Vario and Ali Panniers

[stick]

Morning , I know I should get my tape out and add a bit more info for you , but here goes.
Vario Panniers good as they are sooooo heavey carting them up and down from the bike to the hotel , the Ali ones look like a better option as they stay on and the bag comes out.
(I know you can bet the inner bags for the Vario but other bits are always packed around the pannier .
Now are the Ali ones wider than the Vario as they do look wider.
Any offers of info as I'm thinking of buying a set.
Cheers

2016 GS TB

 

[JerseyNeil]

I have had both.....

I started with the Vario Panniers on my GS TC and when I bought my GS Rallye this year I could not justify the cost of the Ali set up at the time although that was what I really wanted (circa £1,000 for Panniers, rails and locks). I got a good deal on a set of Varios when I bought the bike so went for it.

I have since sold the Varios and got virtually all my money back due to the deal and have now got the Ali Panniers fitted.

My thoughts. Firstly I completely agree, the Vario Panniers are heavy even when empty. The exhaust side one is rubbish unless you expand it and I always felt that they are form over function. I would rather see BMW make them non Vario and a fraction wider the non expanded size. Without the expanding function there would actually be more space inside them.

I am really pleased with the Ali Panniers they are lighter when empty and have much, much more space to pack. The only down side is the lack of a carrying handle but that can be purchased separately for a mere £50 a set .

Obviously when the Varios are not expanded they pertrude less than the Ali ones but when expanded I don’t think there is much in it.

I have a few photos of both Panniers fitted to my Rallye (see below but note Varios are not extended). Note that the photo creates an illusion that the Ali Panniers are huge but that is the perspective caused by the angle of the photo. The Ali Panniers are exactly the same width as my handle bars.

In short I prefer the Ali Panniers. Hope this helps.

 

[stick]

Thanks for your great reply , that's exactly what I needed , looks a great set up and agree with all your points , think I will have to go with the set.
I take it from the photos you still use the top Vario Top box , that's the option I would like as the box is only used for light stuff and stays on the bike.
So its frames and a set for me ... Thanks again.

 

[JerseyNeil]

Stick.

I have just messed around with the photos to make the scale similar.....

I used to have a top box on my GS TC but have not bothered with the LC. I now have enough capacity in just the Panniers for all my needs as I never carry a pillion. On that note. You will need to remove the pillion hangers and either replace them with GSA pillion hangers or just leave them off as the pannier frames will not fit with GS pillion hangers.

I have a Kriega OS 12 pack that lives on my rear rack which I use daily instead of a top box. I don’t use Panniers for commuting.

Neil

 

[oblertone]

If width is an issue then do remember that other makes of Ali panniers are available, and some/most are deeper than the OEM offerings which reduces the width.

 

[Troppo]

As a fellow sufferer of lugging loaded vario panniers up hotel stairs, I certainly agree on the weight.

The alu ones look great.

 

[yans]

I have just purchased a full set of BMW Vario Panniers from a mate... Used the top box so far... Pretty sweet... Not looking forward to coding the keylocks for my key though, looks tricky!!!!!

 

[Deleted account 191119001]

I have just purchased a full set of BMW Vario Panniers from a mate... Used the top box so far... Pretty sweet... Not looking forward to coding the keylocks for my key though, looks tricky!!!!!

Just go to the local BMW shop and ask them

 

[yans]

Watched a youtube video........ eeeeeekkkkkk!!!!!!! lol

 

[Deleted account 191119001]

Watched a youtube video........ eeeeeekkkkkk!!!!!!! lol

Its not really that hard, but if you are a tad clumsy them little springs jump around

 

[Geekay]

i suspect when you try it'll be easier than you think.

I want an alu top-box and was thinking i'd have to go to the dealers for the lock coding - but it looked surprisingly easy when i watched the youtube video!

 

[Troppo]

It is a pity that you need the scaffolding to run the Alu panniers....

 

[Geekay]

It is a pity that you need the scaffolding to run the Alu panniers....

It actually comes off fairly easily though. I’m thinking of storing the scaffolding in one of the panniers until I need it but it doesn’t seem to be “the done thing” on the GSA


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Flaming T]

It actually comes off fairly easily though. I’m thinking of storing the scaffolding in one of the panniers until I need it but it doesn’t seem to be “the done thing” on the GSA


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I only have the scaffolding on when I need the panniers... bike looks so much cleaner (lines) when they are off. The only other time I will run with the scaffolding will be when we do Hardknott ass etc... just in case she gets dropped.

 

[batman1]

Morning , I know I should get my tape out and add a bit more info for you , but here goes.
Vario Panniers good as they are sooooo heavey carting them up and down from the bike to the hotel , the Ali ones look like a better option as they stay on and the bag comes out.
(I know you can bet the inner bags for the Vario but other bits are always packed around the pannier .
Now are the Ali ones wider than the Vario as they do look wider.
Any offers of info as I'm thinking of buying a set.
Cheers

2016 GS TB

I prefer the vario's. I use the BMW panniers liner bags, with shoulder straps and carry these up to my hotel room and leave the panniers on the bike, much easier!
Thought that was the idea for using panniers bags?
If it's a long stay, and I want to do some hooning around, then I'll remove the (now lighter) empty panniers and put them in my room.

2016 GS TB.. soon to be replaced!

 

[Sour Al]

Hi,

If anyone wants to convert their GS to run OEM Ali panniers then I have a complete set of Ali pannier frames, including the bolts, foot peg attachments and a modified pillion foot peg for the exhaust side.............everything you need as I purchased all these parts to run my old GSA Ali panniers on my new GSTB for a while. Make me a sensible offer as this cost nearly £350 for all the bits.

Regards, Al

 

[Troppo]

I prefer the vario's. I use the BMW panniers liner bags, with shoulder straps and carry these up to my hotel room and leave the panniers on the bike, much easier!
Thought that was the idea for using panniers bags?
If it's a long stay, and I want to do some hooning around, then I'll remove the (now lighter) empty panniers and put them in my room.

2016 GS TB.. soon to be replaced!

Good points...

 

[Bobbin-Man]

Hi,

If anyone wants to convert their GS to run OEM Ali panniers then I have a complete set of Ali pannier frames, including the bolts, foot peg attachments and a modified pillion foot peg for the exhaust side.............everything you need as I purchased all these parts to run my old GSA Ali panniers on my new GSTB for a while. Make me a sensible offer as this cost nearly £350 for all the bits.

Regards, Al

Al, YHM.

Stu.