Home made panniers

[guest18]

I know Pat made a pair of panniers recently which he then decided were too large and sold on to another lucky thumperer...
If anyone else is feeling the need for a touratech style luggage system for a sensible price this site is well worth a look 
http://rtw.xtz660.googlepages.com/alluboxes

[johnr]

prefer the prices on these!!

http://www.moonshiners.org.uk/oildrumpanniers.htm

[guest18]

  excellent stuff! I have to say in my defence I've already started work on blagging fitments and eyeing the scrap metal bin at work covetously 

[Steffan]

Begs the question, exactly how much sh*t does one man need to carry? Given that he was off to what looks like north Africa so unlike travelling here (where you have to work on the upturned canoe principle) it beggars belief that he can need so much stuff. The longer I ride the more convinced I am that you need less than you think and whilst I am impressed with his DIY skill, I question the current obsession with Darr box copies - does the whole world want to look a certain "b-grade actor and his "special friend""?

Steffan

[Andy M]

Not so keen on the rack. There didn't seem to be a cross brace. Having seen BMW plastic panniers leap off the rack (the square shape and silver colour didn't seem to help  ), I'd want a proper box structure. Ok, the cross brace is a PITA when it comes to fixing a tyre, but isn't that better than having the racks swing on the three bolts until a hole turns into a crack?

Looking like the actor does seem to be an expanding trend. My Touratech boxes are now eight years old and like swiss cheese in the back after mounting on four bikes. They are more practical than anything else (you can sit on them for example), but if I didn't have a set I wouldn't buy them today. Before Metal mule brought out the rack for the Bonneville we were using throwovers. £100 decent soft bags and a stuff sack did what £400 of Touratech box would do anywhere within two weeks ride of the UK. Even RTW, I'd buy the rack, fabricate a top box the same shape as my split jerry can job and go soft on the rest.

Andy

[Steffan]

Even RTW, I'd buy the rack, fabricate a top box the same shape as my split jerry can job and go soft on the rest.

Are you sure you're not just going soft generally    lol

Steffan

[guest18]

Begs the question, exactly how much sh*t does one man need to carry?....  ....does the whole world want to look a certain "b-grade actor and his "special friend""?

Steffan

I'd agree with the majority that he's carrying too much gear, a major hurdle in packing for a variety of outdoors pursuits is learning that just because you have a large luggage capability doesn't mean you have to use it all! I *can* hike with a full 125 litre bergen and extras, but I'd far far rather have it near empty 

I'm in the process of building a set of ally boxes, not because I want to look like anyone else but because I've become hacked off with the limitations of commercially available soft panniers and I'm not handy enough with an industrial sewing machine to make my own (even if I did have access to one.) I also sometimes park the bike where I wouldn't leave soft luggage on and expect it to be there when I get back...
That said I'm building them only about 15cm wide so they're a sensible size for the bike not like touratechs silver tea chests    

All in all though I'd rather see people emulating the (in)famous Ewan and Charlie than trying to be a GP hero on the same roads my missus travels on!!

[guest18]

Not so keen on the rack. There didn't seem to be a cross brace...  ...I'd want a proper box structure. Ok, the cross brace is a PITA when it comes to fixing a tyre, but isn't that better than having the racks swing on the three bolts until a hole turns into a crack?...Andy

"After the successful test ride I decided to add an additional "U" to join the two basic frames at the back just behind the reg plate to improve the overall strength in case of a fall (it is not pictured here)."

Is that what you meant? If not what do you mean by "cross brace"? (not taking the mick this time! Serious Q...)
S 

[Andy M]

The normal Touratech/Tesch/MM scheme is a length of tube bolted between the two frame across the area of the numberplate. It's bolted as you usually need to un-bolt to get the rear wheel out. The idea is that the box section of Frames and Cross Brace is stiffer than flat frame held at three points in the same plane (footpeg, shock mount, indicator type locations). The lack of flex prevents the three previously mentioned mounting points stretching their bolts or working them loose.

Not sure what the addition U is? If it means down one frame, across the numberplate, up the other frame it is the cross brace. I'd call it an H structure, but as you'll see from the spelling in half my posts i'm verging on the dyslexic at times anyway 

Andy

[guest18]

Yup, I understand, I reckon that's more or less what he's done.

[bullet350]

 you mentioned the cross brace being a PITA when removing the rear wheel. on the BMW, even the GS the exhaust has to be removed to get the back wheel out anyway. is it me or is that totally pathetic on a bike that's supposed to have RTW capability?

 i'm just experimenting with luggage on my cbr600 as i'm off to germany next weekend. so far the plan is:
 
 throw-overs
 large top box on rack.
 jerry can (in binbag) and tent on pillion seat.

sadly the tent is about 2 inches too long to fit in the top box.

also if the pillion seat was 2 inches longer i could strap another top box onto it.

bullet350

[Steffan]

rear wheel on my GS came off like a car wheel; three or four nuts and off it came and no touching the exhaust.

Steffan

[trophydave]

sadly the tent is about 2 inches too long to fit in the top box.

bullet350

Can you take the poles out and pack them separately?

[themoudie]

Aye bullet350,

Keep the tent at your rear and jam the jerry between it and the top box. Wet tent sweating in top box, and all potential bulk and weight that high and aft sounds to me. Also padding for your rump if you wrap the mat around the tent if you take one.

Main thing is have a safe trip and enjoy yursel'.

Just packed up ready for Bob Mac, just light as only one night, but not much difference from normal but less clothes. Carton of UHT fully skimmed and old plastic 'takeaway' trays ready filled with the breakfast cereals and fruit. Enough energy to keep you going all day!

Toodle pip, Bill.

[guest146]

I must say I am impressed with the workmanship in making these. He seems to have found every component he needed. I think I would run out of steam before it was finished but credit to him

Ken