Narrow Versys panniers

Feb 5, 2007
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The goal was to buy pannier racks to use with Pelican style cases, but the total width had to be narrower than the handlebars.
I looked at Happy Trails racks as apparently they are the narrowest available but at 19.5" (they are Yanks) they would be too wide.

Seahorse 720 cases are a bit narrower than the Pelicans and while not as tough they are more than tough enough for what I need and at 55.00 USD ea it was a no brainer to bring back as carry on when we came back from Canada last month.
2 trips to Dang's shop to get them fabricated properly and twice to Richco for powdercoating, the end result is 37mm narrower than the bars.

I used the design common to most Versys racks, with a tie bar across the rear. It could be more rigid, and next mod is a strut from the top rack to the pannier rack.

I fiddled about with making them removable, but it never fails that the bags become filthy and you have to give them a shower at the hotel each night. Mrs Hoghead is making me liners so the bags are now hard bolted to the bike using nylock nuts. I made a stainless wire strut to hold the lid open, and if I were to do it again I would use a luggage strut as it would not be in the way when closing the lid

Note the shortened turn signal. The stock signal is 2 piece, so I simply removed the base part and made a PVC plate to cover the hole in the bike. This mod alone saved 50mm

The industrial adventure tourer look is not for everyone, but they are functional enough for me, and waterproof.

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Feb 5, 2007
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That is a 34L chiller on top - imagine it full of ice and beer in a country where they turn the fridge off at night to save power
 
Dec 27, 2007
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Ian Bungy;294101 wrote: More Luggage capacity than a Car! Good Job Sir! You can carry the Drinks in Laos!
He already does, but now we can even keep 'em cold!
beerchug

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