Your views on luggage options for touring please

GSJones

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My wife abd I will be going on our first tour later this yrar, visiting friends in Belfast before doing the causeway and northern WAW.

My bike came with BMW Vario panniers so, althougg not the biggest, will be staying on for now. We will be leaving the bike loaded at some points so I'm assuming that my only option for security is a top box ( looking at a givi/kappa 52l) I can't think of any way i could make a holdall safe. Top box is a little big in my view but the best option I have seen so far. Any views on this ir what have you done for pillion touring?

Also, any reccomendations on securing helmet/kit to bike be top box will be full?

Many thanks in advance for any recommendations for a touring novice.
 
I have tried various solutions over the last 12 years and 4 1200 GS's, Varios with soft bags(small and large) but have come to the conclusion that Varios and the matching top box is the best compromise between space and security for two up touring on my LC TE.
 
Oh and get a simple small bicycle chain to lock the helmets to the frame of the bike - put the chain through the chin bar.
 
A top box that has worked very well for two up touring, Is the givi 52 L which can take two full-face helmets and can keep other smaller items such as gloves etc also safe.

A good back rest for the wife as well.

On touring, a recommendation will be to keep the top box empty (or just enough so that there is space for two helmets and gloves.

Here is a pic of the Givi 52 on my Adv,

556a4db4079b70f4570f68b720b8cab6.jpg


Oh, and today tell your wife that A. the one pannier space is all that she has. B. She should get used to a smelly you as the other pannier will take some basic tools and a limited amount of your clothes

Called managing expectations.

Sent from my Redmi Note 4 using Tapatalk
 
I use a pacsafe over a Lomo back sat on the back seat.
Helmet secures to bars with one of these
s-l300.jpg


Chain through the jacket sleeves works well enough.
 
Engineer said:
I have tried various solutions over the last 12 years and 4 1200 GS's, Varios with soft bags(small and large) but have come to the conclusion that Varios and the matching top box is the best compromise between space and security for two up touring on my LC TE.
Click to expand...

Plus one for that , always used the Vario system , works great.
Pack lite its always a winner , plus the bike feels better
 
Vario's, ..me and my pillion have been okay for 2 weeks away, just pack light.

The bigger your boxes the more you will end up cramming into them, which means more weight on the bike

Handy Tip..Save space..Put your belts and socks in her shoes, then fit her shoes into your shoes :thumb
 
Thanks for the info so far guys. Reason for the 52l top box is that it will be useful for day trips tobstore both helmets. Firgot to mention that i am looking for a tankbag too. I will look into that option for securing a holdall. Any photos of a pacsafe in action?
 
kurienp said:
A top box that has worked very well for two up touring, Is the givi 52 L which can take two full-face helmets and can keep other smaller items such as gloves etc also safe.

A good back rest for the wife as well.

On touring, a recommendation will be to keep the top box empty (or just enough so that there is space for two helmets and gloves.

Here is a pic of the Givi 52 on my Adv,

Oh, and today tell your wife that A. the one pannier space is all that she has. B. She should get used to a smelly you as the other pannier will take some basic tools and a limited amount of your clothes

Called managing expectations.
Click to expand...

I've evolved a similar strategy on previous bikes over the last couple of years since my wife started touring with me. A few tools, puncture kit and pump go in the top box along with our light weight waterproofs as I like to minimise weight high up on the bike. The waterproofs and gloves can then be stuffed into the helmets (if not wet) when we stop, which lets us put the helmets in the top box.

However, as a recent convert to the GS I decided that the Vario luggage does not really have enough capacity. The top box is too small and the right hand pannier is greatly reduced in capacity compared to the left one, due to the exhaust. Of course I know who would be getting the small one, and it wouldn't be my wife! I'm also not keen on the larger metal boxes as they still have an issue with the exhaust if you want to keep the width to sensible proportions and can make getting on and off difficult, especially for a pillion. I will be using the bike just for on-road touring, so after giving it a lot of thought I have decided to go with a different type of luggage, so I have chosen the latest Shad top box SH59X which is expandable with three settings, and the new matching SH35 side cases.

As standard the Shad pannier mountings have the right hand pannier outboard of the exhaust which makes it both asymmetric, and too wide for my liking, so I will be doing some mods to rectify this. The key to this will be to lower the exhaust so that the right hand pannier can fit close to the bike. Rather than modify the existing exhaust I came to the conclusion that due to the modular design of the LC range, exhausts from other models would probably fit, and was proved right when I got an RT exhaust end can and heat shield very cheaply on eBay and found that it fitted perfectly. I just need to make an extension strap from the exhaust hanger point on the frame to match up with the lower exhaust. I will also modify the Shad pannier mounting brackets to take advantage of the lower exhaust and bring the pannier in close to the bike.

It makes me think that now BMW have a Rallye variant they also ought to do a "Touring" variant of the GS with factory fitted low level exhaust and close fitting panniers like those on the RT - I'm sure it would be popular with a lot of people as I think the GS makes a great tourer.
 
I use a SW-Motech tank bag with the appropriate tank ring fitting which bolts to the fuel filler - there is a different one for keyed and keyless bikes. It is the one at the link below and is just the right size for keeping camera, phone and other valuables in without being too big. It has a map window on top and also has zippable side pockets which I find useful for keeping a credit card and toll tickets when travelling on French autoroutes

http://www.bykebitz.co.uk/brands/sw...nection-trial-evo-quick-release-tank-bag.html
 
No room for the wife, tent castle and kitchen sink on the back seat.

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I use a tank bag top box and stainless boxes. Also crash bar bags. The boxes are handy for putting things on top of. Also there's a rack on top of the top box-handy for sleeping bags or other light stuff. I travel with my 14 year old son he's 6"1'. I'm 5"11' but 17 stone so bike is fairly well loaded. 12gsa. If I took off the top box I'd get more stuff onto the rear rack but I like the convenience of being able to put helmets into the box after setting up camp. JJH
 
Can I ask those of you with the givi 52l what plate you have used to mount it?

Although i like the idea of a holdall and the potentially lower weight and centre of gravity it brings, i think a top box is the most sensible option for this trip.
 
I use the givi plate it's quick release. If you go onto the mandp site they sometimes have a top which takes 2 helmets for around £50. Including a quick detach plate. If your not fashion conscious and your not going to use it every day it makes sense. JJH
 
I use a 52l Givi top box with an aluminium plate which works very well. However, there's a sticker on the plate stating that the max load should be no more than 6kg so with the weight of the box deducted this leaves less than 5kg for luggage.

I'm sure there's a reason for this maximum permissible load but I think it should be officially capable of carrying twice this. I must admit to have hugely exceeded 6kg several times without a problem
 
All good advice above.

In the main people here don't mess with bikes so you should be fine.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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