luggage, pelicans, aluminum and soft saddlebags

[Rick]

I just got caught up here after a couple of days away. Here's my 22 cents worth. First off, my wife and I each have Happy Trail aluminum panniers on our KLR's and we love them. Heavy, whoever thought that excuse up should mount some on their bike. Secure, absolutely. My wife and I spent 3 months in 2007 riding from Tucson to southern El Salvador/Honduras and back. We did no camping but moteled it the whole time. Except when we spent more than a couple of days in one place, our panniers stayed on the bikes and we never worried of breakins and we used very cheap and light weight locks. Packing was much easier than in our former Wolfman saddlebags. And trust me, we took everything we could except the kitchen sink (next time I am sending it fedex to where ever my wife wants it). Our experience with saddlebags and drybags are pretty extensive too. For our warmup trip to Mexico/Central America, we spent 31 days riding from Colorado, up to the Pacific Northwest,a touch of Alaska,into Canada, rode the ferry to Haines, came across the Alcan vHighway and back down through the Ice Fields and home. We spent half the time camping. We had the Wolfman saddlebags and a drybag for our clothes. The saddlebags, for us, packed very weird and it was difficult, without unpacking more, to find stuff. We both agreed the shape and size didn't work for us. So I have spent a lot of money suiting up our bikes for big travel, camping or otherwise, and I/we are really happy with how they pack now. The drybags always go with us as we like them, number one for packing our clothes, not biking gear, just clothes. And number two, they are a great back rest on trips. Of course, we also have Happy Trail top boxes, Wolfman tank bags and Wolfman tank saddlebags when we go on big trips. There are those here who practice minimalist traveling. I think that is great for some. But my wife, who is soon to be 57, likes to travel with a bit more 'things' than most men. And since she has traveled 7 foreign countries and 8 or so US states, I'll give her what she wants. Fred at Arrowhead always likes it when I upgrade or change too.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "transalp 1" wrote: > > While I don't exactly share Jeff's disdain (grin) for hard cases - I had > great sets of Givis on a Transalp & DL1000 - , > I do agree that the added weight on such a relatively small bike like the > KLR is something to be considered. > A set of racks and hard cases weigh in as much as the tent, sleeping bag, > cookset, stove, etc... I'd be taking > on a camping trip. Maybe more. Or, like Jeff, I can cram a ton of gear in a > nylon bag, strap it to the bike and be gone with ease. > For little money and an uncluttered, unmodified bike when I don't need > luggage, the price was right to go without > hard bags for once. > > Last week, the shop got in a catalog with a neat nylon travel bag from > Saddlemen : Their TS3200S Deluxe Tail Bag. > {Going into commercial mode here, sorry.} > It looked good on paper, so I ordered one. It's just under $100 retail and > about $80 at cost. Once it arrived, I saw where > the money went. It's big, expandable, has useful pockets, lots of included > quick release buckle/straps for mounting options, > D-rings galore for tying on stuff and even comes with a built-in water > bottle holder that folds up and velcroes out of the way when not being used. > The bottom has a channel down the middle so it sits over the back seat to > help hold it in place. > The cloth in that portion is kinda rubberized to keep it from sliding > around like, well, nylon on vinyl. > I thought it came with a rain cover in it's own little 4"X4" pouch. Only > after I got home did I realize it's actually a small duffle bag that comes > into > being when you unzip the pouch. Need extra storage? Pop that sucker out, > fill and tie it on the main bag. > I put a Eureka Solitaire tent, my cook things, hammock, summer weight > sleeping bag, ground cloth and a change of clothes in the big bag > and it was nowhere near full. There's room for food, tools, water - you > name it! Cinch straps compress the load to steady the bag > on the bike and it even creates a slight backrest for me when I'm riding. > > eddie > > > > [Original Message] > > From: > > To: ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> > > Date: 7/9/2009 4:19:04 PM > > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Pelican cases. NKLR > > > > I have been reading posts for the past few years that talk about aluminum > > > panniers and other ideas, such as Pelican cases. I have to ask, what is > > the fascination with hard cases? Security? On a motorcycle? I don't > think > > so. I had hard cases on a Goldwing I had some years back. I remember > > always having trouble fitting stuff in them. I have a Nelson-Rigg nylon > bag > > with about 5 side pouches, that expands to hold 2-4 bags of groceries or > a > > helmet, straps down to the KLR rear rack with included nylon straps, > weighs a > > couple of pounds, and cost something like $60 a couple years ago. > > > > The panniers are heavy, expensive, and because of their size, limit you > to > > what you can have in them. I have a few Pelicans for my high dollar > target > > pistols, but they are ridiculous overkill for a motorcycle. Those cases > > > weigh something close to 10 pounds a piece, and more weight for the racks > to > > hold them. Don't forget that once you drill holes on those Pelican > cases, > > you kill any resale value. > > > > I, personally, think that the panniers I usually see used on KLR's look > > stupid. Clearly, the aluminum panniers I have seen, as well as the > pelicans, > > don't look stock, and look mickey-mouse. Why don't we all strap milk > > crates to the rear of our bikes, just like we did in the old days? > > > > What is so wrong about a few nylon bags? At least they are easy to > > remove. No wrenches required. > > > > Jeff A20 > > > > **************Dell Studio XPS Desktop: Save up to $400 - Limited Time > Offer > > > (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222466512x1201463496/aol?redir=htt > > p:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D3) > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > >