I would like to install some aluminium panier on my Honda transalp ( 1992 )

Those from TOURATECH are very good but too expensive for me ( more than 600 € ) .

On the net I found this site: http://users.libero.it/elio.man/moto/panniers.htm

This site give a list of the different paniers, most are made in Germany.

I would like to have some feedback on this paniers, wich one to you advise for the honda transalp

Thanks

Marc

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http://hnbk.free.fr

Salut,

Another site in German to help you make a decision: http://www.adventure-enduro.de/alukoffer/

I have panniers from Off the Road, but can't recommend the company, plus the panniers they now sell are not the ones I bought.

There has been extensive discussion here on the merits of various brands of panniers. Any of them should fit your bike with a bit of mechanicking.

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

Through HUBB forum we have found http://Happy-Trail.comm and after a couple of letters and looking at the specs we think we will go with them. Because Kwang Hee and I are riding a scooter around the world and not getting off pavement anymore than we have to, we probably don't need the durability of the hardier folks who take off across the deserts or the more rugged roads in South America. 2mm should be strong enough. They are considerably cheaper than the more robust boxes offered by the renowned German maker for the simple reason they are not as tough.

We have also been talking to a local box maker here in Korea. He agreed to make the three boxes needed according to our specs for equivalent of $600.00 U.S. The top box would be 60cm x 40 x 40. The two side boxes would be 50x 25 x 44. double reinforced on the upper edges, rolled and channeled for water-tightness and the lids would have tie down handles. They have a lot of experience making boxes for the restaurant delivery trade, but this would be the first time making boxes for a mtorcycle.

Opinions--would 600 bucks be too much when for another 100 I can get much the same thing from Happy-Trail????

I think that's pretty easy to answer - a resounding YES! There's a LOT more development work and tricks involved in making a set of panniers than you'd ever believe - until you've done it. Question though - does HT really sell all three boxes for 700? If so, what a deal!

The ONLY caveat I'd make to that would be mounting system - who's mounting it? If it's your Korean friends, and they have to make a rack for the HT panniers OR the ones they make, then it's more likely to be a better deal to have them do it all. Think about all the steps involved before making a decision.

hth

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Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Thanks Grant, that basically was our feeling and that is why you could tell we were getting the Hapy Trail. They are 179 each for the side boxes and 279 for the tob box. They are made in Boise and since I will be riding out that way this summer I will stop and pick them up. They responded immediately to my inquiry. As to the mounting system: you are familar with kwang Hee's need for support brackets and those preclude any possibility of a normal mounting system so I have invented my own. It will involve a bit of welding to attach eyes to the boxes and hooks on her support verticals so the boxes will drop onto the hooks and latch in the back. The left latch will be quick release because of the location of the Burgman's gas tank. We will also buy the 13 liter gas can from Teschberndt that fits inside the pannier and for the stretch down out of Morocco will carry that, the full tank, and 2 more gallons. 9 gallons should get us across safely with a big margin for headwinds.

I am buying a TIG welder as soon as I get back to the states and do most of the other work myself. I just won't have time to make my own boxes. The planning stage is over and now it is acquistion time and wait for retirement date. Maybe--there are strong nibbles on two books and if either sells-90 day notice and gone. I don't see anything new about Nigeria.

Well, Old Woman has solved part of the time problem. She fell and shattered her right hip and just came out of surgery 7 hours ago. There will be some time needed for her healing and I will use that time to build the attachment brackets for the Happy Trails boxes. I have a friend who, unknown by me until now, has a hobby of building roll-cages for dragsters. He said he could easily bend and shape the tubing for my proposed brackets and even make hinge setups for the boxes so they come off easily and the left one will swing to allow access to the gas tank filler cap. Something for others to consider--look for a body shop as most of them do tubing fabrication-bending work. Looks like we have just added 6 more months to our proposed departure. Wayne Langrille at www.Hardcases.com builds some pretty good looking sidecases for bikes that are mostly going to be hiway machines. too small for our purposes, but high quality.