Flying with motorcycling gear
I'm planning a trip to recover a motorcycle from a distant city. The ideal trip would be flying to that location and coming back riding the bike, but that would require me to transport my riding gear with me in the plane: Leathers, boots, gloves, back protector and crash helmet.
All this is bulky and expensive stuff, and a crash helmet may be damaged if dropped or hit hard.
I don't expect any airline to allow me a crash helmet as hand luggage; and wearing it all the time is out of the question :-)
To complicate things, I would be coming back riding the bike, so any hard suitcase would have to be left behind.
How do people normally transport that kind of stuff?
Best Answer
You can use a soft duffel bag, that can be folded up and strapped on top of your gear when riding the motorcycle. They are usually more durable than a cardboard box and avoid the shipping hassles of a hard sided suitcase.
You can pack your helmet in the middle surrounded by other pieces of your riding clothes. Stuff some street clothes or tshirts, etc inside the helmet, then wrap it with your riding jacket and place it with other clothing on top and below in the middle of the duffel. I've carried bottles of wine wrapped thusly in my duffels and had them survive just fine.
When picking a duffel to use, layout your gear to get an idea of volume then buy a duffel that size, not larger. A duffel that is completely full is fairly rigid, but if there is empty space is gets quit floppy. If it isn't quite rigid enough when you are packed or you are still a bit concerned about damage, you can always cut some pieces of cardboard that are the same length and width of the duffel, then slide them in around the outside.
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HOW TO CARRY HELMET on FLIGHT for International Motorcycle Trips
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Answer 2
You can pack your gear in a cardboard shipping carton and check that. Call the airport to see if there are any special requirements for checking such packages.
Answer 3
Every airport is different. I carried mine on the plane through Gatwick going to ride in Cuba - no problem , but at Havana Airport on the way back they took it off me. Didn't have time to take it back to check in, so they had it. It was a £350 Schuberth so I wasn't very happy
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