Soft panniers were an option but I did not like the throw over type being concerned about security.
On a visit to my local dealer The Adventure Bike Shop near Sudbury I looked at the Bumot Xtremada bags. Bumot supply asymmetric bags to fit their own frames for bikes with a high exhaust notched bag (31 ltr) on one side and a straight sided (35 ltr) bag on the other. Their bags lock to the frames. I thought that using two of the straight sided 35 ltr bags would work. They all have a waterproof inner bag.
Checking it out it wasn’t a straight fit to the MM frames, but not difficult to make them fit. All it needed was to raise up the bottom puck fittings by 3 to 5mm.
I got Cliff to do a special order for two straight sided bags with matching keys and then set about modifying them to fit. Fitting wasn’t difficult. I removed the bottom puck fittings, locked the pannier to the frame with the top fitting, marked up the new positions and redrilled the holes. I then used a hot glue gun to seal the old holes.
The result is panniers that lock to the bike with no straps across the seats and no straps interfering with the fuel filler.
In use I fit lockable Kriega Steelcore security straps to stop the bags being opened. I know that doesn’t stop a stanley knife but all soft bags have that problem. My prime concern is an opportunist thief when parking at a motorway service station. At other times I will have taken the contents with me.
I found this description online:
“The new XTREMADA Soft Panniers are made of two layers - 1100 denier Cordura by Dupont over 650 grams vinyl.
On the outside of each XTREMADA soft pannier there is a reinforced 3rd layer of Cordura plus a plastic plate which guarantees better abrasion resistance.
The attachment to the pannier frame is by the lockable quick release Defender system the same as on the hard panniers.
The strap system can also be used to secure a multitude of other items on the top of each XTREMADA soft pannier.
Dry-bag inserts inside each XTREMADA pannier feature a roll top closure that is secured with buckles - fully isolating the contents from the elements, and allowing easy opening and closure.
Reflective 3M strips on either side of the bags improve visibility and safety in low-light and nighttime riding conditions.”
It maybe that the bags could be similarly ‘adjusted’ to fit other bike’s frames.
If you are interested give Cliff at the Adventure Bike Shop a call
Pannier locked to frame
- Pannier locked to frame
- 1DD4C325-E77C-4651-8D70-B83AE04EACCB.jpeg (247.94 KiB) Viewed 2502 times
- Backing plate
- 983EF5BD-EF19-4B63-A01B-182D1FB8D66B.jpeg (155.84 KiB) Viewed 2502 times
- Waterproof inner
- 6726422D-2AE1-4204-A54B-388662A6505F.jpeg (123.96 KiB) Viewed 2502 times
