keep them dry. To assist in waterproofing, the backpack uses a roll-up closure system, which is really good for allowing a wide aperture for getting belongings in but when rolled up stops the rain from doing so. That said, while it’s described as waterproof, it’s just rain proof, even against heavy rain. Heck, this backpack will keep your stuff dry in a torrential downpour. But if you actually submerge this backpack in water then your stuff will get wet. So as long as you’re just riding and don’t plan on scuba diving with it- your stuff is going to survive the journey.

And that’s a quick intro to the Givi Ultima-T Range Waterproof Backpack 35L and a few reasons why I prefer backpacks to other luggage options. Thanks for reading, everyone! Until next time!

-MattW at GhostBikes
Visit GhostBikes.com for all your Motorcycle Gear and the biggest selection of Motocross Gear in the North West

Road Trip Part 1 – Luggage

April 27, 2017

Hey there everybody! The brighter weather is here so that means it’s a good time to think about touring gear! So I’m going to take the time to suggest a few handy accessories that may help you on your adventures. I say this as I have plans to go on a little road trip myself in a few weeks so you can be certain that the products I’m suggesting are products that I might even be using myself or at least would be willing to use on my own travels.

So the first thing I think about when I think about travelling, especially on a bike, is how much I’m taking with me. You want enough storage and luggage space to take everything you’re going to need but also you don’t want to pile on way too much. Plus a little room for souvenirs is nice. Lets take my trip for example- I’ll be going away for roughly five or so days, I won’t be riding the bike the whole time but I’ll be at a hotel, enjoying what it has to offer and hanging out with friends. So I’ll definitely need more than just what I’m wearing while I ride.

Jacket/Jumper/Hoodie x1
Shirts x5
Pants x5
Socks x5
Undies x5
Converse shoes x1 [Since they flatten quite nicely and I’d rather not spend the whole time in my bike boots]
Rainproof over-alls x1

I probably won’t need that many clothes but I’m the sort of person who likes to pack one extra of everything just in case. Still, that list isn’t even everything I’d want to take. And when you think like that- the space you have runs out pretty fast. So how do we solve the issue of not having enough luggage space without resorting to hauling suitcases on a train or loading everything into the boot of a car? You’ve probably already got a small solution to that already- A backpack!

A good backpack is essential- it has to have enough space to carry a good amount of what you plan to take with you yet not so much that riding becomes uncomfortable. You may also think a bigger back pack is better but I wouldn’t advise it, you have have a huge 80-something Litre backpack for hiking and can fit everything on or inside it. But think of how cumbersome that’d be for your body, it would certainly affect your control over the bike. I’d rather go with something a bit smaller and more comfortable. Also, it has to be waterproof- the normal backpacks we may have might keep rain out while walking but how about at motorway speeds? Which is why I’ll be choosing the Richa H2O 30L Backpack. It’s waterproof, holds a decent amount, is made of nice and sturdy materials and has a roll-top that keeps out even dust as well as rain. I know my stuff is going to survive the journey and it shouldn’t be too bad on my shoulders with the chest strap and waist strap keeping all of that weight nicely distributed.

So you’ve got a backpack sorted but it’s not enough. You need more luggage space and a bit of room for bringing home mementos of your trip. Why not add another bag then? There’s panniers, tank bags, tail bags, top boxes- Lots to choose from. Personally I’m thinking about getting a nice set of soft panniers that I can sling over the back of the bike such as the Richa Designer Motorcycle Panniers. I’m choosing this pair over another brand, such as Givi, for a couple of reasons. First and probably the most important reason is the price, while Givi do make great products, when you’re travelling all the expenses add up. The second reason is that Givi’s better Pannier selection tends to need a rack bought for it to fit your specific bike and that can cost a lot too. So I’ve chosen the Richa Designer Panniers because they’ll fit almost anything and I don’t need to purchase any expensive racking on top of it. They also come with their own bungee cords for extra security and semi-rigid insert for more sturdiness. And since I’ll be riding solo I think that’s all the space I’ll really need. As I mentioned earlier, there are lots of different options of how to secure luggage to your motorcycle and Ghostbikes.com has a great luggage selection for you to choose from whether you’re like me and riding on your own or with a companion riding pillion.

Well, that mostly covers luggage. I may sprinkle in a little more in part 2 but I’ll mostly be covering navigation in the next installment of the Road Trip Blog Series. I hope you’ve found Part 1 as helpful as I’ve found it enjoyable to blog about- I quite like talking about my future plans for adventure, so why not tell me about yours in the comments?

Until next time!

– MattW at Ghostbikes.com

Givi Grumbles

April 14, 2017

Hey there! Do you have a problem with something related to Givi? I’m sorry that you’re having trouble but I’m here to help! And I thought I could help best by making a Givi blog that focuses on frequently asked questions when it comes to all things Givi that we sell at Ghostbikes.com. Givi do a lot of different products from luggage to smaller bike accessories, which is a bit much to shove all of it into one post. So I’ll split the blog into several parts and this blog post will act as a hub between them.

Click the links to the different blog parts below in accordance with what your issue may be-

Givi Keys and Locks [For your troubles with keys and locks]

Givi Luggage [Top Cases/ Panniers/ Tank Bags etc.]

Givi Racking [For everything to do with fitting your Givi Luggage to your bike.]

Givi Accessories [For everything from Sat Nav holders to bar muffs.]

Givi General Questions [For everything else.]

If you can’t find a section that applies to your question or you can’t find an answer to your troubles- please send me your question as a comment so I can get back to you. If I don’t know the answer- I’ll find out!

Having Trouble with Givi Keys?

April 3, 2017

Every now and then we’ll get customers who are having trouble with their Givi products regarding keys. In some cases the customer has bought several Givi products and have too many different keys. Some people have lost keys and have too few. Perhaps you have a broken lock or a twisted key? Need a replacement? No matter the case, I thought I’d write a blog to help out and give people a better idea of what they should do about these problems by making a sort of FAQ.

Q- I have several Givi Luggage products and I have too many keys. Can I change the locks so that they all take the same key?
A- Actually, yes you can. You can purchase new Givi lock and barrel kits so that you can change them on all of your Givi products to use the same set of keys. They come in packs of two, three and five, so you can have as many as five Givi cases that all operate on the same key.

Q- I have lost my keys for my Givi case, is there anything I can do?
A- Don’t panic, there is something that can be done. If you can get the 3 digit number off the barrel. If it’s locked shut and you have no keys, you may need to have a locksmith jimmy it open for you. Once you have the three digit number off the barrel you can contact Givi and they may have a key with the same code. There is no guarantee that they will send you one though- Givi can’t officially sell keys by number for security reasons but it’s still worth an ask. If they do send you one, you may also want to ask them to include a blank key with it, so that if the first key works you can have the blank key cut the same. Alternatively, if you get the case/s open, you can just replace the locks and barrels with a kit instead. Or you can try using a sharp 8mm drill at a slow speed and drill the lock out slowly- but of course I’m not officially allowed to condone this. Plus you’ll kick yourself for it if you end up finding those lost keys.

Q- The barrel on my lock is broken. What can I do?
A- I’m sorry, friend, the only thing you can do now is replace it. If the lock is broken in such a way that it is jammed closed then you can maybe try asking a locksmith to work their magic. Or maybe try drilling it out using a sharp 8mm drill at a slow speed and go through, drilling the lock out gradually but of course, I’m not allowed to say “You should do this” officially. So only even consider it as an absolute last resort.

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