Are you looking for an effective and reliable way to secure your gear no matter where you’re headed? Rok straps and bungees are the perfect solutions for bikers across the world. And that’s why we all have millions of them in our sheds!
These versatile products come in various sizes and types designed to make it easy to secure your kit while travelling on a motorcycle.
Whether you’re hitting the open road or heading out into the wilderness, Rok straps and bungees will help secure your kit and keep everything in its place during those long trips.
Read on to learn more about why Rok straps and bungees are essential for any two-wheeled traveller!
The Perfect Solution
Rok Straps and bungees are ideal for securing your gear when on the road. Not only are they light, cheap, and easy to carry, but you can use them just as much off the bike as you can on it.
Rok straps come in several lengths and are ideal for various applications.
Their strong tensioning system makes them a dream to use on camping and hiking trips, as well as securing your luggage to your bike on the way to your destination.
Additionally, Rok straps are designed to resist abrasion and wear and tear – making them essential for the sometimes gruelling nature of motorcycling.
On the other hand, bungees are also a viable option for securing your gear on the go.
As with Rok straps, they’re cheap to buy, easy to store and come in handy for numerous uses.
You’ll find them in different sizes and colours, and their flexible construction makes them ideal for securing awkward-shaped items that Rok straps might not be able to accommodate.
Sizes, Types, And Features
When it comes to Rok straps and bungees, there is a wide range to choose from.
Rok straps are made of heavy-duty nylon webbing that can be adjusted for length and tension. They come in various widths, lengths, colours, and patterns, so you can find the perfect one for your needs.
Bungees also come in different sizes and shapes but have an elastic core that allows them to stretch when needed.
The Differences Between Rok Straps & Bungees
Bungees are fully flexible straps, usually with a metal hook (but sometimes plastic) at each end that you use to secure to something solid.
The biggest pro to using bungees is their flexibility – and you can get a lot of them fairly cheaply.
But bungees aren’t without their problems. It might take a few tries to find the perfect one for the job. And they can degrade over time, becoming brittle and downright dangerous!
Another problem is the scratching they cause to your paintwork.
Conversely, Rok straps are half elastic and half fabric – giving you the flexibility of a bungee but with the security of a standard strap.
They’re quick to use and are adjustable – so you don’t have to experiment with different ones for each use.
The fabric loops on each end attach to your bike’s bodywork in a simple loop-and-secure system. From here, tighten the strap as you need, and away you go.
As with bungees, though, Rok straps can cause damage to your paintwork – either via the plastic buckles or the fabric straps rubbing on your anchor points (such as grab rails.)
A Word About Voile Straps
Like most touring riders, I’ve used Rok straps and bungees for years – often switching my preference depending on where I’m going, how long for, and what I need to secure.
Over the last year or two, however, I’ve been using Voile straps more than Rok straps and bungees. This is mainly down to the fact that I’m sick of material straps of any sort!
Personally, I find straps to be a pain. Primarily, it’s because they seem to ruin my paintwork – to the point where it affected the valuation of my last bike when it came time to trade it in.
Secondly, they take time to secure and tidy after fitting. This is made worse in the wet when your hands are cold!
And lastly, messing with straps every morning and evening when loading/unloading my luggage starts to tear the skin on my fingers. Whilst this is okay for a weekend trip, it becomes painful over longer tours.
Why Voile Straps Over Rok Straps & Bungees?
I won’t delve too much into Voile straps in this post – mainly because I wrote a dedicated article about them here: Voile Straps: A Motorcycle Touring Godsend!
But in a nutshell, I find them easier and quicker to use. Plus, they look better on the bike, aren’t affected by the weather, and don’t scratch the paintwork.
The biggest drawback of Voile straps over Rok straps and bungees is availability and price.
Whilst you can find knock-off versions of Voile straps on marketplaces such as Amazon, the real ones are difficult to get hold of. And even when you do, they’re expensive for what they are.
You could buy a whole range of Rok straps and bungees for the price of a few Voile straps.
But for me, they’re worth it!
How To Use
Rok straps are quick and easy to use once you get used to them. And the more you do it, the quicker you’ll fit them.
Once you have the correct size, split the Rok strap in two and loop the first half around your anchor point. Pull to tighten.
Now do the same thing with the other half of your Rok strap – loop the system around a D-ring or other anchor point on your luggage and pull to tighten.
From here, clip the two halves together, tighten to the desired tension, and you’re good to go!
Bungees are just as easy to use. Fix one hook to an anchor point on your bike, then attach the other hook to whatever you’re securing via a D-ring or other attachment point.
If you can’t get enough tension, swap the bungee for a smaller one or consider double wrapping for extra tension. Conversely, if you can’t stretch it enough, exchange it for a bigger one.
Just be careful when you mount the bungee hooks, as they can damage your paintwork. And be very careful with bungees that are old or degraded – they can, and do, snap under tension!
Tips
- Buy a range of Rok straps or bungees so you can choose the best one for each individual fitting.
- Consider buying a set of each so you can mix and match.
- Buy enough that you have a few left over to carry as spares! Firstly, you will lose/leave them somewhere. And secondly, they come in handy for other things (like holding on broken parts of your bike in place after a fall.)
- Ensure the plastic buckles on the Rok straps aren’t resting on your paintwork.
- Bungee hooks can be detrimental to paintwork. Consider wrapping insulation tape around hard surfaces such as grab rails to protect the paint.
- Be wary of old, frayed, or degraded bungees. They can snap, causing injury, damage, or inconvenience!
Rok Straps, Bungees, And Voile Straps: Overall
In comparison to bungees, Rok straps are quick to use, easy to fit and offer better security. They’re way more durable than bungees but are also more expensive.
Bungees are cheaper but are more flexible. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Be careful of the hooks damaging your paintwork. For the price, it’s worth having a few in your top box for multiple purposes.
Voile straps are different entirely. They’re easy to use, don’t degrade in poor weather, and are friendlier to your paintwork. That said, they’re more expensive than Rok straps and bungees.
Rok Straps Or Bungies: Conclusion
In conclusion, Rok straps and bungees are essential for any touring rider. They provide a secure way to secure your gear on long trips and come in handy for multiple uses once you get there.
Every biker should have at least a few of each in their top box when touring.
Not only do they come in different sizes, but they are also highly versatile and can be used for camping, hiking, and even holding bits onto your bike after a spill.
So take the time to invest in Rok straps, bungees, and/or Voile straps – once you have them, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them!
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Top image: Rok Straps
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