I've already got them on my R1100R, where they look fine... Just on the GS they look a bit ugly imho...
Difference between Touratech panniers?
- Thread starter Awfers
- Start date
I've already got them on my R1100R, where they look fine... Just on the GS they look a bit ugly imho...
Canuck
Registered user
Dont forget about the clean clothes test! Take a white shirt... or any colour for that matter and rub in around inside the panniers. Try it to verns first though otherwise the test doesn't work! 
Don't forget about the clean clothes test! Take a white shirt... or any colour for that matter and rub in around inside the panniers. Try it to verns first though otherwise the test doesn't work!
Us plebs use bags inside the panniers so we can get the doorman to carry the clothes into our luxury hotel room, rather negating the need to have the panniers anodised.
I think you also find that TT etc may anodise theirs as well for those who don't like using bags
Us plebs use bags inside the panniers so we can get the doorman to carry the clothes into our luxury hotel room, rather negating the need to have the panniers anodised.
I think you also find that TT etc may anodise theirs as well for those who don't like using bags
Vern's panniers are Hard Anodised which strengthens the aluminium....
Ok, how much of a percentage cut do to Mods get for each set of Vern's panniers?
Can't speak for the others but Vern let's me have one sugar per cup of tea....he's generous like that
Canuck
Registered user
Us plebs use bags inside the panniers so we can get the doorman to carry the clothes into our luxury hotel room, rather negating the need to have the panniers anodised.
I think you also find that TT etc may anodise theirs as well for those who don't like using bags
Do they anodize them? I honestly thought they were bare alum?
Good point though... factor in the cost of buying bags that you will need to use in the TT panniers and add to purchase price.
I don't know, I just think why bother buying anything other than the best... heck, if I was buying a rain coat I'd take the goretex one over the vinyl one anyday. In my view the TT ones are like buying a blunt knife... it looks the part but doesn't quite work that well... and you then need to buy something else to get it to do the job that you wanted them to do... just paying more for the manufacturers savings and shortcuts.
Not many things bug me, but poorly thought out designs and things that don't really do the job they are made for without the need to 'fix them'.
Verns panniers are the best... bar none. The only thing I can fault them on is that the lids don't have hydraulic lifts... but I bet Vern would fit them if you asked nicely!
Can't speak for the others but Vern let's me have one sugar per cup of tea....he's generous like that
What? He gives you sugar?!
Bloody favouritism.
What's the difference?
Quality, durability, capasity. That's just for starters. Verns are unlikely to fall off any where. When you fall off you arn't left with an expensive box that now looks like a squashed coke can that has to be beaten back into shape just to get the lid back on.
TTs like MMs are just boxes made of thin alli (MM are a bit thicker). They have no structural strength built into them. They are just thin alli boxes. They don't sit close to the bike and therefore waste a great deal of space and tend to stick out too far each side, plus one has to be smaller to ballence things out. A bit like fitting thin alli boxes to the side of your bike.
I don't have Verns panniers and I don't have TTs either. I do have Civils Caja Sehal panniers. Probably the closest fitting and toughest panniers available. But not as good quality as Verns.
For the price of a set of TTs or MMs Vern (probably Civil too) will make you a custom fit pair to the size you want and they won't be thin alli boxes clipped to the side of your bike.
They will be panniers.
Val.
Quality, durability, capasity. That's just for starters. Verns are unlikely to fall off any where. When you fall off you arn't left with an expensive box that now looks like a squashed coke can that has to be beaten back into shape just to get the lid back on.
TTs like MMs are just boxes made of thin alli (MM are a bit thicker). They have no structural strength built into them. They are just thin alli boxes. They don't sit close to the bike and therefore waste a great deal of space and tend to stick out too far each side, plus one has to be smaller to ballence things out. A bit like fitting thin alli boxes to the side of your bike.
I don't have Verns panniers and I don't have TTs either. I do have Civils Caja Sehal panniers. Probably the closest fitting and toughest panniers available. But not as good quality as Verns.
For the price of a set of TTs or MMs Vern (probably Civil too) will make you a custom fit pair to the size you want and they won't be thin alli boxes clipped to the side of your bike.
They will be panniers.
Val.
There were some pics of a lid being used to cook sausages on a fire then washing clean, unmarked, impressive
Easy way to anneal the aluminium and make it soft I'd have thought. Good as marketing stunt, but perhaps not great idea for something you've just paid £££ for. Cheaper to buy a frying pan.
Fanum
Toubab
Good as marketing stunt, but perhaps not great idea for something you've just paid £££ for. Cheaper to buy a frying pan.
Best marketing stunt for a set of panniers I've seen was Vern riding back onto a campsite, pulling up in front of a group of people milling around outside their tents (as you do) and opening up his panniers to reveal.....
That they were full to the seals with Ice cubes and cans of beer
Beat that
Farmer Palmer
Registered user
I'm a big fan of Touratech Zegas........!
Had them on four different bikes over the years and they've never let me down.
Go for the standard 35/41 litre Zegas and fit the mounting pucks yourself and drill and fit the Zega locks if you don't want the hassle of rattling padlocks.
Plenty of other good boxes out there aswell of course
FP.
Had them on four different bikes over the years and they've never let me down.
Go for the standard 35/41 litre Zegas and fit the mounting pucks yourself and drill and fit the Zega locks if you don't want the hassle of rattling padlocks.
Plenty of other good boxes out there aswell of course
FP.
Well I've had a set of Touratech Zega "Specials" on my 1150GSA since it was new in 2004 and generally I like them.
I like:
The simplicity of the mounting system.
The simple shape makes them easy to pack.
The light weight.
The frames are not that noticeable when the panniers are off.
The height (less chance of trapping a leg when "paddling" the bike).
The "sacrificial" nature of the pannier in the event of a spill - I would never use any panniers that are bolted to the frame; yes your bike may rest nicely on the pannier and the contents may be saved but I've seen those that have twisted or broken sub-frames because of the rigid mounting. Twist the sub-frame and you risk fecking the rear shock, the bottom bolt or possibly even the swing-arm.
The relatively narrow width of the "Special" set despite the capacity.
Not so keen on:
Need to spend extra for locks (more to stop losing a lid and the speculative, sticky-fingered tea-leaf - they wouldn't stop anyone determined to see what's inside but then what panniers would?)..
Finish (so I long ago covered mine in hard-wearing vinyl).
You need to make certain that both latches are opened or closed at the same time to avoid damaging the seals. Mine are still water-tight after nearly 8 years and a fair amount of use.
Ambivalent about:
The need for inner bags. I have inner bags and wouldn't imagine packing panniers without them.
The current "Special" set loses at lot more capacity owing to the square cut-out on the exhaust side (I'd quite like a set of Zega-Pro in black but I'll live with my old "Special" set until I need to change them for some reason).
I like:
The simplicity of the mounting system.
The simple shape makes them easy to pack.
The light weight.
The frames are not that noticeable when the panniers are off.
The height (less chance of trapping a leg when "paddling" the bike).
The "sacrificial" nature of the pannier in the event of a spill - I would never use any panniers that are bolted to the frame; yes your bike may rest nicely on the pannier and the contents may be saved but I've seen those that have twisted or broken sub-frames because of the rigid mounting. Twist the sub-frame and you risk fecking the rear shock, the bottom bolt or possibly even the swing-arm.
The relatively narrow width of the "Special" set despite the capacity.
Not so keen on:
Need to spend extra for locks (more to stop losing a lid and the speculative, sticky-fingered tea-leaf - they wouldn't stop anyone determined to see what's inside but then what panniers would?)..
Finish (so I long ago covered mine in hard-wearing vinyl).
You need to make certain that both latches are opened or closed at the same time to avoid damaging the seals. Mine are still water-tight after nearly 8 years and a fair amount of use.
Ambivalent about:
The need for inner bags. I have inner bags and wouldn't imagine packing panniers without them.
The current "Special" set loses at lot more capacity owing to the square cut-out on the exhaust side (I'd quite like a set of Zega-Pro in black but I'll live with my old "Special" set until I need to change them for some reason).
Indeed!
Much as I fancy some trendy round the world Ali panniers my totally crap plastic Vario's seem to stay on under the duress of A roads, B Roads and even Unclassified roads, not even a gravel track can shake them free.
Good to know if I really get into proper "adventure" riding there is some great custom kit out there as I assume the Vario's will splinter into a million pieces with the slightest of tumbles.
Hi All,
Coming back to this, as much as I like Vern's panniers, the exchange rate is a killer, they're ending up a lot more expensive than the Touratwat price locally.
I've looked at the Ardcases as well, which end up being slighty less than the touratwat ones when currency exchange is done.
Anyone have any experience with the Ardcases? Are they any good?
Thanks,
Awfers
Coming back to this, as much as I like Vern's panniers, the exchange rate is a killer, they're ending up a lot more expensive than the Touratwat price locally.
I've looked at the Ardcases as well, which end up being slighty less than the touratwat ones when currency exchange is done.
Anyone have any experience with the Ardcases? Are they any good?
Thanks,
Awfers
Nothing but praise for Roger at ARD,
I've got 2 sets, on on the 1150, and a 2nd set done for my 1950's bike.
Roger will do them in almost any standard powdercoat colour you want.
HTH
Neil
I've got 2 sets, on on the 1150, and a 2nd set done for my 1950's bike.
Roger will do them in almost any standard powdercoat colour you want.
HTH
Neil
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