I am looking to buy some aluminium panniers, but have one question, which might sound a bit dumb.

How securely attached are the touratech panniers connected to the bike and can they be easily removed?

Can they be padlocked?

If you can take the bike into a court yard of secure area, do people take them off and into the hotel room each night?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Iain.

Heres a good thread about panniers (apologies if you've read it already).

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000318.html

Some mixed opinions of touratechs zega cases, although the racks seem to be good. A mate of mine has metal mules which have a very quick and by the looks of it secure release system, so easy to use there would be little point in leaving them on the bike overnight.
Personally, I have just ordered some boxes from Paul Cave at EIBC. They have a fitting kit so you can mount the boxes on T/T rails. I have also ordered a Touratech rack to mount them on. All up its going to cost just £400 for the set. How easy they are to put on and off the racks I'll find out when I get them. My plan is to make some liner bags and leave the boxes on over night if they prove to be a bit fiddly.
Matt

[This message has been edited by Matt Cartney (edited 07 October 2005).]

Thanks.

I did look at metal mule, but they seemed to be very expensive, compared to touratech.

Are there any other people making similar pieces?

[This message has been edited by iain (edited 07 October 2005).]

Camping next to my bike I don't take them off, same as when the bike is locked up somewhere. But then I always try to get my bike locked up if I'm overnight in urban areas wherever. Never mind the boxes - bikes even get swiped in Europe.

Actually this is the thread I was thinking of:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000232.html

Matt

My aluminum panniers stay on the bike pretty much all the time. The Happy Trails setup is too much of a pain to take on and off each day.

But at night my bike is ALWAYS in a secure place, usually with the cover on.

No problems so far...

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Dave
www.mototrekker.com

I got Metal Mules - if they are more expensive than TT that`s coz they are better. thicker aluminium, inverted trays, riveted, better release system. Don`t need inner bags, hard anodised so no black marks on stuff. my mules have done over 35,000 miles so far, and hit the ground nine times and still are in working order. in fact writing this with broken arm, coming off in bend in costa rica, but the mules came off just fine! With mules, i take them off each night as they act as suitcases, so no security issues there. i think thay are worth every penny.

Good advice, I think I'll go with the Mules then.

I left mine on with an el cheapo padlock on them. No problems that I had. But I was in Australia and New Zealand. I get panicky in the US, but haven't had any problems yet.

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Random attempts have
been made at RTW on
a '65 Ducati 250cc

I've had Touratech/Zega and will buy the same again. Looked at the Metal Mules, they seen a little over engineered, heavy and I don't like the exposed rivets but they do have some excellent features. You pay your money and take your choice. Tend to leave the panniers on all the time. If parked in the street (not very often) I leave a padlock on one end so that if anyone wants to look inside they can do so without forcing entry to the box's but can't steal the lid. LB.

Truth is any set of bags can be opened with a big screw driver. Aluminum is just not that strong. You keep your money hidden and maybe carry your passport with you but I didnt. Kept valuables in my hotel room(tank bag and tank panniers). Left the bags on the bike. Used a cover and bike lock always. Tipped the luggage person very well to help me to my room even tho I could have done it myself. I think I bought a little protection. If it gets stolen from your room you can go to the hotel staff and really bitch, the garage is harder cause a guest could rip you off. Never had anything taken in 9 months in Central and South America. People are honest. Used Jesse bags with big padlocks on my old BMW (I installed the padlocks and hasps). Jesse locks are a joke, so are Touratechs. Now I have Touratechs bags on my KTM.
Security is an illusion.
Bill.