Tusk rackless luggage

[Twist]

Does anyone here have experience with the Tusk reckless luggage systems? Specifically I'm looking at hauling my camping gear and traveling kit on my little bike, a Yamaha XT250 and I'l looking at the newer Tusk Highland X2 system. I'm wondering if this system is going to be too big to fit properly on this little bike and what kind of quality/durability I can expect out of it.

Thanks!

BTW, the reason I'm asking is that I'm thinking of taking my daughters XT250 down to N. Georgia with me in November to ride the new Chattahoochee BDRx. We're looking at it as a 2 - 3 day ride and camping along the way. If I can't come up with an effective luggage solution for it I'll probably take my GS but I'd really love to see how this little bike does hauling me and load around in the woods.

Bucho has kind of inspired me after reading about him taking his TW200 out for some riding out west.

[Bucho]

Bucho has kind of inspired me after reading about him taking his TW200 out for some riding out west.

Im glad to hear you are interested in trying the smaller bike! Its certainly different. It helps keep you on smaller/slower roads.

I hope you can find a luggage system that works.

[Twist]

I went ahead and ordered the Tusk reckless luggage and I'll post up how that works out for me. I'm leaving next weekend to head south with the XT250 so I'm spending some time in the garage getting it sorted for that ride (i.e. USB charging, quad lock phone mount, luggage and suspension set up). I'm planning to go with my iPhone for track guidance for this trip and not going to fuss with a dedicated GPS mount. I've used the MapOut app on my iPhone for the PA Wilds BDR I did a few years ago with my daughter and it worked great.

We're planning on camping and my kit for that is a bit bulky so it'll be interesting to see if I can carry everything with the Tusk luggage. Several years ago I changed from a 2 person tent to a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 which is large enough for my double wide sleeping bag and air mattress. At the risk of sounding like a sissy pants, one of the best things I've ever done to make camping more pleasant has been to pack a big fluffy pillow in a compression sack and for cold weather camping I carry a USB powered heat blanket that goes in the sack with me. That stuff takes up a fair bit of space in a duffle but fortunately doesn't weigh much.

I'm sure my GS would be much more capable and comfortable for this 2-3 day ride but I'm really interested in how tackling this on a much smaller bike works for me.

[smdub]

I've read a lot of good things about the Tusk rackless. I have the Wolfman equivalent w/ the E base (KTM500 on KAT & VA DS trips) - before the Tusk version came out. Also have the Mosko reckless 80L(?) for the 701 (NEBDR). The issues I had w/ all those those rackless styles is the legs/bags vertically 'flop' if riding hard. The Mosko is better than the Wolfman in that respect. You can tie them forward but there is really nothing on a KTM style bike to tie them to in the down direction. You probably won't be hauling ass over rocks and getting air on a XT250 though ;) Invariably, what you want to get out is in the bottom of the Rollie style bag. Its a PITA to release all the compression straps, get what you need, repack, and recompress. Again, the firmer Mosko is much better in this regard. I've envied those on our trips w/ panniers which seem SOOO easy to dig into. The 890R came w/ soft Mosko paniers but can't talk anyone around here into doing somthing like the PA BDRx to try them out...

Nice tent! Several of us have the 'bikepacking' version w/ the short segment poles. Love it.

BA also makes a Deluxe Q-core inflatable pad that I scoffed at spending that kind of money on but I swear its more comfortable than my home bed. Amazing. (I bought the wider & extra long version becasue I'm tall and roll around a lot. Its a motocamping and not backpacking after all so whats a few extra grams.)

Have a Nemo Fillo pillow. Like it, not as big as a home pillow but packs down to the size of your fist. A compromise.

Kiddo is going on his first 3 day hike w/ the Scouts this weekend. I've been pulling all my bike camping gear out and introducing him to it. Titanium stove smaller than your thumb, Ti cup the stove and isobutane cyl fit into, etc. Ti 'spongs' by 'Full Winsor'. (awesomely clever! I was so DAMN impressed w/ that I bought their more minimalist 'The Muncher' just to support them but haven't really used that one yet. I think the spongs are actually called 'the splitter' but we like our portmanteau better ;) spork+tongs=spongs, get it? They missed a marketing opportuninity w/ that one IMO. The spork half is long enough to reach into Mountain House bags comfortably. Together the spongs kick ass for grilling anything. A friend found a chinese knockoff but they are a POS and he sent them back.)



They now make an optional hypalon case for them so they don't poke a hole in your waterproof/compression bags - buy it. Back when we did the NEBDR that didn't exist so I just fashioned a cardboard 'holster' for the business end to keep them less pokey. Have since bought the case.

[Twist]

I have another friend near DC that's wanting to do a fall ride so if the weather cooperates we may be looking at doing something the week after Thanksgiving. I really enjoyed the PA Wilds BDRx when I did it with my daughter a few years ago and would happily do it again. Let's keep in touch about it if you're interested.

[smdub]

I'm interested in the PA BDRx.

Looks like my amazon link didn't embed in my prior post?

[Bucho]

I went ahead and ordered the Tusk reckless luggage and I'll post up how that works out for me. I'm leaving next weekend to head south with the XT250 so I'm spending some time in the garage getting it sorted for that ride (i.e. USB charging, quad lock phone mount, luggage and suspension set up). I'm planning to go with my iPhone for track guidance for this trip and not going to fuss with a dedicated GPS mount. I've used the MapOut app on my iPhone for the PA Wilds BDR I did a few years ago with my daughter and it worked great.

We're planning on camping and my kit for that is a bit bulky so it'll be interesting to see if I can carry everything with the Tusk luggage. Several years ago I changed from a 2 person tent to a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 which is large enough for my double wide sleeping bag and air mattress. At the risk of sounding like a sissy pants, one of the best things I've ever done to make camping more pleasant has been to pack a big fluffy pillow in a compression sack and for cold weather camping I carry a USB powered heat blanket that goes in the sack with me. That stuff takes up a fair bit of space in a duffle but fortunately doesn't weigh much.

I'm sure my GS would be much more capable and comfortable for this 2-3 day ride but I'm really interested in how tackling this on a much smaller bike works for me.

You are doing this for fun, I think its ok to do extra things for some extra comfort. (Im generally only “camping” out of my van…)

[Twist]

The Tusk Highland X2 Rackless luggage was received and looks like pretty good quality stuff and mounts up pretty cleanly on the XT250.



That top rack dry bag is my entire camp site plus a few other things like a fleece for cold nights, etc. My camping gear is ultra-light backpacking stuff but still takes up some space as I use a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 tent and double wide bag and air mattress along with my big fluffy pillow even when all packed up in compression sacks. That big bag on the back of the little bike looks a little ridiculous but the Tusk system holds is very secure and it never moved around in 3 days of some pretty gnarly two-track and the one dirt nap.

Here's a little bit of video from my Africa Twin buddy that was following me through some mud holes:



It rained pretty hard from about midnight through about 10am the next day making a mess of wet leaves over loose rocks and hiding the ruts in places. What should have been a pretty easy ride was one that got your attention for the trickier bits like crossing through the rain swollen Tallulah River. I did that long water crossing a few years ago on my GS when it was just a few inches deep:



Nothing to it, right? We didn't get any video this time so you'll have to take my word for it - imagine coming from the opposite direction and riding up to see 4 - 5 guys on shiny big KTM adventure bikes standing around looking at the fast moving and rather deepish water ripping by with obvious trepidation in their minds about what might happen to their expensive bikes in that river. Since we'd crossed it before I judged it to be maybe 18-20" deep in spots but moving pretty fast. I sat there a minute hoping one of the KTM guys would test it but when it looked like they were waiting on the same thing from us I eased off down in to the river on my little bike and crossed it with no problem thus shaming the KTM guys, LOL. My buddy on the AT also crossed it with no real problem other than both of us exiting the river with boot fulls of water :)

I think this BDRx loop is a bit more challenging in spots than the Pennsylvania loop but it's hard to really say because of how wet and covered in leaves a lot of it was when we rode it last week. I'd love to go back in warmer and drier weather and give it another shot. It's just beautiful all through the woods there in North Georgia. One of the places we stopped for a break was on the Chatooga River Bull Sluice class V rapid spot where the movie Deliverance was filmed.

I'd have to say that the XT250 acquitted itself pretty well hauling me and my load through all of it with no problems. I started calling it "the little bike that could..." It would pull me along at 65 MPH on the paved bits and never had any trouble pulling slowly along over the gnarlier bits. It's a cool little bike that works great for my short legged daughter when she's out following me around in the woods.

[Bucho]

Nice. One of the best things about riding some small subpar bike like an XT250 or TW200 is doing as well or better than guys on way better bikes.

[Twist]

Nice. One of the best things about riding some small subpar bike like an XT250 or TW200 is doing as well or better than guys on way better bikes.

So how are you enjoying your new bike? That's got to be a lot of fun in places like Big Ben.