Wilsons Sandbox

Are the "kawasaki" soft saddlebags big enough, and attach securely enough for off road use? Jeff __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make a great connection at Yahoo! Personals. http://personals.yahoo.com

The weight of the bags would make me say yes, but the durability, due to construction, would make me say no. The bags are excellent non-waterproof luggage for the road, but the abuse you would subject them to in the off-road world would tear them up I suspect. I would hate to cut a trip short because I did'nt get some relly cool ammo-can-amored-ultralight-kevlar-surplus-looking weld on units... --- Jeff Grant

> wrote: >Are the "kawasaki" soft saddlebags big enough, and >attach securely enough for off road use? >Jeff > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Make a great connection at Yahoo! Personals. >http://personals.yahoo.com > >Checkout Dual Sport News at >http://www.dualsportnews.com >Be part of the Adventure! > >Visit the KLR650 archives at >http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > >Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com >Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com >Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com >List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

== Rev. Chuck :^)>+ A13 Antelope, California http://KLR650.50Megs.Com/ Or http://DualSports.OnWeb.CX/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _____________________________________________________________

In a message dated 10/15/01 11:34:20 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Rev.Chuck@... writes: :) --- Jeff Grant

> wrote: >Are the "kawasaki" soft saddlebags big enough, and >attach securely enough for off road use? >Jeff >>

My Kawi soft bags have been on the bike continuously for two years and about 30k miles including lots of off-pavement riding both in Mexico and here. They have held up very well and have not been damaged by the several spills I have taken with them on the bike. In fact I prefer soft luggage for that reason, they have a cushioning effect if you fall instead of bending or breaking mounts or anythig else. I'm planning to pick up a set of RevPak soft bags for those trips when I need to carry a bit more but have no complaints about the durability of the Kawi bags. They have taken a lot of abuse. Kurt Grife

On Sun, 14 Oct 2001, Jeff Grant wrote:

>Are the "kawasaki" soft saddlebags big enough, and attach securely >enough for off road use?

Big enough is a matter of opinion. Can they be bigger and still not get in the way? Probably... As for durability, mine have only been off-roading for a few hundred miles but they've held up fine, even though I twice hit deep wash-outs going about 20mph too fast both times. No, I don't learn from my mistakes. The second time they were overloaded with assorted camping stuff, 2/3 gal. of water, eight cans of Milwaukee barley-pop, and four bottles of real beer. RM PS. I can confirm that the kawi saddlebags will not hold liquids.

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Krgrife@a... wrote:

> My Kawi soft bags have been on the bike continuously for two years

and about

> 30k miles including lots of off-pavement riding both in Mexico and

here.

> They have held up very well and have not been damaged by the

several spills I

> have taken with them on the bike.

The Kawi bags and other soft bags tuck in tighter. Mine (Kawi) have been on about 20,000 miles of road and camp trips, and have held up fine even in heavy rainstorms. If there is something I really need to keep dry I wrap it in a plastic bag, for those deep unknown-bottom water crossings. The muffler side is somewhat burned but they have lasted well. While traveling off-road through some high mountains in Idaho my friend Brad riding behind me through a tight spot, hit a tree with his metal boxes, dumpping him and busting one off. The metal panniers stick out way farther. I like the soft bags.

Thanks Kurt! I have the Kawi OEM soft bags and love them. Myself, I would use the soft bags all the time, on and off the road, but I never fall. I have see hard bags in use more for hard off-road touring and suggest there is a reason, be it water tightness, security or simple durability.

>My Kawi soft bags have been on the bike continuously for two years and about >30k miles including lots of off-pavement riding both in Mexico and here. >They have held up very well and have not been damaged by the several spills I >have taken with them on the bike. In fact I prefer soft luggage for that >reason, they have a cushioning effect if you fall instead of bending or >breaking mounts or anythig else. I'm planning to pick up a set of RevPak >soft bags for those trips when I need to carry a bit more but have no >complaints about the durability of the Kawi bags. They have taken a lot of >abuse. >Kurt Grife

== Rev. Chuck :^)>+ A13 Antelope, California http://KLR650.50Megs.Com/ Or http://DualSports.OnWeb.CX/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _____________________________________________________________

Jeff: The light spot (yellow dot on many tires) should be positioned above the valve stem. Take the old lead weight(s) off and rebalance the tire. --- jayed36@... wrote:

> ... marking the light spot on a new tire? You put > that spot opposite > the lead weight on the spoke, or does it go next to > the air valve? > > Jeff

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