Luggage is the issue now. The mechanical bits are sorted out, the electrical bits are done, tires are good to go. I decided to go with Caribou Cases for panniers. The final point in their favor is the lifetime warranty. If they ever break they’re just replaced. I don’t plan to break them, but lot’s of things happen that aren’t planned, so why not stack the deck in your favor if you can. I went with the 36L side-opening cases. Some folks seem to prefer the top-loaders, but not me.
If I’ve strapped a duffel bag on the cargo plate and the tops of the panniers, I can still open the panniers and get to the contents without unstrapping the duffel bag. Not so if access to the contents is through the top. Since there are cables that allow the lids to open about 80 degrees or so, the open lid can serve as a table while you’re out in the boonies. There are elastic straps too, that can be clipped into an “X” pattern to keep the contents from falling onto your table. Seems like a win-win to me.
I decided to use the factory pannier racks – you know, the ones that hold the Gobi boxes that everyone either hates or loves. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground on that topic. I looked at some other pannier racks, but none of them seem as strong as the factory racks. I will suggest that you check the bolts holding the passenger peg bolts – whoever installed the racks on my 950 just reused the bolts, and I don’t think they’re long enough. And I was right. Reading the install directions, the factory 25mm bolts are to be replaced with 30mm bolts when the racks are installed. I ordered some flathead M8-1.25 30mm bolts and that will make the install right again. With the pegs holding my wife’s feet, they need to be right – all kinds of things can happen if the threads don’t hold and none of them are good.
I used the mounting kit from Happy Trails, for their SU series racks. The SU racks are 3/4 inch square tubing and the factory racks are 3/4 insch round tubing so the aluminum block “clips” fit perfectly. I opted to used the knobs on the top and bolted the bottom blocks in place. Since I will likely have bag liners I probably could have used bolts on all four blocks but removing them is a nice option. I bought a cargo plate from cjracer to replace the diminutive OEM plate and it mounted up perfectly. I’m thinking that a waterproof duffel bag and some straps and the luggage will be sorted. I’m using the KTM tankbag and with a bit of work on the straps the mounting is clean and easily removable – preferably by me and not an opportunistic thief. I have the perfect 9mm tool for that situation.