How do you mix Harley-Davidson & Canon?

Some of you are aware that I recently received an H-D UltraClassic Limited as a retirement present. After putting a few hundred miles on it this week, it occurs to me that I may like to take a camera with me from time to time. I would like some comments on how to pack my camera so it does not suffer from the bumps and vibrations of riding on a motorcycle.

I have a camera bag with a padded bottom, but it is small enough to roll around inside the tourpack. Should I wrap the camera in a towel before putting it in the bag. I can't really stuff the tourpack with padding, because I may want to carry other stuff, too. I will mostly be taking an old 5D, but may also carry some expensive glass like the 24mm IS, or 70-200 2.8. How does camera gear stand up to the bumps and vibrations of motorcycle travel? How do you pack your camera gear for your motorcycle? Thanks for your help.

Bubble wrap with larger (1" diameter) bubbles would be my choice to isolate a camera case from a relatively harsh ride. I wouldn't even consider hauling my camera case on a bike for an off-road journey, though.

SkipD wrote in post #16258594
Bubble wrap with larger (1" diameter) bubbles would be my choice to isolate a camera case from a relatively harsh ride. I wouldn't even consider hauling my camera case on a bike for an off-road journey, though.

Good idea. I can probably pick that up an office supply place.

I was thinking slab foam cut to measure, but that may be too bulky for you. You're wise to think of this, when I was younger and had a motorcycle, my wrist watch quit working. I took it in to a jeweler, who took it apart and asked me, "Do you ride a motorcycle?" Apparently the vibration broke a mount of some kind inside the watch....which he fixed and reinforced for the future.

Wallace River wrote in post #16258608
I was thinking slab foam....

A slab of very soft rubber foam could do well, but the typical semi-rigid styrofoam blocks (often molded to shapes) that you find in many packages of electronics and other breakable items is, in my opinion, way too hard (incompressible) to isolate something like a camera in a case from shock in a motorcycle saddle bag.

The molded styrofoam in packages keeps things from breaking during shipping mostly by making the items non-movable within the package.

The camera and lens can still move in a camera case, so the idea is to add a lot of soft padding around the case.

YashicaFX2 wrote in post #16258588
Some of you are aware that I recently received an H-D UltraClassic Limited as a retirement present. After putting a few hundred miles on it this week, it occurs to me that I may like to take a camera with me from time to time. I would like some comments on how to pack my camera so it does not suffer from the bumps and vibrations of riding on a motorcycle.

I have a camera bag with a padded bottom, but it is small enough to roll around inside the tourpack. Should I wrap the camera in a towel before putting it in the bag. I can't really stuff the tourpack with padding, because I may want to carry other stuff, too. I will mostly be taking an old 5D, but may also carry some expensive glass like the 24mm IS, or 70-200 2.8. How does camera gear stand up to the bumps and vibrations of motorcycle travel? How do you pack your camera gear for your motorcycle? Thanks for your help.

I saw that photo of the HD and all I can say is your wife is the best!

photography By Evangelos wrote in post #16258695
I saw that photo of the HD and all I can say is your wife is the best!

Yeah, pretty sure I'm keeping this one. If she can put up with me that is. We clicked off our 21st year last Thursday. So far, so very good!

I'm not normally a fan of wearing a backpack on my bike, but I make an exception for my camera kit which I carry in a Tamrac backpack. This way the camera is much more isolated from vibrations than it would be if it was mounted on the bike. Of course you then have to think about what happens to the camera if you come off the bike... but I figure I have bigger things to worry about in that situation!

YashicaFX2 wrote in post #16258588
Some of you are aware that I recently received an H-D UltraClassic Limited as a retirement present. After putting a few hundred miles on it this week, it occurs to me that I may like to take a camera with me from time to time. I would like some comments on how to pack my camera so it does not suffer from the bumps and vibrations of riding on a motorcycle.

I have a camera bag with a padded bottom, but it is small enough to roll around inside the tourpack. Should I wrap the camera in a towel before putting it in the bag. I can't really stuff the tourpack with padding, because I may want to carry other stuff, too. I will mostly be taking an old 5D, but may also carry some expensive glass like the 24mm IS, or 70-200 2.8. How does camera gear stand up to the bumps and vibrations of motorcycle travel? How do you pack your camera gear for your motorcycle? Thanks for your help.

Man I did not know next time invite me to the party LOL

An office supply place may only sell in a large roll. If that is the case you can probably get a small piece at a UPS Store or FedEx Kinko's.

I think your camera is tougher than you think but if you really want to be safe you could get a block of pick and pluck foam and mold it to your tourpack.

Mahgnillig wrote in post #16258940
I'm not normally a fan of wearing a backpack on my bike, but I make an exception for my camera kit which I carry in a Tamrac backpack. This way the camera is much more isolated from vibrations than it would be if it was mounted on the bike. Of course you then have to think about what happens to the camera if you come off the bike... but I figure I have bigger things to worry about in that situation!

I think OP is considering taking his great wife with him on the bike. A backpack would probably be out of the question.

I agree about the large bubble (~1"), bubble wrap

I have ridden in 41 states packing a dslr in the camera bag with the dividers holding the body close and maybe a sweat shirt under the bag. Cameras are pretty tough so I wouldn't be to concerned about all that wrapping. Been many times when I had to stop in a hurry for a shot only to pop the trunk and pull out the camera.

It really depends on the bike (Harley's shake a LOT) and the road.

Personally, I have dusted Sigma 70-200mm F/2.8 and 150-500mm lenses on long road trips (excess of 2000 miles) that included washboard and gravel sections but were mostly paved.

Both were in padded long lens cases, wrapped in clothing, in saddlebags. Damage done was jammed zoom and manual focus rings (though AF still worked).

The lesson I learned was either backpack to isolate from bike vibration and jarring or leave the expensive bits at home.

My current motorcycle kit is the EOS-M. Great quality, compact, low cost/low risk.

LoneRider wrote in post #16267596
It really depends on the bike (Harley's shake a LOT) and the road.

Personally, I have dusted Sigma 70-200mm F/2.8 and 150-500mm lenses on long road trips (excess of 2000 miles) that included washboard and gravel sections but were mostly paved.

Both were in padded long lens cases, wrapped in clothing, in saddlebags. Damage done was jammed zoom and manual focus rings (though AF still worked).

The lesson I learned was either backpack to isolate from bike vibration and jarring or leave the expensive bits at home.

My current motorcycle kit is the EOS-M. Great quality, compact, low cost/low risk.

I think that is great advice, even if my longest trip on the bike will likely be less than 100 miles, one way. If I am traveling 2,000 miles, I am flying. Jeez, I flew to Pittsburgh once and that is only about 450 miles. A P&S, (S100?) may be just the thing for bike travel. I can put it in my pocket. Done and done.