Sportster - Panniers

[Texas Harley]

Hi all
Happy new year to everyone at Scottish HD

I have been on the look out for a set of panniers for the Sporster for a while now. Buying a new set from the dealers cost an arm and a leg & the throw over ones on Ebay for fifty quid are a bit of a joke - they flap in the wind. Anyone got any Ideas. They would come in useful for a run and overnight stay with the wife over the West Coast of Scotland. Panniers look a lot better than an old rucksack slung on the back.

Looking forward to a meet up to get to know some of the faces behind the names I see on the HD site. Are there any meets planned in the near future.

You will also have to make allowances for me - I am just getting the hang of navigating my way round this site - might get there for next Xmas.

Phil

[RamDez]

there is the Dunedin meeting on the 3rd of Feb.

No plans for a meeting on the road until the weather gets better :)

[DaveU]

Hi all
Happy new year to everyone at Scottish HD

I have been on the look out for a set of panniers for the Sporster for a while now. Buying a new set from the dealers cost an arm and a leg & the throw over ones on Ebay for fifty quid are a bit of a joke - they flap in the wind. Anyone got any Ideas. They would come in useful for a run and overnight stay with the wife over the West Coast of Scotland. Panniers look a lot better than an old rucksack slung on the back.

Phil

Panniers are pretty handy Phil but as you say the cost is horrendous.....unless you can buy them in the USA at $ price and smuggle them in.....:D You also have to fit the guard rail bits which take away a bit of the clean look of the bike. It's also surprising how little you can get in a pannier. I have slanty ones on the Glide and they don't hold a helluva lot.
I tend to keep emergency stuff in there, a few tools, litre of petrol etc for long tours.

However if you can do without the panniers there are alternatives to the rucksack job.

If you travel light a quick option is to buy one of these waterproof bags

http://www.sailgb.com/c/ortlieb_waterproof_bags/

Bung your stuff in there and strap it on to the handlebars resting on top of the headlight. Lets you carry stuff and also helps deflect wind over you to make the ride easier if you don't have a screen. Obviously it affects handling a bit but just take time to get used to it.

With a rack and sissy bar on the back of the sporty you could go for a T-Bag Saddle roll type thing. There are other manufacturers so do a bit of Googling on them to find a UK supplier. You may find its cheaper to order from the USa and bear the shipping and duty etc.

http://www.tbags.com/detail.aspx?ID=13&SelectedCat=2

Harley have weight limit postings on the rack but on my glide I know I've exceeded that lots of time with no problems.

[The Beer Man]

Hi, Have you tried V-Mania at: http://www.vtwinmania.co.uk.

[IainG]

Its all very subjective but I've never been a big fan of panniers on the sportster - to my eye, for them to look right on the bike they have to be smaller than the ones on the big twins making them not that practical in the capacity department. Then theres the look of the brackets when the panniers are removed ( although it looks like V-twin Mania have a solution that sorts that in the way of their Easy Brackets but at £150 a set is pretty expensive before you've even bought the panniers).

I tend to prefer the sissy bar bag options and as Dave said theres a wealth of options of sizes and styles available from a number of manufacturers. Nelson Rigg make a great range of good quality bags at keen prices and are worth a look.

Kuryakyn do a cool Custom rollbag(K4145) which looks great on the back of a sporty and is expandable so is good for overnighters if your packing reasonably light. Its under £80 from Offshore Motorcycle Parts http://www.offshoremotorcycleparts.com with free delivery in the UK. Worth a look if you like that kind of style.

[Johnny the fox]

Its all very subjective but I've never been a big fan of panniers on the sportster - to my eye, for them to look right on the bike they have to be smaller than the ones on the big twins making them not that practical in the capacity department. Then theres the look of the brackets when the panniers are removed ( although it looks like V-twin Mania have a solution that sorts that in the way of their Easy Brackets but at £150 a set is pretty expensive before you've even bought the panniers).

I tend to prefer the sissy bar bag options and as Dave said theres a wealth of options of sizes and styles available from a number of manufacturers. Nelson Rigg make a great range of good quality bags at keen prices and are worth a look.

Kuryakyn do a cool Custom rollbag(K4145) which looks great on the back of a sporty and is expandable so is good for overnighters if your packing reasonably light. Its under £80 from Offshore Motorcycle Parts http://www.offshoremotorcycleparts.com with free delivery in the UK. Worth a look if you like that kind of style.

I'd echo what the guys said about the sissy bar options. It was the way I was going to go with the Sporty & it's def the way I'll go with the Fat Bob.

I'd echo the comments about the V Mania site, Edinburgh company as well so worth a shout! Otherwise the Zannoti website from the good ole US mght be worth a shout.

[HogHog]

Panniers are pretty handy Phil ..........It's also surprising how little you can get in a pannier. I have slanty ones on the Glide and they don't hold a helluva lot.........

Yo....

I was just about to buy Panniers - do you mean they are that small they are nothing more than a cosmetic accessory..?

I have a Grantour Travel Bag http://www.offshoremotorcycleparts.com/shop/product/GRANTOUR-TRAVEL-BAG.aspx which is Fantastic so I may stick with that. Your comments would be greatly appreciatted (before I go bankrupt...!!!...:p)

[Texas Harley]

Hi missed that one - wife got me into the housework

Phil

[Texas Harley]

Deleted - see next posting

[Texas Harley]

Its a big thanks to everyone who came back to me with information - re a rack on the sissy bar & a roll this seems to be the answer - not panniers - so I'll follow up on some of the suggestions - thanks once again.

Phil

[DaveU]

Its a big thanks to everyone who came back to me with information - re a rack on the sissy bar & a roll this seems to be the answer - not panniers - so I'll follow up on some of the suggestions - thanks once again.

Phil

Nae sweat dude. ...........Akcherly...if you get the touring bug you'll end up like me having the T-Bag, panniers, front roll thing, pockets full o crap, etc. :D

Of course the best accessory to have if you travel two up is a pillion that disnae worry too much about make up, hair, having clean drawers every day etc. ;)