Computers On The Road

[StillJustJerry]

Do you take a computer with you on the bike when you travel? Any special precautions or location that you use to minimize the chance of damaging it?

[Steve_R]

I travel on my LT for work. A laptop is my primary work tool for my job, so it goes along with me in a small Targus padded laptop bag. Clicky Clicky (http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=TXL417)

[hoog62]

I have a Toshiba Satellite with tens of thousands of miles in the topcase of the LT. I carried it a backpack with a laptop "sling", laid on edge. Never a problem.

[kellenbenz]

On my long trips, I carry an averatec 12" laptop that I have in a memory foam sleve. It fits easily in the topcase. After 10' of thousands of miles it is still like new.

This is not the exact sleve that I use but it is very similar:

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/7172/lap-43/Ziotek_Memory_Foam_Notebook_Sleeve_-_15in_141_0656.html

HTH,

Ron

[katnapinn]

I've carried my Mac for thousands of miles in the topcase with no trouble. Just make sure you have a "GOOD" padded case

[Moot]

See thread "Where Should it be Stowed" from July of this year for more comments. Seems like no one has had a problem.

[brettb10]

I place my dell in my topcase,inside RKA luggage....padded with boxers and socks (clean)

[XMagnaRider]

Do you take a computer with you on the bike when you travel? Any special precautions or location that you use to minimize the chance of damaging it?
I commute every day with a laptop. I have ridden with laptops on motorcycles since laptops were available. So far, no problems.

Get a laptop case that will protect your laptop from a fall from the parked motorcycle seat to hard concrete. It will happen to you someday. The cases that I recommend have a heavily padded inner section specifically for the laptop, with additional padded protection from the outer case itself.

My last two cases have been Brenthaven Pro backpacks. (When I bought a new 17 inch one last March, I had to search really hard to find the old model with the removable sleeve. I don't like the current model as well.) I used the 15 inch one for many years with multiple laptops. No problems.

I use a 49 liter BMW top case to hold the 17 inch laptop in its Brenthaven case. It is the only BMW case that fits. It was also the only BMW case that fit my previous 15 inch laptop. The side cases were too small for my 15 inch laptop.

Perhaps you have a laptop that is small enough to fit in a side case (in its own briefcase or backpack).

Before, I had a briefcase-style case, and would bungie net it to the passenger seat and backrest on my old Honda Magna. I never had any problems, but you must make sure that the bungie net is tight without damaging the laptop. Also check the bungie net to make sure that its elastic is good. The elastic wears out and must be replaced from time to time. The laptop case protects the laptop screen from damage by the tight bungie net and from bumps on the road.

Depending on how your laptop is constructed, you may need a specially made fabric insert to protect the screen from the keyboard. If they are pressed together tightly, the keys may rub and leave a "buffed" imprint on the screen. The screen is usable, but the buff marks are annoying.

I have also worn a backpack with the laptop inside. It is uncomfortable, and I don't like the way it constrains my riding ability. It has one major advantage: it adds considerable isolation from road shocks.

[JATownsend]

I always travel with my 15" Mac, and I'll second the sterling endorsement of the Brenthaven cases. They have rigid fronts and backs and are nicely padded on the sides and the inside. It travels vertically in the topcase, with its hinged side down. No problems, no issues! :D

[grifscoots]

iPhone is all I need. Fact is, I'm using it right now from a hotel in NYC.... get a rope.

[Jim]

Or you can do this...

http://boatworker.smugmug.com/photos/252248801_CEaJv-M.jpg


http://boatworker.smugmug.com/photos/252248973_i3tuH-M.jpg

http://boatworker.smugmug.com/photos/252249109_PMhyK-M.jpg

[eljeffe]

I used to take a laptop everywhere. Now I just take the iPhone.

[DavidTaylor]

I haul around a work laptop when I commute and my personal one when I travel on the bike. I just stick them in the trunk on a laptop bag and go. Haven't had an issue yet, and my personal laptop probably has about 9000 miles on it on the bike over the last 4 years.

[rkimmel2]

Do you take a computer with you on the bike when you travel? Any special precautions or location that you use to minimize the chance of damaging it?

Never tour without one. The last trip, I stopped at a hotel and was given a price of $90 for the night. I went out to the parking lot and using that hotel's wireless went online and made a reservation there for $49 that night. The desk clerk was shocked when I walked through the lobby with a big grin on my face.

[jayjacobson]

Yeah i can vouch for both the L/T's with a traditional HD and the new solid state HD's. Solid state supposed to be even more durable the regular.

[grifscoots]

I saw one of them Mac Air's yesterday. Man, that thang is saweeet! Thin as Twiggy and solid state, no moving HD.

[XMagnaRider]

I saw one of them Mac Air's yesterday. Man, that thang is saweeet! Thin as Twiggy and solid state, no moving HD.
They are sweet. By the way, there are two versions of the Air - one with an 80 Gb "moving" hard disk drive, and one with a 64 Gb solid state drive (flash memory, no moving parts). The version with the solid state HD costs only $800 more. :eek:

In over 15 years of carrying laptops on a motorcycle, I have never had a hard drive fail. Even though I try to take good care of them, they still go through a lot of punishment from heavy use and the bumps of being on a motorcycle.

(And yes, I realize that a hard drive failure can happen at any time from normal use. That's why good backups are so important.)

[kmdovie]

Or you can do this...

http://boatworker.smugmug.com/photos/252248801_CEaJv-M.jpg


http://boatworker.smugmug.com/photos/252248973_i3tuH-M.jpg

http://boatworker.smugmug.com/photos/252249109_PMhyK-M.jpg

what type of tank bag is that??? is it on an LT??? thanks.. kirk

[Jim]

what type of tank bag is that??? is it on an LT??? thanks.. kirk

It's a Marsee on a 1150 GS

[Deek]

Do you take a computer with you on the bike when you travel? Any special precautions or location that you use to minimize the chance of damaging it?

I carry a laptop on most of my tours. I use either a dedicated neoprene "sleeve" like THIS (http://cgi.ebay.com/Bag-Tucano-Sleeve-14-1-Laptop-Case-Red-BF-M-141-R_W0QQitemZ230280797416QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item230280797416&_trkparms=72%3A570|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&timeout=1218717244698) or I just wrap it up in my clothes in a top case.

Never had any problems, although a March or two ago I was riding where it was very cold, and when I arrived at the motel and tried to connect to the internet I thought the laptop had died! It was taking too long to boot up, so I shut it down and had dinner instead. It booted fine an hour later. I believe it was just too cold the on the first boot attempt.

[Nebish]

I used to travel with a Lenovo 14" laptop until I discovered the Asus EEE PC.

At less than 2 lbs in weight and a 7" screen, with a solid state hard drive, I can surf the web, check and respond to e-mail, use Skype (bundled) and create and read all Microsoft Office documents, XL spreadsheets, Power Point files, PDF files (read only) and just about anything else I need to do on the road. At $400 bucks, with a tiny footprint, it is perfect for my needs.

The build quality is not the greatest and the 'chicklet' key keyboard, reminiscent of the IBM's PS2 computers would inhibit me from writing my 900 page novel.

It is light enough and small enough to stow anywhere such that I routinely take with me into McDonalds or other fine (?) dining establishment or Starbucks to get caught up while I am on the road.