Reviewed: Happy Trail Teton Panniers & ADVMotorrad Fork Protectors

[sportsguy]

Figured I'd do a couple review-style videos as the new Happy Trail Teton panniers arrived this past Thursday. Friday I worked from home and took some time at lunch to mount stuff up and try some packing ideas.

My goal was to be able to do a week of camping on the road. Done. These are the 9 inch wide Tetons, black hammer finish powdercoated with the "clif-cut" angle at the bottom outside of each pannier.

The "packing" video is actually an "unpacking" video. Quick coverage of the new ADVMotorrad aluminum fork protectors as a bonus at the start of the video.

Enjoy, ya hyenas!

Happy Trail Teton Pannier Review

Happy Trail Teton Panniers Unpacked

 

[snakebitten]

Re: Reviewed: Happy Trail Teton Panniers & ADVMotorrad Fork Protectors

Camped for 3 weeks. 2-up, with the lady of the house. Did do laundry on the road. Showers. And bought a queen size air mattress that we gave away before coming home.

Those HT panniers and the Large Motofizz tail bag will haul everything you could possibly need.
Of course, you have to have a good mule to create a pack-mule of.
ALL of us have one of the best.
Hope you enjoy yours as much as I have. Mine come off when not in use. But they rugged, well built, no nonsense value.

 

[True Grip]

Good video Sportsguy!

Those are nice boxes. You packed well and kept stuff to a minimum. I can never pack that lite. My last trip I wore my Sidis, carried shower shoes for camp showers,brought a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of Keens. I've got no reason to make fun of women ::025:: I have a medium wolfman dry bag that goes the length of the pillion and rear rack. Clothes that can be washed in a sink and dry quickly have helped a lot. Hope you enjoy your trip when you get the chance to go.

 

[arjayes]

Well done as always, Duane! I haven't pulled the trigger on luggage yet. Still torn between soft and hard, but leaning toward soft (Giant Loop probably). I like the security of those frigging HT vaults, though! Nice to be able to leave them on the bike and not have to worry.

I noticed a distinct lack of orange in the garage???

 

[sportsguy]

Well done as always, Duane! I haven't pulled the trigger on luggage yet. Still torn between soft and hard, but leaning toward soft (Giant Loop probably). I like the security of those frigging HT vaults, though! Nice to be able to leave them on the bike and not have to worry.

I noticed a distinct lack of orange in the garage???

Thank you.

You just gave me an idea for another video!

And you might have noticed another, smaller garage area over behind the truck in the opening shots of one of those videos. The KTM is sitting safely in that space sipping juice from the wall.

 

[creggur]

He says Tenere (Ten-uh-Ray) like a Canadian (where it rhymes with canary)... Lol.

Just Jokes.... Great videos!

 

[S10Pilot]

Don't know why a guy would install 35 lbs of Caribou panniers (12.5 lbs each + the rack) on a KLR with 37 hp, but he did and that's the way I bought it - er I mean almost stole it!
The biggest disadvantage with the bags is they are side open so stuff just falls out if it's not strapped in. Advantage is they come off with a simple twist of a key lock and have handles so they can be carried like luggage.
If I decide to go with panniers on the 10, I'll definitely consider a top load like your Happy Trail.
Your videos help to narrow down decisions and are much more valuable than pics- thank you. You're getting to be a genuine celebrity!
BTW, a clean garage is a sign of a sick mind!!

 

[sportsguy]

Don't know why a guy would install 35 lbs of Caribou panniers (12.5 lbs each + the rack) on a KLR with 37 hp, but he did and that's the way I bought it - er I mean almost stole it!
The biggest disadvantage with the bags is they are side open so stuff just falls out if it's not strapped in. Advantage is they come off with a simple twist of a key lock and have handles so they can be carried like luggage.
If I decide to go with panniers on the 10, I'll definitely consider a top load like your Happy Trail.
Your videos help to narrow down decisions and are much more valuable than pics- thank you. You're getting to be a genuine celebrity!
BTW, a clean garage is a sign of a sick mind!!

Actually, a clean garage is the sign of a Canadian! We keep them clean to park our cars in them...LOL

...and by that logic, yes, I'm bent...due to being Canadian.

Yeah, the top loading was a big plus for me while shopping. My FJR came with factory side loaders and you HAD to use the factory bag liners or stuff just fell out everywhere when you opened them.

Pics are worth a thousand words they say...what they don't tell you is its rare an entire story gets told in a thousand words.

There is a company out there under the brand name of Tusk. Typically marketed at the KLR crowd, they are your standard pannier. I'm completely certain if you bought a set from the factory, you could drill them to fit any rack system, as no racks exist for the Tenere. IIRC, they are made in China for RockyMountainATV, and it's tough to get them in stock. That said, owners report they are solid units. I haven't even seen a set in the wild yet, so who knows. What is known is the price tends to be almost half what normal panniers cost.

So far, I'm impressed with Happy Trail as a company and for the products they make. Enough that I shoveled some more money at them yesterday, so watch for another review after that gear arrives and I get in a test ride.

Thanks for the feedback gang...and remember, if you don't like these videos, it's probably only you that sucks.

 

[snakebitten]

Re: Reviewed: Happy Trail Teton Panniers & ADVMotorrad Fork Protectors

Hmmmm. Got me curious. Can't be the tail rack because the Altrider rules supreme.

And yes, that clean garage is just sick.

 

[arjayes]

And you might have noticed another, smaller garage area over behind the truck in the opening shots of one of those videos. The KTM is sitting safely in that space sipping juice from the wall.

What's even more sick is that the KTM gets its own private garage! I bet that garage is trashed, though - just to keep that hooligan KTM 690 happy.

 

[sportsguy]

Nah, the KTM is actually a pretty tidy garage hooligan. The secondary garage is where the bike's live.

Main garage is the domain of my wife's Beetle and the Z4.

The S10 leave tomorrow for a week in the care of experts. When she returns, she'll be a queen in the ballroom and on the mountain tops.

 

[creggur]

Re: Reviewed: Happy Trail Teton Panniers & ADVMotorrad Fork Protectors

The S10 leave tomorrow for a week in the care of experts. When she returns, she'll be a queen in the ballroom and on the mountain tops.

Details? Do tell...

 

[sportsguy]

Step 1

Call here: http://www.konflictmotorsports.com/

Step 2

They call here for these:

Step 3

Break out the skrilla

Step 4

Wait for the experts to work their magic

Step 5

Enjoy the commute home more...

If you've never seen the TT rear suspension gear up close, one hands on look will convince you it is the real deal.

 

[creggur]

Sweet!

I see that the front springs are Hyperpro, but who makes the rear suspension stuff for TT?

 

[sportsguy]

Sweet!

I see that the front springs are Hyperpro, but who makes the rear suspension stuff for TT?

I'm not entirely sure. I want to say I remember hearing it was a known big name in the business, but can't honestly recall.

What I will say is that when you actually look at these units in person, you'll see they are MUCH stouter than factory.

 

[creggur]

Re: Reviewed: Happy Trail Teton Panniers & ADVMotorrad Fork Protectors

I'm not entirely sure. I want to say I remember hearing it was a known big name in the business, but can't honestly recall.

What I will say is that when you actually look at these units in person, you'll see they are MUCH stouter than factory.

Oh I have no doubt. Was just curious as you've thrown a new wrinkle into my ongoing Ohlins vs, Penske debate with myself. I've been suffering Analysis-Paralysis for a year now....and now this.

At this rate I'll decide on a new suspension sometime in late 2019...

 

[sportsguy]

Re: Reviewed: Happy Trail Teton Panniers & ADVMotorrad Fork Protectors

Oh I have no doubt. Was just curious as you've thrown a new wrinkle into my ongoing Ohlins vs, Penske debate with myself. I've been suffering Analysis-Paralysis for a year now....and now this.

At this rate I'll decide on a new suspension sometime in late 2019...

So right about the time Yamaha updates the bike for America...

They had other brands listed in the comparison chart at the Touratech booth. The shaft for the shock from TT is at least 2mm thicker than others. Comparing the TT to the stock shocks on display, it's obvious the difference. And I'm not sure the other brands upgrades include thicker shock shafts - but then again, I have done zero comparisons at this detailed level...

 

[snakebitten]

Debate ad nauseam. ALL of them are a sufficient suspension piece. And far superior to the stock shock.

Lose no sleep. Like picking dessert at a fine restaurant. You WILL get something tasty!

 

[creggur]

Re: Reviewed: Happy Trail Teton Panniers & ADVMotorrad Fork Protectors

Debate ad nauseam. ALL of them are a sufficient suspension piece. And far superior to the stock shock.

Lose no sleep. Like picking dessert at a fine restaurant. You WILL get something tasty!

Oh I have zero doubts about that.

I know I won't be doing the Ohlins fronts (if they're even available anymore), would love that rig, but just can't swing the entry fee. So, I'm really down to: Do I want the hydraulic preload adjuster on the Ohlins rear, or go all-in with the Penske Triple-Clicker and really learn about fine-tuning my suspension?

It's a major investment either way, and having never upgraded suspension components on a bike (I know, I know... I'm gonna have one of those, "What was I thinking all those years?" moments after I finally do it) I would really like to get this right on the first swing.

I've had conversations with vendors of both units and both are great guys that seem to really know their stuff and neither had one bad thing to say about the other's offering. Which tells me I really can't go wrong either way, I just can't decide which way to go. Which is even more maddening to me as I'm usually a decisive, pick-a-path and run with it, kind of guy...

Damn you Suspension Threads! Damn you all...

 

[sportsguy]

In fairness, this is a review thread about pannier and fork protectors.

But... since you're almost all in on a suspension...

The TT gear is from a company called Tractive. When KTM bought WP Suspension a while back, many of the WP experts left to form Tractive. Today they build suspensions for many applications. In fact, they are responsible for about half the setups in any given NASCAR field these days. They easily know what they are doing for bikes as the people building the gear today are the same folks who were building KTM's high end suspensions back in the original WP days.

Yes, suspension work is expensive.

Yes, IMO, its worth it.

And its unlikely, in what I see as a three horse race, you can go wrong.

I chose Touratech/Tractive because I know all components have been chosen or built with off road work in mind. I had Penske gear on my FJR and it was the shizznit on the street.