Budget Top Loading Saddlebags?

[longjohnk]

Hey all, I just bought my NC700 and it's totally stock. I'm going on a 3,000 mile trip next month and need to do my mods quickly.

I'm looking for medium sized panniers that load from the top and lock. The main appeal of this bike for me is fuel economy so I'd like bags that hug the bike tight and don't cause unnecessary drag.

I'd like to keep the cost as low as possible. I read TUSK makes good bags for about half the price of GIVI?

Any help is greatly appreciated! Also looking for highway pegs, skid plate, footpeg lowering kit, and raised seat mods. I plan on making my own tall windshield (i'm 6'7")

 

[Jt105]

There are a few recent threads here about guys using Tusk. The mounted them to GIVI racks. They look good.

 

[superdedooperman]

https://www.nc700-forum.com/forum/nc700-mods/14138-tusk-panniers.html?highlight=Tusk

I mounted my Tusk boxes Saturday. They are great and half or more of the price of Givi boxes. They are very sturdy. More for dual sport use so they are built to last!

 

[Rapturee]

Hey welcome to the ride LJ, and a hearty welcome from north Idaho! With that kind of trip, at 3k miles, where would you be heading on your trip!!??

Hey SD, you could post a link of your boxes for him to see. Great job on them by the way! Although i went with an expandable set from Nelson Rigg, i'm sure liking those TUSK boxes! I'm about to break out the wire feed welder and make my own rack holders and then bolt on a set of TUSK boxes for that price! Man those are nice!
:{)

 

[longjohnk]

Thanks for the welcome guys! I'm going from Fairfield, Iowa north to Theodore Roosevelt Nat'l Park, west to Glacier Nat'l Park, south to Yellowstone, east to Sturgis, back to Iowa.

I saw the Tusk thread, those are my first option. I've got all the necessary parts sitting in my shopping carts on Revzilla and eBay. Total is right at $700.
BUT, there's a guy on Craigslist selling the OEM Honda bags and trunk for $400 plus shipping. He's only missing the saddlebag mounts, which are $175. So that total is probably $675.

My hesitation with the Tusk is that they'll sit pretty wide and cause a lot of wind drag. My hesitation with the Honda bags is that they're not top loading, which I view as a serious flaw.

 

[longjohnk]

Also, I read once that Honda's rear rack and trunk don't leave enough space for a rear passenger. They said the GIVI racks have better spacing. Can anybody else comment on that?

 

[CamaroEric]

Top Box

Honda's top box does take up a few inches of passenger real estate. It would have been much better if it was 3-4 inches aft of current placement. I can't sat anything for the competition, but chances are that aftermarket racks could be quite a bit more customizable when adding a top box.

Here are the Tusks on some custom racks I made. The Tusk boxes are great and took a huge bashing during 20k mi on my F800GS. I must say, they are on the edge of being too big if you plan on travelling with a passenger.

 

[dduelin]

Thanks for the welcome guys! I'm going from Fairfield, Iowa north to Theodore Roosevelt Nat'l Park, west to Glacier Nat'l Park, south to Yellowstone, east to Sturgis, back to Iowa.

I saw the Tusk thread, those are my first option. I've got all the necessary parts sitting in my shopping carts on Revzilla and eBay. Total is right at $700.
BUT, there's a guy on Craigslist selling the OEM Honda bags and trunk for $400 plus shipping. He's only missing the saddlebag mounts, which are $175. So that total is probably $675.

My hesitation with the Tusk is that they'll sit pretty wide and cause a lot of wind drag. My hesitation with the Honda bags is that they're not top loading, which I view as a serious flaw.

I didn't know any better when I got my first set of saddlebags, they were side loading, and I've had those type since. One of the bikes has 180,000 miles on it and I've never viewed them as flawed. I use dividers and nets to compartmentalize the bags so it's easy to load, unload, and find certain items and when the bags are just partially full the items are well secured from shifting. They have retaining straps so the outside part does not fall down past 90 degrees and forms a shelf when the bag is open which is handy at times. I see guys rooting around in top loaders and they always seem to say "why is it that what I want is always covered up in the bottom?" I think top loaders as less rider friendly but that's just my opinion. If I was used to them I'd probably find a way to subdivide into compartments like my side loaders.

One set of the Givi bags I bought on closeout pricing and they have served on three bikes so the cost was not that much over time and use. At 36 liters they are plenty big for me and mount on SW-Motech universal racks that could mount brands other than Givi if I so chose.

 

[drdubb]

I use the GIVI Trekkers. they can be set up for side or top loading. I use the 33L. When local riding, I can use a side case as a top box. The top loading features is smaller than a regular top loader, but it works for me. I bought them through the local dealer and negotiated a discount. There is no perfect side case. I used military Mermite cans on my old Nighthawk.

 

[jmark10]

....I use dividers and nets to compartmentalize the bags so it's easy to load, unload, and find certain items and when the bags are just partially full the items are well secured from shifting....

Did the dividers/nets come with your bags? I've been wondering about finding dividers/nets/little bags for the "frunk" to keep things organized.

 

[dduelin]

Did the dividers/nets come with your bags? I've been wondering about finding dividers/nets/little bags for the "frunk" to keep things organized.

I make the nets out of 6 hook bungee cargo nets and small bungee cords. The dividers are made out of craft board. I posted some pictures in one of the saddle bag threads ..... I'll try and find them.