Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - Printable Version +- Forums (https://www.carpe-tdm.net) +-- Forum: Piston broke (https://www.carpe-tdm.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=5) +--- Forum: Hyde Park Inn (https://www.carpe-tdm.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=16) +--- Thread: Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? (/showthread.php?tid=4090)

Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - Gdog - 30-07-2017 Carpeadians , advice please !   Are you sitting comfortably ? Then I'll begin .....................   All my "over the briney" riding has been done in Northern France and done with back up, by that I mean myself and one of the sprogs would be on two wheels and SHMBO would be on 4 wheels with the other sprog and the suitcases (would swap sprogs for the return journey and ride outs), I have all my documents and bare essentials in my tank bag, top box and the sprogs back pack. We meet up sometime during the evening at a pre-determined hotel or camp site spend a couple of days there and move to the next destination, any hooo you get the picture.    I'm in the throws of planning a "solo" trip to Southern Spain on WinalotPrime to visit my brother and family, SHMBO and kids still going on ahead but flying, I'm thinking Portsmouth - Santander then Madrid to Mojacar then same on the return leg, I have set aside 10 days for the whole trip.   My dilema is this ... I'll need to carry my clothes and stuff myself with no back up as before, sooo... trusty tank bag along with top box & hard luggage or top box and throw overs ?   Both will require a frame of sorts for securing the luggage to the bike but my concern is the security of the soft luggage over night and when parked up for pit stops, I will have all my documents, cash and the like with me at all times in a tank bag that can be quickly removed and kept on me, would you guys leave the soft luggage on the bike overnight (they'll only have clothes and tat in) ?, is there a way to make it more secure ?, thought about a rain cover for the bike to mask the luggage being left on it, dont want the faff of unstrapping it all then having to put it all back on again the next day, but hard luggage is so expensive for what i need to achieve, and it appears hard to come by for the MK2 850.   Advise please  :good: Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - Studley Ramrod - 30-07-2017 I removed panniers at every stopover, it's not really 'a fuss' removing and refitting them, only takes 2 mins.  Likewise, summat like a 40ltr LOMO holdall will be roomy enough for all your gear and easy to take off the bike on your stopovers.  Stops for lunch etc and your gear should be fine if you avoid the really busy cities.   Left the panniers on the bike when on the ferry, used a small rucksack for a change of clothes and footwear for use when on the ferry, along with my tankbag. Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - peter-may - 30-07-2017 :wifgeni: +1 Roll bag and tank bag.  if I've got soft luggage with me while abroad (or even in blighty), in cities, I'll take tank bag with valuable with me and try to have a coffee or meal in sight of the bike anyway.....never had a problem. You'll be surprised with how little you'll need.......but don't forget your dancing trousers for the ferry, it's a blast! Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - dapleb - 30-07-2017 Me preference is hard luggage fur frequent use. But touring would use tiny pan ears with afore mentioned roll bag. Wouldn't spend to much time worrying aboot it getting pinched. Just ewes a dose of common sense mixed with good luck. We got told a lot how our stuff would be nicked and our boikes pinched in eastern euro but we musta got lucky. :-) Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - dablik - 30-07-2017 Exactly all this above, regular use then go to the expense of hard luggage, i wont pay the silly money for hard luggage anymore, for 10 days you really dont need much and can pack light, if you need a lot spread a good amount throughout the families luggage then a tank bag and top box will be plenty, that aside then a roll bag lobbed on the back seat, it's easy to worry about luggage left on the bike but  mostly unecessary, never had a problem in 35 years, just use a little common sense if in cities......save the money and buy beer, actually the cost of new luggage equates to 1 leg of the ferry journey...........dont do it, or buy 2nd hand at a reasonable price.   A lot of people take way too much stuff i think, anyhoo if you run short i expect you'll look lovely in SWMBO's borrowed dress Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - drewpy - 30-07-2017 i bought 2nd hand, wing rack and hard luggage, cost me £100 if your patient.   On Gumtree, had to buy a zzr1200 mounting kit with the panniers/topbox/plate and sold those on and both panniers only cost £50 with £50 for the wing rack   gumtree was the best bet as you can haggle. Only prob is it just takes time to do it that way. Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - peter-may - 30-07-2017 Think we're worst in Europe for bike crime. I was amazed this year in Belgium and Germany by what they just leave on their bikes when on walkabout! Had the luxury of an empty e45 top box to lock lid and jacket away but in hindsight was probably just paranoia. Be sensible and just enjoy! Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - muddy - 30-07-2017 I've used soft throw overs, a big cargo bag and the hard E45s I've got now. I much prefer the hard panniers. Easier to pack and (un)load and lower centre of gravity. That said, the Oxford soft panniers are fine if you want a cheaper option, they're just not as convenient or spacious. Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - peronne - 30-07-2017 I use both. The soft Buffalo's I bought off Saga are still in use. Hard ones are more waterproof but I use dry bags inside the soft ones anyway and rain covers plus little padlocks to deter the opportunist tea leaf.  To be honest if someone is going to break into your panniers hard or soft will make no difference. That's my penny worth anyway   Luggage - Fixed Or Throw Over ? - Gdog - 30-07-2017 Thanks for all your input guys, much appreciated  :good:   Looking into Sudders suggestion of the LOMO waterproof holdall, that seems a cracking idea with the tank bag.   Ironic as well as "LOMO" is Spanish for pork !!, must be a omen to fill them up with chorizo on the return leg   :rotflmmfao: