Help!!
My 2004 ZX6R has absolutely zero carriage ability. I've bought a renntec rack, which stresses that you must NOT carry more than 2.5 kgs on it.... hmm, chocolate fireguard springs to mind....
However. Tent on rack, no problem. Bought a pair of oxford first time panniers to go over the seat, all my clothes fit in these ok. Tapered tailcone and no hooks anywhere is making it difficult to secure these, but that's the least of the worries. My bag with the stove, mattress,and other cooking equipment will sit across rear seat, obviously sitting on top of the panniers too. But the only, and i mean only, place to fasten this to, is the renntec rack. Now i know the weight of the bag (probably 15kgs) is on the seat, but i'm having to secure it to the rack, which at the back is only secured by 2 poxy 5mm screws. Also more bungees around the whole lot to hold sleeping bag on too. Don't want the paint to be rubbed away on the tail section by the bags and bungees either. Cover it in masking tape?
Any helpful suggestions gratefully received.
Except ' buy a zzr etc lol'! Not yet!                                                                                                                                                                             

your rack will carry a lot more , i have renntec on my bandit n it gets loaded up to the hilt wi no probs .   go to B&Q for a roll of anti-slip matting about £1.50 for 1m roll , bike shops sell anti-slip sheets 30cm squares if memory serves me right , stupid money at around £5 per sheet , n almost the same stuff as the B&Q roll                                                                                                                                                                              

I put my clothes in my throw-over panniers(and some beer), tent, cooking eqpt, sleeping bag, foil mat, pillow, chair and boots in a huge dry bag and strap that over the panniers, bungee-ing it down to my helmet bars and renntec rack. Then big self inflating mat goes on my rack. Cant see jack out of my mirrors, but who cares? I have eyes for that. All the little bits like chargers/make up/phone/fags/purse go in my mini tank bag. Although this weekend i may just have to take the big tank bag. I need a winch to get on and off like....but usually someone feels sorry for me and helps lol P.s I've got a CBR6                                                                                                                                                                             

Wallet in left pocket, V sponge in right pocket, change of undies under seat. Stop in a hotel. Easy!                                                                                                                                                                             

PM sent hon ...  will teach you lol 

woman, takes everything & has to carry it myself on the SV cos Ian wont lol                                                                                                                                                                             

 How about a ruck sack too graham

as a newbie rider and all that entails i want to do a weekend but this type of thing fills me with dread 1, i need to get the right eqipment. 2, how do you load it. And 3, can i ride ok with it all. head rush

                                                                                                                                                                             

i used to have the oxfors sportsbike panniers, they have zips to extend each side and you can get 24 cans in each side .... perfect !!! then a rucksack for everything else                                                                                                                                                                               

LOL , same as me Ian, I have offered to lend them to Graham, you can fit all from both the 1st time ones into 1 of the sports .. a lot better 

BC dont worry, build up to it if your not that confident, little at a time before you do the main run, I was worried too, having a sports bike & trying to carry a lot of stuff, but managed it no probs by building up, 4 months after my test doing 2 weeks round France fully loaded with luggage                                                                                                                                                                              

I just attach wheels to my wardrobe and hook that up to any unsuspecting bike....simples                                                                                                                                                                              

  bic chick, a tip to help with extra load is to carry your shopping on the bike, in a back pack and a cargo net for any things that won't fit in the back pack. It helps you with balance and you won't feel so daunted when it comes to travelling further with an extra load.   I did my shopping that way every week, the rear half of the seat held the weight off my back. I've just realised that this may not work so well if you have a sports bike / low down handle bars. My bike was a baby cruiser Honda CM (like the Yamaha SR) so it had a sitting up straight position.   As with most things practice makes perfect so it will get easier. Don't forget to adjust the tyre pressure, and mirrors, for a full load, if it applies to your bike that is.   Happy camping                                                                                                                                                                                 

thanks shell and sandi both good tips :)                                                                                                                                                                              

With reference to rucksacks and as with everything, it's your choice but just in case you haven't considered it...do bare in mind the potential for additional injuries in the event of an off.   I wouldn't like to land on my back onto a tin of beans or a camping stove.                                                                                                                                                                              

  Good advice Roachy. My back pack had armour in it, and, altho eccentric, I feel safer with one on and it helps keep my back straight which is more comfy than without it, for me.                                                                                                                                                                              

Pack heavy items first in panniers, keep the weight equal both sides. Lighter items go in backpacks.
                                                                                                                                                                             

one solution that ive heard of and may yet do is to get a spare back seat remove the padding and bolt a topbox onto it. the seat is designed to carry the weight of an adult so no probs with overloading and it just clips on and of as normal.It sounds good in theory and i may just give it a go as its prob quite cheap to do. And I def agree with Roachy re the rucksack.                                                                                                                                                                             

Pack all your camping gear cooker and kit in the boot of the car make sure you have your wallet in the inside pocket of your jacket smile nicely at her indoors pass her  map and car keys then say see you there darling

Get your self a nice big dry sack pack everything in and bungees to the back seat job done. I would also say NO to rucksacs                                                                                                                                                                              

  JP you should be covered in bruises by now, when Boss mom reads what you've put you'll be joining the dots.                                                                                                                                                                              

Hi all,
Well thank you for all the suggestions. I'm trying to steer away from using rucksacks, always have done in the past, but if i was to have an incident, they're not the greatest thing to be  digging into you. If i do this trip without one though, it'll be the first one i've done without one.
Plenty of room in what i've got, just the fastening it to the bike that's an issue. I will be going to b&q for some webbing fastjock, had read somewhere about that before but at least i know it's good info now.
Rear footpegs are the only other point to use, but being so far from the load don't help with stability, plus the bungees / straps whatever will be hard against the tail plastics. Can cover the areas with tape and webbing etc.
Just don't want a trail of my gubbins all the way down the m6 and m5!!
DC- yeah, i wanted to bring a chair, but hell where's that gonna go too!
BL - seems to me I'm taking way too much lol.
Geoff - if money wasn't an issue lol!! Nah, prefer to camp, but then a more suited bike wouldn;t go amiss.
Might end up on the zephyr yet lol.