I have a BMW G650 X-country I am equipping for a trip. First trip is in 6 weeks around Europe, (direct ride London to Portugal and then pick up the other half and cruise about before a long way round back via prague.) Second trip is in July, all the way to Thailand. Once in Thailand I will use the bike daily and go travelling extensively around SE Asia.
Luggage options on this bike are rubbish. The rear subframe is made of a chocolate alloy and bends if you look at it angrily. There are two options I have narrowed it down to. Touratech make a luggage set, new rear subframe in steel and painted black (big improvement) with pannier rails, top rack and boxes for £1100. They will do me the kit for £800 without the boxes. BMW make a steel subframe for the later version of my bike. £440. Now the problems are that the touratech one does not have any pillion pegs, the BMW one has welded pillion pegs. The welded pegs mean that racks will no longer fit to my bike. I can make a plate for the TT unit and fit pegs but it's not ideal as my bike has a non-parallel frame design. I had thought about making a wing style rack and fit it to a top box mount, braced underneath and securely mounted to the rear pegs by a home-made bar. That would be strong enough to support a set of Wolfman bags, which is probably where I am leaning. My issue is that for £1100 I can more or less sort out my luggage needs, for £440 I can fix the problem and build on top. The saved money buys me a new rear shock and exhaust can. What would you guys do?

Giant Loop Coyote bag with a roll closure bag behind that for sleeping bag and mattress. This way you keep the bulk down and don't bring stuff you really don't need. Carry it easily to the hotel room much more easily, enjoy the dirt riding heaps more and you'll bike will like it as much as well.

chug

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

...but that wouldn't let me carry a pillion which is something I need to do.

Good point.

Sure you don't want to get a second bike?

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

You know I'm really thinking about that. I do miss the power of a litre class bike. Thing is that half the point of going to Portugal is to get some fire-road exploring done. Also the road quality around the other places I'm heading make an enduro styled bike a better bet. I am considering the V-strom but I'm not a fan. I know a lot of guys like them but to my eye it's clearly a road bike that Suzuki are misrepresenting. Alloy cast wheels, exhaust under the engine, massive weight carried high, etc, etc. It can handle fire-roads, sure and is about the power I want but it's not a bike I will ever love. Having said that, stripped down with every piece of plastic thrown in the bin and a new, simplified headlight arrangement, metal sump guard and armoured tail and it has potential. I like the engine a lot. Thing is it's not economical and if I buy one now I'm buying a potential problem mechanically where I know my own bike is sound.
My head is spinning!

A friend of mine ride it on single trail like a KTM. It's capable.

But I kind on meant getting the pillion to ride a second bike as well. chug

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

Oh right. No. She has no idea and not only that, she is a foreign national so she can't even apply for a license here. I like your style though.