Pannier options: bags versus boxes?

[Horney1]

My 950 came with the H/B plastic Gobi cases and SW motech (sold by KTM as the KTM racks). ..

Hi cooneyr,

I'd be quite keen to see more pics of the pannier frame to. Do you know if this SW Motech crowd has a web address and if so what it is? I see Andy Strapz over here quite near Melbourne supplies the frames to. http://www.andystrapz.com/productdetails.php?pid=69

Cheers

C

[Mountie]

motorradgarage.com.au also carry SW Motech gear and other bits including a range of throw over saddle bags. Darbi accessories are the agents for SW Motech in NZ but have limited range avaliable. Ended up buying pannier racks out of Germany for the f800. Cheaper then buying through aus. Getting SW Motech ex Darbi was going to be a bit prolonged.

[cooneyr]

Hi cooneyr,

I'd be quite keen to see more pics of the pannier frame to. Do you know if this SW Motech crowd has a web address and if so what it is? I see Andy Strapz over here quite near Melbourne supplies the frames to. http://www.andystrapz.com/productdetails.php?pid=69

Cheers

C

Gidday C.

These are the pannier bars I have and I hope I'm correct in saying they are the old SW motech bars (the new ones are quick reliease for taking them off). SW Motech website 950 page here. I got my SW Motech crash bars out of Ausi from The Aussi Biker Shop - pannier frame on this page and crash bars on this page. I got the low crash bars not the high ones that come right up to the headlight.

Cheers R

[sunhuntin]

My 2 cents, from someone who has hardly ever done any overnighters.

I got a givi top box which fits everything I need, but it really messes up the handling off road, and the rear bottoms out on the slightest of bumps with the suspension on its firmest setting. Also I am scared of what may happen if (when) I can it and the box breaks, at least soft luggage woud give a bit. I think the key is to travel as light as possible, but seeing your safari slut loaded up Joe, I don't think that is gonna happen any time soon aye?

ive got a givi as well and have been hit with it attached. the box survived intact, only damage was a cracked reflector. other than that, it didnt get a single scratch.

i have leather saddle bags for the virago, but they are puny! i can fit a pair of sneakers in one and then the tiedowns and a few maps in the other and then they are full. wouldnt mind hard bags, but not on such a small bike.

[tri boy]

I'd take a "soft bag" over a "hard bag" any day.
"Pas my tea.........bag"

[Moki]

Quite happy with the Ortlieb Dry soft bags and the e-bay racks I recently ordered in for the KLR. Very light, strong and as waterproof as you can get. They're very similar to firstlight drybags used for kayaking.

[Pedrostt500]

I'm a cheap bastard, I brought 2 tool bags, had a canvas shop sew on some extra D rings, and Im going to use these, I will make a frame up to keep them off the exaust and from crushing the side covers.
The bags cost me about $45 each, and abot $50 to have the D rings put on.

[Waihou Thumper]

Quite happy with the Ortlieb Dry soft bags and the e-bay racks I recently ordered in for the KLR. Very light, strong and as waterproof as you can get. They're very similar to firstlight drybags used for kayaking.

Ortlieb, from Touratch, a big mother! and a smaller Ortlieb. Awesome bags, roll them, compress them and you can fit a shit load of stuff in them too...
Tried to get KTM Orange but had to make do with Yellow and black...

[Box'a'bits]

I have the Touratech / KTM hard boxes.

Upsides - The frames are well made. The frames & boxes are robust. They lock (with padlocks) so are secure. They should be waterproof. Being Aluminium, if I have an off, I could panelbeat. Looks the part if I wanted to be a 'round the worlder'. They have a certain cool factor.

Downsides -they are heavy compared with soft bags. On the 640a they are quite far back. Great for not taking out your legs out in an off, but not great for handling. They are WIDE. This means they grab wind, and kills any capacity for shooting through skinny gaps. Initial cost can be very high (but I got mine cheap via trademe). They leave a black Aluminium residue on stuff.

Other points - They are top loading. This just means you need to adjust your packing strategy (maybe inner bags). They are not flexible. This means they will take the same space / weight regardless of how much you are carrying. They are not quick detach.

Final points - depends on what you want to use themn for. I took them to the Kiwi, to test them. But for the sort of big weekends we have done, I will still use soft bags.

Other reference - why don't you shoot a PM to Young1. He's also got them on the 990.

[igor]

i have a set up on my pig. Touratech 75 litre roll bag on rear helicopter landing pad. Touratech panniers 41l & 35L and some modified gearsack tank panniers and a baehr tankbag. if i go by myself use the rear rollbag and tank panniers. (nice windbreak)

now if i was gunna do rear panniers again I would do Mr Andystrapz "Expedition panniers"

[junkmanjoe]

thats a good set up....

[igor]

thats a good set up....

yeah and one weekend we went away and she is wearing a dressing gown the next morning in a motel. I said where did that come from. It fits in the pannier. sshhhhhhhhsssssssssh

[dino3310]

Other reference - why don't you shoot a PM to Young1. He's also got them on the 990.

i was wondering how long it would take someone to mention the widest butt on KB


mind you joe you could fit a berley bomb, bait, and a doz on one side and your camping gear on the other.

[nothingflash]

what do you use on your bike....

I've got a top box an hard panniers. That said the farthest I've been on this bike is maybe an hour that way and back again. I had been looking for a Dominator (had an nx250 prior) and was going to grab a couple of $20 plastic toolboxes and have my brother fashion a frame for them like the Dominator on the African Odyssey. Thankfully it came all ready to go...

[Gremlin]

On my 990sm I have a set of givi pannier racks custom fitted and a top box (using the KTM top plate and givi universal plate).

Using an E52 Maxia Top box and E21N panniers, its a decent balance. The panniers aren't big enough to really upset the bike, but they aren't as good quality as the bigger boxes (they do cost a lot less tho). I can still split to a degree, but then, I can't take as much gear.

Hard luggage for me every time. Waterproof, lockable and secure. In the Givi gear, easily detachable as well, so take it off and into room or whatever.

Now, if you want the money is no object option, look up Caribou luggage