Crash Bars Panniers

[Wangit]

I am quite new at this home comfort storage on a bike, and it is so easy to get carried away. I can't remember who on this site said it, but I have read the words and tried to think very seriously before I pack. Simple go back packing and carrie everything you think you need, and when you decide just what is to heavy to carrie, and you have thrown a good 50% away, then you are ready to under load you bike, and enjoy a round the world trip without pulling your shoulder joints out.
Bob

[davsato]

Soft panniers looks like the easy option

But my plan is to store my netbook in one side and a rechargable battery system in the other so some sort of lockable hard case is needed.

I've had a look at ammo boxes but can't find the right size so thinking about making them myself out of ally.

the smallest "official" ammo box is the .223 ball and i dont think you'll get a netbook in one, being quite small and fat. also finding one might be a problem, they are still current stock. you could get a .303 or 7.62 box but as has been mentioned they are really getting pointlessly heavy to use as bike luggage. they are also ridiculously expensive for what they are.
have you looked at otterboxes or pelicases? they do a variety of decent cases, waterproof and lockable.

[steveR]

May have to think about this one again... or get a bigger bike so I can carry more stuff

Nah, here is the solution to your problem. Luggage

[africajim]

You might have to get a bigger bike?? WTF? Is there a bigger bike than the Varadero? I think we're all aware what happens to Beemers if you overload them?
As for the trailer,,,, well,,, why not just get a Transit van?

Can't help you mate, I carry quite a bit of gear on Euro trips but this yr I'll have to consider where the netbooks going to go as well!

[steveR]

You might have to get a bigger bike?? WTF? Is there a bigger bike than the Varadero? I think we're all aware what happens to Beemers if you overload them?
As for the trailer,,,, well,,, why not just get a Transit van?

Can't help you mate, I carry quite a bit of gear on Euro trips but this yr I'll have to consider where the netbooks going to go as well!

Why have a Transit when you can have a Vara!!

Netbook?? I would have thought you had your iPad by now....

[FoxBat]

One afternoon in the winter when I was bored... I did really consider a trailer and spent the next few hours investigating it but found that there is a size limit for the UK

The Vara is amazing as a truck it's like no matter how much weight I load on it... it keeps moving

As for the iPad I'm a part-time iPhone/iPad developer but me thinks i'm going to wait for version 2 next year!

Besides, my netbook cost £240 with a 10+ hour battery life plus £40 for the 2Gb ram upgrade. It runs stuff like sony vegas movie maker and mapsource. The iPad I was after was going to cost £499!!! it runs the same apps as my iPhone!!!!

Paul

[davidgibson999]

i have a Kriega US-5 tail pack mounted on each crashbar. waterproof, very durable and loads of ways to mount em. I keep a few bit and bobs in them - a few tools, waterproofs, gaffer tape, first aid and stuff like that. No problems with overheating and small enough to hopefully not damage the fairing or rads if I dropped the bike.

Austin - have you a pic of this setup on your bike's bars?

[Warthog]

Horribly expensive but a nice design and well made.

I got a set, second hand for my 1150 GS and the side panniers, although not big, did allow for easy access to stuff. I got mine for £60: bag, tank adaptor and side pockets, secondhand. Still have them: its a shame that the tank adaptor does not fit my TA!!

[steveR]

Besides, my netbook cost £240 with a 10+ hour battery life plus £40 for the 2Gb ram upgrade. It runs stuff like sony vegas movie maker and mapsource. The iPad I was after was going to cost £499!!! it runs the same apps as my iPhone!!!!

Paul

And that is why I have a nebook too I can see a relaunch of some cutdown Tablet PC's coming along PDQ, running with an Atom processor and pared down OS.

[davsato]

FAMSA make some good tankbags with a base that stays on the bike a little bit like the baglux system, and you can zip their side bags to it. looks like a good strong system to me, good value but i dont know how it works with crashbars