Hepco and Becker panniers

[BryanPaulHarris]

I've had my Versys for about 4 months now

When I bought it I also purchased a set of Hepco and Becker hard plastic panniers (journey) in the hope of enthusing my wife to come with me on long journeys, she wont come unless she can bring a shit load of stuff with her. They look quite nice and can hold a lot of crap but when on the bike they make me about as wide as the average truck here (Thailand) I recently discoverd that they totally ruin the concept of riding a motorcycle, if you have to ride anywhere where you might encounter a traffic jam. I rode from Sarabury to Pattaya (unfortumately for me on the first day of a 4 day holliday) And having made it more than 100 km on the toll roads past the Airport I finally got kicked of after the third toll booth I managed to get through had a highway police station next to it

(my wife had left a few days earlier to visit her sister in Pattaya, I wasn't intending to go but she suggested I come down and join her on the bike which seemd like a good idea at the time

I've been living in Thailand for about a year now and am not particularly familliar with the geography of it yet. She said it was easy and sent me via Facebook instructions on how to get there (the same way she went with the truck i.e via the toll road. Niether of us knew that motorcycles are not allowed on the toll road

To cut a long story short, once they kicked me off the toll road I had to find my way to Pattaya (by asking lots of people) but the worst part was that I got stuck in a massive 4 hour traffic jam because of the holliday, waring protective motorcycle gear, which is just about bareable if i'm going above 40 kmph but standing still with the Versys fan blowing even hotter air at me than the surrounding 40 degree heat made it a pretty unpleasant experience

and I couldn't do any lane splitting because of the *#$#*$# panniers

My question is - does any one know if there are any less wide panniers available in Thailand that will fit the framework of the Hepco and Becker journey hard panniers (any other suggestions would also be welcome )

 

[DavidFL]

I use the Givi E21s

https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/showthread.php/37942-Tweaking-my-Versys

& with a bag on the back they are big enough for me.

But that does not solve your problem of the overkill with the Hepco & Becker.
However the Givi E21 set - boxes & universal brackets - is only about 8,000 baht from memory.
Sell the H&B gear & make some money.
I seldom go away with a gal on the back, but when I do they are given a bag to pack their gear in & that's it. If it doesn't fit in then you cant take it....end of story. The small Givi boxes are for me, my kit & a few spares. She gets the bag on the back.

Travelling with the new GF this week

she gets the bag on the back & thats it. I've got the 2 Givi boxes.

 

[jimbobs]

I bought the same from chaing rai , excellent value

 

[BryanPaulHarris]

OK, thanks for the advice, the Givis do look a lot narrower in your photos. The Hepco and Becker set was 20,000 baht so maby you are right, selling them and buying cheaper Givies seems like the best option at the moment, (any idea how best to sell them, i'm reasonably new to the Thai motorcycle world)
The next problem I have to solve is the missus she is not quite as easy to influence as most of the women I have known, (but I like a strong character in a woman :silent:

 

[BryanPaulHarris]

In my oppinion they look good and you can fit a ton of stuff in them but they are so wide when I use them (which is only 2 times up to now), i'm constantly checking them to see if I can pass anything without hitting it. I have found riding in Thailand requires 100% concentration to ensure the myriad of things trying to get you off your bike dont succeed :wink:

 

[DavidFL]

BryanPaulHarris;305478 wrote: (any idea how best to sell them, i'm reasonably new to the Thai motorcycle world)

Post them for sale on GTR here: https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/forumdisplay.php/24-Motorcycle-Buy-and-Sell

 

[blackb15]

I don't disagree with any of the above posts ,when I've ridden in Thailand particularly though Bangkok the filtering has been challenging to say the least even without side boxes. I'm riding over from the UK leaving 3rd August I plan not to use hard side luggage,but a hard top box and soft panniers or roll bags if it works for me with my luggage needs to help with filtering in cities.
Hope it all works out
Safe riding
Paul

 

[Wald0]

After last trip with my wife I think I want to buy side luggage, but soft ones. I also not like if they are too wide!
Alone I would just use tank bag and strap another bad in rear. This time I used my Dakine backpack (35l) on top of the tank and small backpack on my back.
I could just buy cheap soft luggage from 320sp but CBR1000 rear need these irons to keep bags out of the rear tyre! and it seems cant just buy them separate..

SW Motech bags are sweet but not too cheap :/ do they even sell them in Bangkok?