2019 F750GS - New to me. Top Case/Side case advice please!

Please advise me on what top/side cases to get for my new (to me) 750GS. Mostly on road riding. Doubtful the bike will ever get into serious off road adventures. Hard cases, whether plastic or metal, please.

I think I'd prefer top loading side cases to side loading, but I'm not set on it. I'd really like a top/side case set that can use the same key. Extra points if you can include a link to the cases.

Thank you very much for your time,

Daryl

DBCasey said:

Please advise me on what top/side cases to get for my new (to me) 750GS. Mostly on road riding. Doubtful the bike will ever get into serious off road adventures. Hard cases, whether plastic or metal, please.

I think I'd prefer top loading side cases to side loading, but I'm not set on it. I'd really like a top/side case set that can use the same key. Extra points if you can include a link to the cases.

Thank you very much for your time,

Daryl

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I had been thinking about making a post on this topic as well to see if there were any options I was missing or great reasons to pick one option over another.

Obviously, there's the BMW luggage option. The Vario cases can be keyed to your existing key, and they are shaped well to fit the bike. Depending on what package your bike came with, you may already have the mounting system installed on your bike. The panniers are side opening, they are fairly expensive, and the vario hardware does take up some space inside the cases. The right side bag is notched/shaped to fit over the exhaust.

Another option would be Givi; Givi makes a variety of different bags, but for the F750, there are 2 big things to consider: the Trekker Outback bags are aluminum bags, that go on a different rack than other Givi bags (CAM mount). The other rack choice is Monokey, and they make a variety of different bags that fit the monokey racks. The Trekker series is a variety of adventure-bike style bags, including plastic bags and aluminum bags. The Givi racks are asymmetrical to account for the exhaust, so many people will choose to put a larger bag on the left and smaller bag on the right, so that the bags stick out a similar distance from the middle of the bike. Some of the Givi side cases can also be used as a top case (with the appropriate mount), or there are matching type top cases.

So for example, you could put a Givi Trekker 46 liter on the left, and a 33 liter on the right, and then either of those bags or the (massive) Trekker top case as a top case. The pannier cases have an interesting feature where they can be set up to either open like a typical clamshell, or just have a small top opening (so all your stuff doesn't spill out of your bags on the side of the highway).

Givi also has Alaska and Dolomiti series aluminum bags that fit the Monokey racks, though I'd note that right now each of these is only offered in one size for the side case. These are top opening bags.

The Givi Outback bags are top opening aluminum bags, and look pretty heavy duty. Maybe a 48 on the left and 37 on the right.

Shad is another company offering luggage for the F750, their Terra series are their adventure line, they are side-opening panniers. Maybe 47 left, 36 right. Looks like they've got 2 sizes of top case, a 48 liter and a huge 55 liter.

Either Givi or Shad bags should be relatively easy to get all set to a single key; depending on what you get, you may be able to get a set of bags (which will often include a 3rd lock cylinder to put in the top case) or you can buy the bags and then buy a set of matching lock cylinders.

I like the Givi Outback Trekker aluminum side cases on my F850GS. They work well, are sturdy and not nearly as expensive as some of the other options.

mtbenson said:

I like the Givi Outback Trekker aluminum side cases on my F850GS. They work well, are sturdy and not nearly as expensive as some of the other options.

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Which size bags did you go with?

How easy is it to take the bags off and put them back on the racks? Or do you pretty much leave them on the bike all the time?

Another advantage of the Vario cases are that if you upgrade to the 1250GS, they will fit that bike as well. That's what I did.....

ankyrider said:

Which size bags did you go with?

How easy is it to take the bags off and put them back on the racks? Or do you pretty much leave them on the bike all the time?

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I have the 37L on the exhaust side and the 48L on the other.

I leave the cases on about 85% of the time. They go on and off very quickly and mount sturdily. I occasionally ride on state and national forest dirt roads here in Northwest PA with the bags mounted, but usually take them off for those sorts of rides.

I've owned Vario bags and much prefer top-loading cases. I often use my motorcycle to run errands, and it's much easier to fit groceries, etc., into a top-loader. Sometimes with the side-loading bags it's a game of shut it quick before something falls out. The advantages of the Varios are the expandability and the more unobtrusive mounts.

mtbenson said:

I have the 37L on the exhaust side and the 48L on the other.

I leave the cases on about 85% of the time. They go on and off very quickly and mount sturdily. I occasionally ride on state and national forest dirt roads here in Northwest PA with the bags mounted, but usually take them off for those sorts of rides.

I've owned Vario bags and much prefer top-loading cases. I often use my motorcycle to run errands, and it's much easier to fit groceries, etc., into a top-loader. Sometimes with the side-loading bags it's a game of shut it quick before something falls out. The advantages of the Varios are the expandability and the more unobtrusive mounts.

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Does a helmet fit into the left side bag?

I certainly know what you mean about the side-loading bags, particularly the left-side bag. My FJR had bag liners, so on trips I'd usually pack things for the left-side bag that I wouldn't need to get at during the trip. Just stuff the bag liner and shut the lid, don't open it again until we're parked at the end of the day.

One of the things I've wondered about is the sturdiness of the racks; the Monokey racks for the F750gs are "quick release", so the racks come off mounting points on the bike, and I'm not sure how they'd hold up to a tip-over compared to the solid CAM racks for the Outback.

Thanks!

Thanks to you all for the advice!

If anyone else has some suggestions for side cases, please feel free to comment. I think I'm leaning more toward top opening side cases just for ease of loading. I've also got a RT, and playing the "shut it before you lose it" game can get tiresome.

For mostly on road use, I would go with the Varios. Thats what we did for my wife's f750gs.
She chose them over metal ones for their adjustability. For off-road use, just take them off.
If you want rigid, metal ones, I suggest Bumot. I got their Defender EVO cases for my GSA. Good quality at a decent price.
If you travel a lot and plan to use hotels I suggest removable liners.
https://shop.bumot.eu/en/catalog/id/191.html

ankyrider said:

Does a helmet fit into the left side bag?

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Yes, my size large Shoei will fit in the left bag.

patm said:

If you travel a lot and plan to use hotels I suggest removable liners.

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Reusable grocery bags work well as cheapo liners. I also use a set of liners from a set of long-ago Vario bags when traveling.

S W Motech

DBCasey said:

Thanks to you all for the advice!

If anyone else has some suggestions for side cases, please feel free to comment. I think I'm leaning more toward top opening side cases just for ease of loading. I've also got a RT, and playing the "shut it before you lose it" game can get tiresome.

Click to expand...

I went with SW Motech . On my f750 gs
I have 10 yrs experience with Varios …. Never again !
I had 8 yrs with Touratech on my previous 2014 1200 GSA. They were good.
Now, with my Motech panniers , I’m pretty happy.
They are really waterproof and well sealed. I can even hear air venting out when opening lids.!
Mine are ADV TRAX model

Thanks all.

Thank you to everyone for the info!

After many hours of research, I decided to go with the Shad SH35 cases and the 3P rack system. I decided not to get Aluminum cases due to the substantial additional weight they added. Plus the bike came with a Shad top case and the SH35 cases come with a spare lock core so they can all be on the same key! Swapping the lock cores looks fairly straightforward, per the Youtube videos.

Once the cases arrive, I'll get pics as well as the install.

EDIT - Well just my luck, they're backordered. Expected back in stock the 1st week of March.

Daryl

DBCasey said:

Thank you to everyone for the info!

After many hours of research, I decided to go with the Shad SH35 cases and the 3P rack system...

Once the cases arrive, I'll get pics as well as the install.

EDIT - Well just my luck, they're backordered. Expected back in stock the 1st week of March.

Daryl

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Did you get your bags and end up getting them installed?

I'm still stuck debating whether I want to use hard or soft panniers (I can't tell you how many times I've almost ordered some racks and soft panniers)...