The photos of the Pelican Cases are on SVRider.com (do a search in the photo album "general" category for the word "bags").

I am 6 feet even, and here is how the bags fit. My knees are over the top of the bag when riding (clearance of about 2 inches on the back corner). When putting my foot down and forward, my boots hit the bottem edge of the bag at the same time my shin hits the frame slider. As a result, the bags are never in the way (at least never more than frame sliders). Since you are only 2 inches shorter, I imagine you would not have problems either. Even if you did, you could adjust the position a little. I left mine where they happened to wind up, but if I did a second set, it would be easy to move the bags a little one direction or another.

I like having some hard bags. On the other hand, soft front panniers are available (smaller than the modified rear bags shown in the photo you linked to) and not too expensive (less than $100). I have seen one company making them for motorcycles and several make then for ATVs.

http://www.wolfmanluggage.com/03Tank/TankPanniers.html

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...rentId=cat2015 3&parentType=index&rid=&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fc ommon%2Fcatalog%2Fitem-link.jhtml.1_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21412&hasJS=true

(wow, that's a long link...)


I will say that I like the way the bike balances better when I can take weight off of the back and move it forward. Whatever you do will work, so no worries and enjoy your ride.

Matthew