Any comments on/experience of using throw-over saddlebags?

[Bear of Little Brain]

Just started sorting out the Raptor I bought last year. Hoping to be doing some beetling around bits of Europe this summer. The bike came with lots of little niggles to sort out. The current one is a broken mounting bracket securing the front end of one of the plastic fill-in/decorative (?) panels to the underside of the seat. I've just superglued it, so I'll see how that holds tomorrow. Anyway, the reason for this posting is that those panels don't look strong enough to withstand throw-over saddlebags containing even a relatively light amount of luggage.

I was looking at something like the Oxford range, e.g.:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-luggage/

I was wondering about reinforcing the various lugs/brackets with mesh-reinforced epoxy but, even then, I'm not sure if the panels will be up to it.

I'm not inclined to make this a camping trip (too old), but I may throw in a small tent/sleeping bag as an emergency back-up. Also, I'm not too struck on adding expensive bits of metal tubing (i.e., Ventura http://www.ventura-bike.co.uk/products/ ... ystem.aspx ).

Anyone got any experience to share, comments or (polite ) suggestions?

[dizzyblonde]

Hope this forum is as easy to upload pics to

Loading up a Raptor with camping gear is possible, even with awkward cans, that may burn a hole in your gear
I'm kiddin
It has had tent and other stuff too with a little persuasion.



I'd be inclined to use apoxy resin on the back of any cracks first, rather than super glue. Apply it in small amounts with a pin, if you can open the crack gently and poke a little bit in the crack, then hold it together until set, don't put too much in, you don't want it to come out onto the painted/or good side. Then plastic pad it later on. The apoxy holds it together great in prep for this.
I know, as I've just repaired my SV fairing like this, with a more than satisfactory result, and I've not even padded it yet.
Hope this is of some use to you

[RaptorJo]

I don't really have any experience with them apart from the fact I bought some and don't like them, I'm going back to my waterproof canoe bag for all my stuff.... I only had a pratise run ready for my camping weekend next week and haven't took to them... so if you want some red oxford humpback panniers for £40 plus p&p give me a shout

[dizzyblonde]

An alternative would be a tailpack. I've always used one of these, as one of my SVs has a stupidly high level can on it, and doesn't have room for panniers. They have the same capacity as most soft panniers on offer.

Although, I am yet to figure out where I could mount all the bungees to on the VRap, as theres not much to mount to, or indeed near enough. I'll only find out when I get the damn bike home soon!


ORRR indeed a nice set of red Oxford humpbacks

[Bear of Little Brain]

@ dizzyblonde

Thanks for the photo. My Rap has standard silencers, so that's OK. I see your bike has a grab rail. Presumably, the tubing for that takes the saddlebag weight off the plastic panels (when I say, "weight", I really mean the side loading where the bags hang against the panels).

"I'd be inclined to use apoxy resin".
Oops, too late, the superglue was already in when I posted! Incidentally, the feeble little lug that broke is below the seat and not visible. I'll see if that holds, short term (i.e., this weekend!) and reinforce both panels next week. It's been a while since I fiddled around with practical things, but I will probably use a metal mesh with epoxy resin on all the panel fixing lugs. May be I'll just have to do that and see how it goes.

I was thinking of having a tail bag as well as the panniers, e.g.: http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcyc ... il-bag.htm
I assume that this will attach to the soft pannier/saddlebag setup. As you say, there aren't many anchor points for bungees!

[Bear of Little Brain]

@JO51
Thanks for the offer. My Rap's red.
Are your humpbacks these?
http://www.oxprod.com/index.php?pg=3&ac ... 6&pid=9&p=

Or the X50 or X60?

All the best.

Maybe I should go window shopping on this tomorrow.

[RaptorJo]

I think they're an older design of the X60's.........

[dizzyblonde]

@ dizzyblonde

Thanks for the photo. My Rap has standard silencers, so that's OK. I see your bike has a grab rail. Presumably, the tubing for that takes the saddlebag weight off the plastic panels (when I say, "weight", I really mean the side loading where the bags hang against the panels).

oops forgot to say, thats the ex partners Raptor , after we did a trip to France a couple of years back.

And yes, not much to bungee to, I'm used to a nice pair of bungee rails welded in with subframe!
Thats the tailpack I have. Oxford ones really seem to stand up well. Had mine for three years and its been down a fair few hundred miles at a time, and not drenched the contents. Most folk say the rain cover isn't upto much, but if its secured down enough, it'll not rip and stays on for 600 miles at 70(of course occifer )

[Bear of Little Brain]

I think they're an older design of the X60's.........

Maybe you could e-mail me to discuss further…

[Demonbaker]

Used oxford sports panniers when i went to Poland and back a couple of years ago. No problems at all even doing 140 down the autobahn .

Mine are up for sale if you are interested

[RaptorJo]

Heres a couple of pics of mine as requested, please bear in mind, I've just chucked them on to take the photo


Let me know if your interested..

[dizzyblonde]

Is that the Ventura rack on the back??

[RaptorJo]

No, its a Hepco & becker rack, so I can have a top box on aswell, you know how us girls always seem to overpack

[Bear of Little Brain]

Used oxford sports panniers when i went to Poland and back a couple of years ago. No problems at all even doing 140 down the autobahn .

Mine are up for sale if you are interested

Thanks for the offer, but I need to figure out just what I will be needing to carry with me. Just not organised enough, yet. And, somewhere, I've got a set of fold-down bags which strap onto a kind of saddle arrangement; something I bought yonks ago. I need to check those out.

However, did those plastic infill panels survive your trip intact? (My God, I'm obsessing about a stupid pair of bits of plastic )

Must sign off and have a quick whizz up the A24 while the weather's still nice today.

[shebee]

I have a set of 10 year old Cambridge sports throwovers. thousands of miles all over the place no problems, well not since I sewed some solder mat underneath to save meltage!