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Pelican Case Question

kantuckid

New member
I've been looking at Pelican & SKB cases for pannier use. The Caribou web site has complete sets & you can also buy hardware kits to set up your own cases. I lean that way to save money as the cases are commonly discounted in both brands. Has anyone come up with a hardware solution to make the cases removable from the frames w/o buying their kit? Thanks!
 
I've been looking at Pelican & SKB cases for pannier use. The Caribou web site has complete sets & you can also buy hardware kits to set up your own cases. I lean that way to save money as the cases are commonly discounted in both brands. Has anyone come up with a hardware solution to make the cases removable from the frames w/o buying their kit? Thanks!

Pelican has a good name in the world of photography. Beyond that I'm sorry to say I have nothing to help you with.
 
I'm using the Touratech mounts to attach Happy Trails panniers to the Hepco-Becker racks on my K75. http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/1806/PN-053-0010/Pannier-Mounting-Kit-15mm-mounts-one-pannier It took a few hours to carefully measure and drill the holes properly to attach the TT mounts, but I've got to say they are a smart design that's both sturdy and easy to adjust for pannier removal.

Happy Trails makes a mount kit too http://www.happy-trail.com/Happy-Trails-Pannier-Mount-Kit.aspx

Either is probably a wise expenditure as you could easily re-purpose or resell the mounts in the future.
 
When I had Happy Trail cases on a Dakar it appeared you could use their mounts to mount any case to a bike.
 
If the Caribou racks are made by Caribou, they're top notch. Unfortunately for me, when they redesigned their case setup for the 2012 Vstrom 650, they used Hepco Becker racks, and they were just crap. I ended up throwing them away and buying a set of Jesse luggage.

The 35/36 litre Pelican 1550 cases are more durable than the SKB cases, but you can get the SKB cases in a 40 litre size. I've used both.
 
Caribou says they use the Hepco racks , stating that they are much better than the OEM racks & they show a picture comparison of both. There attachment system is centered on the Hepco.:lurk
 
You should call Caribou to see what the have. I have Caribou racks and Pelican bags on my KLR and the system is top notch. The mounts are very strong and fit great.

Pelican bags are the strongest you can get, much stronger than any of the aluminum bags.
 
Caribou says they use the Hepco racks , stating that they are much better than the OEM racks & they show a picture comparison of both. There attachment system is centered on the Hepco.:lurk

The racks I had on my '07 Vstrom were made by Caribou -- top notch, box-steel struts, and TIG welded. Fantastic system, survived many a tipover with no damage other than scraped paint. Bullet-proof and highly recommended.

The racks I bought from Caribou for my 2012 bike were HB and wobbly as all getout, even with the "special clips" to replace the quick-disconnects. If you wiggled one SKB box, the one on the opposite side of the bike wiggled with it, not just a little, quite a bit. It was a $960 mistake to buy that system. The Jesse boxes and racks I bought to replace the Caribou setup don't budge, as Dog intended.

Maybe the HB racks are good on some bikes, but after my experience with the crapracks they make for the 2012 Vstrom, I definitely urge you to check out another bike, like yours, with racks and bags installed -- before you commit to buying.
 
Pelican Bag/Caribou Strength

You should call Caribou to see what the have. I have Caribou racks and Pelican bags on my KLR and the system is top notch. The mounts are very strong and fit great.

Pelican bags are the strongest you can get, much stronger than any of the aluminum bags.

--> I live in Florida and the summer rains, no garage leave my 2007 Jesse Bags as more of a means to use as an aquarium than to carry my work computer in. I have been looking at the Pelican/Caribou line but my BMW shop says that the plastic snaps off too easily. While I would like to, I don't really go off-road on my 07' GS. Your comment about strength has me curious regarding what you mean or how you have tested them. They may not be the prettiest but Waterproof is what I desire. :)
Jay
 
As the OP I have bought Pelican 1520's that I'll be using (instead of SKB 3i-2015's that are for sale) as decided the latter are large for my particular use.
If you read the various sellers of plastic luggage websites(Caribou,etc.) & comments of users too,(thousands of comments on ADV,etc.) it is a fact that the luggage survives off road tip overs & on road crashes too. Fact is that the rack mtgs have to be designed to accommodate the sturdiness of the plastic luggage with "breakaway" mtgs so damage isn't transferred to the MC via the cases & racks.
The dealer comments make no sense as being a sturdy case is the reason people use them. It's no accident that they are often used to protect sensitive stuff from damage before they were used for MC luggage. Some items inside are often worth more than a MC! Aluminum has its benefits/weaknesses too. I have seen some other types of plastic case damaged in web looks.
 
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