Does anyone have direct experience with placing small front panniers on a motorcycle in the same way a bicyclist makes use of the front end for added gear storage? How about a front fender rack for tools? Riding a KLR two up makes a guy look for ways to throw some weight up front. From what I can tell nobody does this sort of thing. It must not work. Any suggestions?

CycoActive make a couple of fender bags which are useful for holding light items, such as spare inner tubes or clothing. Putting anything heavy on the fender or forks will affect steering, and if suspended on the lower part of the fork will increase unsprung weight (not an issue on rigid-framed bicycles). It would also seem risky to me to have bags up there: vulnerable in accidents and lots of potential for getting caught in the brake and spokes. Two-up on a KLR and you're just gonna have to pack light

James.

If you use the big fender bag from cycoactive, you need to use a fork brace and a fender brace. I tried it without either and the front end felt like a wet noodle. I had it loaded with two stock inner tubes.
John

a friend had 15-20 pounds on the mudguard of his XR650R and it was fine. he strapped an Ortlieb bag to the "fender" (isn't that a guitar?) I'll be copying the idea on my next trip.
the XRR has a much stiffer front end than the KLR. did you try dropping the yokes an inch down the stanchions to see if that stiffens the front end at all?

dual star sells a fairing bag that ataches to the fairing just over the head light. it dosen't appear to influance the steering and is large enought to hold a goodly amount of wieght. that along with placing all my tools into a p.v.c. tube down on the skid plate, is the route i'm using.