• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

Show me your Pannies

STATMATT

New member
I'm looking to get some new panniers for an R1200GS. I don't necessarily want to go OEM, but if that is what seems to make riders the happiest. Then I'll go that route.
I'm trying to find your likes and dislikes of differnt cases.

For example on my F650GS I got the Caribou cases.
-Like that they are yellow for my yellow bike.
-Like the mounting hardware and Hepco Becker matching system.
-Like that I got sideswiped by a cager with little or no damage.
-Don't like the locks that were mounted on, they are really for looks and not all that practical as you can open the cases with them locked!
-Don't like that they are side opening cause my stuff falls out.
-Don't like that after about a year of use, the lids don't seem to be as sturdy as they once were.
-Don't like that the strap that holds the lid in place stretched (far cry from being advertised as a shelf)

So my demands for my new panniers are it has to be top loading / lockable / durable.
So far I've researched
Happy Trail
Micatechs
Caribou Cases
Hepco-Becker
 
Jesse Bags

Well made
Top loading
Good looking
Easy to mount and dismount
Durable
Watertight
Good people
Good service
 
Last edited:
Micatech

these are the V-10 model on my Adventure, they have larger

new rack design allows the full size to be on the left with the muffler lower...I have it anyway.

been in some serious rains with no leaks

Side loading works better for me as the door can be used for a temp shelf...and has two cupholders in the lowered door:thumb

also great folks to work with

903208185_Ny7VJ-M.jpg
 
I also have Hepco Becker Explorers on one bike... only because Jesse does not make bags for the R12R. They are mounted with SW Mototech racks.

Easy to use
Large enough to hold a full face helmet (45 liters)
Watertight
Durability to be determined, don't seem as robust as Jesse's
Easy to mount and remount.
 
There's lots of good stuff out there. To make your decision you have to decide what you like and dislike. In my case it went something like this:

Had the stock Vario bags. One fell off. Time for a change.

Micatech were too big. I already carry too much stuff and don't need an excuse to carry more. At the time I was buying Micatech only sold the bags in one size.

The Jesse older bags I looked at were lower to the ground than I like. They also held more than I needed to hold.

The Touratech Zega (not the newer Zega Pro) came in a smaller size and I could spend even more money by getting the "special" set with cutouts for the exhaust. It fit my needs. The bags have proven to be quite sturdy, too.

Nap Time:
p-20110806-1201-3002-M.jpg


Minimal damage from a low side:
1070384861_E8V23-M.jpg
 
+1 for Jesse Bags

Look at the Jesse Odyssey bags. They're not as large as the Safari bags, but still hold a ton of stuff. The top of each bag holds some small stuff. I have a tool roll and quart of oil on one side and some foul weather gear on the other.

When I bought the Jesse's for my bike, I chose the low pipe option. I like the capacity that both sides have. I can fit a 12 pack and a grocery bag in each side. I went big after living with K1200RS bags for seven years. Going from a left side "lunch box" to a full size pannier has been excellent. Oh yeah, like the Micatechs, they're American made.
 
BIG Jesse's:)

My bags are BIG and not all that goes in them is heavy, but many bulky items, like jackets and whatever that take up space. It is easy to carry too much with bigger bags, I agree. Still like the bigger ones, however:). My 5th set of Jesse's, a happy customer and AlJesse has always been a keen listener, helper. Randy:thumb:usa
 

Attachments

  • Randy's new bike 004.jpg
    Randy's new bike 004.jpg
    121.2 KB · Views: 790
Depart shot, bike new;

Same width as handlebars, same as TT stock GSA bags width, but much deeper and lower pipe option taken here too:). Much happiness, 74000m later. These pics new in '08... Randy:thumb
 

Attachments

  • Randy's new bike 007.jpg
    Randy's new bike 007.jpg
    120.5 KB · Views: 801
Thanks everyone for your input,
I'm leaning towards the Jesse's or Micatechs. It seems most here have gone with the lower exhaust option.

Was the lower exhaust complicated to install? And the other thing that I'm looking at is having a passenger for most of my commuting miles. (90 percent of my riding). I want to ensure that by lowering the exhaust I don't increase the liklihood of buring my passenger.

Is the reason the OEM fix on the exhaust was so high is for water crossings? I'm just guessing, and don't know much about why a manufacturer would do one thing over another. Because it seems like having th exhaust higher impacts the usability of thier own panniers. Why wouldn't they build lower in the first place?
 
Same width as handlebars, same as TT stock GSA bags width, but much deeper and lower pipe option taken here too:). Much happiness, 74000m later. These pics new in '08... Randy:thumb

which side do you store that hat in? does it fit without compressing? :ha
 
I've had Jesse's on two bikes.

HATED the mounts. Worst POS that i have ever seen. Wouldn't even mount up to my R1100GS. The holes were off by an inch! Was told that i needed the spacer kit!!!

I do like the luggage... but now i have Vern's Worldbeaters!!!! And i am a happy camper. :dance
 
Back
Top