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Top Case / Pannier Liner Bags: Essential?

8K views 24 replies 13 participants last post by  fasteddiecopeman 
#1 ·
For those of you who have done trips with the Kawasaki panniers and top case, how essential are the liner bags? Are the panniers tough to pack without them? Does stuff rattle around in the top case without it?

I'm just preparing for my first long trip (don't even have the top case yet), and I'm wondering if I should just bite the bullet and order it all at once. Thanks for any advice.
 
#2 ·
To me the bag liners are way over priced..If i need to bag something up i just use the biggest zip-loc bags i can find or small duffle bag...
 
#3 ·
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#6 · (Edited)
I love saddle bag liners, have been using them for years. I find it convenient to just pull the bag out and take it into the tent or hotel room. I've never used a liner for the top case, my top case is full of stuff I use while riding. But my side cases often have clothes, etc. that I need to carry somewhere.

FYI I have a set for sale in the classifieds section. I've got 3 sets and I only need one.
 
#8 ·
These are made for the Can Am Spyder RT but they fit my Givi V35 bags nicely - Hopnel HCSL Saddlebag Liner. They're advertised several places for around $20 per bag. They're well made and make removing "stuff" from the hard cases very quick and easy. Try Amazon or Big Bike Parts or Hopnel.
 
#9 ·
(I dont know why people dont take the whole case in the hotel room. That's beyond me... IT'S A CASE!)

Use whatever liner that came with the case. No need for a cute bag with straps nor anything.
I often only pack it half way, put it at the bottom as a damper, nd fold the rest as a divider in the upper part. It also limits free object shuffling.

For the rattling, you will always find a way to pack it pretty full, and if you spread the soft items like shirts, socks, rope, garbage bags, spare gloves, jacket liners, it's pretty steady.
Gravity helps and the top of the case is generally a large piece like the rainsuit or jacket liners, which limits the "jumping" aound in there.

For the small things, I pack a 5x5x5" or similar box, and fill the box's void with grocery bags, napkins or something equally useful.
 
#17 ·
I don't use liners, but simply some re-usable shopping bags from the grocery store.

It is good to have bags with handles to carry stuff inside.
 
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#18 ·
I'm almost embarrassed to post this pic ..... 2 hockey bags full of clothes, picnic basket , riding gear, coffee pot, case of beer, case of water, my fav pillow etc etc .... the sad part is I flew her into Phoenix while I rode out there from Simcoe Ontario, we rode around to Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Vegas etc for 7 days, and then back to Phoenix where I put her back on a plane and then I rode home. Like i said, I am going to have to downsize gear on the versys. LOL

 
#19 ·
Holy Smokes ;-)
 
#20 ·
I use those material shopping bags to pack my gear then stuff them into my panniers. Not those heavy hemp greenie bags, just light weight ones. Most of out our super markets in Australia sell them as alternatives to plastic bags.

I use 2 per pannier. one set is for my clean clothes for the night, next day, another for rest of clean clothes, another for swim gear/towel, etc.
I have different coloured bags, so I just grab the bag i need to get what in want.

But i do take the panniers into the hotel. it is just easier to pack and unpack the panniers quickly if you have only used one or two of the bags, otherwise your panniers sit open and take more room.

My tool pack, zip ties, spare zip lock bags to weather proof my phones cloth tape and any other repair stuff, first aid kit and medicine boxes sit on the bottom of pannier, bug spray and deodorant are inside my sneakers. I have a 2 small zip material bags for my electronic chargers cables and action cam stuff, everything is stuffed into the panniers and things placed around where they fit. I also take 4-5 plastic shopping bags as these come in handy for wet clothes or dirty cloths. My rain over pants and jacket liner are stored in a 5kg basmati rice bag in my top box.
 
#21 ·
I've done a bit of touring in my day, and for me (everyone is different of course), pannier liners haven't been a necessity. However, I typically carry clothes in a waterproof duffel strapped to the passenger seat and use the panniers for the bike stuff. I find liners very useful for commuting, though, because I never wear street clothes under my riding gear, so I need to bring clothes with me to the office, and its very easy to simply grab the liner bag from the case and go. I had a set of liners custom-made for the Givi E-21s I had on my last bike, and they fit well enough in the E-22s I have on the Versys.
 
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