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10 May 2010
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A Wide Load? Pannier Width
I'm soon to be the proud owner of a new (to me) 2008 DR 650. My intention for this bike is traveling through Latin America and if the money works, maybe Africa. Point being, a long trip.
I'm looking at getting a set of the Happy Trails Teton Panniers (unless someone wants to dissuade me.) They come in 2 sizes. A 7.5 inch, 33L design and a 9 inch, 38L design. From what I've read, the 7.5 comes out to be about the same width as the bars. However, it's my inclination to get the larger size with the greater storage capacity, but it really concerns me having something wider than the bars. I live in NYC and it would really be tricky to get used to lane splitting with a setup like that. . .
Also, from years of motorcycle touring, bicycle touring and backpacking, I know, if you have it, you WILL fill it up. Generally with something heavy that you didn't need anyway.
Thoughts? Would the capacity really be worth it in the end?
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10 May 2010
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I'd go with the smaller panniers. You can always add a huge duffle bag across the back if you need more storage. Also, tank panniers work OK on the DR.
I would not worry so much about width, rather I'd worry more about WEIGHT. Hard boxes add a lot of weight. If you stay strictly on road then no prob but if you go exploring off road at all, then plenty of dirt roads ... which sometimes get nasty can be found. This especially true in Peru' and Bolivia where some main routes are dirt.
I went from hard bags to soft bags on my DR650. Much better off road. I went from carrying 100 lbs. down to 65 lbs. 22 lbs. was panniers, racks and hardware. So true what you say about "... if you have the space, you will fill it".
Using soft bags I've been forced to really cut back on what I carry. I rarely camp. Much of Latin America is really NOT good camping. Research this and you will find many who wished they'd left camping gear at home.
There are several feisty threads here about Hard vs. Soft bags, look around, you'll find them.
Good travels. 
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10 May 2010
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Have a look at Andy Strapz or equivalent soft bags on simple metal side racks. If you're worried about security, you can fit Pacsafes to the panniers, think the 55L ones worked fine.
I wished I'd had just a bit more capacity on my DR so have a look for a decent sized rear rack so you can add to your dry bag behind you when you need to.
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10 May 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mickey D
There are several feisty threads here about Hard vs. Soft bags, look around, you'll find them.
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Looks like someone is trying to turn this threads into one of them 
Edit:
On a longish trip I wouldn't bothered much about the lane splitting problem.
I would have used the smallest boxes that fit my need.
Last edited by AliBaba; 10 May 2010 at 13:16.
Reason: Back to topic
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10 May 2010
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To get back to the subject of the thread: narrow panniers--the width of your handlbars--will be adequate for your needs and will indeed make lane splitting much easier. There are also lots of other situations where you'll be squeezing between one thing and another; the toll-bypass motorcycle lanes in most South American countries come to mind. Some of these are very narrow, and some have high curbs which have been known to take riders down. Then there's the eternal struggle to fit the bike through gates and doorways for overnight security, which is way more convenient if you don't have to dismount and remount panniers each time.
I'm riding a KLR with the narrow Happy Trails boxes, and I'm carrying everything anyone could ever imagine plus some other stuff that most people can't. Plus, contrary to advice given above, the bike has gone wherever I've pointed it, including some remarkably difficult roads. So far.
Hope that helps.
Mark
(from someplace off the beaten track in Bahia, where I will very shortly venture out in search of a rear tire to replace the entirely-smooth MT-60 I bought 9000 miles ago in Puerto Montt)
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10 May 2010
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Mike:
Keep the bags less than the width of the bars - that way, if the bars fit between a line of cars/buses/trucks, you'll be fine on the bags. Otherwise, you'll likely be clipping a few vehicles (you'll likely clip a few anyway, with smaller bags). And as Markharf says, fitting the bike through portals is a problem when bags are wider than the bars.
And the folks touting soft bags likely haven't used soft bags on a long-duration trip. The stitching at all the stress/load points on the bags will start to break due to the rough road conditions. They'll be fine for a few months, but then?
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10 May 2010
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Chuck, good to hear from you!
I've traveled with hard and soft luggage and I def prefer hard, waterproof, secure luggage.
I really appreciate everyone's input. It seems like the 7 inch is the way to go.
This of course leaves the question Happy Trails VS Pelican. . .
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10 May 2010
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That's an easy one (for me, anyway). Pelicans are fine (I've got a pair up front and a topbox), but for main panniers the side-loading doesn't really work. Plus, if you look at the relationship of internal volume to external size they come up way short compared to welded aluminum.
FWIW, my Happy Trails have been pretty flawless and their rack has taken only one small weld (77k miles and counting). One of my Pelican's has suffered broken latches, and this seems common--fine if you're somewhere it can be replaced under warranty, not so good if you're not. Both seem to survive drops, scrapes and being squashed by converging traffic easily enough.
Ok, so about that tire I was going to go looking for.....
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11 May 2010
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Does anyone have any thoughts about getting a 7 inch for one side and a 9 inch for the other? I'll have to try to research how it relates to bar width, but since the pipe gets in the way, one side sticks out more than the other anyway.
I guess you'd just have to make sure and load all your heavy stuff that can get hot in the 7 inch case. . .
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11 May 2010
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I don't have a DR, but I've got narrow Happy Trails boxes on their mounting frames on both a KLR and a V-Strom. On both, the boxes extend out from the bike the same distance on each side. That's because the mounting frames extend the same distance, leaving an empty space on the side without a silencer. There are various schemes for what one might do with such a space, including Neduro's KTM-specific fuel tanks, but mine remains wasted space.
Call Happy Trails and talk to them, if in doubt.
Mark
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11 May 2010
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Best advice is to just keep the luggage the same width or less than the bars. For exactly the same reasons Quasdog posted.
Not starting anything, but soft bags are a winner for me after touring South America with heavy hard cases.
Like the others have said too. The more space you have, the more junk you find to fill it.
The key to overlanding happiness is a lightweight bike. 
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13 May 2010
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Hi my 10p worth
I would suggest as others the panniers no wider than the bars.
As for soft or hard, I have used both, I would suggest you conceder the type of terrain you would mostly be riding on, & bear in mind if off road you will drop it at some point. if hard it will be safe if soft whatever will may get squashed.
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13 May 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*
Not starting anything, but soft bags are a winner for me after touring South America with heavy hard cases.
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Yeah, but you only road with the soft bags from Argentina up to Venezuela - like 2 months or so on the road, wasn't it?
BTW: I'm using some Ortleib bags on my KLR - so I'll let you know end of summer what I think of soft bags.
Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*
The key to overlanding happiness is a lightweight bike. |
Amen.
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13 May 2010
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Unfortunately, at the last second the DR got pulled from under me. Now I'm back to hunting for another. . .
(Anyone have one in the Northeast USA?)
When I do find one again, it seems like hard bags are the ticket. I know that bicycle touring i spent an awful lot of time worrying about people swiping stuff from my soft panniers. Something I can really lock is appealing.
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20 May 2010
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Hi
... and what about front bags, check this on my XRV 650
Miles-to-ride==
custom made from truck tarp by a friend, which is a professional sewer
bike is more balanced with the weight in front of you 
Thomas
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