Wilsons Sandbox

Posted: **Thu Mar 28, 2002 2:56 pm**

My KLR is sitting in its crate at the dealer waiting for spring to arrive so I can ride it home. I have been doing some research on bags and wondered if there was any conscencious on the best set-up. I sat on a KLR decked out with all the Kawi bags and found that it was difficult for me to get my leg up and over the rear tail bag. I also didn't care for the way that the saddle bags' strap ran over the top of the seat. Opinions? My riding will mostly consist of day trips but I would like to go on a couple of overnighters (not camping) and wonder how many/type bags most of you would use for that.

Posted: **Thu Mar 28, 2002 3:22 pm**

All soft bags have straps that go over the seat like that. Don't sweat it. On some you can run them under the seat, but that would be tough on a KLR. You'll never swing your leg over a tail bag unless you're unusually flexible. Use the `leg straight across' method. Hard or soft bags is a personal preference. I just added a GIVI top case to my KLR. I've still got soft saddlebags, but now I'm thinking of GIVI cases for saddlebags with a Happy-Trails rack instead of the top case. If I'm packing that much luggage, I'm on fire or logging roads, so I probably won't tip over. Even if I do the cases will probably be ok if it's at lower speeds - they seem pretty tough. Soft bags are of course great for this reason - nothing to break. However, on my first trip to the Yukon/Alaska in `98 my saddlebags were the biggest source of grief. Within days of a four-week trip the seams started to come apart. You won't be carrying as much as I was if you're just doing day trips though. I was carrying all my camping gear, plus sometimes enough food for 7/10 days when I was heading off hiking. That'd be another reason for cases or aluminum panniers: security. I had to leave my saddlebags and tank bag on the bike for days at a time when I was off hiking. Nobody took anything (it's Canada eh), and I removed all the food so animals wouldn't rip them up, but it was still a bit of a worry. If you're just doing day trips or staying in hotels, I don't think you need more than a tank bag for a change of clothes and your camera. Cost might end up being the deciding factor. GIVIs or aluminum panniers aren't cheap. Soft stuff is. BTW - wanna see serious overpacking?

check out www.motorcycle.com/staff/gord.html (Hey, I'm a bike and bicycle nut). I hope this helps. have fun with your new toy! gord

Posted: **Fri Mar 29, 2002 1:51 am**

The GSX-R quote was hilarious! Thanks for the info. I have quite a bit more research to do. The Kawasaki tank bag seems to be nice quality at a reasonable price. I have read on this list that people have had problems with the map pouch cover ripping off. Is that due to a design flaw or peoples' natural tendancy to overload the pouch?

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Gord Mounce" wrote: > All soft bags have straps that go over the seat like that. Don't sweat it. > On some you can run them under the seat, but that would be tough on a KLR. > You'll never swing your leg over a tail bag unless you're unusually > flexible. Use the `leg straight across' method. > > Hard or soft bags is a personal preference. I just added a GIVI top case to > my KLR. I've still got soft saddlebags, but now I'm thinking of GIVI cases > for saddlebags with a Happy-Trails rack instead of the top case. If I'm > packing that much luggage, I'm on fire or logging roads, so I probably > won't > tip over. Even if I do the cases will probably be ok if it's at lower > speeds > - they seem pretty tough. Soft bags are of course great for this reason - > nothing to break. However, on my first trip to the Yukon/Alaska in `98 my > saddlebags were the biggest source of grief. Within days of a four- week > trip > the seams started to come apart. You won't be carrying as much as I was if > you're just doing day trips though. I was carrying all my camping gear, > plus > sometimes enough food for 7/10 days when I was heading off hiking. > > That'd be another reason for cases or aluminum panniers: security. I had to > leave my saddlebags and tank bag on the bike for days at a time when I was > off hiking. Nobody took anything (it's Canada eh), and I removed all the > food so animals wouldn't rip them up, but it was still a bit of a worry. > > If you're just doing day trips or staying in hotels, I don't think you need > more than a tank bag for a change of clothes and your camera. > > Cost might end up being the deciding factor. GIVIs or aluminum panniers > aren't cheap. Soft stuff is. > > BTW - wanna see serious overpacking? check out > www.motorcycle.com/staff/gord.html (Hey, I'm a bike and bicycle nut). > > > I hope this helps. > > have fun with your new toy! > gord

Posted: **Fri Mar 29, 2002 2:17 am**

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "alaska_rider" wrote:

> The GSX-R quote was hilarious! > > Thanks for the info. The > Kawasaki tank bag seems to be nice quality at a reasonable price.

Their tank bag is a piece of (acceptable if you have no other) crap. Their saddlebags are OK, though. Mine have been many dirty miles under me, and have only melted a couple of times. I am in the group that prefers soft bags, for a variety of reasons. For touring, camping, or long trips, saddlebags are not really necessary anyway. Duffels will work just fine, maybe even better. My A12 is used almost exclusively nowadays for camping and touring. It packs a ton of stuff, any way you load it, and it smokes the posers at every opportunity, not that there is any challenge to it. It's got 25,000 and runs better than the day I bought it almost five years ago.

Posted: **Fri Mar 29, 2002 11:53 am**

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "monahanwb" wrote:

> --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "alaska_rider" wrote:

"Their tank bag is a piece of (acceptable if you have no other) crap." I'm curious, why do you think it is a piece of crap? The reason I ask is because I am considering buying one and it looked pretty nice to me. But the only thing I have compared it to are the ATV tank bags someone mentioned you could buy at Walmart. What is a good tank bag for the money, around $50-$60?

Posted: **Fri Mar 29, 2002 2:06 pm**

> > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "alaska_rider" wrote: > > The GSX-R quote was hilarious! > > > > Thanks for the info. The > > Kawasaki tank bag seems to be nice quality at a reasonable price. > > Their tank bag is a piece of (acceptable if you have no other) crap.

Bill is an elitist BMW owner. The Kawi tank bag is fine, just get the clear plastic replaced by a luggage repair shop, about $20. Mine has 18k miles on it, I still like it.

> Their saddlebags are OK, though. Mine have been many dirty miles > under me, and have only melted a couple of times. I am in the group > that prefers soft bags, for a variety of reasons. > > For touring, camping, or long trips, saddlebags are not really > necessary anyway. Duffels will work just fine, maybe even better. >

I bought a dry bag at a surplus store, the bright orange kind, fits my tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad very nicely. Fits on the rear rack real nice, and keeps your camping supplies nice and dry and clean.

> My A12 is used almost exclusively nowadays for camping and touring. > It packs a ton of stuff, any way you load it, and it smokes the > posers at every opportunity, not that there is any challenge to it. > It's got 25,000 and runs better than the day I bought it almost five > years ago.

Amen to that. There was a guy at Chaparral looking at the XR-L and the DR 650 and as a loyal cult member, I explained to him that KLRs are the best all around motorcycle of all time. The salesman he was talking to wasn't exactly stoked, but Chaparral sells KLRs, too , they just didn't have one on the floor... Stu

Posted: **Fri Mar 29, 2002 5:19 pm**

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Stuart Mumford" wrote:

> > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "alaska_rider" wrote: > > > The GSX-R quote was hilarious! > > > > > > Thanks for the info. The > > > Kawasaki tank bag seems to be nice quality at a reasonable

price.

> > > > Their tank bag is a piece of (acceptable if you have no other)

crap.

> > Bill is an elitist BMW owner. The Kawi tank bag is fine, just get

the clear

> plastic replaced by a luggage repair shop, about $20. Mine has 18k

miles on

> it, I still like it.

I did check out the Wolfman bag and it was larger than I imagined and unfortuniatly the cost was well above what I was looking to spend. I'm still puzzled as to why the clear plastic rips out on the Kawi bag. It is that the plastic is of poor quality and becomes brittle in colder temps or does it not hold up well to abuse by over stuffing the pocket? I like the suggestions of using non-motorcycle type bags that may not cost as much as motorcycle specific items and still do a great job. I suppose one could call me cheap (although I prefer thrifty) in that I don't really care how I look going down the road as long as the bags work and keep my stuff dry.

Posted: **Mon Apr 01, 2002 11:50 am**

Should that not be "Scouts Honor" ? Duden

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Zachariah Mully wrote: > Nope, it's the truth. Scout's word. > > Z > > On Mon, 2002-04-01 at 12:24, KJ wrote: > > A good dealer experience ? Smells like April fools.... > >

Wilsons Sandbox

a good dealer experience nklr

hard or soft bags?

hard or soft bags?

hard or soft bags?

hard or soft bags?

hard or soft bags?

hard or soft bags?

hard or soft bags?

a good dealer experience nklr