What are some good tips for tramping on a motorcycle?

[Raleslicr]

My father is letting me use his motorcycle for an indefinite amount of time. It feels very weird having wheels, I hitchhiked and hopped freight for the past year. Its excited too because of the possibilities. I live outside a national park and I like to explore. I would like to be able to travel with my gear as well as some extras for when I plant my feet somewhere else, but I want to freedom to explore-build a packout at the bike and hike into the mountains while still leaving the bike and its contents safe, or, even when going into the grocery store, how would I keep the gear safe? I have 2 boxes on the side that lock and I was going to keep more valueable things in there but I still wouldnt want my clothes or a backpack getting lifted.. I dont have a lot of money to ball out, my only other option would be to leave my shit with my situation right now and come back for it later but Id really prefer not to.

I can drive into the woods if it looks legit
I can find good places to camp at night with the bike

my concern is security when I am away

im super stoked with the possibilities this thing offers!

 

[Rummy0809]

Having locked saddlebags definitely helps prevent pilfering when you’re in stores or out and about. Having the items out of sight and in a locked box/bag makes them less likely to be taken than if they were sitting on a passenger seat in my opinion. Though It may be worth considering if you’d rather replace some clothes and stuff or your fathers fancy lockboxes. Anything too valuable to leave on the bike and too heavy to carry with you is probably better left at home.
Keep in mind bikes are at a higher risk of theft than cars. A thief can just roll it into a truck or van and drive off. A $30 brake lock (google it) might be able to buy some piece of mind. An alarm system might also be worth looking into if you don’t have one, some can be found for around $20.
In my opinion your best bet would be to stick by the bike most of the time, especially at night, but you should be alright to leave it for a short while during the day to go explore. Feel out the situation.
As far as “riding out into the woods”, there are many logging and service roads in national forests and parks that are seldom traveled except for the occasional service worker or camper. Camping on the side of these roads or parking there and camping nearby is almost always allowed or tolerated (from my experiences and research. Your mileage may vary.)
This is all just my .02, I’ve never traveled by motorcycle but I have certainly entertained the idea.
Good luck!

 

[Groundscore]

The best you can do is deter theft. Small locks, cable locks, etc. Those will stop the typical grab and run thief, which most are. Obviously, those are easily defeated by even the smallest pair of bolt cutters, or oftentimes wire cutters, etc. For a while I had a cable lock with a battery-operated loud alarm. That provided an extra sense of security.

Hard bags are good; soft ones are easy to cut with a knife, but again, most thieves are just looking for something quick and easy to lift. More straps can help to deter a grab and run type; the downside is it will take you longer to remove your gear. Keeping anything valuable out of sight is important. Keep valuables on you if you can. Make sure you use the factory steering lock if your MC has one. If not, get something that will keep someone from simply being able to roll your bike away.

Park where everyone can see the motorcycle. Unless you are in gangland most people won't steal something off a bike where others are walking around in broad daylight. If you're leaving the MC overnight somewhere consider a cover. A tarp will work if you don't mind the extra bulk, they are cheap and look tacky, which provides a level of "it's not worth stealing." -- Just be sure everything is completely cool to the touch before covering it, as you'll end up with melted goo all over at best, at worst everything could go up in flames.

Again, sadly the best thing you can do is deter theft. Make things look shabby and hard to just grab and go and it will deter 99% of people. The other 1% won't be possible to stop no matter what you do.