Looking to add Panniers to my 72 R75/5 bike. Any suggestions as to what type of bag or make to consider? What has your experience been with them? Pictures of your bike with bags would be very helpful. Thanks.
I have a set of wixom panniers I bought a couple of years ago, and was going to put them on my r60/5. They are the best looking, but I found out after I bought them that you cannot open the seat with the mounting frame for the pannier on the motorcycle. The seat can be modified to lift off, or a mounting kit was available at one time for the pannier frame to pivot on the motorcycle, so the seat could open. When I restored the r60 I wanted it 100% original, so I left them off. I live down the road from you in Grandville, so if you want to see the wixom set, and how they work let me know.
Doug
Are there any stability issues created or magnified by adding saddlebags to short-wheelbase /5 bikes? I don't know, but there are, undoubtedly, some number of experienced /5 pannier users who do.
Years ago I was heading out for a 7-day ride and opted for the Krauser Bags for my SWB /5 (if you look on the 5united page listed in an earlier post they're the ones on the bottom, or even google it and you'll get tons of info about them) and my only "complaint" is they don't look "cool". If I want to impress, I leave them off. In the picture attached I'm on a day trip with only the left-side bag; the right side of the bike looks "correct".
I have a friend with Wixom bags and they don't hold nearly enough gear, but it depends on what you intend to use them for.
These are very roomy, though won't fit a full size helmet. They come on and off easy; mounts were simple to attach and haven't budged in 15,000 miles.
As for handling I don't even give it a thought - I usually leave them on in case we find some good beer to bring home, or people want to peel off layers, etc. In fact, I often ride with only one bag, which you'd think might really affect handling, but there is absolutely zero effect on anything.
The second negative (first being aesthetic) is you can't open the seat when the right bag is attached. It's not a big deal. It takes a few seconds to remove the bag from the mount, and the same to put it back on. And like I mentioned, you don't really need both bags all the time.
Would I get them again? Yes. It's really really nice to have room to take EVERYTHING you might need (in an emergency).
When riding solo above 100mph Krauser bags can cause a wobble. With a passenger it doesn't happen, probably because the space between the rider's legs and the bags is filled.
If you go this route, beware that the Krauser bags latches (to the bike) can seem latched and come loose on the road. In 200K miles it never happened to me, but it did happen to my brother and others. Always tug on the bag after you hear the 'click'.
Mike
Uh, good to know . . .
Krauser bags have a known latch issue and the detant wears. Replacements are available, a buddy just replaced his to avoid the grief of losing a bag off the bike.
A
Some pages with pictures:
5united.org/history/bags/
w6rec.com/history-of-saddle-bags/
I have Wixom's on my /7 and like them. They're a strange internal shape which makes it a challenge to pack. But I think the look matches the bike...not some of the squarer shapes of BMW bags.
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2