Like many two-wheel travellers, I enjoy coming up with creative ways of doing things or adapting gear to suit my specific riding needs. Over the last year I had what I thought were noteworthy innovations. There were a couple more, but clearly they did not survive the memory test.

Pillion Peg Panniers
People ask: Where should panniers be positioned? ‘As Low and Forward as Possible’ (AL&FAP) comes the cry, because an all-terrain travel bike is more stable and responds more predictably when the loaded mass is centralised, especially when off road. I would also add ‘As Narrow’ to the acronym, but in the end we need the volume.

The AL&FAP optimum can be hard to achieve given that most off-the-shelf racks are set too far back and panniers – soft or hard – are usually box shaped. (this combination is probably designed to accommodate pillions).
The elephant on the subframe are the pillion pegs: a mounting point as strong as any rack. Support your mass on them (while ensuring room for paddling) achieves the AL&FAP ideal.
I first experimented with this idea riding a massively heavy Africa Twin to the Mauritanian border during Covid, refined it on my 450MT in 2024, and stumbled on the best solution so far adapting Mosko Moto’s Alpine R60s on my skimpy Serow. The Alpine’s ‘sock’ shape is perhaps coincidentally ideal for the application of AL&FAP.
Click the links for more.

Seat pad inserts for riding pants
Sore arses on narrow trail bike seats; What. Is. New? Apart from changing or reupholstering the seat (a bit of a black art, imo), there are all sort sorts of seat pad solutions: DIY neoprene foam slabs which worked well on my Himalayan 411, air cushions, sheep skins, ibuprofen, mesh seat covers,

I’ve tried them all but one problem is they increase the seat height which – 411 excepted – may not be what you want, especially on a CRF300L. Then I moved the padding from the bike’s seat to my own seat with some Moto Skiveez padded pants, similar to cycling pants but not quite as close fitting. They worked well on the CRF, extending the comfort range, but as some reviewers have noted, it’s a bit like wearing a filled nappy, plus makes having an urgent roadside slash a bit awkward. Another thing I found was forgetting to put them on each morning until, just as I’m clamping up the boots I think scheisse, I need to go back three spaces and pull on my riding nappies or I’ll regret it in a few hours.
With riding pants we have knee armour pockets or velcro, and even hip padding. Why not add something similar but obviously softer to the seat of the pants. No Skiveez needed which means no additional washing, dozy forgetfulness or desperate roadside fumbling – and no elevated seat heights. Slip on your riding trousers or over-trousers with the optional butt pads fitted and ride off into the sunrise.

If like me you prefer to wear normal cargo trousers like above, plus over trousers when needed, sewn-in velcro patches for quick removal won’t spoil your butt line when off the bike. On the bike attach the foam pads and hit the road.

Dynamically adjustable seat height
I probably ride my MTB more than motos in the UK, and this is another pushbike derived idea that’s a bit left field. It gets its own post. Click this.