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General opinion on riding with backpack?

Afan

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I would like to know what's the general opinion on riding with backpack?
I personally think it's bad idea and could be very dangerous.

I know there are "specialized" backpacks for bikers, but still...

Your opinion?

EDIT (2020-11-13)
Yes, I agree with the most of the comments that riding with the backpack could be somehow dangerous, more often uncomfortable. But I also realized that my question wasn't clear at all: when I mentioned that ".. riding with a backpack could be very dangerous..." , I ment in an event of having an accident when a rider falls off the bike on the backpack, when the backpack happens to be between the rider and the surface.

Here are couple of thought from other people, to explain better my question:
"... If a rider falls, the pack can catch and twist the spine, or the objects in the pack can cause damage..."

"... Any backpack can be a spine breaker in an accident. It depends on the impact. Think of a length of chain or poly pipe and how these bend when thrown onto anything other than a flat surface. The chain bends and conforms to the shape of whatever it hits. Your spine does the same in some impact types but if there’s a backpack in the way the bits above and below the backpack keep moving and the rest travels a shorter distance. A full length back protector is an essential if you want to carry a backpack..."

"... The reason why backpacks are considered a safety issue is because when you fall, things are more likely to catch. Instead of sliding to a stop on your back, there is a greater chance that you will start flipping over. And when you start to tumble, that is when bones get broken.

"... , and having your head off the ground when you hit so it whiplashes down into the ground can't be a good thing..."
 
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I have a Camelbak and bladder and a smaller pack and bladder for travel. I figure, if you are going to travel during covid, having your own water is a good idea. Both packs have room for a few things, besides the water bladder. But I intend the water to be the only thing of any weight in it.
 
I've used a Ogio 1950 backpack on short trips, up to 1,500 miles, on my old Sportster . No worries about getting ripped off during a restaurant stop. The backpack gave me no problems and I'd do it again when needed.
 
I have a Camelbak and bladder and a smaller pack and bladder for travel. I figure, if you are going to travel during covid, having your own water is a good idea. Both packs have room for a few things, besides the water bladder. But I intend the water to be the only thing of any weight in it.

Right. I have to correct myself, I use camel back too. But I don't think it can harm me in case I have an accident and fell on top of it...
 
Ditto on riding with a camelback. In hot weather I ride with the camelback full of water. When riding on the dual sport motorcycle which lacks a frunk, the camelback is also used to carry a few small items.
 
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I only do it when I have to. That equates to riding my CRF250L. In an effort to avoid anything sticking out in the wind on that low powered little bike, all my luggage is in a straight line. Tank bag, rucksack and roll bag in line with the saddle for longer trips. However all the lightest stuff is in the rucksack other than the Camelback. Items such as specs, documents etc etc and it is never full. As such I hardly notice it most of the time.
 
I hate wearing a backpack. I’ve done it before out of necessity. It’s hot here, and a backpack simply cuts off all air and makes a nasty, unpleasant mess of heat and sweat. Then there’s the matter of whatever is in the backpack causing more harm than what would otherwise occur in a crash.

I have a drink system as part of my jacket, and I don’t even like to have that in place for most of the year. The sun + air heat up the water shockingly quickly, such that it’s kinda worse than not having water.

In our winters, I don’t have the heat-related problems listed above. At that point it’s just the question of safety (unknown or un-quantified to me) and hanging weight on my body instead of putting it (lower) on the bike.
 
ditto on the camelback though I prefer to attach it to the Dale passenger seat plate. Have also carried my laptop bag when my topbox was full of other stuff. I'm more afraid of vehicles, landing on a curb, etc than what was in the bag.
 
I have done it for years on my CBR and later on my NC. Never had any problems with it as long as it is secured properly. Always had the armstraps connected to each other so that the weight did not shift from side to side.

It's not really ideal though. In the summer it traps the heat more and with a three day trip I did to Luxembourg with temperatures of around 30 degrees centigrade. You can imagine how sweaty I was after a day's ride. Having all that weight on the shoulders is also killing after 2 days of riding.

If I need to go to somewhere quick I still do it, but if I get the chance I use my 45 liter topcase and put the bag into it.
 
Not dangerous at all, but sucks in my opinion. There's nothing like on-bike storage instead of a backpack. Every time you get on and off, you are wearing the backpack. More weight on your shoulders, sucks after a while. I've ridden a lot with a backpack back in my sportbike days. Do not miss it a bit.
 
I question the danger part. I mean, sure, if this, then that, and you run into a thing a certain way, it may become an entanglement. The same points are made about why some people don't want to wear a seatbelt. To your actual point/question, all of my scooters and motorcycles have top cases in addition to their native storage. So it's rare that I wear a backpack while riding. But I do on occasion, and the only real consideration is comfort. As noted, it can make for sweaty backside, as well as sore shoulders.
 
At 70+ I've learned to give a little forethought before doing and while doing anything.
A backpack is carrying a high CG-load flailing in dirty air and more tiring to 'wear'. I've bungee strapped many things to my body, however, on short hops.

Elmo has proven to be quite a good load carrier; a short hop 5 gallon can of diesel for example.
The road kill was very sad.
 

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A guy I formerly worked with fell of his bike in the works car park - in his rucksack was a can of coca cola - the can impailed itself in his back - poor guy is now a paraplegic in a wheelchair
 
A guy I formerly worked with fell of his bike in the works car park - in his rucksack was a can of coca cola - the can impailed itself in his back - poor guy is now a paraplegic in a wheelchair

This was my question about. Falling off the bike on your backpack. Not if the riding with a backpack is dangerous.
 
I tried using a backpack on a long trip but took it off after 100 miles on that ride and strapped it to the rear seat. I attached an extension tube that was covered with foam insulation to keep the water in the line from heating up.
 
I wore a backpack on my commute to and from work (100 miles round trip). The backpack was what I took with me in my truck to make sure that I didn't forget anything. There really is not a big difference in the ride, (imo) the pack mostly rested on the pillion seat. Do I prefer to ride without? Yea, I feel a little freer without the pack. As for safer if I fall off? As Sully said, if, then, what? The only time I've fallen off while wearing a backpack the pack got destroyed but I was fine so the pack probably saved me some road rash. The pack I use now has a waist belt and a chest strap that (hopefully) will keep it from moving and a tear resistant padded back that should help keep the clipboard from coming through it. So is it safer than not wearing one? I doubt it but I also doubt the difference is enough to worry about. I've heard arguments that the top box is more dangerous, so is leaving your house.
 
Walking can be dangerous. Living can be dangerous.
YOU are really over thinking this.
IF you think you shouldnt wear a backpack - then dont!

My thoughts exactly. Don't ride a motorcycle and you don't have to worry about falling off of one. Humorous to see threads like these continue to get hashed out from everyone's opinions. No one size fits all opinion for things like this. You either want to wear a backpack for whatever reasons are important to you, or you don't, for whatever reasons are important to you to not wear one. Doesn't get much simpler than that.

BUT.....while we're here, I will tell a funny backpack story. I had a cheapo walmart backpack back I used to use when going on trips on my CBR900RR back when I was a teenager. Was on the way home from Deals Gap riding with 2 buddies, one on a GSXR 600 and the other on a GSXR 1000. On the way home we were on a long stretch of interstate and they took off, so I did too. I leaned down on the tank and romped on it. Once I hit around 150mph, backpack exploded from vacuum of wind going over top of me, and all my junk inside scattered alongside of the interstate. Didn't lose anything of real value, was most pissed about losing the disposable camera that I'd taken with me to Deal's Gap, as I believe that was my first trip there. Good times. LOL
 
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