Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - plastic VS steel Panniers (for example: afrika twin)

Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/)

- Equipping the Bike - what's the best gear? (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/equipping-bike-whats-best-gear/)

- - plastic VS steel Panniers (for example: afrika twin) (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/equipping-bike-whats-best-gear/plastic-vs-steel-panniers-example-77289)

I had plastic GIVI's on my Africa Twins. They're actually stronger than aluminium cases.

I dropped my Africa Twins loads of times with the plastic luggage on. They flex and give instead of breaking. They NEVER broke. And you can fix plastic if you have to.. It's easier to find someone who can plastic weld (any car body shop) than a good aluminium welder. You can even do it yourself with coat hangers and a soldering iron. Or just patch cracks and holes with strong glue or rivit a patch on.

I've also had aluminium boxes on some bikes. They bend and distort and stay bent and distorted. They're great until they're bent and then the lids won't close, they won't go onto their racks properly etc.

The only benefit of aluminum boxes is that they good to sit on.

As for security, In work i've had to break into many a luggage box with lost keys. Aluminium boxes are easy to pry open. Give me a tyre lever or a big screw driver and I'll get inside any commercially available aluminium box in under 30 seconds. The locks on them are crap and just pop off. And the rigid body makes it so much easier as it's great levering base. (This has nothng to do with me being a scouser either lol)

Try getting into a GIVI with a lost key. You have to almost smash the thing to pieces. They bend, twist and contort and almost refuse to break.

Pelican cases are even better.....

I use these... They are almost indestructable. Only downside is that they're not waterproof.

https://www.silvermans.co.uk/tabid/6...0/Default.aspx

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmotten (Post 501233)

Not sure how much you've looked into luggage in general, but you may want to reconsider hard luggage before you put the coin in. I know you see a lot of that stuff around Europe and depending on your use and needs it may well suit you. But they limit you really quickly by which time you will look for alternatives, which often results in abandonment of hard luggage.

On topic though, both are similar in terms of repair. Sheet metal and rivets or bolts will fix most things. Plastic will likely hold it's shape, ali won't. Depending on the impact ali won't ever be back in the shape you need to hang it back on and it'll just piss you off for the duration that you continue after. These things are all mitigated with soft luggage though.

Or with (plastic) Peli cases which simply do not break or bend, not even upon the worst crash. Unfortunately I know from experience!

I have just made luggage racks and pannier frames for the throw over bags for my Triumph 900 Thunderbird.

All EN316 stainless steel. and cheaper than buying chrome plated mild steel tube.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldbmw (Post 503349)

I have just made luggage racks and pannier frames for the throw over bags for my Triumph 900 Thunderbird.

All EN316 stainless steel. and cheaper than buying chrome plated mild steel tube.

Nice! Stainless steel is a good choice for luggage racks and crash guards. It's TOUGH, and and scrapes and scratches can just be buffed out. Much better than painted/powder-coated mild steel.
Only downside for DIYers is it's difficult to work (cutting, drilling, filing, bending) and needs special welding material.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Why is it that most of the manufacturers' designs for luggage (plastic) just look so damn awful? When you look at what Suzuki and Kawasaki offer as luggage for their so-called adventure bikes, it makes me cringe. Why don't they make them like H&B? Cool-looking!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk