Me and few mates are off on a trip to the south of France in June (can’t wait) and I want some Saddlebags/ panniers for my GSXR1000. Does anybody have any experience with any?, what are they like at high speed, do they rub on our paint etc…
Any info most welcome…
Heartily recommend Ventura kit; not panniers but a sort of frame with removable 45 litre bag that sits on the seat, or on the rack if you have a pillion,. or both if you need 90 litres. 45 did me for 2 weeks round alps though, and you can always put a roll bag on the rack behind it…the rack comes off when you’re not using it so doesn’t affect the looks…if I was you I’d forget about panniers as they’re all a pain in the arse; Ventura kit can be whipped off in about 3 seconds, back on in 5! Mate it with a Baglux ttankbag/cover and you’re all set.
It’s worth remembering that anything that does not lock, and lock on to the bike, you will have to carry around if you leave the bike anywhere where you can not see it - just take as little as possible.
We just take tank bag with a shoulder strap and a rucksack for two weeks. (not even allowed to mention hair dryers, girls)
Yeah, even the ventura kit which is brilliant doesn’t solve this. To be honest I always wished I had a topbox…but suppose thats out on your gixxer since you can’t remove the rack (unlike the ventura)…you could try a pacsafe stuffsac but not sure how safe they are…mine was always ok but…
Just leave your dirty undercrackers in the panniers - be prepared to have moochy frenchman looking through them though. Carry valuables on you. This is not a problem if you ride out from a base each day that you can drop your panniers at. Not so if you are touring from one place to the next. Pacsafe do anti-theft/anti-slash material that locks to your bike but… expensive and I don’t really see the point.
Soft panniers, though sometimes a neccessity, are a pain. They are a faff to put on and take off. They rub your paint (use gaffer tape, though watch that doesn’t take your paint off). You worry about them being unbalanced whilst riding. Fitting hard luggage or ventura style luggage points to a sportsbike…? Each to their own. I wouldn’t tow a cavaran with a Ferrari.
I can thoroughly reccomend Kriega (www.kriega.com). Buy their US20 and 1 or 2 US10’s. That makes 30-40 dry litres on your tail. With a tankbag or rucksack for your valuables that should be all you need. I’ve tested this on a ZX6R (you’re not going 2 up are you?). The webbing slides under your pillion seat, snaps in. You can even snap a US10 onto most kriega rucksacks and the US20 comes with a messenger strap so if you have to, you can lug it all around with you.
A cheap alternative is a roll bag slung over your tail, tied down with bungees. Total cost somewhere in the region of £11.
A cheap alternative is a scooter 
They’re actually made for carrying stuff around.;):D:P
Cheers all for the usefull info, gives me some food for thought. I will let you know how I get on. Cant wait for the trip.
+1
I’ve been using the US-10 and US-20 for the past few months and they are great. well worth the money 
Just to pick up on the Ventura kit. It can be locked on to the bike, mine is. Although I do also use a pac-safe if I leave it loaded for long periods of time.
As for using it on a sports bike look at this, ok so its not as good looking as without it but a lot better than panniers or bags with a bungee cord. Kriega is cool and sexy but it either means wearing a Rucksack or a bunch of tail packs strapped together, which can’t be locked.
Can highly recommend Ventura
the uk web site is a bit pony but the main one is ok
http://www.ventura-bike.com/default.aspx
They are very good at carrying stuff. Just very very slowly. Bit like a Transit.
How?
Cheers, I had a look at the Ventura stuff, looks very good quality I must admit, I personal I don’t what to add a metal frame around the back of my bike.
I think I might go for the ‘Kreige’
http://www.kriega.com/pages_uk/us20/US20-topframeset.html
The tail piece seems very well designed, also found a friend of a friend with the kit and just has praise for the stuff.
Woo 
