Hey All,

New to forum, new gs500f. I have searched this forum and the intraweb.. Cant seem to find any hard saddle bags. I had the same problem with my dr200, didnt search that much for the enduro as soft bags worked ok. The gs is in need of some nice hard saddle bags. Anyone found some in Canada?

Quote from: vern on August 11, 2011, 03:01:49 AM
Hey All,

New to forum, new gs500f. I have searched this forum and the intraweb.. Cant seem to find any hard saddle bags. I had the same problem with my dr200, didnt search that much for the enduro as soft bags worked ok. The gs is in need of some nice hard saddle bags. Anyone found some in Canada?

Dont look for hard bags for GS500......look for motorcycle to fit your hard bags...

You have wrong bike for your purposes...

Cookie

What is so wrong about using the bike to grab milk, coffee, a movie and possibly some beer. Being able to do all of the above in one trip and not have to worry about some of the stuff disappearing cause I cant lock it up? I have seen other bikes with small size saddle bags that would work very well on the gs. I dont want to transport the kitchen sink. I cant see this bike as being the wrong bike for local commuting. A trip to the gym after work, dont really want to bring the gym bag into the office, I'd rather leave it locked up on the bike.

Maybey that isnt what you would use this bike for but its the reason I bought it. I wouldnt use the bike for racing at a track, I would not tell someone anyone to buy a different bike just because I wouldnt race with it. 

As far as I know there are not hard cases made for the 500. Not that you couldn't Gerry rig something this place is the Mecca for that LOL. I have Nelson Rigg soft luggage that goes under the seat so they just can't walk off. One would have to either cut it off or pick through it to get what they want. They also have shoulder straps to take off when you are going somewhere. They do make hard cases for the back that many on here use. Flick is my daily driver which him being down is killing me right now! $45 in gas to fill up the car last night. That is over 600 miles on Flick. Can't wait till the beginning of the semster to take him in to the pros before any reseamblance of savings I had disappear.

Mary

Don't know if it will help, but at

http://www.suzukicycles.org/visitors/visitors_suzuki_page_22.shtml

there's a pic and details of a GS500 fitted with the small Givi E21 hard boxes.

Also, at

http://www.louis.de/index.php?topic=artnr_gr&artnr_gr=10022256&typ_id=GS500F%2F04&lang=en

there are details of the carrier that appears to have been used.  Give some ideas if u are about cobbling up a set!

I put a Givi E33 Monolock top case on my 02 GS back in 04 and it's been in constant use since.  I mounted mine to a Suzuki luggage rack and added some braces.  Usually about half full of rain gear, gloves, etc I've put 2 gallons of milk and a half gallon of ice cream in on top to take home.  Will carry 2 gallons of oil home too in the extra space above the regular stuff.  The E33 is a smaller size top case compared to the 40-50 liter ones available and there are Givi and SW-Motec hard case racks available for all late model GS500/F bikes.  Not much available out there in hard side cases for the GS.  I could carry clothes and misc stuff for a week in my E33 plus a large tank bag and do 400-500 mile days on it without side bags, soft or hard.  Fought the rain battle with soft luggage for years before I got the hard case, it's never leaked a drop in the hardest of rains.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/RackPics.jpg

"factory rack no longer available".

NOOOO!! I want that rack!!

I'm working on a custom setup right now. The goal is to keep it under 100$ and to be able to build it using standard tools. I have it posted under the builds/projects section. Hopefully it'll be done by the end of next week.

Try Hepco & Becker. I know they do a range for the GS500 - in cordura - while also having hard luggage racks so I assume hard cases are available as well.

Michael

Quote from: vern on August 11, 2011, 03:42:25 AM
What is so wrong about using the bike to grab milk, coffee, a movie and possibly some beer. Being able to do all of the above in one trip and not have to worry about some of the stuff disappearing cause I cant lock it up? I have seen other bikes with small size saddle bags that would work very well on the gs. I dont want to transport the kitchen sink. I cant see this bike as being the wrong bike for local commuting. A trip to the gym after work, dont really want to bring the gym bag into the office, I'd rather leave it locked up on the bike.

Maybey that isnt what you would use this bike for but its the reason I bought it. I wouldnt use the bike for racing at a track, I would not tell someone anyone to buy a different bike just because I wouldnt race with it. 

Do you think there may be a reason nobody makes hard bags for GS500?

And they make lots of hard bags for lots of other types of bikes??

Just asking..

Cookie

Don't mean to threadjack, but, gsJack, how did you deal with rain on your person? Reason I ask is I might be doing a 500-mile ride up and down the California coast, in November. So rain may be an issue. I'm not too worried about my luggage (it has covers) or my head (helmet is pretty well sealed). But what about your person. I bought some pants and jacket that have a "waterproof membrane" in them, as well as some WP gloves. My boots might not be that well sealed but the pants go over the boots so leakage there should be minimal. Any suggestions?

I know I have seen racks to mount hard cases on a GS. At least 2 companies made them when I was looking 3 years ago. Was to cost prohibitive at the time ($600+ all said and done even w/o a top case) so I just spent $70 on some soft luggage and called it good.

Quote from: twocool on August 11, 2011, 04:13:03 PM

Do you think there may be a reason nobody makes hard bags for GS500?

And they make lots of hard bags for lots of other types of bikes??

Just asking..

Cookie

Probably why you don't see GSXR-1000's with hard cases. Sport type bikes are for fun. Cruisers are for longer distance travel so you find more cases for them. Likewise you don't find many hard cases for dirt bikes. Accessories are available based on the use of a bike. Unfortunately the GS500 falls somewhere in between uses of touring and sport biking, so it seems to get left out of the accessory market.

There are some available by Renntec or 5 stars. Mostly you will find them in Europe - Germany and UK in particular.

You can see Suzi in the back with her sort-of hard case. It is a soft case but pretty solid (not really hard plastic like you think of with a hard case). It works really well. Zippers let it expand wider. Can hold a full face helmet with no problem or a bag of groceries.

Great shots there of yours, Tucsondog, on the project page of that wild and mysterious place under the saddle and behind the plastic panels. So many bits of metal and so few pick-up places! I've a sort-of theory that Suzuki just built the prototype rear sub-frame out of bits of scrap pulled from their disposal skip.
Apart from the passenger grab-rail bolt points and the bolts up and under the wheel fender, there are precious few other places pick-up can be made for luggage racks and the like without modifying a seat or a rear fairing or doing a bit of frame welding.
Overall, the soft pannier bag approach is probably the one that this bike demands.

does it have to be hard bag? big panniers will do the same job 2x40L

Thanks for the ideas all. Lockable topcase and soft sidebags it is.

@noworries

I'm pretty sure I've found some good pick up points, a little mod work will be required to the fender, but they look pretty solid. The rear fender attaches via 4 rubber grommets, 2 per side. The front two are a little too far forward to be of any use, but the rear two are slightly forward of the grab bar pick ups. Plus, they're already welded to the frame and stick out enough to provide good lateral support. There are two more pick ups where the tail light assembly bolts to the frame. If threaded rod were passed through both bolt holes, one could not only reattach the tail-light in its factory position, but also have the option of another super strong pick up. I'm thinking that if properly braced using the grab bar holes, you could make a really strong top case frame. I suppose, if one didn't mind modifying the rear footpeg assembly, you could attach two ammo crates relatively easy using the above described frame....

So many ideas..... I must get to work!

ammo crates...I luv it  Get that grinder and welder goin!!!!