The number of wanted or for sale ads on here over time for single varios tells you what you need to know…
Luggage ideas?
- Thread starter Rob c
- Start date
Larry Langford
Registered user
That is the first comment here that has some validity imo. Good evidence, possibly. What I seem to be noticing is many of the farkles we buy are often validated with theory and possibly not actually fact. All I'm pointing out is the VARIO panniers system isn't that terribly bad .... imo. And is fairly light overall. And it does have some toughness, although a full on pileup into a rock and they will almost certainly break, but in that case the AL bag is going take on serious damage as well.
There is a oem rack for the oem AL panniers, for sale here on craigslist. I think they want around 500 US for it. That is just that the rack and nothing else. I think it is about 1000 or 1200 US for this new. very expensive imo.
So when i shopped for a used GS, I only considered bikes that were loaded up with farkles. mainly due to this problem. But the bike I choose had most of the good stuff except AL top loading panniers. It came with the Varios. They are lighter so I will run them for a spell .... And I think the previous owner knew this and wanted a lighter bike ....
I’d be surprised if anyone wanted 500 US for panniers on UKGSER
Larry Langford
Registered user
Just for the rack ..... the AL bags need a full rack to mount which is a separate cost ....
...that one of the most popular bikes on earth was accompanied by an extremely common set of luggage, which is therefore readily available, just as the bikes themselves are?
Having had both full aluminium luggage and now Varios I'm not sure I'd go back to ally cases sticking out half a mile from the bike again. At least on my Suzuki they were the symmetrical but the exhaust on the GS prevents symmetry.
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Easy enough to produce the same width on both sides of the bike with tins. The OEM ones and plenty of aftermarket options like Bumot have a cut-out for the exhaust, just like varios.
The actual point I was making is that you se plenty off sale/wanted ads just for a single vario pannier, suggesting one got damaged. Not sure I've seen a similar ad for tins, though that may just be selective memory...
Has anybody used the Atacama panniers?
Mosko Moto if off road - and you’ll only moan once. SW Motech for most else and Ortlieb dry bag for the minimalist that wants his shit to stay dry.
Same width yes, but no luggage option on the GS can have same capacity on both sides, which was the case on the Suzuki as the exhaust was lower.
The good thing about the Varios is that fully extended they are no wider than the bars because there's no metal rack required. But yes I suspect a damaged Vario is pretty irreparable, whereas a dented can is neither here nor there and can often be bashed back.
I have panniers for most of my trips, occasionally i use roll top bags from Lomo.
I always try and promote Lomo as they are good quality and a fair price, a real UK company which is a rare thing these days.
I have 3 of their bags and lots of other kit that's been used and abused without issue for years.
I always try and promote Lomo as they are good quality and a fair price, a real UK company which is a rare thing these days.
I have 3 of their bags and lots of other kit that's been used and abused without issue for years.
Great dry bags, but their Tarps aren’t so good.
Agree, got 3 of their bags, different sizes , set panniers bags and the crash bar bags on my Himalayan. All faultless.
Larry Langford
Registered user
I think if one was to take on some really aggressive trail riding then soft bags are going to be the ticket (also smaller bikes imo). This is sourced from Big Rock Moto's numerous videos on this subject. He didn't say it, but it's there like an elephant in the room imo... The hard bags are vulnerable, it seems even the AL bags are. If you dent one really bad, yes you can hammer it out, but it prolly won't seal anymore. That could get expensive.
But if your on a really long trip, basically living off the bike, the top loading AL bags are the ticket, probably. But if your on a big camping trip to the top of the rockies rally, and have a ton of equipment strapped down to the pillion, the side loading feature becomes a thing. Allowing you to access the bags without removing the camping equipment right above the bags.
I did find a set of used AL bags on craigs list here for very reasonable money recently, but they are for the oil cooled bikes it seems .... Ill be running the varios as a very reasonable compromise imo...
But if your on a really long trip, basically living off the bike, the top loading AL bags are the ticket, probably. But if your on a big camping trip to the top of the rockies rally, and have a ton of equipment strapped down to the pillion, the side loading feature becomes a thing. Allowing you to access the bags without removing the camping equipment right above the bags.
I did find a set of used AL bags on craigs list here for very reasonable money recently, but they are for the oil cooled bikes it seems .... Ill be running the varios as a very reasonable compromise imo...
The site îs www.roa-adventure.com
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