Sportbikes and CCW

[darkknight]

I know their are bikers on this forum so I am curious how people on motorcycles specifically sportbikes carry. I should be starting a job with a local pd and I was wondering how I could ride my bike (GSXR) and carry saftley in case I have the misfortane of having an accident of some sort. I'll have to keep my cloths in a backpack and if need be I could keep it with my cloths but I would prefer to have it on me within arms reach. So any help would be appreciated.


I live in Ca. So open carry is not an option. I do wear leathers, two piece because I ride in jeans or shorts (unless its a track day). I also wear my textile jacket. This is my duty weapon so its going to be a full size sidearm. I thought about a tank bag but I would prolly keep it in my backpack.

 

[herohog]

Do you live in an open-cary state? In Louisiana, I carried on my bikes all the time.

 

[worthirt_99]

I've heard of some people just using a tank bag.

 

[Ed Ames]

Sportbike does make it somewhat trickier. Do you wear leathers? One piece or two piece suit? Squidwear? Many MC jackets have pockets (for face shields and similar) which will hold a smaller CCW.

There are minimalist tank bags with built in holsters too.

 

[crashm1]

Magnetic tank bag, thick foam with a cutout for the pistol and spare mags.

 

[gladi8tr]

a shoulder holster fits nice under my mesh motorcycle jacket but when i wear my leather jacket i carry in my inside pocket of my jacket

 

[Ready2Defend]

Ankle carry in a riding boot. I don't like ankle carry while walking, so if it were me I would have a second method like IWB or pocket holster to change to (discreetly) if I were off the bike for a long time, such as at work.

 

[arflattop]

In the summer I wear a denim vest with an inside pocket over my t-shirt -- winter obviously brings out the leathers which makes it easy.

 

[chris in va]

My VFR is more of a touring bike, but...I carry a P11 in my jacket pocket.

I'd love to OC my Sig in the Serpa holster but heard too many stories of broken hips during a crash.

 

[SilentArmy]

I used to carry a Derringer in a foam cutout of my tankbag as well as a surefire and some flares. It was about the only way as the Power Ranger getup is rather form fitting! I sold my Gixxer after a flyby on a Deputy got me into some trouble. Seems 155 in a 55 is beyond the realm of Barney's Crown Vic.

 

[bogie]

Suggestion - don't drive the sport bike like a sport bike, and use a fanny pack.

 

[DJAteOhAte]

 

[Black Majik]

Honestly, for Sportbike riding this is where I feel a shoulder holster would be best. If you ever go down, the pistol is not on your hip to land on the gun. I feel it's the most "out of the way" carry in terms of injury if the rider goes down.

Plus under full leathers it'd be easiest to conceal without printing while hunched over riding.

A small semi auto/revolver in the inside pocket would be a nice choice to carry too, though i don't know about putting a pistol right in front of your heart. A direct impact would certainly do some harm.

 

[Mousegun]

My VFR is more of a touring bike, but...I carry a P11 in my jacket pocket.

I like to think of my VFR as a sport bike that just happens to be great for touring but I don't like the idea of carrying under my leather jacket because of the damage that can be done by any hard object, on your person, can do in the event of a crash. I know of a fellow rider that had the prettiest bruise on his thy by just a set of keys on a ring after a minor spill.

OTOH if after a big one, with the gun in a tank bag, that would leave the gun exposed to be a prize to any less than stellar person first on the scene because everyone knows all us motorcycle riders carry guns.

 

[sphpkr]

I use a shoulder holster under mesh/leather on my ZX-11.
I'm left handed so no throttle hand conflicts.

 

[battlecry]

I don't wear anything hard against my body when riding.

Cell phones, keys, and anything else ride on the tankbag.

 

[Vector]

Living in Ca I'd check with local law enforcement as to how legal it would be to actually carry on you until you become a LEO. Here in Florida, I am not sure how much the law has changed since CCW, but you needed it to be holstered or in a console, and certainly not on you. I think it was/is called the 2 step rule when transporting it (assuming you do not have a CCW). So since Ca is much more restrictive than Fl, you had better check.

As to a need to have it readily available as opposed to having it in your bag with clothes, I don't get it unless you are envisioning riding and shooting at the same time. If so, I think you might have been watching too many TV shows.

 

[redneckdan]

I ride an '89 FJ 1200. I carry my full size 1911 in a summer special holster at 4 o'clock. I hit a deer and went down last year when I had my '87 FJ and didn't receive any injuries from the holstered weapon, just trashed my leathers and banged up my knee.

 

[gunsmith]

imho

I would keep it in a tank bag, if you go down while ccw'ing ...its gonna hurt

 

[Red_SC]

I try to carry a 1911 in a flat Galco holster in the front of my waistline when I'm riding. It's not comfortable to some, but it works for me, and has a fairly low probablility of causing additional injuries in a crash. I will admit to riding often with it at 3:00 IWB, but that could definitely cause injury. I was sore for days after an ATV spill carrying on the hip.

 

[herohog]

My wife and I took a good tumble (nail in rear tire, 35mph, tank-slapper into a high-side) with my model 59 on my right hip. The gun stayed in the holster and was unmarked. The bike, Terri and I? Not so lucky... road rash all around.

 

[igpoobah]

I had a tankbag w/ a hidden compartment. I don't carry ANYthing on my body when I ride...

 

[Evenflo76]

I have a tank bag, and hard saddlebags that lock. I wear my CCW in a smart carry. Fits me well on the bike, and I don't have to remove the pistol, or the tank bag every time I stop.

I considered this question many times as I commute regularly on my Motorcycle. To me, It just seems awkward to have to remove or add the pistol in broad daylight. For fair weather riders, or weekend warriors, a tank bag is probably best IMO!

 

[kurtmax]

I'd say shoulder holster.

Check your laws though... open carry actually is legal in California. It's just that localities can pass laws making it illegal.

 

[ojdidit]

I have carried on a GSXR before (following a dog in a pickup bed incident) and I used a pocket holster in my cargo shorts pocket on my right leg. The pegs are high on a Gixxer so the pistol is easily accessible both when riding or sitting in traffic. It's no fun walking around that way with the weight in the cargo pocket swishing your shorts around, so I would usually head straight for a restroom to rearrange things when I got to where I was going.

OJ