Hard saddle bags?

Are they available? Does anyone have them?

No and no; people have made their own side mounting-brackets for Givis in particular but there are none available commerically.

Givi made a RHS bracket (I think it was on the right) for a short while but it's no longer available.

If you mean hard panniers then there are numerous that are available. MikeO is correct in saying that Givi only made a rack for the right hand side, the exhaust mounting bolt is utilised for mounting the rack. If you have a look at the two links to pictures in my album you will see my setup. Panniers are Givi E21 and the rack was made for me by MooredPortSide who is / was a member on this forum. Kurt (not the demented Aussie Kurt, but an American) made them the same as the ones he had made for his own Silverwing. He wasn't intending to make any further ones.

https://www.silverwing600.com/gallery/Personal-album-of-tarmacburner2/p1010056-pic_1465.htm

https://www.silverwing600.com/gallery/Personal-album-of-tarmacburner2/1st-hotel-pic_1464.htm

Another neat installation was done by Randybuck.
https://www.silverwing600.com/gallery/Personal-album-of-randybuck/Smalll-Givi-saddle-bags-pic_862.htm

Cheers,

Fehling in Germany do a set of Givi/Kappa side case holders for the SW-T Silver Wing, but they don't list them as fitment for the version we all have. Kappa K21 panniers are the same as the Givi E21.

Source in US for Fehling, should be Twisted Throttle. E-21 bags are top loaders as bags should be!

I think it is the racks that are the hard bits to find. After that any Givi or
Kappa Monokey pannier will fit.

I would like to see how the Givi Trekker 33 litre panniers look on a Silverwing - do they stick too far? Anyone got any piccies of such?

Cheers,

Man I wish I knew how to weld (not too late i know)- I would love to add a hard bag mounting system. One issue with the silver wing is the location of the lock for the seat as a saddle bag would most likely block it (this is the problem I have with my soft bags when I install them on long rides).

If I could learn to weld the frames & lay fiberglass I would create entire replacement side panels with integrated hard saddle bags, and either create an extension to the seat lock cylinder to the outside of the bag or at least eliminate the lock and have a manual release lever inside the locking saddle bag.

Jesse in Atlanta.

Imho saddlebags on a swing would make her look too wide in the hips. Loosing its attractiveness

hotwings wrote:

Imho saddlebags on a swing would make her look too wide in the hips. Loosing its attractiveness

Some of us like their gal to have a "little extra" in the hips. J-Lo parlayed it into a fortune!

(What? Your S'Wing is not a Lady?")

How often do you need hard bags/panniers for everyday riding, I know I don't and I wouldn't fit hard panniers even if a mounting system was available. I've already got a combined total of 110 litres storage with the under seat area and E55 top box. Just by carrying a small or large Ortlieb bag under the seat I can add another 24 or 49 litres, or 73 litres if I use both. If I stick on my tunnel bag that's another 22 litres and I now have 205 litres of storage.

I can also use my Givi T421 soft panniers, each bag is 27 litres but they zip out to expand to 38 litres, that's now 259 or 281 litres of storage to play with. Alternatively I can use my hi-vis Cameron soft panniers instead, they hold 30 litres in each bag and using them give a total of 265 litres of storage.

toolboxjesse wrote:

Man I wish I knew how to weld (not too late i know)- I would love to add a hard bag mounting system. One issue with the silver wing is the location of the lock for the seat as a saddle bag would most likely block it (this is the problem I have with my soft bags when I install them on long rides).

If I could learn to weld the frames & lay fiberglass I would create entire replacement side panels with integrated hard saddle bags, and either create an extension to the seat lock cylinder to the outside of the bag or at least eliminate the lock and have a manual release lever inside the locking saddle bag.

Jesse in Atlanta.

Jesse,

You have to make sure the bracket for the locking mechanism is far enough forward so that the lock isn't hindered. But not too far forward for the panniers to be in the way of a pillion's legs.

Cheers,

Agree on probably no need for hard bags on SilverWing----me, use Givi E46 top box, have 2 tunnel bags I can use....even used one on top of the other on Helix---good way to move weight forward AND 2 Ortlieb rubber bags on passenger seat, plus SilverWing under seat storage---need more than that.....you probably shouldn't be riding scooter....and then if you carry big passenger you are well over bike's weight limit.

I am playing with my new TU250---really miss the underseat storage---guess if I really want underseat storage, I can ride my scooter that is going to spend next year as spare.

Meldrew,

I prefer hard panniers as they give (maybe perceived) more security than soft luggage.

Cheers,

For my part, I have taken several multi-day rides on my bike utilizing my 45 liter top case, the underseat storage, 2 soft saddle bags and a backpack, and i always need to repack and leave items out that I would prefer to have with me on a long trip. I don't like using non-lockable storage and a backpack gets cumbersome after several hours of wearing it. With the soft saddle bags in place access to the underseat is often problematic (can't access the key hole, the cross-straps block access to the underseat). If I could integrate hard saddlebags into the side panel location I think it would offer a more streamlined solution and I can carry of the gear and tools I might need for most problems (at least I might be able to carry a DC impact wrench and all of the tools to remove the rear wheel, plus 1 gallon of fuel.
Jesse in Atlanta

tarmacburner2 wrote:

Meldrew,

I prefer hard panniers as they give (maybe perceived) more security than soft luggage.

Maybe they are but as I said in my post you don't really need them for everyday riding, unlike a bike that has little or no under seat storage and needs panniers for basic storage. I only use soft panniers when Mrs M is touring with me and I can't pack gear on the rear seat as I do when travelling solo. Usually the panniers are only on the scoot for the outward and return journeys, they're not used for day runs from our hotel or campsite.
Then when we park up in a town or city, any riding gear that can't be stored away under the seat or in the top box goes into a large Ortlieb bag then into a Pacsafe luggage net and locked onto the passenger seat.

Meldrew wrote:

tarmacburner2 wrote:

Meldrew,

I prefer hard panniers as they give (maybe perceived) more security than soft luggage.

Maybe they are but as I said in my post you don't really need them for everyday riding, unlike a bike that has little or no under seat storage and needs panniers for basic storage. I only use soft panniers when Mrs M is touring with me and I can't pack gear on the rear seat as I do when travelling solo. Usually the panniers are only on the scoot for the outward and return journeys, they're not used for day runs from our hotel or campsite.
Then when we park up in a town or city, any riding gear that can't be stored away under the seat or in the top box goes into a large Ortlieb bag then into a Pacsafe luggage net and locked onto the passenger seat.

Totally agree Meldrew with what you say about when panniers are used. It is just sometimes when touring that you want to leave your stuff and go and have a bite to eat. You hear such horror stories about soft luggage being cut with Stanley knives. When at destination the hard panniers are secured in tent wired up to a movement alarm.

Cheers,

You're too old to be kipping in tents mate, you don't sleep on the floor at home do you!

Hello Meldrew,

I use one of these beds. When you are on the bed it 'gives' a bit and my backside is about 1½" off the floor. Extremely comfortable.
I've even used it at home and in the back of the Volvo.

Cheers,

Way back in 1970 as a young squaddie I spent 3 months sleeping on an army issue camp bed like that in a tatty army camp outside Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

Sorry Meldrew but in 1970 you were fifty three years old, hardly a 'young squaddie'. Memory not like it used to be!

If it wasn't for one of those beds my camping days would have ended about twenty years ago. Now, on the bed in a good down sleeping bag, a good meal inside of me, a mug of coffee just before turning in and thats me until 08:00 (at least) the next morning.

Cheers,

Ahh... The joys of camping especially in the company of other riders at rallies. The scent of frying bacon, the startled yelp as a petrol stove flairs up and then the smell of singed eyebrows and hair! The drunks wandering back to their tents after too much real ale and cursing loudly as they stumble over tent guy lines, the all around night serenade of snoring and farting, and inevitably the sound of a tent flap being unzipped in the middle of the night as someone gets up to empty their bursting bladder and pisses noisily a few steps away from your tent!

Or camping on a National Trust site at Wasdale, with the tent pitched so that in the morning you open the tent flaps to see Great Gable sitting there and watching the last bit of cloud clear the top. Coffee, bacon & egg butty.
Check the general weather conditions, browse the maps and decide on the day's itinery.

Most of my camping is done on Caravan & Camping Club sites, facilities always clean, piping hot water, quiet and tents / caravans have to be 6 metres apart from each other.

In fact I was on the C&C site at Criccieth (Wales) this weekend, but I was in the Bongo. (Some pitches are sloping - they gave you the use of an ice axe to help you get to your pitch!)

Whoops, we're getting off topic again, the mods will be after us, AGAIN!

Cheers,

Until I retired and moved to York, my home was only about 16 miles from Wasdale Head, so Wasdale, Eskdale, Hardknott, Wrynose, Loweswater, Buttermere, etc were only a short ride away. After nearly 40 years in that area of Cumbria, me and my hard saddle bags are slowly discovering the beauty of North Yorkshire!

I've had many a good meal in the Strands at Nether Wasdale.

Cheers,

I know the place, and the Screes on the other side of the road. I used to live a few miles away from Nether Wasdale back in the 70’s and used to ride up there in my Kangol helmet and Texaco Heron Team Suzuki paddock jacket on a BMW R100/7 fitted with Krauser hard saddle bags..

Welcome to God's own county Meldrew, I'm an ex-pat stranded in Lancashire !!

Thank you, I'm appreciating this side of the Pennines more and more.

I'm a Southerner doing missionary work here in Lancashire. I don't consider it a job, more of a calling, helping the less fortunate amongst us. They did ask me to go to Yorkshire but I thought that was a lost cause. When I have done all I can here I'm going to Australia next, but I think that will be a far bigger challenge!

Cheers,