soft bags for V11

[Tom M]

I might be in the market for some luggage for the LM. I already have the MG tank bag (love it), thinking about getting saddle bags and tail bag. I don't think I'll use them much so I don't want to buy hard bag$, but I'm leery of fouling up the paint with soft bags. I had a pair of Cortech soft bags on my old Honda which were very well made and very secure when strapped in place, so I'm leaning toward the Cortech sport bag setup even though capacity doesn't look too great.

 

http://www.newenoughhp.com/browse/view_product_images/158

 

Nelson Rigg looks like they have a similar set but with higher capacity. Anybody here have any experience with their stuff?

 

http://www.newenoughhp.com/browse/view_product_images/1126

 

Another complication is I have MG Ti exhaust mounted in the high position, so clearance might be an issue if I don't change the to the low mounts or rig something to raise the saddlebags. Oh yeah, just me on the bike, no passenger concerns.

 

Any opinions, suggestions, and/or experience would be greatly appreciated.

[Richard Z]

Couple months back I jumped on a Nelson Rigg set on denniskirk.com. The tank, tail, and saddlebags shipped were less than $100.00 USD. The NelsonRiggs are gret. I use them on the Triumph and the V11.

 

There are some clearance bags on the Dennis Kirk site.

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_cata...0710&mmyId=

or

 

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_cata...0710&mmyId=

 

 

Richard Z.

[nose2wind]

I might be in the market for some luggage for the LM. I already have the MG tank bag (love it), thinking about getting saddle bags and tail bag. I don't think I'll use them much so I don't want to buy hard bag$, but I'm leery of fouling up the paint with soft bags. I had a pair of Cortech soft bags on my old Honda which were very well made and very secure when strapped in place, so I'm leaning toward the Cortech sport bag setup even though capacity doesn't look too great.

 

http://www.newenoughhp.com/browse/view_product_images/158

 

Nelson Rigg looks like they have a similar set but with higher capacity. Anybody here have any experience with their stuff?

 

http://www.newenoughhp.com/browse/view_product_images/1126

 

Another complication is I have MG Ti exhaust mounted in the high position, so clearance might be an issue if I don't change the to the low mounts or rig something to raise the saddlebags. Oh yeah, just me on the bike, no passenger concerns.

 

Any opinions, suggestions, and/or experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

With the high pipes you don't have a lot of options. I don't think lowering them a smidge hurts the look of the bike much. I would use the Tekno's if you are worried about the paint. I like mine. Otherwise I would consider just a tail trunk. I used to travel to AR on weekends alot with just my tank bag. A tank bag and a tail pak should be enough. I find people take way to much crap. Like laptops etc. You are wearing most of the bulky stuff,boots,jacket etc. I pack a pair of low tennis shoes to change out of my boots after a long day riding. Shirts,1Pant, undies, socks I have a small shaving kit travel size everything etc. spare gloves, clear shield visor, some other misc. small camera protein bars etc. I could get all this in my tank bag. If you need different jackets etc. that is what starts to fill up the other bag. All my tools (minimal) go under the seat. All my stuff is water proof so I don't need rain gear. That stuff doesn't take a lot of room. In winter I add a liner and my electric vest ( a must). Glove liners, Backlava etc.

 

Hope this helps

 

D

[Martin Barrett]

Have you considered Ventura Bike Pack.

 

Permanent fitting the rails that run below the seat rails and then the changeable grab rail/sports rack to the full loop and hang either 1 or 2 bags on it dependant if have a pillon or not.

 

They're a bit pricey but very well recommended by the people who have them - on my wish list

[Tom M]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

Richard, thanks for the tip on the discount N-R stuff at Dennis Kirk.

 

Nose2wind, I think you're right in that I could probably get away with just a tail bag along with my tank bag. I just need enough room for about 3 days worth of clothes plus raingear. I've been digging around a bit and the Revpack tour, Revpack jr, and Wolfman Beta bags are all starting to look good.

 

Martin, I'm afraid the Ventura system is more money than I want to spend right now. If I was going to tour like a lot of you guys do I think that's the way I'd go though.

 

Please keep the suggestions coming!

[nose2wind]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

Richard, thanks for the tip on the discount N-R stuff at Dennis Kirk.

 

Nose2wind, I think you're right in that I could probably get away with just a tail bag along with my tank bag. I just need enough room for about 3 days worth of clothes plus raingear. I've been digging around a bit and the Revpack tour, Revpack jr, and Wolfman Beta bags are all starting to look good.

 

Martin, I'm afraid the Ventura system is more money than I want to spend right now. If I was going to tour like a lot of you guys do I think that's the way I'd go though.

 

Please keep the suggestions coming!

 

The nelson rig and wolfman stuff are good. Another not to common are Oxford Sports. I found some here in Dallas and thought they were well built with some good Ideas. How they fasten is important. Some go underneath the seat which keeps the straps and bungies off the paint. Something you mentioned as important.

 

Let us know what you end up with.

 

I might go back to this format and get rid of the ugly brackets.

 

One reason I got away from my guzzi tank bag is it is before they started making the one with the hole in the mount for the big tank pad to fit in. My tank bag was always moving sideways because of the tank pad. It won't sit right on the tank.

 

I even thought of removing the pad. Wonder how the tank would look with this removed. Anyone seen this?

 

D

[Tom M]

I ended up getting the Cortech Sport bags for Father's Day from my wife & kids after I went to a local shop and verified that I could use them with my high mounted exhaust. I attached the saddlebags with the seat cowl in place so I could get plenty of clearance above the exhaust. I used them last week and they worked great. They were easy to mount and dismount, didn't move at all, didn't leave any marks, and I didn't even know they were there when riding. Getting on & off the bike might be a little tricky if you are well under 6' tall though.

 

Here's a few pictures that show how much clearance I had above the exhaust:

 

 

 

[rocker59]

Looking great! I really like those bags, though I have H+B bags on my Nero Corsa...

[VA Sean]

The soft bag system is once again listed as an available accessory (under Ballabio) on the Moto Guzzi homepage (at least for UK), but I am guessing the usual suspects (MI, MPH, Speakers, etc.) will be able to order them for folks in the US.

 

 

[Tom M]

Looking great! I really like those bags, though I have H+B bags on my Nero Corsa...

 

Thanks Rocker. I only posted this so my fellow high mount pipe types know that there's luggage out there that will work for them. I would have gone with HB bags (if I could find some) and lowered the cans if I was doing long trips like you do, because I beleive the HBs hold a lot more than the Cortechs, but since I only do a long weekend here & there the Cortechs seem like they'll do the trick.

[WitchCityBallabio]

The soft bag system is once again listed as an available accessory (under Ballabio) on the Moto Guzzi homepage (at least for UK), but I am guessing the usual suspects (MI, MPH, Speakers, etc.) will be able to order them for folks in the US.

 

 

 

Wow is this good timing. I have been trying to figure out a way NOT to use the mount for the Hepco Becker cases. I wonder how many liters the panniers are. The racks shown with those bags looks pretty unobtrusive.

 

I have also been toying with the idea of the big Givi soft luggage. The Givi's look very similar to the Guzzi bags. Givi

 

Interesting. I hope I'm able to get my hands on them...

 

Update/Edit

 

Here is the description of those bags from the Italian Guzzi site. Pardon the poor translation courtesy of Alta-Vista Babel Fish. These bags appear to be semi rigid and lockable from the description.

 

Description: The kit it is composed from a brace of semi-rigid ags in woven cured in every particular, from the hinge with buttonhole for padlock to the inserti catarifrangenti, from the logo personalized to the used technical woven one for finishes. Easy removable, thanks to the system patented fast-click® with key, are equipped from supports study to you, accredited heads and from our technical unit, instructions of assembly and cap termosaldata antirain.

[joe camarda]

Hey Guys...there is a set of these bags for sale in the "Classified" Personal Ads section.

[JoeV11]

This big Gortech tail bag got me through a long weekend with room to hold rain gear and a sweatshirt I bought there: I tend to pack light, two or three days in the same pair of jeans doesn't bother me (or my friends). Tee shirts are small, and plenty of dry socks, too. Ride on! Joe

 

[Guest terrydean]

good morning tomM!!!

 

been searching the net and the forums for pix/info for a lemans im looking to purchase......want to see styles and fitment......your setup has me sold...both on the bike and the bags.......what are yours? what mounting hardware are you using? can 2up ride with your setup?....as it looks like the topcase cuts out the pillion seat......more pix?!?!!? i want your EXACT deal.....VERY nice fitting sir, VERY nice!!

 

 

enjoy!

 

 

td

 

 

 

 

I ended up getting the Cortech Sport bags for Father's Day from my wife & kids after I went to a local shop and verified that I could use them with my high mounted exhaust. I attached the saddlebags with the seat cowl in place so I could get plenty of clearance above the exhaust. I used them last week and they worked great. They were easy to mount and dismount, didn't move at all, didn't leave any marks, and I didn't even know they were there when riding. Getting on & off the bike might be a little tricky if you are well under 6' tall though.

 

Here's a few pictures that show how much clearance I had above the exhaust:

 

 

 

[Guest terrydean]

on my capo i used some marsee gear (tank bag), the quality was good......have full armor from them as well.....good stuff......looking at toms setup im not seeing too much room for pillion.....wounder if the marsee cruiser bag......looks like these would fit nicely on the tail of the v11??

 

 

 

 

or in the horizontal position.....

 

 

 

 

 

use it upright with the ventura rack?

 

 

 

 

 

thoughts? ideas?

 

 

td