OBR ADV Gear - 2016

Looking for a simple solution to carry extra fuel? ... throw a bottle ... or two into a set of our OBR ADV Gear Enduro Saddlebags. The Enduro Saddlebags give you a full 10l of storage ... plenty for up to two (2) 32oz bottles! ... and for only $99.00 plus S/H

email obradvgear@gmail.com

 

Spring is closing in fast with prime riding weather just around the bend ... check out obradvgear if you have been contemplating some rackless luggage for this next adventure season!

 

Enduro on Saturday, Adventure on Sunday with OBR ADV Gear 38l Saddlebags. In stock and ready to ship!



email - obradvgear@gmail.com

 

One fact holds true ... we can't control the weather. OBR ADV Gear 3/4 Grip Mitts don't just shield your hands from frigid wind chill ... they also help keep them dry when rain crosses your path

(Cool rainy pic supposed to be here, but would not post)

OBR ADV Gear

 

Flat Hooks!



Flat hooks .... keep your fender bag attached and also secure your saddlebag system if not anchoring to a rear rack ... both of these functions are critical to rider safety, not to mention that we also like all of our gear to be present when we make camp at the end of the day. This is why we use the robust flat hooks that we have selected ... are they heavy duty? ... yep, but they also have a wide engagement that securely grabs the edges of the most robust front and rear fenders!

 

Another batch of our Tool Pouches finished and ready to ship! ... our Tool Pouch is a great solution if you're looking for a way to secure and store those loose items. For example I store a folding saw, tire irons, a trail stand used to support the bike when removing the front/rear wheel, and a manual tire inflation pump all in a single Tool Pouch. Kept simple and affordable at $15.00

 

Don't forget that we also have tank bags! ... our mid sized High Basin is constructed from bomber 1680d Ballistic Nylon and features a spacious main compartment with two detachable pockets for either maps or other extended items you might want to keep easily accessible. The bags trapazoid shape lends to a better rider/bag interface on the bike minimizing that sensation of riding up next to a square block!

OBR ADV Gear High Basin



Set Up with the detachable map pocket for obvious full size folded maps, phones, etc -



and with the detachable gear pocket great for wallets, keys, phones, snack bars, etc-



www.obradvgear.com

obradvgear@gmail.com

 

38l Adventure Saddlebags strapped up and ready for a day ride ... no problem riding high and tight until you need to shed a layer and throw in a jacket.

 

Still here and working to resolve the photobucket image issue. I'm transitioning to Google Photo which seems to work for now .... photobucket has recently required a paid membership to third party share photos ... this in itself is reasonable. Whats not reasonable IMO is that they want 500.00 yr.

For more info please go to my website www.obradvgear.com or email obradvgear@gmail.com

 

Hmmmm .... photobucket images seem to still be live in PNWRiders? ... anyway I've had to recreate my existence in other forums, so I might as well post here as well ....

 

From my youth I have always enjoyed spending time in the outdoors. From skiing and snowmobiling to more fair weather activities such as fishing, hiking, car camping, backpacking, road cycling, and mountain biking, I was always outside. The outdoors offered a sense of clarity and an escape from the chaotic ruts we tend to drift into through our daily routines.



My interest in the culture of two wheels has always been one of my strongest. I used to take off for rides on one of my bicycles in search of remote and secluded locations where my destination would typically offer up high elevation views of successive waves of mountain ridgelines. The freedom of the bicycle solidified an obsession that flowed stronger through my veins the more I rode. For me it was about both the ride and the destination.

 

Moving to Idaho back in 1992 was a blessing. Idaho’s vast open space and miles of trail that never seemed to end provided a perfect back drop to get lost in. Yet again a perfect catalyst for such a yearning outdoor lifestyle. It didn’t matter what I found myself doing …Idaho was the place and had the open space.



It wasn’t until my early thirties before I purchased my first motorcycle, a 1995 Suzuki RM 250. Riding under the tutelage of some seasoned desert racers they taught me the basic survival skills of twisting a throttle and exposed me to the vast amount of country that one can cover in a relatively short period of time. Desert Sage soon turned into Pines and I once again found myself in search of that open space and those vast high mountain ridges.

Kane Creek



Railroad Ridge

 

The progression continued, now with a Honda XR 400 when I discovered the magic of bolting a license plate to my bike accompanied by the minimum kit to be street legal, at least here in Idaho. First it was to connect trail heads from my doorstep and then to connect trail heads to trail heads as I expanded the reach of my new found freedom.

Kirkum Ridge



The thought of camping from the bike hadn’t really crossed my mind yet. I believe it was time spent (probably during the winter months) reading through the many posted ride reports of summer time adventure and country covered. Those ride reports would take me from the cold winter moment and back into the high country and in some cases to areas I was quite familiar. The seed of Motorcycle Camping or as I like to call it Enduro Touring was now officially planted in my head.

Headed East

 

As I started to contemplate what gear would be the required kit for minimalistic two wheeled travel I defaulted to my back ground in camping and backpacking. Most of the items found on my list already resided in my camp box bringing the next obvious question of how would I carry my gear? I had been utilizing a selection of small backpacks for my time trail riding, but the concept of letting the bike carry the bulk seemed to make more sense. Research of existing products already on the market revealed a few very good options with some requiring side racks, some not, and all have a diverse list of features.



With present information, and a more modern Suzuki DRZ 400 I had decided that I still wanted my bike to function as an Enduro when not in Dual Sport mode. This decision lead me to look for a bag concept that did not require a rack support system and was easily removable from the bike. COG was paramount and the versatility to simply and quickly remove the saddlebags from the bike after that days chosen riding really made sense.

 

For the past 25 years I have been working both manufacturing and design within the outdoor industry. This experience has exposed me to differing approaches and theory to creative design and it’s relation to production feasibility. I’ve learned that design needs to maintain a balance between value add functionality and simple flair, all cost money to produce, but not all provides value recognized at the consumer price level.



I convinced myself that I should just make my own luggage. In doing so I would be in control of the design(s) and could keep the luggage simple with functionality as a focus minimizing cost. My intent was to design the bags for myself as I would use them. This decision prompted my next step to purchase a couple of light industrial sewing machines. The more that I thought about it I realized that having long time exposure to a lengthy list of outdoor material and component vendors made the idea even more viable and obtainable.

 

Looks like Fall is here .... increase the effectiveness of your grip warmers by adding a set of OBR ADV Gear Grip Mitts

Designed for both Enduro and ADV motorcycles using full wrap hand guards ....



Open pocket design keeps access easy and unrestricted ....



Increased coverage design helps to protect from that negative pressure swirl common with basic flat shields ....



www.obradvgear.com

obradvgear@gmail.com

 

I first needed to recognize that saddlebags are nothing new … people have been slinging bags over animals and machine for decades. The primary differences between brands being in creative detail. Some have focused on simple and others again along the extravagant. Some designs ride farther back on the sub-frame whereas others ride more over the rear edge of the seat and angle forward. The latter IMO being the preferred as it helps to centralize the load for improved stability and control, but in a compromise in capacity.



My focus for my first set was of simplicity. I had a trip planned and I wanted a single piece platform with easy access compartments, flat upper profile that would make strapping a tent and dry bag an easy affair, and most importantly keeping the load centralized vs hanging way off the back of the bike. It was important to maintain the best COG as possible. Doing so would equate to better bike performance that ultimately would help to minimize rider fatigue by days end.

 

Design selection, no matter how basic or complicated can be one of the most arduous tasks. You think you have it all figured out, but time and time again your mind is changed. I spun around differing concepts and how the angles interfaced with the geometry of my DRZ. I wanted these bags to obviously fit my current bike and the next. My rough target was something between 35-40l. I chose a depth of 8 in that narrowed me down to approx. 38l. I figured this would be a good capacity that would allow me to carry most all necessities for a multi-day ride while at the same time being small enough to force me to not over pack. Time to cut some templates.

 

"Wind-chill or windchill, (popularly wind chill factor) is the perceived decrease in air temperature felt by the body on exposed skin due to the flow of air"



Riding on a 40 deg day with winds of 35 mph can produce a windchill of 28 deg .... that can make for some chilly fingers! ... so how do you combat wind chill? ... I believe with redundancy ... (1) an appropriate pair of gloves, (2) some grip heaters, and (3) a set of my 3/4 Grip Mitts.

Our 3/4 Grip Mitts essentially disrupt the air flow and create a pocket for your hands. I find that I'm able to continue riding late into the season with my standard gloves, which allows positive feel over my controls. On colder days I use in conjunction with my heaters .....

Our 3/4 Grip Mitts are in stock and ready to ship.

www.obradvgear.com
obradvgear@gmail.com

 

With the first sample now cut I needed to focus on the sewing/assembly process. The first iteration consisted of a true saddlebag in that it had the two described side compartments integrated with a sling or cradle panel that would suspend over the seat and sub-frame. Zipper covers would provide enough dust and water protection consistent with the dryer riding conditions mostly experienced here in the Idaho back country. Materials selected for this sample would be an 18oz PVC coated polyester …. Side curtain material similar to that of long haul freight trucks trailer covers. Good enough for freeway use should be good enough for a dual sport application.



Assembly was straight forward for a cut and sew application. Registrations aligned as the bags came together resembling their intended forms. Test fitting to the bikes confirmed that our initial measurements were spot on with all anchoring points being right where we needed them. The bags anchored to the bikes easily and without play. Next is to load up and take a trip!