Max gear weight for soft pannier

[BobH]

Not much help but the max I have put in panniers is 60kg (not the normal touring weight) in a set of Kriega OS32's. Was taking some spares to a friend. Have also put about the same in a set of Magadans once when doing a beer run.

[OnHellas]

Maybe you should find a different set of soft bags where the manufacturer states a limit? If any do?

I think a lot of it will come down to common sense. One of the set ups from giant loop that use the rear seat as well may be the way forward.

Having spent considerable money on the bags I have, and the fact no maker of soft bags gives that information [ other than sw motech's dakar soft 32 liter bags which have a stated limit of 11#'s ] that I can find, that's not really a solution.

I'd have thought enough riders had been using soft panniers of different makers/volumes to be able to give guidance on the potential weight limits from experiences. But I appreciate the responses regardless.

You’ve answered your own question. How can anyone know a weight limit if the manufacturers don’t state one.
People just pack their stuff, use what ever level of common sense they have or haven’t been blessed with, and go.

You have very fixed views on what you want to take.....so pack it in the expensive bags ghat you’ve bought....good luck and enjoy your trip.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Well if you are worried that what you've got isn't up to the job, get some of these

https://www.andystrapz.com/product/expedition-pannierz


Given they are made from the same material that is used for load sheeting on Australian Road Trains and the clips are rated to 300 kg, I think they should be ok

[brownie0486]

Maybe you should find a different set of soft bags where the manufacturer states a limit? If any do?

I think a lot of it will come down to common sense. One of the set ups from giant loop that use the rear seat as well may be the way forward.

Having spent considerable money on the bags I have, and the fact no maker of soft bags gives that information [ other than sw motech's dakar soft 32 liter bags which have a stated limit of 11#'s ] that I can find, that's not really a solution.

I'd have thought enough riders had been using soft panniers of different makers/volumes to be able to give guidance on the potential weight limits from experiences. But I appreciate the responses regardless.

You’ve answered your own question. How can anyone know a weight limit if the manufacturers don’t state one.
People just pack their stuff, use what ever level of common sense they have or haven’t been blessed with, and go.

You have very fixed views on what you want to take.....so pack it in the expensive bags ghat you’ve bought....good luck and enjoy your trip.

I'd have thought enough people used soft panniers for some time and packed gear in each, and from first hand knowledge know how much THEIR gear weighed and how it faired in those weights/

Suppose it was too much to expect someone actually had some experience to offer another rider new to soft panniers. Oh well, I thought it was a very simple question that could be answered by numerous members based on THEIR experience, I was wrong apparently.

[OnHellas]

Maybe you should find a different set of soft bags where the manufacturer states a limit? If any do?

I think a lot of it will come down to common sense. One of the set ups from giant loop that use the rear seat as well may be the way forward.

Having spent considerable money on the bags I have, and the fact no maker of soft bags gives that information [ other than sw motech's dakar soft 32 liter bags which have a stated limit of 11#'s ] that I can find, that's not really a solution.

I'd have thought enough riders had been using soft panniers of different makers/volumes to be able to give guidance on the potential weight limits from experiences. But I appreciate the responses regardless.

You’ve answered your own question. How can anyone know a weight limit if the manufacturers don’t state one.
People just pack their stuff, use what ever level of common sense they have or haven’t been blessed with, and go.

You have very fixed views on what you want to take.....so pack it in the expensive bags ghat you’ve bought....good luck and enjoy your trip.

I'd have thought enough people used soft panniers for some time and packed gear in each, and from first hand knowledge know how much THEIR gear weighed and how it faired in those weights/

Suppose it was too much to expect someone actually had some experience to offer another rider new to soft panniers. Oh well, I thought it was a very simple question that could be answered by numerous members based on THEIR experience, I was wrong apparently.

You asked about weight limits for soft luggage. No one, not even makers of said luggage, knows.

If you’d asked what weight do people carry in their soft luggage you may have got some different responses.

Maybe people don’t weigh stuff, have you?

Also some of your replies seem a bit terse and maybe stopping some useful info being shared.
I may, however, have read your replies with the wrong inflection.

[brownie0486]

If you’d asked what weight do people carry in their soft luggage you may have got some different responses.

Gear weight in the title, what weight people carry in their soft luggage asks the very same question. But I found someone on another bike site that understood what I was asking and two actually responded. Based on those real world replies, below

Just an update on the issue of weight sustainable in soft panniers on racks attached to bike [ vs soft panniers without racks laid across the seat ]. On another site, one stated he's put up to 45#'s in each and had no problems tar riding/touring for 10's of 1k's of miles. The other said he didn't know how much weight he'd put in his, but it was about 35#'s each side without issues, same, on roads neither rides non graded fire roads/dirt.

I believe 30#'s in each of mine will be plenty, but that's another 16#'s total in the bags over the Varios [ 8#'s to a side ]. My daily load out of tools, extra gear in the panniers is 26#'s. The traveling gear is put aside in one place, and weighs 14#'s. After all that gear is distributed, it will still leave me with 10# more in each bag, so I'll be good with putting clothes and incidentals in the new bags. That saves the second dry bag on top of the seat/rear rack.

I appreciate those who responded taking the time to do so, I have my answers, the world continues to move west to east

[Chasbmw]

Does anyone take any notice of the really low limits put on their bags by BMW.?

The limits are there to limit liability, both in terms of what the panniers themselves can take, the rear subframe which takes the load and the effect that carrying 45kgs on the back of your bike might have on handling and especially high speed stability.

I would guess that 2x whatever Bmw specify is probably ok

On the last trip with eduristan panniers I was carrying about 32kgs, with 15 in the panniers, another 15 in a big bag across the rear rack and the rest in a tank bag. That’s with full camping and cooking kit.


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[sledgegreen]

I suspect that all luggage manufacturers who publish weight limits for their products will be very conservative about them. There are so many variables which will affect how well a bag tolerates a particular weight - is it all in one place, or spread through the load? All smooth surfaces, or sharp corners? Smooth tarmac roads, or cobblestones? Properly fitted, or half the bolts loose/missing?

Being so conservative gives them some protection from liability in the event of a failure, but it means that published weight limits are of little use as a real world guide to the strength of the luggage. All we can do is to assume that the manufacturer will have assessed the load their products can carry in the worst possible conditions, and then allowed a good safety margin as well.

The only guide which I think is at all reliable is that the pillion seat is able to support the weight of a passenger, and so I try to load any heavy items so that they are supported by the pillion seat (either directly on the seat or in throwover bags which are supported by straps over the seat).

I try to keep the load in whatever bags I am using 'reasonable', but I have never actually weighed anything. I don't see any point when I have no reference point to compare that weight with. If I did weigh something, I would still be completely dependent on my own judgement of whether my bags and rack setup were able to cope with the load.

[chunky butt]

You know what it has never crossed my mind weight limits, I just pack what I need regardless of weight, don't even think about it. On our Africa trip, we took essential spares as well, two tubes, rectifier, starter solenoid, pads, bearings, etc, rammed them in, does anyone seriously lay every item out and weight each individual item......me thinks not. Big thumbs up for my giant loop by the way, they take some abuse.

[Toe]

Have you asked the manufacturer themselves what they recommend? As with everything with this passion, there are so many variables!

Don't forget the weight of hard panniers themselves hanging off a rack on what is essentially a couple of short bolts or lugs when looking at their weight capacities.

Also, I'd think something like an over the saddle bag would have a significantly higher rating than strap-on (careful)ones as the straps would be keeping things in place rather than literally holding them on. Likewise, the Kreiga OS range seem to be fitted tighter, with less movement and are shown as 32L with additional Kriega bags on top.

To actually give an answer to your question, I've had in the region of 10-12kg per 20L pannier in very budget ones that have the 3 straps going over/under the seat.
My personal guideline is half the capacity for a safe weight (each pannier 20L / 2 = 10kg each pannier.