I'll be looking to get some luggage for my bike in the coming future. Just wondering what everyone is using on their gs500's? So if you could, write down type of luggage, how long you've had it for, what your impressions are of it. You know, a review.

I'll probably be looking to ride up to Boston at least once this summer and will need some luggage. Let me and the others know. Thanks!

I have a Givi/Kappa 35-litre topcase - see my related thread for more.
Worth every penny in my book.
Of course you'll have to see by yourself whether it might be capable enough for you or not (i.e.: how much stuff you need/want to take with you).

I jusd did a copy and paste from one of the old threads....



Mine are the Fieldsheer Expander Saddlebags and Tail bag, the look has changed a bit over time.

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/parts/closeouts/luggage/fieldsheer/expander_motorcycle_saddlebags.html

http://www.motoworldonline.com/Fieldsheer-Expander-Saddle-Bags_p_258.html

I would love to have one of those fieldsheer bags, though I am afraid of leaving those on where I work (sadly near a ghetto neighborhood, curse you corporations for cheaping out on rent....) unless I empty it out? But I currently have one of those knock off givi hard cases (35Liter)

Shad 33 liter case on a SW Motech AluRack.

Thx for the pics and the links, awesome!

I got Nelson Riggs sport touring bags. They lock on under your seat. Reflective strips, loads of space, many compartments & even water bottle holders on the outside. Sorry, no can post pics, yet. 

i've got the cortech sport tailbag. will get the matching saddlebags once i start traveling more.

Quote from: jfoley on April 24, 2011, 11:08:18 AM
I'll be looking to get some luggage for my bike in the coming future. Just wondering what everyone is using on their gs500's? So if you could, write down type of luggage, how long you've had it for, what your impressions are of it. You know, a review.

I'll probably be looking to ride up to Boston at least once this summer and will need some luggage. Let me and the others know. Thanks!

I just use one of those $0.99 blue (matches the bike) shopping bags from WalMart!  Oh yeah with a bungee cord....

ahhh, why  do  we still not have a dedicated gear section in this forum. No one ever reeads the Wiki I wrote a couple of reviews in there but no one reads them so what is the use? I feel like every couple of weeks this question is asked! And in between that someone asks about a helmet! I'm i a cruddy  mood sorry!

If youu  want to  see what Fflick looks like search  in the picture game of porta potty and  your bike. I'm in the hospital and can't pull upp photobucket or copy and paste photo'ss.  Also, go to the wiki and see my  review of the rapid transit reon 19 tank bag Four yearrs and that review still  stands.

The Nelson Rriggs are great esp if  ouu  are concerned bout safety. Takes five miutes oo take on/off if you  wnt to  take a bag sy  into say  ino the store they  come with shoulderr straps and you  can take it in!

Mary

Flick all loaded up with groceries:


And Mary's wiki post:
http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Main.RapidTransit19TankBag

Sorry you're laid up Mary!  Hope you're back on your feet soon

I have a rucksack strapped to the pillion seat, it's actually not too bad because I can put stuff in it without taking all the straps off, and I've aranged it so I still get acces to the outside pockets on the bag.  All my valuables go in my jacket or in my Camelbak, so I don't mind leaving it on the bike at a meal stop.

I also carry some heavy black plastic big bin liners and some tape.  If you've got to ride through a storm on a long trip you get that plastic around all your gear.  I'd reccomend that to everyone unless you have hard cases with very good seals.

Quote from: Toogoofy317 on April 24, 2011, 07:44:18 PM
ahhh, why  do  we still not have a dedicated gear section in this forum. No one ever reeads the Wiki I wrote a couple of reviews in there but no one reads them so what is the use? I feel like every couple of weeks this question is asked! And in between that someone asks about a helmet! I'm i a cruddy  mood sorry!

If youu  want to  see what Fflick looks like search  in the picture game of porta potty and  your bike. I'm in the hospital and can't pull upp photobucket or copy and paste photo'ss.  Also, go to the wiki and see my  review of the rapid transit reon 19 tank bag Four yearrs and that review still  stands.

The Nelson Rriggs are great esp if  ouu  are concerned bout safety. Takes five miutes oo take on/off if you  wnt to  take a bag sy  into say  ino the store they  come with shoulderr straps and you  can take it in!

Mary

hey mary. that is a NICE bag! how big is the pocket for the cell phone? i'm wondering if my htc evo would fit in there. thanks!

Until a week or so back, I've been using a canvas tool bag bungeed on the passenger seat. But really didn't like it, could feel my bum backing up against it all the time and it really didn't seem too secure. Anyway, picked up a Ventura rack and l-frames intended for a GSX-R for $10.50 on ebay (felt so embarassed at the price that I forced a $20 note on the seller).  Fabricated up a couple of brackets to pick up the bolt holes under the fender, the bloke at Menai Mufflers gave the frames a little adjustment for free on his hydraulic bender and on it went. And, hey Twocool, minds think alike, on went a blue 99c cooler bag from Coles Supermarket and I'm set! Currently keeping an eye out for a pair of soft pannier bags at a right price. With winter acoming in here in Oz there could be a few bargains about.

Actually, I have the same Nelson Riggs bags as Mary, but I installed them backwards from hers.  Looks great. Follows the lines of the GS and the bottle holder is next to me, when I'm thirsty. 
I'm registered @ photobucket, just gotta work on the rest. Need pics of my Suz!

I know that other people don't like them, but I LOVE tank bags. Not just for touring, but they're great for around town as well. I don't mind wearing a backpack, but I love being able to put something on my tank and forgetting about it. If it's completely packed you'll obviously notice it there, but if it's just got a few things in it, it's much less noticable than a backpack and with the magnetic ones you can just grab it and go, nothing to unhook. They're nice for touring because you put all your soft stuff in it, then you just lay on it like a pillow.

I've had 2 versions of this same bag. First was a black magnetic bag, which would be ideal for the GS. I loved it so much that I bought a new one for the XB, although it had to be a strap on version because the top cover is plastic. It's actually a suzuki bag, not sure about the model name or anything like that, but it's a good size, expandable so you can fit a ton of stuff in it, but the most important part for me is that it's made of a flexible canvas instead of being super thick and padded like some bags. When there's nothing in it you can just flatten it against the tank and it's like it's not even there. I had a cortech tourmaster bag a while ago. It was a nice bag but even when it was completely empty it was still the same shape and was annoying. You can fit a lot in tail/saddle bags, but I get paranoid about things strapped on my bike i can't see/feel, so I'm constantly checking behind me to make sure nothing is wrong. The tank bag is nice because you can just look down and see it.

Anyway, here's the current strapped on version. Don't remember what I paid for the first one, but I found this one on ebay for $17 shipped so I'm super pleased with it. 



and expanded, although still empty so it's not showing it's full size....



Comes with a removable map pocket(good for my gps and phone), a little removable change/keys pouch under that, there's a zippered pocket on the back of the bag I never use, and there's a bigger mesh pocket on the inside of the lid too. The old bag I had had all kind of storage with spots for pens and all kinds of dumb stuff. Way too complicated. I'm pretty sure between the two bags I'll have way more storage space than I need for my upcoming weekend trip. I may get away with taking nothing more than the tank bag.

For everday use I have the givi e450 with the givi mounting brackets for the GS500.
For travel I use an alpinestars tech aero tank bag and tourmaster deluxe tail bag, in addition to the givi. I'm considering also getting saddlebags, probably the cortech sport saddlebags.

Ugh, sorry for my harshness last night! Thanks Paulcett for showing Flick LOL. Yeah I put the Nelson Riggs on both ways depends on how lazy I am that day but yeah both ways LOL.

The Rapid Transit 19 and the EVO man that is a big phone! It will fit an IPOD Video in it but not much bigger. My HTC Aria fit well but not my Nokia E62.

BTW I'm huge on Tank Bags!

Mary

On my GS I use a tank bag for most day rides - holds everything I need to take. And throw on the Ventura bag on the rack if I need to take more stuff (like some extra clothing on Winter rides). If I am just around town on the GS and need a Little carrying capacity, I take a Messenger Bag instead and carry it over my shoulder and across my chest.



On my 919 I have a full set of hard luggage. But mostly ride with just the top box and tank bag for day rides. And just the box for city rides.



Michael

I got the smallest tailbag I could possibly find because I didn't like all my tools sliding around in it and I didn't like how the larger ones warped around the seat, thereby losing height.

Nelson-Riggs, owned for 2 years, forget model.