Adventure Bike Rider Forum

Hi all, lately I’ve had a chance to use Enduristan Monsoon throwovers, just got some Adventure Spec Magadans and had a mate drop by the other day with his new Kriega Overlander set up. I’ve also used Touratech Zega Flex, Andy Strapz, Oxford throwovers (when there was nothing better) and as well a few others. Links above go to detailed reviews and many more pics on my www; the table below sums up the data with pics below.

The table sticks with the first four mentioned as those are the ones I have direct and recent experience with though realistically it’s the first three that most will consider these days for long rides into what I call the AMZ where sending them back is not really an option; if they play up they have to be repaired or replaced.

I've used other soft bags but with Andy Strapz, Oxford Sovereign, army surplus (and probably some others I've forgotten over the years) I've ended up with one not-so-useful throwover because the other side caught fire or melted (on both high- and low-pipe bikes). Some manage without, but I reckon if you're carrying a big load on a long trip in the AMZ, some kind of rack is essential to securely locate the bags.

Hope some of you find it useful.

Chris S

PS: Added Giant Loop Siskiyou panniers to the list in March 2013. My impressions of them here.

Thats a thoughtful and useful post.
Well done that man.

What about the Wolfman Expedition panniers? I've had the Kriega stuff and got to say that Wolfman come out tops.

What about the Wolfman Expedition panniers

I haven't used them but Winding Roads sent me a pair to look at. Good, thick RF-welded PVC I recall, but to me they're too small at 19L, with no external pockets. IMO 30+ litres is the target volume for trans-continental overlanding (which is where I'm coming from).
I also think mounting/location and compression using the same straps is not ideal (and I read a user review on Adv which said as much). Kriega have separated those two functions on the Overlander system by incorporating the plate, but the q/d system plato-to-rack also looked like a faff to me.

My OP was not meant to list the four best bags, it was just a comparison of similar 30-litre soft bags that I've actually used or, with the Kriegas, looked at closely and talked to the user.

Ch

Yep I get where you're coming from in regards litreage. I recently did a trek around the Balkans which was mainly off road on a WR250R, so having the lightest set up was what I was trying to achieve, therefore minimal gear to get up some bloody steep stuff. The Wolfman fitted the bill more so than the Giant Loop which is only 30 litres. I've now got a KTM 990 and was going to fit the Wolfman kit to that, but like you say only 19 litres and to get a pannier frame from Wolfman for the KTM £250!! Just for the frame. So I'll be looking at your review with interest Chris. Cheers

Harty

Try your local KTM dealer, I got a set of OEM pannier frames (i.e. Hepco & Becker) for free from their pile of insurance job bits. OK I bought the 990 from them but i'm sure you could liberate them for a few beer vouchers if they have some;)

The frames were fine with a few minor scratches and the bit that bolts behind the pillion footpeg was bent on one side but dead easy to straighten.

I also got some free crashbars but they took a bit of "persuading" into place :whistle:

I'm thinking of some soft panniers so this is an interesting thread.

I can quite happily recomend the enduristan ones. Rode all the way back from the hu meet at ripley with flash showers all the way and everything stayed dry. Mrs fox dropped her bike and they seemed to hold up aswell, however we'll see what happens on more rugged terrain but they look up to the test

Sent from my MB525 using Tapatalk 2

I was considering soft bags and saw this heat shield advertised to stop bags melting or coming in to contact with the hot pipe. Anyone have any experience with this?

http://www.adventure-spec.com/default/h ... -loop.html

Austin

Well spotted Austin. I was literally just about to walk outside and work out how to make something like that.
It's a bit short for my needs but can be extended easily enough.

While loading my Magadans the other day it dawned on me why this happens - on high pipes at least. Because throwovers pivot off one side and not the middle (like say, a suspended carrier bag), they swing inwards on modern monoshock bikes. To get round this we hoik them up high, but then the weight is not so much hanging down as pressing onto the seat edge - or of course the pipe.
A strap across the bags joining the outside lower edges might get round this, but for me a rack is a better solution.

Ch

I've had a go at copying the kriega set up..seeing as I had kriega bags anyway
The plate

P clips that holds the plate The finished article with rotapax and us20 the other side will have us20 and us10