Pannier Opinions, please

[tc9988]

Elwood
These Muffin Top panniers are 36" wide. Check out the media pannier thread for more pictures of them. Here is Muffin Tops site, http://muffintopindustries.com/

Only $300.00 very well built.

excellent, thanks for posting the pics, any pics of the mounting hardware you used :question:

 

[Venture]

Those Muffin Top panniers look nice! Any pictures of the black ones on a SuperT?

I took a look, and no doubt they are the value leader among panniers. $350 for powder coated black 34L bags? Can't beat that with a stick. Made in USA to boot.

Be sure to check out their logo, "muffintop" means what I thought it might.

 

[tomatocity]

And the mounting brackets?

I do like the look of the MT cases. They look a lot like the Happy Trail cases.

 

[eemsreno]

Givi mounts like this
http://compare.ebay.com/like/200680509827?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y

 

[tc9988]

Givi mounts like this
http://compare.ebay.com/like/200680509827?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y

how did you attach the panniers to the givi bracket?

 

[tomatocity]

$350 + $320 + $20 = $690 for the MT's mounted. I still like them for that price and you get a better mount than the more expensive OEM cases (that I own). The OEM cases are still a good case but I doubt they will take a beating like the MT's or Happy-Trail's will.

 

[JonnyCinco]

Be sure to check out their logo, "muffintop" means what I thought it might.

at first i thought he was speaking of his missus no xmas gift for you!

 

[Venture]

at first i thought he was speaking of his missus no xmas gift for you!

Me too, usually muffintop is used in the context of a female. I still think it's comical somebody would name their company after a set of love handles. Memorable for sure.

 

[bikerdoc]

I have also been researching pannier systems and will be going with the C. Pelican System, for an upcoming trip planed from Halifax to Ushuaia and return. I have an additional requirment for an AC /DC refrigerated top box for six month supply of medication. I have posied this question to Pelican R & D as well as belive it or not Coleman Product. As of this date neither company has come forward at this time. Pelican had acknowledged that this has been put forward to their US R & D department, Colemn ................?.
Has anyone else requiring refrigerated dayly perscription looked into this problem. Is there another poduct I have not found ?

Here are a couple of items worth recommendation (I'm a MD, Paremedic, RN) that I have referred to a couple of patients who ride motorcycles or are preparing to trip round different places for lengthy periods of time.
Check Medi-Fridge http://www.medi-fridge.com/ which have a range of small refrigeration & coolant type appliances (some with a 12V outlet), one of which might suit your needs, or check Magellan's http://www.magellans.com/store/Health___Hygiene___WellnessKF107 which have a whole swag of various items including a water immersion cooling bag suitable for medications (e.g. insulin) that need to be kept cold/cool. No need to feel limited or chained to your medication cabinet... and no need to reinvent the wheel
::020::

 

[eemsreno]

how did you attach the panniers to the givi bracket?

There are threaded holes in the Givi mounts, I just bolted the panniers to them. I hope you can make it out in these pictures.

 

[eemsreno]

Then when you remove the panniers , the mounts just pop off and leave a clean bike.

 

[colorider]

$350 + $320 + $20 = $690 for the MT's mounted. I still like them for that price and you get a better mount than the more expensive OEM cases (that I own). The OEM cases are still a good case but I doubt they will take a beating like the MT's or Happy-Trail's will.

That eBay price is way off. The Givi racks are much less expensive.

http://www.amotostuff.com/super_tenere_luggage/PLR367.html

Other options would be SWM or HB racks, although both are more expensive than Givi.

Rod

 

[tc9988]

There are threaded holes in the Givi mounts, I just bolted the panniers to them. I hope you can make it out in these pictures.

nicely done

 

[dcstrom]

I did a test fitup of the Jesses without the grab rails, to see how narrow I can get them. I say "test" because I didn't have the right spacers to finish the job, and besides, I have some figuring to do to mount a topbox in the passenger area. That might change my spacing a bit.

Looks like the deciding factor for how tight they can go, is going to be where the rack meets the tailight housing. You could start grinding metal/cutting plastics, but it's diminshing returns by then. If you're really keen, you might get another 1/2". At this point the rack is applying pressure to the muffler cover, but it has plenty of flex so no worries. Any tighter though you might have to think about an alternative muffler or at least a cover. I believe Jesse was going to come up with a kit that paired a new muffler with the panniers, so I guess if you're in the market and you want the tightest possible fit, you should ask him about it...

Anyway - final result was 35" exactly across the rear - but about 35.75" at the front. With some fiddling with spacers, and maybe cutting off the front plastic luggage loops, you could get it to 35" all round. As you can see, it's close to the Altrider rack, but the bags can slide forward a couple of inches from this position so no problem.

With the Atrider rack on the low position, this is what you end up with;

Perfect for laying a couple of long duffles (longitudinally) on (like the new Twisted Throttle setup). But I want to mount a Gobi top box on the passenger seat, so that's a bit more of a puzzle to figure out. I will fit, sideways, with enough room on the rack behind for a small light duffle, but need to figure out a mounting plate for it.

As you can see, with the Jesses mounted as high as they are, this setup doesn't lend itself to laying things across the bike. The best idea I think, if the space is needed, is to strap a couple of small duffles on the bag lids (Jesse of course has the racks for this!).

Trevor

 

[dcstrom]

Thought I'd show you this. They want $400.00 US for this Japanese product, but it's designed for the H&B top boxes, so maybe you can get some idears from it :-\

Yeah mate, I'd seen that - they want something like $205 for it! then you have to buy the mounting plate for the Gobi, and the box itself, ends up being over $600 for the entire setup... way too much. This thing is also way more complicated than I need, and too high, and probably won't match up with the Altrider rear rack I have. All I think I really need is a plate that uses the 4 bolt holes for the plastic pillion tray, with some spacers supporting the plate, so that it's lined up with the Altrider rack on the low position...

Trevor

 

[hyder4lunch]

Perfect for laying a couple of long duffles (longitudinally) on (like the new Twisted Throttle setup). But I want to mount a Gobi top box on the passenger seat, so that's a bit more of a puzzle to figure out. I will fit, sideways, with enough room on the rack behind for a small light duffle, but need to figure out a mounting plate for it.

As you can see, with the Jesses mounted as high as they are, this setup doesn't lend itself to laying things across the bike. The best idea I think, if the space is needed, is to strap a couple of small duffles on the bag lids (Jesse of course has the racks for this!).

Trevor
[/quote]

___________________________________________________________________

What's the measurement between the lids (bags?), side to side?

Thanks,

Pete

 

[dcstrom]

___________________________________________________________________

What's the measurement between the lids (bags?), side to side?

Thanks,

Pete

Pete,

You mean the space across the pillion seat area? I didn't measure it, but roughly speaking it should be 15". That's the 35" total width, minus 2 x 10" wide bags.

Trevor

 

[hyder4lunch]

10-4, thanks.

 

[wescnmbkr1]

Perfect for laying a couple of long duffles (longitudinally) on (like the new Twisted Throttle setup). But I want to mount a Gobi top box on the passenger seat, so that's a bit more of a puzzle to figure out. I will fit, sideways, with enough room on the rack behind for a small light duffle, but need to figure out a mounting plate for it.

As you can see, with the Jesses mounted as high as they are, this setup doesn't lend itself to laying things across the bike. The best idea I think, if the space is needed, is to strap a couple of small duffles on the bag lids (Jesse of course has the racks for this!).

Trevor

Having used the flat top of my panniers to carry my dry bags and a flat wooden board to support my center stand in case of repairing a flat tire, I like having 4 tie down loops attached to the top of the pannier lid to accomodate straps to hold the dry bags in place. I've not actually held in my hand the Jesse "top mounted rack", but pictures I've seen looks a bit frail & raises whatever you intend to tie to the lid. If I were to use the Jesse Panniers I would not use his top mounting rack, instead would mount 4 tie down loops to the chamfered edge of each pannier lid, that would make what ever you are strapping down lay directly on top of the lid making it more stable & secured with the tie straps.
wescnmbkr1 ::008::
___________________________________________________________________

What's the measurement between the lids (bags?), side to side?

Thanks,

Pete

Perfect for laying a couple of long duffles (longitudinally) on (like the new Twisted Throttle setup). But I want to mount a Gobi top box on the passenger seat, so that's a bit more of a puzzle to figure out. I will fit, sideways, with enough room on the rack behind for a small light duffle, but need to figure out a mounting plate for it.

As you can see, with the Jesses mounted as high as they are, this setup doesn't lend itself to laying things across the bike. The best idea I think, if the space is needed, is to strap a couple of small duffles on the bag lids (Jesse of course has the racks for this!).

Trevor


___________________________________________________________________

What's the measurement between the lids (bags?), side to side?

Thanks,

Pete

 

[dcstrom]

Having used the flat top of my panniers to carry my dry bags and a flat wooden board to support my center stand in case of repairing a flat tire, I like having 4 tie down loops attached to the top of the pannier lid to accomodate straps to hold the dry bags in place. I've not actually held in my hand the Jesse "top mounted rack", but pictures I've seen looks a bit frail & raises whatever you intend to tie to the lid. If I were to use the Jesse Panniers I would not use his top mounting rack, instead would mount 4 tie down loops to the chamfered edge of each pannier lid, that would make what ever you are strapping down lay directly on top of the lid making it more stable & secured with the tie straps.
wescnmbkr1

You mean instead of using these;

use these;

Both are sold by Jesse

http://www.xplorermoto.com/accessories.html#loops

I think I agree with you that the loops would be better - not to mention cheaper. The Jesse versions are $15 for 4 - but I think you probably need 4 per pannier so there's $30. Might be possible to find equivalent hardware cheaper elsewhere. West Marine maybe?