Carry while motorcycling

[TorchRedTulsan]

Looking for ideas if there's a way to conceal carry in a fairly limited scope while riding my motorcycle. I want to be safe in the event of an off, so probably not hip carry and read that shoulder carry could break ribs/arm. I want to carry on body, not in a tank bag, backpack, or pannier. I want to carry in the manner that transitions to the rest of the day after getting to my destination, removing my jacket, etc, which I believe rules out my chest rig. Weapon is a Glock 43X. Any good options I'm not aware of or thinking of?

Worst case scenario I've come up with is to put it in my backpack and just go straight to a private area to put it in my normal IWB

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[The Heretic]

Common topic over on Adventure Rider forum

Consensus is, that if you don't want broken bones/joints are at least serious bruises (BTDT for both) then tank bag is the way to go. Just the facts man.

 

[cigars]

Any good IWB should do the trick, that's always what I did. My carry is a compact 45 with a Versacarry Zero Bulk IWB holster. It comes in different lengths depending how high you want the gun to ride above the waist band. The longest one will let the handle sit about flush.

 

[SHPD_Retired]

I know that this is not the perfect way to carry but I carry a Ruger LCP Max in my back pocket. I know if I come off of the bike that it may go somewhere that I don't want but that is just something I have to deal with. As to the damage to my body it could do, I feel that my butt is the best place to take any impact. There is no transitioning from riding to when you are off the bike.

 

[Stomper]

Looking for ideas if there's a way to conceal carry in a fairly limited scope while riding my motorcycle. I want to be safe in the event of an off, so probably not hip carry and read that shoulder carry could break ribs/arm. I want to carry on body, not in a tank bag, backpack, or pannier. I want to carry in the manner that transitions to the rest of the day after getting to my destination, removing my jacket, etc, which I believe rules out my chest rig. Weapon is a Glock 43X. Any good options I'm not aware of or thinking of?

Worst case scenario I've come up with is to put it in my backpack and just go straight to a private area to put it in my normal IWB

My EDC is a G43X, and I ride both street and single track enduro IWB at 3:30-ish. There is a risk with everything, the only "safest" option is to stay off the damned bikes altogether, LOL!

My two motor-scooters…

 

[nwslopoke]

Depends on the bike I ride. I have two. The Ducati Monster I don't carry on me because of the riding position. The Honda ST1300 I carry in the waistband the smallest pistol I have.

On either bike I can carry off person in a bag or backpack. If I want to carry a full size firearm it goes in the top case, usually on the Honda.

 

[Dirty Cary]

I ride a cbr 600 and carry a p938 in my front pocket, can't even tell it's there.

 

[teflon6string]

While fanny packs have long since been regarded as the zenith of fashion douchebaggery, I will say that mine (a nice sturdy black nylon job from last century) has come in handy on more than a few occasions. As a mountain bike rider since the early 80s, I've had every imaginable kind of crash and I have the scars to prove it. What I have never hit in any mishap is my abdomen. While that carry method is hardly handy for a quickdraw scenario (I'm not really in that camp anyway), there are times when I'd rather have a weapon with me (unchambered in this application) than not. I'm not saying this might work for anyone else because in all cases YMMV.

Back to motorcycles, my pal stacked up his Harley in Salem about 10 years ago and limped away with various scrapes, bumps and bruises. Note the grip and cylinder flute imprints from his S&W 642. OUCH!!!

 

[The Heretic]

I ride a cbr 600 and carry a p938 in my front pocket, can't even tell it's there.

You will KNOW it is there if you go down

Even with padding and other armor, going down on the road hurts - a lot - DAMHIK

Even off-road, going slow and with a lot more armor/padding, I've had my bell rung a few times

 

[The Heretic]

Back to motorcycles, my pal stacked up his Harley in Salem about 10 years ago and limped away with various scrapes, bumps and bruises. Note the grip and cylinder flute imprints from his S&W 642. OUCH!!!

View attachment 1203399

I've had more than one friend killed on motorcycles, and more put in the hospital - that was with armor & padding.

I don't carry ANYTHING hard on my person while riding - not keys, tools, knife or gun. That all goes in the tank bag. If I need to get to a gun, I can get to it just as quick from the tank bag as I can when it is beneath my riding jacket. Faster even in most cases.

 

[Member 53328]

IWB Appendix carry with a good holster and belt would be my suggestion.

 

[nwslopoke]

I've had more than one friend killed on motorcycles, and more put in the hospital - that was with armor & padding.

I don't carry ANYTHING hard on my person while riding - not keys, tools, knife or gun. That all goes in the tank bag. If I need to get to a gun, I can get to it just as quick from the tank bag as I can when it is beneath my riding jacket. Faster even in most cases.

The only thing is I don't like is transferring from a bag to my belt. I haven't had a issue yet and it's pretty rare but sooner or later...

 

[The Heretic]

The only thing is I don't like is transferring from a bag to my belt. I haven't had a issue yet and it's pretty rare but sooner or later...

I am assuming this is like when you ride to work? Or to the store? If you got a permit, then it shouldn't be that much of an issue if someone saw you do the transfer?

Maybe you could stop someplace more private to do the transfer?

Personally, I just don't carry concealed anymore, so such things are not an issue currently. When I did ride it was rarely an issue as the only time it would have been and issue would be at work, and I didn't bring my guns to work because they had no gun policies, plus at work it wouldn't have been an issue to take the tank bag inside, so...

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

My carry doesn't change when I'm on the bike. Iwb, 4 o'clock. Don't crash!

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

Come to think of it, I've crashed carrying a single six, owb, strong side. Section 5 of the OBDR near the Malheur forest. The trail was covered in downed trees, and I was doing the wheelie log hop thing. After 10 or so logs, I realized the trail hadn't seen any maintenance in a long time and it was time to turn around. One particular log got the better of me and I went down. Thankfully, it was a slow decent; the bike and I came out unscathed. No issues landing on the gun.

 

[The Heretic]

My carry doesn't change when I'm on the bike. Iwb, 4 o'clock. Don't crash!

I can't think of a bike I have owned where I haven't at least dropped it - even my Ducati went down - albeit at a smidgen over zero MPH when I put my leg into a depression. I've been down on the pavement at 80+ MPH and when I had a tank slapper in a corner and my body rolled across 4 lanes of traffic on I-90 on Mercer Island (fortunately it was a Saturday morning with almost no traffic) and I had bruises and road rash from head to toe from that crash.

Almost every time I rode off-road I "crashed" at least once, as I was always pushing to be able to conquer a trail or better my technique or get past/over/around some obstacle. Off-road it was always at a slow speed though and the bike weighed half what my street bikes weighed - but I still fell.

 

[oremike]

My tourmaster pants have a double fold velcro closure pocket on the left thigh so that's where I carried my M&P 40 shield in a nemesis pocket holster when I was still riding motorcycles. I chose to carry on me rather than on the bike because if I've fallen and can't get up I might not be in reach of my bike when the Cougars or crackheads come a callin'

 

[Jason999]

Ive boot and shoulder carried on long rides. I'd rather it be accessible than the very slim chance that I'll take a spill.

 

[TorchRedTulsan]

The only thing is I don't like is transferring from a bag to my belt. I haven't had a issue yet and it's pretty rare but sooner or later...

Without going into the details, this is the primary reason for the desire to carry on my personal vs a tank bag. I have valid reasons that I won't go into, but I don't want to be observed transferring the gun from tank bag to my IWB holster. But @The Heretic raised an excellent point earlier that a chest or shoulder rig would put it under my riding jacket, so quick access is lost at that point anyway. Some ideas I'm gathering:

• Have something wrapped around it in the tank bag so it's disguised as I transfer it to a backpack until I can get privacy
• Start with it in the backpack at the risk of having a solid object attached to my back
• Start with it in my IWB like @Stomper with the same solid object risk

For further clarity on the environment I'm considering, I frequent downtown Seattle and its disreputable neighborhoods, so it's all high speed highway followed by open interactions with crazies. So any off wouldn't be slow and wouldn't be in the dirt, and any immediate need to access could be very immediate.

All great info and advice

 

[Member 53328]

Without going into the details, this is the primary reason for the desire to carry on my personal vs a tank bag. I have valid reasons that I won't go into, but I don't want to be observed transferring the gun from tank bag to my IWB holster. But @The Heretic raised an excellent point earlier that a chest or shoulder rig would put it under my riding jacket, so quick access is lost at that point anyway. Some ideas I'm gathering:

• Have something wrapped around it in the tank bag so it's disguised as I transfer it to a backpack until I can get privacy
• Start with it in the backpack at the risk of having a solid object attached to my back
• Start with it in my IWB like @Stomper with the same solid object risk

For further clarity on the environment I'm considering, I frequent downtown Seattle and it's disreputable neighborhoods, so it's all high speed highway followed by open interactions with crazies. So any off wouldn't be slow and wouldn't be in the dirt, and any immediate need to access could be very immediate.

All great info and advice

Due to your location I would also want I on my person. Off the body is less than ideal.