Soft luggage without rack?

[coldstart]

Sorry for this utterly noob question, but I hope some of you can help.
I live far away fromthe nearest supplyer, so the internett is my only guide most of the time........

I´ve been looking into soft panniers/throwovers as a cheap, slim and imo ok looking luggage-solution for my AT. What I can´t figure out is wether they all need some kind of rack or carrier (correct word?) to stay in shape and away from the can or wheel.......

If so, much of the advantage is gone, imo. No longer easy to put on/take off, leaving no ugly racks, not that cheap anymore........

Maybe tha ones designed for sports-bikes is what I´m looking fore...?

Any thougts?

[GSPD750]

Do a google search for "Ortlieb". Quality German gear. Drawback is a fire
hazard if they are not secured in the vicinity of the exhaust.

[M@to]

Sorry, but I have no picture (at this moment) of @ with such bags, but here is the link of bags on ducati.
Bags are "motodetail", available in Louis motoshop.
http://www.desmorados.com/tipps/st2_motodetail_.jpg
Bags are above the exhaust so the bike stays slim (no need for whiskers) IMO, there is enough room inthere, you can also extend them.
With those bags, 45lit topcase givi and small tankbag, me and my wife spent a week on a trip. (no camping gear), but I can put a tent on the top of the topcase and sleeping bags on the top of each seadlebag, so..
I realy don't like those big cases and boxes. @ is wide as a bus and ugly unsimetrical becouse of exhaust... MHO

[DesertFox]

I used some CAMERON softbags. They were waterproof because they had some kind of sealed inner-bags. they're not the sturdiest but good enough for 80€. Used them with GIVI racks (65€). They were the best solution until i found a cheap second hand set of GOBI cases.
Still have the racks for sale, as i allready sold the softcases, but you probably have them cheap nearby!

cheers

[Darkenbad]

Hi, if your going down the soft luggage road, make sure you fit a protective guard over the exhaust, and I don't mean the crappy thing that comes as stock; it will have to be a steel plate with a few holes in it, but will cope with the bag resting on it.

I have used oxford soft luggage for years, good kit but it will burn on contact with the pipe. the guard as described solves the problem, its much cheaper than buying a rack.

PK

[Fletch]

Ive used throwovers for a number of years and found them cheap, and pretty stable if you use lots of bungy straps. They area bit of a pain to pack everytime but if everything is in plastic bags then they are waterproof and dont damage the bike if it lands on them!

I got a cheap set of oxford bags (for sports bikes) here in UK. I think they cost about £40 in a sale. Would I reccomend them? - Yeh, considering the price I paid for them. Although now I mostly just strap my huge northface duffle bag on the back. It looks cool, doesnt have lots of fiddly pockets to loose things in and is easy to strap on and off.

[Peter McClinton]

Hi Guys, soft luggage without a rack, well what about hard luggage with a rack. My dearly beloved, @ that is, has a genuine honda rack fitted. My problem is...... would like soft luggage but seems a shame, as I have my rack. Tied into splashing out on a nice top box. What do ya all think.


ATs are like hens teeth up here.

[Whealie]

would like soft luggage but seems a shame, as I have my rack

If your @ is an RD04 I might be interested in the frames as I'm on the look out for some.

[Mustafa]

I have a set of soft panniers, sport type, and they fit fine without any racks or exhaust guards. They were purchased in the USA and I don't think that the brand is available here, but the Oxfords seem a good bet. You need to physically test them to see how they sit in relation to the exhaust. I keep my bags high and tight, above the exhaust, with the bottom just resting on the OEM exhaust guard. The bags have a heat shield material on the bottom and are unaffected by the exhaust heat. And I like the fact that they are relatively unobtrusive.

I keep my tools and bike accessories on one side, and camping gear on the other. Many nights on the road I don't have to touch the panniers, if I'm not camping. I have a Givi top box which is quick off for clothes and other daily stuff.

I also found the soft bags a plus when going down last summer. I laid the bike down going about 40 kph and she slid, sparks flying, for another 10 meters. I suspect in this particular type of an "incident" that metal boxes might have been damages, and plastic boxes surely would have been. the soft bags got a few cuts, but nothing requiring reparing.

[M@to]

R: MUSTAFA

Hi there! I'm off topic (again ) but... haven't you made "varioscreen" out of original one and a piece of plexy glass? Any pictures?
And OT 2: Slovakia as a bike destination: any nice roads, passes over mountins, etc... Tatry?? Can I spend a week in Tatry, driving diferent roads every day? Scenery?
See, Im very interested in Slovakia, especialy Tatry, but I don't wanna get borred. So, if you could write a few words (in other thread ofcorse)