Framer's Racer Packbag

Last October I featured Farmer's Racer SR500 and his backpack plans.
Read the post here. 

Now some months later the first Farmer's Racer Packbags are ready and
I'm one of the lucky ones to test it. Got it last week and have been using
the bag every day since.
I think I can fairly say that 95 out of 100 days I'm riding, walking or
travelling with a backpack. The cool thing about this Packbag is that it
comes with two leather loops to attach the bag to your bike.

Just look at the pictures and you can see this is made with the best materials
and with eye for detail.

The Farmer's Racer Packbag is hand crafted in Sweden. It comes in
orange and Green and is hand made from 18oz Scottish waxed canvas.
Originally made to match the needs of early 19th centuty sailors, this
fabric has become the first choise of many weather beaten designs.
Farmer’s racer has choosen a 18oz canvas, taylor made by Halley
Stevensons in Scotland. The cloth weights in at remarcable 875 grams
per square meter when waxed and delivered to Sweden.
A material favoured for it’s water resistance and durability.

Since I got the bag the weather here has been fine, no rain or heavy wind
so I still have to find out how it will endure in bad weather conditions but
it looks the part. The bag is tailored from a single peace of canvas, supported
by a sheat of rubber – recycled from old car tyres.The leather details, sturdy
lining and heavy waxed canvas adds up to a bag with high future mileage.

The lid is kept close by five Dot fasteners. A quality construction
that will close the fold top without loose straps in the wind. It needs some
getting use to but it works perfect.

The first days I only used it as a bag pack. The Packbag comes complete
with two leather loops to attach the bag to the bike. This morning I fitted the
bag to frame of GR650 but as you can see in the pictures I need to make a
construction to mount the bag higher on the side of the Bike. This way it's touching
the exhaust. On my super 100 it fit's perfectly on the standard handrail. But
that's because on the left side I'm missing the rear blinker. Also on the Super I
need to make a construction to mount the bag on the right spot.

In the next weeks I will write some updates about the Packbag and check the
Farmer's Racer website for all the info you need.

Farmer's Racer SR500 redesign and backpack plans.

"After a little visit in the ditch in august, the bike was redesigned from cafe racer to tracker. More suitable for the poor roads in my neighbourhood. Both me and the bike seems to share oppinion regarding direction in a much easier way now.

Getting colder in Sweden – and this autumn has been rainy. The garage season is over, and farmer’s racer is moving to the winter residence – with a Singer 29K33. The plans for www.farmersracer.com is to start producing packbags for motorcycling and adventure. Prototypes will be designed and tested during the winter. 150 square meters of garage has to fit into a 20 square meters of office. A new / old machine has been purchased – able to sew up to 10 mm of stacked leather. After a small renovation and some adjustments of thread tension, the machine is not missing a stitch. Internet is the perfect archive when it comes to old manuals. This machine will be the centerpiece of 2013 production from farmer’s racer: hand (or foot) stitched packbags for adventure, farming and motorcycling."

Thanks Lars for the nice pictures and the Famer's Racer update.
Looking forward to see more.

Cheers,
 Lenny