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Max gear weight for soft pannier

brownie0486

Well-known member
Soft panniers with backing on racks

38L=10 gallons,
45L=12 gallons

Any idea on max gear weight in each in plates attached to racks?

BMW Vario cases are rated for 22# of gear in each pannier, as an example. I'm thinking I can take the soft bags to 28#'s of gear safely in each bag, but what's the consensus opinion from our esteemed members here?

thanks
 
Weight

Try to follow manufacturers recommendations knowing that they have built in safety margins to cover their ass. However if a hard bag falls off it may cause a crash and kill someone else but most likely not cause you to crash. I do not knowwhat type of soft bags you have or how they are fastened on but a bag coming partially off or strap lose that could get tangled in rear wheel could lead to you taking a beating or much worse.
 
Try to follow manufacturers recommendations knowing that they have built in safety margins to cover their ass. However if a hard bag falls off it may cause a crash and kill someone else but most likely not cause you to crash. I do not knowwhat type of soft bags you have or how they are fastened on but a bag coming partially off or strap lose that could get tangled in rear wheel could lead to you taking a beating or much worse.

In two days of searching the net, going to 5 of the top line soft pannier systems makers, not one gives weight limits for gear. NOT ONE!!!!!!!!! Dozens of articles on soft panniers on the net never discuss what soft panniers [ the ones being reviewed ] don't mention gear weight limits either.

Hence the reason I've come here hoping there's enough people with soft panniers on racks on their GS's with past experience might be able to at least state how much gear weight they've carried in their soft panniers.

Thanks for the response.
 
In two days of searching the net, going to 5 of the top line soft pannier systems makers, not one gives weight limits for gear.

I always figured BMW quoted weight limits for panniers and luggage rack so you do not overload the suspension and affect the handling of the bike.
I would use the limits stated for your model.
 
I always figured BMW quoted weight limits for panniers and luggage rack so you do not overload the suspension and affect the handling of the bike.
I would use the limits stated for your model.

Varios are rated for 22#'s of gear each. I've not seen any weight limits listed by BMW on rack/panniers themselves. Suffice to say, my racks and soft bags are lighter than the Varios, not by much, but 4-5#'s each. I'm not concerned with the rack/pannier weight set up on the bike but how much luggage gear I might expect to be able to carry before they are too heavily loaded.

I can't find diddly from soft bag makers anywhere where the max weight of gear is listed in their respective bag/s. I'm going to guess that the Lone Rider semi rigid bags will hold at least the 22#'s of the varios. What I was hoping to discover here was a member who's used soft bags on racks and how much gear they've stuffed into them [ weight wise ] without problems or how much weight caused a problem.

thanks
 
What I was hoping to discover here was a member who's used soft bags on racks and how much gear they've stuffed into them [ weight wise ] without problems or how much weight caused a problem.

thanks

If it was me I would try different weight loads and see how the bike feels.
 
If it was me I would try different weight loads and see how the bike feels.

Presently there's 13#'s in each, standard all the time gear like tools, gloves, raingear etc. I don't feel any weight in them at 13#'s where it affects handling. When we did the Ak. trip last summer, I had 22#s in each Vario [ max load from BMW ] the bike was fine even on the Dalton.

I'm hoping to discover I can load these to perhaps 28-30 #'s each.
 
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.

Perhaps this information will be useful to another rider in the future, thanks for all replies
 
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Heard back from Lone Rider. They tested the bags to 60#'s each, but recommend weight be kept to 30#'s per bag.

Up to 100#'s can safely strapped to the top of each bag. Two poly 30-40L bags, one sitting on each pannier, I'll not have to take a top box.

As no one was able to confirm what their soft bags weight limits were on several bike forums, I would think the above would give others some guidance on soft bags upper weight limitations in the future.
 
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Easy ... weigh your empty bag and weigh an empty BMW bag. To the extent your soft bag is lighter, that's how much more weight you can put in it. No "opinion" involved.
 
Easy ... weigh your empty bag and weigh an empty BMW bag. To the extent your soft bag is lighter, that's how much more weight you can put in it. No "opinion" involved.

Got an email notification that had your reply as this:

The rating provided by BMW is NOT related to their particular bag ... it applies to any bag mounted in the usual saddlebag location. It's a bike stability and weight rating thing. The number is the number BMW arrived at based on their development an testing ... there's no "opinion" to it.

Did you change your mind after you posted the above?

I'd appreciate it if more learned members could provide documentation that suggests BMW's ratings on their bags isn't based on mounting system/attachment strengths but on stability and/or weight rating. Weight rating meaning overall weight of all gear and passengers?

BMW panniers weigh 13#'s [ roughly ]. IIRC, the 22# limit doesn't include the weight of the bag itself. Thus it would suggest 35#'s total weight per side on the frame/subframe. Most believe that's too conservative from my readings here and other sites.

I found this thread where several suggested not to worry about weight so much as evenly distributing the weight of the bags.
https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?18403-BMW-Case-Weight-Limits
 
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I would argue some good bags out there like Mosko will easily carry 100# without risk of failure but as mentioned the handling of the bike will likely be ****. Personally I've never bothered to weigh my Ortlieb throwovers loaded, I just pack as needed and go on. Handing has never been much of an issue even loaded waaay top heavy.
IMG_1347-S.jpg
 
I would argue some good bags out there like Mosko will easily carry 100# without risk of failure but as mentioned the handling of the bike will likely be ****. Personally I've never bothered to weigh my Ortlieb throwovers loaded, I just pack as needed and go on. Handing has never been much of an issue even loaded waaay top heavy.
View attachment 72505

The more I research the subject, the more I tend to agree with you. I believe my LR bags will easily carry 30#'s plus the weight of the bags [ 14 and 13#'s respectively ] totaling 87#'s [ 43.5#'s per side ] on the frame. I always evenly distribute the weight, that's only common sense where handling is concerned.

Full time gear in the bags,
38L=13#'s
45L 13#'s.
Supplemental supplies for a long trip I want in the bags and are set aside ready to be loaded weighs 14#s bringing each bag total to just about 20#. That suggests I can load another 10#'s each bag for 30# total per side. 10#'s more in each means I don't have to strap a second roll top dry bag to the passenger seat, thus reducing the higher loaded gear weight for better overall handling.

I appreciate those who've taken the time to respond with their thoughts. As I now know LR suggests staying with 30#'s each but tested to 60#'s each, I'm much more comfortable with how I want to load the bike for a trip like I made to Ak. last summer.

Thanks again for all the input :thumb
 
I am grinning. If weight greater that 20 something pounds on each side, attached directly beside the contact points of the pillion seat causes instability, how in the world can we ever dare allow a passenger to apply a hundred or two hundred pounds at a higher location on the seat? How, pray tell, can we even control the motorcycle to avoid crashing with such a load.

You are each free to believe whatever it is you wish to believe but for me it has to pass the smell tests of logic and physics. To me that means that the weight "limits" are BMW's conservative figures for the ability of the rear subframe and mounting hardware to support OEM bags with OEM mounting hardware. Other hardware mounted differently may support more (or less) weight than the OEM setup.

In my experience instability in handling is far more often caused by turbulence from loads not contained in side bags or a top case. All that stuff on the sissy bar or seat is the usual culprit; not the side bags or passenger. YMMV
 
I am grinning. If weight greater that 20 something pounds on each side, attached directly beside the contact points of the pillion seat causes instability, how in the world can we ever dare allow a passenger to apply a hundred or two hundred pounds at a higher location on the seat? How, pray tell, can we even control the motorcycle to avoid crashing with such a load.

You are each free to believe whatever it is you wish to believe but for me it has to pass the smell tests of logic and physics. To me that means that the weight "limits" are BMW's conservative figures for the ability of the rear subframe and mounting hardware to support OEM bags with OEM mounting hardware. Other hardware mounted differently may support more (or less) weight than the OEM setup.

In my experience instability in handling is far more often caused by turbulence from loads not contained in side bags or a top case. All that stuff on the sissy bar or seat is the usual culprit; not the side bags or passenger. YMMV

I've been thinking the same after my trip to Ak. I couldn't get more than 17# each inside the two side Varios and had to resort to two dry bags, one where the passenger seat would be and one strapped above and to the first bag as well as the bike.

I decided I wanted more storage in the side bags instead of piling dry bag on each other, bought the larger LR semi rigid's and discovered the following when making the move over to them.

Everything in the left Vario [ muffler side ] that was stuffed leaves 50% of the LR empty. Everything in the right vario that was stuffed fits in the right LR leaving more than 50% volume available. Seeing how much gear could be stowed in the LR's over the varios, the only question left for me was "how much weight can I safely put into these LR's" without stressing the bags or mounting points.

Speaking of mounting points, most everyone knows the locking mechanism is encase in plastic however, which is a weak point IMO. The LR's racks attach in two places with metal clamps around the frame, and the backing plate of each bag has 4 metal to metal clamps to the racks. IMO, a stronger system than the varios for the reasons above.

When I asked the question, I really didn't think there wouldn't be a lot of definitive answers from others experiences on trips, or recommendations from the manu's. Apparently there's not a lot out there on soft bag weight limits. LR has given guidance for their bags, I'll follow that and be happy with the added 13#'s of gear in each LR bag. It alleviates the second dry bag which was at my shoulder height sitting on the bike. :thumb

Again, thanks for everyone's input
 
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