GS500 Luggage . . .

[stephan]

How many of you guys use luggage for extended trips?  Do you have saddle bags, tank bags, tail bags, just a plain old backpack bungeed down?

Just looking for what people's experience is with luggage on their GS.  What you like, dont' like, recommend etc.

Thanks!  

[Cal Price]

Topbox & Tankbag, suits me fine. last summer there were some safety concerns about bungeed tail packs slipping after a couple of bad accidents, probably/possibly human-error is setting up? I think if you are going to use it enough to get the value good old fasioned hard panniers take a bit of beating, like so many things, horses for courses.

[Kerry]

As it happens, we're currently discussing luggage in the thread Question for Kerry.  Check out BanannaMan's post and my subsequent one.

For my own "day trip" setup, see the picture on my home page (the link in my signature below.)

By using the "Search" link at the top of this page and typing in the word "luggage", you will get back more than a page full of links to matching threads.  In some of them the word "luggage" is only mentioned in passing, but there are many that should give you some ideas.

Whatever you do, don't miss GSJack's classic homemade tailrack in the Luggage rack for GS500? thread!  His two posts include pictures.

[miket]

I have a GIVI rack for GIVI monkey hard bags. It's nice to be able to leave some stuff on the bike and think that it'll still be there when you come back. The cases can run from 20 to 52 liters. Plus I have a tank bag, for the maps and a few things to keep handy. That comes with me when I park the bike.

I may actually sell the rack, I don't use it much since I bought the FZR.

[Kerry]

I finally have some pics of my full set of Tourmaster soft luggage.  The "other" thread mentioned above was already plenty long, so I thought I would stick them here.

The bags in the pics are empty, as I hadn't started packing for the trip yet.  They got a little more "bulgy" later.  I also cleaned the windshield before I left....  







My Dad sent the Cortech bags (the threesome on the seat) back to me 2 or 3 months ago, but I had no reason to mount them until my quick trip to Moab last Sunday.  No, I didn't need all this luggage for that 11.5-hour trip -- I just wanted to experiment.  After all, this is 30 liters more storage space than I brought on my first and longest (3,800-mile) trip so far.  I didn't buy the Cortech tailbag (or mount the windshield) until later....

PS - How did I get the 17-liter tailbag to stay in place on the very back?  I cheated - it's sitting on a Five Stars tail rack....  :mrgreen:

[Steve-C]

Hi,

I've got a nice topbox which suits me most of the time.  It's fine for commuting. Anything else and I have hard panniers and a tankbag.

Hard luggage is a way more expensive option than soft luggage, but you can't beat it for security, (you can lock the panniers closed) safety (very little chance of them coming off unlike soft luggage which if incorrectly fitted can burn on the exhaust or worse get stuck in the wheels)

I use the Givi system of panniers, but there are cheaper versions out there.  You may want to find 'Kappa' which is made by Givi, but with a lower price tag, or simply look on ebay for secondhand stuff.

Below is a pic of my bike on a recent camping trip. [edit=old picture gone, so added one of my bike leaving for a holday in France]

[danci1973]

I have a 42l Kappa top box on my bike almost all the time. I use it to lock the helmet, gloves, ... other stuff.

When I go on longer trips, I add a tank bag and so far those two have been enough.

In case I go for a really long trip, I have saddle bags - but to fill all that space up, I'd have to take my furniture too...

  D.

[spdracer75]

Steve-C.

Nice fairings.   What year is your GS, and what make are those fairings?.


I'll feel so stupid if you have a 2004 and had it repainted or something.

[Steve-C]

The fairing is the lesser spotted (least on this board anyways!) TCP fairing.  It's made especially for the GS as a genuine Suzuki accessory.  Not sure if you can get in in the US anymore, but you may find one on eBay.  A guy over on the UK site is selling his!

http://www.gs500e.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2298

[pianopraze]

looks like this is makers homepage: http://www.tcpsa.com/

I looked at the distributers and there is none in the us :-(

[Kerry]

I finally have some pics of my full set of Tourmaster soft luggage.

I too have hard luggage, but my set doesn't include a top bag yet.  For day trips I use one of my saddlebags AS a top bag.  (See my Riderhaus luggage page.)

One of my points in posting the pictures above was to show just how much stuff you can neatly pack onto a GS using soft luggage.  There are actually a couple of advantages to using soft luggage:

1) As

Steve-C pointed out, it's cheaper than "the hard stuff".

2) It can usually be transferred to another bike with no problems.  The hard bags themselves can be transferred too, but the mounting racks usually cannot.[/list:u]
To illustrate Point #1, here are prices that Chaparral currently lists for each of the components in the photos above:

Tour Master Magnetic Tank Bag (12 liters)  $71.99

Tour Master Cortech Saddlebags (20 liters each)  $143.99

Tour Master Cortech Tail Bag (30 liters) $80.99

Tour Master TB-17 Tail Bag (17 liters)  $53.99[/list:u]I'm sure that some (or all) of these items can be found for less.  Tour Master even offers less expensive alternatives for each of these items (except for the TB-17 tail bag).

Total (current) cost of the set in the photos:  $350.96 (+ shipping, of course)

Most folks wouldn't get (or need) both the Cortech tailbag and the 17-liter tailbag, so a more typical setup would run $296.97 (+ shipping)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

To get an idea of the cost of high-quality hard luggage, browse the GIVI page on the Arizona Motorsports Group site.  Don't forget to figure in the racks / hardware!

Don't get me wrong; I do prefer my hard saddlebags to my soft ones.  But if you've given up on the idea of touring simply because of the cost of hard luggage, look into some of the soft stuff!    (And there are LOTS of different brands out there, including GIVI!)

[oppy00]

I have tourmaster saddlebags, and a matching tankbag.  depending on the length of the trip I wear a backpack, and may bungee a second backpack to the seat.

[davipu]

Kerry wrote:One of my points in posting the pictures above was to show just how much stuff you can neatly pack onto a GS using soft luggage.

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:   you can fit so much more stuff if you pack it tight and not worry about neatness.