Adventure Panniers Query

[Captain Pugwash]

Sorry if it's been covered before,but I'm newish here.

I've ordered a 1200 Adventure,due August.

I want to get the BMW ally panniers for it,whether or not they are better or worse than all the other brands touted in these pages.

As I have been reading about all the delay woes,I thought I would order my panniers now,so they might even arrive at a similar time to the bike !

My local (and only) dealer mainly does cars,so i thought i would pick your expert brains here.

Ok,so I've ordered the "Pannier fastenings for aluminium pannier" as a factory option,as it is cheaper than ordering later on.


Can someone who has specified this option tell me whether it includes the following,listed in the accessories brochure :


Crossbrace
Set of mounting parts for pannier holders

The options list is rather confusing :





If I want the 2 panniers to lock with the same key as the ignition,what do I need to order from the list above ?



The lock set includes the top box which I won't have !


Can I order the panniers now and then just fit the locks later when I obviously have the bike/key etc ?


Sorry to be such a numpty,but it all looks very baffling with so many bloody bits needed/available just for 2 bloody panniers !!

 

[Uncle Rob]

pannier frames

I have the mounting frames and brace ( these are brand new )
should you be interested

 

[Captain Pugwash]

Thanks for the offer,but I've already placed the order with the pannier brackets as part of it.

Further to the above,does anybody know,is it the actual panniers that are delayed in production ?

Just spoke to my dealer and he says that the locks can be ordered from Germany once they have a chassis number just before the build takes place.

Would it be worth ordering the actual panniers now,if they are the cause of the delay ?

The dealer also told me that my bike has come forward from week 34 to week 30,so now due on July !

 

[shedracer]

Manny, if you have ordered the "Pannier fastenings for aluminium pannier" as a factory option, all you will have to sort out/order will be:

Left ali pannier
Right ali pannier
I`m not sure which part numbers it is for the locks, but you will need 6 locks (3 for each pannier). The dealer should be able to key code for you if they are a BMW bike dealer and know which part Numbers are for the correct locks you need! (let them do the hard work, that's what their there for).

Someone else here maybe able to help on the lock part Numbers.

You may also want to consider the inner bags, I have these and it makes loading and carrying your kit really easy.

If I were you I would order them now, shouldn`t have to pay for them until they arrive.

 

[Captain Pugwash]

Thanks Shed.

I'll think I'll order the panniers now and then order the locks as soon as a frame number is allocated to my bike.

 

[Fanum]

Manny..I have little direct experience of them, everything I've picked up on the TT/Rebadged as BWM panniers has been picked up from here, Advrider or other similar resources, but I'd not order them meself at all.....

I've poked and pulled at these boxes, felt them flex and read all about them falling apart under any sort of stress.......not impressed at all.

If I was buying panniers for a new 1200GSA, I'd be looking at the aftermarket ally box options......I'd be on the phone to Civil in fact, and comparing his kit to Al Jesse's and the various other options.

Like I said, this is not based on ownership experience, but I suspect BWM panniers would be very very low on my list of what I'd spend money on for a new 12GSA

Use the search button, read up, look at the panniers faq for build quality comaprisons......

Good luck

 

[Dale]

I`m not sure which part numbers it is for the locks, but you will need 6 locks (3 for each pannier). .

3 locks on each pannier? not sure I understand this one. why 3? surely you dont have to open 3 locks just to get to your bits?
Dale (must be missing something here)

 

[silvermog]

3 locks on each pannier? not sure I understand this one. why 3? surely you dont have to open 3 locks just to get to your bits?
Dale (must be missing something here)

On the Adv there are 3 independent locks keyed to your one key per box. Thats:-

- Front lid lock/hinge
- Rear lid lock/hinge
- Frame attachment lock

The lids open forwards or back as the lid locks do double duty as lock and hinge. Unlock both, remove the lid catch wire (which is on a quick release) and the lid is free of the box. Quite a neat solution ...

 

[Dale]

SIlvermog,

Thanks- much clearer now does sound like a very neat solution.

 

[Captain Pugwash]

Yes,thanks for that.

On the Adv there are 3 independent locks keyed to your one key per box.

I thought the key was coded with the ignition key,hence the locks coming from Germany and the need to wait until the bike has a frame number when being built before locks can be ordered ?


I still want the BMW ally panniers.

How shit can they be,if they are made by Touratech ?

I'm not planning on riding the Road of Bones,and some of the these alternative suppliers do look like catering items !!

I quite like the look of the Cajas,but I don't believe they are made for the GSA 12 yet and i won't be using my panniers all the time,so don't want that snorkel thingy on my exhaust spoiling the looks of the bike

 

[silvermog]

I'm more than happy so far with the panniers ... I'm waiting on the topbox, but don't see that being any different (although I suppose the topbox to mount plate design might swing it).

For extreme offroad they may be iffy, but having done 2500 miles with them now, I frankly doubt it ... the reported (ADVrider) issues were pre-prod apparently. I can see how they are lighter weight than some (ie. thickness and welding generally rather than folding), but then some of the panniers are agricultural ... that has its place if you live on the bike for RTW, but for most customers they seem to do the job adequately.

I'd be more interested to hear the experiences of a 1150 Adv owner who switched and has first hand exp. of the old vs the new ...

Me, I'm happy ... just wish that BMW could sort their delivery issues and get my topbox to match the rest!

Regarding the coded keys ... be aware that keying the locks just amounts to moving some shims around on the barrel, its not an electronic process or otherwise. The locks are delivered to BMW dealers as generic barrels, they insert your key, move the shims around to achieve the required lock setting then drop the barrel into the pannier. Rinse and repeat 6 times ...

Hence the locks are generic ... they order 6 off ... they take your ignition key away for 10-30mins, sort one out and copy that setup for the other 5.

Job done!

 

[Schwarz Baron]

There is feck-all wrong with the panniers, they are an excellant piece of kit. My only bug bear was the fact that you paid for the locks, which arrive with the panniers anyway. Another BMW, 'give us more money', marketin ploy.
However,that said, as for the suggestions of lookin elsewhere, try and get a full set of zegas or MM's for £756 quid, with a little bit of gentle manouevring thats what mine cost me. I find them solid and fit for the purpose, also asthetically pleasing, which IMHO, many of the others Metals aren't. Also you will find the BMW will be constructed with the total ULW capabilities of the bike in mind, and you just have to look at Master Obi Wan and friend, to see what happens when you put a pair of massive metal coffins on the side of the bike, stuffed to the gills....To finalise, the BM ones are good kit, and just as good value for money if not better than the rest.