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Paniers
I have riden my R1150 GS from London to India. I bought the very expensive Touratech paniers believing the sales pitch that they were water-tight. The slightest ding breaks the silicone seal at the base, and the flimsy aluminium bends by just looking at it. The top box rattled so much due to the bad design of the locking device that i had to send it home lest the small 'bendy' lugs which were meant to hold it rigid snapped. The paniers are over priced, badly designed, not waterproof, and hell to try and get on and off. General rating: very poor. Mine are going in the bin when i get back!
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I popped in to Metal Mule on my way to Brighton last week, and was very impressed with their panniers, top-boxes and their very quick, secure mounting system.
They looked very well thought out, superbly made, rigid and strong - I particularly liked the inset base that gives increased strength and protection to this vulnerable area. There have full rubber seals on all joints/sections which makes them 'totally' water and dust proof. Considering the total costs of properly equipping an 'adventure bike', they are relatively only a very small amount more than other makes. I cannot now understand why anyone considers other pannier boxes. They even do them in shiny eye-catching ali finish for the posers! My own order will be going to them shortly. I only hope my endoresment here does not cause an increase in the order period! |
Can't go past Jesse panniers - more space than anyone else and completely waterproof.
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Regards TS:( |
I really like the Pelican cases - tough and no sh--- water and dust proof. Have just ordered a set for a '08 KLR. Pack em like a suitcase - no need to dig through everything to get at something buried on the bottom.
Caribou Luggage Systems www.cariboucases.com - World's Toughest Motorcycle Luggage Systems |
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http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ighlight=jesse ADVrider - View Single Post - BMW bags - failed crash test |
Initially I had the BMW vario plastic cases on my 1200GS but decided to change to aluminium for larger capacity and looks.
I've never liked the look of Touratech's Zega cases. Jesse was my first port of call. I loved the design of the lids, but the panniers leaked and the company never solved the problem with the silencer clearance, plus the compartment below the top box came off twice. Oh, and the key I had (and still have) appears to fit every other Jesse case in the world! Anyway, back they went. I refitted the vario cases which survived several falls off road and were still waterproof. The panniers were eventually sold with the bike. When I got the 1200 Adventure I went for the BMW luggage but found it marked easily with road salt, left marks all over the contents, and also leaked. They were replaced under warranty but I decided to sell them whilst still in 'new' condition to get something else. Also the top box is too small for any use. I briefly considered the BMW vario cases but wanted to retain the Adventure rear rack. I decided to try Metal Mule, and I have a complete set of panniers and top box being fitted Friday. Tim |
Metal Mules - The BEST
As I have said on a number of occasions, Metal Mule panniers are by far the best engineering solution. Stong, water and dust proof and just so easy to get on and off the bike, yet secure. And they don't mark your clothes with aluminum dust! The frames are constructed to the same exacting standards as the panniers, just bloody brillant.
Mine have done in excess of 20km, I have had two accidents (a shunt from the rear and another from the side), plus a couple of heavy falls - fully loaded! All of which I think would have terminated Touratech panniers, but have only left minor marks on the Metal Mule panniers and frames. But the big bonus is that they still function and fit perfectly. I must admit to a little snigger when I watched both the Long Way Round and the clips from the Long Way Down, when I saw them bashing panniers back into shape to make the tops fit. Sorry. Not sure if this is right place to ask this question, but down here we see a lot of bikers travelling through with Touratech panniers. A large number of them appear to have straps running horizonally round the pannier and frame. Not sure if this is for 'peace of mind' or there is a problem with the mounting system. Could someone give me an answer to this? Plus there is one other thing you do get from Metal Mule that you won't get from at Touratech - Customer Service. These guys fall over backwards to help. Buy the panniers, frames, plus the extras (feet, side handles, etc) it may be more than buying from Touratech, but you will get realistic delivery dates and a far superiour product to boot. Trust me it will be worth it. If you do buy Metal Mules, be sure to mention Dakota and the Smokin' Lizard from the south of Spain. Very satisfied customers. |
I wouldn't say TT panniers are flimsy - both MM and TT use 2mm aluminum. I've been travelling over 50,000 kms with my TT's, dropped the bike several times fully loaded, did lots of rough dirtroads, corrugations, sand etc. Except for one dent at the front outside corner on one box I haven't had any problems them not being dust- and waterproof.
Still - if I need new ones I'll go for MM. I reckon they are quite a bit sturdier and, what I like most is that you can get them anodised. The strap around the panniers is IMO not really necessary when travelling on good roads. But when doing real rough stuff I feel a bit safer with the straps because the boxes are often quite heavily packed. Basically I prefer panniers to be made from material that isn't so brittle as to break when banging it into form again after an accident. There I haven'T got any experience regarding MM, but yiu sure can clobber the TT's when necessary. My two cents worth. Hans |
Jesses' are nice but..
My Jesse bags have been great, surviving a few falls and getting hit by a taxi. Never have a problem with water getting in (or sticky fingers!).
My only gripe is the locking clips on the inside. The stick out and catch on whatever you are trying to pull out. I keep my sleeping bag in one and had to make up a little plastic cover to stop them ripping my stuff bag. Idealy they would be totally smooth on the inside like the TT's but obviously with more strength. |
Another big thumbs up for Metal Mule - do you see a common theme here?
I've only had mine a few weeks but very happy with them. Everything about them is first class. Mounting to bike is so simple and effective, as all the best solutions are. I went for plastic coated and this is great as they look good and doesn't mark any contents. Locks are strong and substantial unlike flimsy catches on zegas. Carrying handles on top and sides are well designed and balanced. I managed to get a couple of inner bags from a market stall that fit perfectly for each pannier for £5 each. Even my wife is very pleased with them. We went away last weekend and she was impressed with the amount of stuff she could easily drop into them. The hinged lids work very well and are strong and 100% water proof as tested in English summer. Re comments above about thickness, I think Mules are slightly thicker than zegas. My friend had just fitted new zegas to his bike and it fell over at walking pace off road. The lids on his zegas were bent over an inch out of line and couldn't be re-fitted so all his contents was soaked by the time we got to destination. Interesting when you compare the costs in detail and add in the features missing on the zegas then the Mules don't look so expensive any more. Like most things in life you get what you pay for. And lastly, the service from the company couldn't be better and Stewart makes a nice cup of tea. Well done Tim, you'll enjoy your new Mules. Sid |
At least I not the only one...
..that is pleased with their Metal Mules.
As for MM's being stronger than TT's, I think it is purely in the design and manufacturing process. As for the price, I think Sid is right. There really isn't a whole lot of difference, especially when you consider the extras and how usuful they are. |
I'm a memeber of a few other bike-related forums and I see a common thread about panniers:
TT's generally, get an average rating - nothing to write home about. The UK franchise get a massive thumbs down for their service and aftercare. I can vouch for that and I would never do business with them again. One order I was chasing in desperation (over 1k's worth of kit) I was actually told I wasn't helping by ringing them to find out where my order was!! Sadly, their leader has his head too far up in the clouds with professional rallying to give any serious consideration to running a successful business. Jesse - always seem to get a good write up with few problems. I suspect Jesse are to USA what MM are to UK. MM's. I haven't read one complaint about the panniers or racks themselves. Not one. The only niggles I read about is the price of them and that you can't fit them onto the XT660's without fitting a MM exhaust, making it a very expensive option. My panniers have done about 10k miles in 10 months and are still like new (apart from a couple of scratched corners where I've dropped my bike). I'm the first to complain if something isn't right, but I can't fault MM's or the staff. I've never dealt with such an accommodating company and you only have to look at their background to see they know what they are talking about. I keep telling Stuart I should be on commission for them (two bash-plates please). If you want a closer look at the panniers, I uploaded some photos: Picasa Web Albums - Dakota - Metal Mules They may be expensive, but at the end of the day, you get what you pay for!! |
talking of anodising the cases, i dont remember ever seeing any with colour anodising. you can get ali anodised in lots of colours but nobody seems to bother.
and a feature of metal mule i always liked, being an aircraft man myself, was the rivetted construction. this doesnt affect the metal like welding and you dont get fatigue cracks, you get a much tougher joint thats simpler to repair in the middle of nowhere. |
Weight Comparo?
They are so air tight they come with pressure relief valves.
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Obviously you've got a bad batch. Maybe next time you should opt for Gobi's? |
They spend a lot of time at the Welders....no matter the system.
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We can’t mount flimsy hardware from various sources and expect the same quality! :nono: ….on the other hand. Why should the luggage system be the limiting factor? Well, I spend a lot of time and money to solve this. Now I have a setup where I can drive endless corrugation, two up with camping gear and luggage. :clap: |
Happy Trails
I have Happy Trails on my DL650 and am quite happy with them. They are enormous and very waterproof (tested them a month ago while driving through a flood). While I haven't had a substantial fall on my bike, I've tipped it over quite a few times and only have a few scratches and no bends on my panniers.
I had the exact same experience as TravellingStrom -- I wanted Jesse's, waited 3 months of "only two more weeks", and ended up buying/loving my Happy Trails. I have been asked if they were homemade and I doubt that would happen if I had Jesse bags. |
you break one....you get another FREE!
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I refuse to pay stupid money for boxes. I use Alpos boxes which, though half the price of many other boxes, still cost too much.
But anyway, these Alpos boxes do the business and are cheap (ish) and cheerful. PS I made my own racks, so can't comment on Alpos racks. Down with overpriced boxes......don't pay more... |
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I had Givi plastics (a bit older models, but the mounting system seems to stay same for them, only outer design is updated) on my Susuki GSX bike, even here in Estonia, mostly on very shaky USSR style paved roads I nearly killed the plastic mounting points (where metal frame meets with the plastic box), sold them. If i'd take it to out gravel roads, they'd certanly fell off at one point taking all the pot holes Givi pannier frame twice broke because of vibrations, first on our bad roads and again it managed to broke less than 12,000km on one of my tours on a nice european roads. Needed to re-weld it twice. Can't imagine if I fit the same system on my trusty BMW GS that ride very hard on dirt and gravel, at one point I'd probably see they're missing from the bike. My Suzuki had amazingly lot of electrical and some mechanical problems per little 50,000km I rode with it, I whish Suzuki gave me a new bike every 10,000km or so, even more problems than the plain italian boxes created per that distance, but still, I'd recommend eighter soft or alloy boxes solution if you want to ride the bike hard and/or load the panniers hard. In fact I've seen older Givis (with those absolete outer shapes) and they had more robust fixing system than the new ones, visually seemed to be better. But still I think indeed you can use plastics panniers like new Givis, if riding very carefully, slowly over potholes, not loading them hard, then you'll have no problems on what ever boxes you have and can praise the boxes sky-high after coming back from the trip. As always it's up to the rider. Another thing is "crash-proof" question that most of people don't consider, fortunately or unfortunately. Solid "bending and un-cracking" alloy or a soft (textile) panniers don't fell off even on high speed crash, they have a material deformation "reserve" compared to plastics. In Poland I've done a approx 100kph crash after a car decided to do an illegal maneuver. Bike slided more than 10m on tar first, off the road the over 300kg fully loaded bike did 2 saltos together with us. Thick 2.5mm boxes stayed on till the end (VERY strong frame and very strong mountings), boxer cylinders had protected my legs (i.e. with inline or V-configuarion bike my leg bones probably had been into multiple pieces) and alu had boxes protected my g/f's legs. Basically in combination with cylinders they created a "protective space" for our legs. From the situation, I can easily tell that if we had plastic boxes, my pillon's legs would have been damaged, and other worst things happenined I don't want to imagine. Pic of the aftermath: http://www.cajasahel.com/images/travel/crashbig.jpg See those boxes and now replace the thick 2.5mm aluminium with any comercially available plastic box that is mounted on the bike with fragile frame. What would have happened to my and her legs then? In my definition after being through this: plastic boxes would have been simply "vaporized" with these kind of forces. More about it here: Caja Sahel Most of us think it's mostly our own faults doing crashes etc, but this story proves you must be careful of other mad cage drivers that can end your travel in a very unexpected moment. Choosing correct boxes can play a crucial part for your own security and protecting your bike too. Ride safe, Margus |
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Especially this summer ;-) You should have better travelled in a submarine... Sorry guys, my mistake regarding material strength: I just checked both websites and yes, TTs are only 1,5mm whereas MMs are 2mm ali. Which of course means more weight. The fastening system of MM is ways better than TT's. Of course the catch for the lid probably isn't as secure as the locking system of MM, but then I personally like the idea of being able to remove my lids if necessary without removing the luggage roll. But summing up all pros & cons, my choice would definitely be MMs next time. Hans |
Ammo cans
Ammo cans. $20 each, homemade mounts. Travelled South America 2 up with camping gear, had enough room. Crashed, no damage. If there had been any damage a local welder could fix them. Left my aluminum panniers home in favor of them. Mounted on an HD Sportster with 2 bolts each plus a threaded rod connecting them ($4). Waterproof, designed to carry 120 lbs. each .Unlimited supply in the US because of the huge, wasteful military. For the same weight as aluminum you get half the capacity and 1/20 the cost. Like my bike, low tech, the way I like it.
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This sounds like a great system...and cheap too!
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panniers
mollydog i have two 80mm ammo boxes which are about the same size as happy trails boxes they weight 10pounds a piece and i will sell them to you if you are interested
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Thanks for the offer Cal. I'll look around locally.
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Many different sized ammo boxes...for different ammo. |
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We ride to Santa Cruz for breakfast. :cool4:
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Sorry late reply, I have been away for a while..
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The old Jesse frame is thrown away, when designing a new one I would say the important factors are: -Keep the boxes as close to the frame as possible -Minimize the length of horizontal tubing for attachment points to the frame (remember Newton) -Use rubber dampers to minimize vibrations -Make sure that the boxes doesn’t flex inwards (solid tube from one side to each other and solid mounting to rear foot rest) -Three mounting points at the top -Use circular tubes (forces go in all directions) I don’t have a lot of pictures, but here is one. The right side is a bit difficult to make on my BMW because the cardan is big :devil: http://www.actiontouring.com/pic/rack.jpg Quote:
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I guess it depends on how you use them. A friend used some Givis (I think) on Iceland and they were far too wide. When he was leaning the bike over the panniers hit rocks. The mounting hardware was a bit flimsy and he had to secure the boxes with belts. The system lasted pretty good for the trip but I think it would have made a lot of problems on a longer trip. http://www.actiontouring.com/pic/givi.jpg Quote:
Every bike has issues. We had to rebuild the top-end three times of a Honda XL on a trip, enginemounts break on the tiger when it’s stressed, a friend had to change cam-shaft on his DR twice a year and the list goes on forever. Can you believe that on some bikes you have to remove the engine to do some top-end maintenance? :sweatdrop: http://www.actiontouring.com/pic/hondaeng.jpg Next weekend I will drive an Ural with 2WD and sidecar…. That's fun!!! I have to admit that I have started to think of building a touring bike based on the HP2 and the 900RR tank and front, but it will probably never happen…. |
Thanks Ali for the great pics and reply.
Pelikans on the way....GIVI racks going it for re-build! ($100) |
i dont know?
i've always travelled with soft luggage but i'm about to go for the hard stuff due to the fact that its just easier! with soft luggage it's easy to steal and everything has to go in waterproof bags.
anyway, whilst i'm out and about everybody seems to be using TT's on their bikes. i do 3ooo km's a week in my truck and i'd say 9/10 bikes that overtake me with alu panniers are TT's! so surely they cant be that bad! i'm gonna try them out though as the price of €700 compared to £700 for MM's is a big difference! lets just hope that touratech in france are better than in britain! going in 6 wks! if i'm wrong i'll cry and then let you know!:innocent: |
Givi crash test!
Note the lack off distance between the boxes and the ground:
http://www.actiontouring.com/pic/givit1.jpg Things are getting harder (note that the boxes have touched the ground close to the bottom of the picture) http://www.actiontouring.com/pic/givit2.jpg The left box touches the ground and lifts the bike: http://www.actiontouring.com/pic/givit3.jpg He is okay but the bike is wider then my BMW!! http://www.actiontouring.com/pic/givit4.jpg |
MMs
Metal Mule don't make panniers or frames for the Dominator.
So that ended that. Ortlieb make great waterproof and dustproof soft panniers (no need to put everything in bags in the panniers). A Dominator friend (good work Davey) rode to India and had hard alu panniers custom hand made for him for 5 pounds. :thumbup1: He still has them (post crash(es)). Potterton's cases make a great option too (thanks to Lois's research). Ammo boxes are also a great option. I researched options for ages and really like the Metal Mule concept. But their lack of willingness to make them for Dominators put me off. Ortliebs worked perfectly for me. |
Quick and simple question: Are MetalMule available outside of the UK. From what I'm reading they make a fantastic pannier, but can they deliver to North America??
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Its funny no one has mentioned Berndtesch panniers. Racks
I have these fitted on my r80gs, In the past i have used soft luggage, plastic boxes (the Gobi stuff was excellent if not small and heavy but still excellent) and the Tesch stuff. The good points of Tesch - massive capacity (I have the larger ones as they carry more for two up travel) but still retains its narrow profile each pannier is 8 inches wide (my hole set up on the Gs is max 87cm wide total - narrower than handlebars and slightly wider than cylinderheads). additional toolboxes on inside - back of pannier keeps everything seperate, Lids are flat profile and have a good locking set up and remove easy and are also usable as table top etc. the panniers are very very strong my panniers (are second hand when I bought them and have survived trips to India, middle east, arctic etc and have covered in excess of 60 to 70,000 mile and are still largely unscathed. They sit on strong box section racks they are still waterproof and have survived a rear end shunt off a van (saving the bikes sub frame, back wheel and rear end from crumbling)along with being dropped on and off road which has had no real effect on them. The only bad points I can think of is they are fixed - ie not removable without undoing 4 bolts after emptying them- which you soon adapt to - I use soft bags inside so its easy to take what I want out of the pannier. but being fixed may be a small problem in some situations. They are fairly heavy with the racks - but also very substantial. I still think in many situations more so where vast dirt and gravel roads are going to be covered soft luggage is in most cases a better choice - but for a metal box the tesch panniers to me are one of the best. |
For those in the UK
I can recommend Vern at worldbeater panniers (project DNV .com)
and have heard good things about 'ARD cases'. Both considerably cheaper than Touratech. Vern especially is a top dude. I bought some panniers of a guy in Leverkusen Germany for just over £200 and will report on quality when they arrive (end of the worl volcano permitting). Military cases? Unfortunately the UK armed forces dont use the US styled mermite cans and all the ammo cases are proper heavy (6 kilos+). At least this is what I learned after hours of research. Do love thebadass ammo box looks tho. |
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Really, they look lovely but they are NO WAY worth the money. Unless you have money to burn, look elsewhere. They don't crash very well at all either. The mounting system is fragile and overcomplicated and the first thing to be torn off in a crash . Makes them easy to remove when they are straight though. |
I had 2 pair. Totalled 1 pair and the other pair are sitting in my garage for storage. The locking mechanism kept 'adjusting' itself, and the straight edges at the bottom kept 'seeking' my lower legs through the difficult dirt stuff. If you want to seek dirt roads, stick to soft luggage. For a latte trip on the tar make your own narrow panniers. Any sheet metal place should be able to knock something up for the same price. Make a cardboard one, take it to the tradies and you get exactly what you want and waterproof.
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alternative to Jesse bags
?c?
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I've been very happy with Hepco Becker boxes on modified H&B racks using extra straps to lash them onto the bike. I've beat on this like no other and have been very happy with the build quality of the boxes with their rounded edges they are very strong.
Also like having crash bars for my legs and never having to lift the bike from it's side. I run pelicans up front on my little 650, works very well for me. Here's my setup from a nice spot in Cuba: http://throttlemeister.smugmug.com/M...SAM_0958-L.jpg Easy to pop back out after the really nasty big rocks :) |
BMW Adventure panniers
I rode Central and South America on a F800GS with BMW Adventure panniers. I take they are the most expensive panniers, or one of the most expensive.
On several occasions I dropped the bike a low speed. The amount and weight carried on the bike added to the impact. A few times the panniers took serious dents, like any piece of aluminum would. Once I tried to stop on a very steep incline and the tires couldn't provide enough traction...sliding backwards over 10 feet and gaining speed, the bike dropped 'high-side' deforming the shape of the right hand pannier to the point the lid couldn't begin to close. Like every other time, I pounded the dents out with a hammer & small piece of wood, and in this case I re-squared the pannier in general. If I kept working on it, it might be water proof again... One important thing to understand about BMW Adventure panniers, they are designed to 'release' if you hit something. They will pop off and not totally destroy the pannier frame or the anchor/attachment point of the boxes. I enjoyed the flexibility of having two lock/hinges (one on the front, one on the back) instead one fixed hinge along the length of the lid or a fix hinge on one end. There were times when I had spare tires on the seat which would stop the opening swing of a lid. I could unlock both 'hinges' and slide the top off...without having to loosen the tires. I guess these panniers aren't for everyone, but I like them. |
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V N D project !!
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I used to have a KTM 950 Adventure which came with Gobi panniers. I only used them for European work so it's hard to know how they'd have fared in a crash. I suspect the actual panniers would have held up well, but that they'd have been ripped off as the fittings look a bit flimsy.
I don't really have an adventure tourer bike now unless you count my Buell Ulysses which I only use for ripping round the Algarve where I live. The Gobis would fit on the Buell, but I don't have the frames, and I've gone off panniers. They make the bike so wide. My main bike is a Suzuki B-King which I use on any long-distance run (e.g. back to England). I have a Gobi top case which I really rate, an 8L Wolfman tail pack sitting in front of the Gobi (I use the pack for transporting my Almax security chain) and a Baglux tank bag (I wouldn't recommend Bagluz stuff to anyone. The zips on the smaller tang bags are flimsy things and fail in the end. I've gone through two). Not exactly adventure touring but what the hell. Great website. |
...after seeing my plastic Vario panniers explode on a minor fall from which I walked away, the message was pretty clear to me: SOFT LUGGAGE.
Have to say I have never looked back. Versatile, light, water proof, does not dent, even secure with a pack safe cable. Don't understand the love for aluminium :-) |
Hard or Soft
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I'll stay in love with Aluminium !!!:thumbup1: (But I don't like Plastic):nono: Cheersbier Paul |
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Stuff like that should ways be kept up top. Tankbag, seat bag, back box etc Soft panniers are for clothes, sleeping bag, waterproofs etc. Stuff people generally don't want to pinch. |
Aluminum panniers destroyed our iPod.
Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk |
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To cross africa i mady my own panniers für just 30 Euro and they worked fine: http://reisemotorrad.eu/?report=seitenkoffer |
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