Does anyone know where you can buy FAMSA FA244/48 tank bag for the versys in the United States.Also is anyone using the FAMSA 260/7 recommended by web bike world and some pics of it would be helpful

Does anyone know where you can buy FAMSA FA244/48 tank bag for the versys in the United States.Also is anyone using the FAMSA 260/7 recommended by web bike world and some pics of it would be helpful

I bought a FA244/48 here, http://www.bikerworldusa.com/famsa.html
There are some more photos of the Famsa in my photo gallery on this site.

Gary

http://r1150rt.smugmug.com/photos/852638695_edo8g-M-1.jpg

BTW, the FA248/48 was not listed on the Biker's World website, they did have it in stock though

Gary

I wouldn't recommend the FA260/7 Tank Set for the Versys. It's a bit of a bodge to fit, and doesn't fit well in my opinion. Since Web Bike World fitted it, FAMSA have also modified the FA244/23 and the FA260/7 base for the BMW R1200GS, meaning that the base no longer fits the Versys. Not a problem, as FAMSA now do the FA244/48 specifically for the Versys, which wasn't available when WBW first posted their report.

You can see the base fixings and bag for the Versys on the UK site. Winding Roads - FAMSA FA244/48 (http://www.windingroads.co.uk/shop/product.php/63/famsa_fa244_48_kawasaki_versys_650_enduro_max_tank _bag)

i got a response from bikerworld:

Yes we have it in stock. The code is 244/48 (not 246/48).
Since it is not listed on our site, if you want to order it please place an order online at www.bikerworldusa.com for any FAMSA art 244, and before checking our just write "THIS ORDER IS FOR A 244/48 KAWA VERSYS" in the space reserved for Special Instructions. The price is $189 as all other 244 models.
Let me know if you have any question.

Best regards

Mauro / Bikerworld USA

There famsa BMW 1200rs bag will fit the versys and it gives you side panniers

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-luggage/famsa-260/

Join Date: May 2011
Location: 4 corners, NM
Posts: 7

I did a review on these for Holykaw1 on my new member post. There may or may not be some info you're interested in. I also talked to the guy at Bikerworld before I ordered them, and he told me that Famsa has not redesigned these for the BMW R1200GS. So your guess is as good as mine. Review below.
JH

Famsa Bags

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Sorry about the novel, but you wanted a report so here it is. I put the bags on Friday and used them over Memorial weekend.

Quick answer is, I like them.
The tank bag is pretty good sized but not too big. When it's expanded it's pretty darn big. In either mode I can still see everything on the dash (I'm 6' tall).

The piece that the bags zipper to, that straps down over the gas tank, fits pretty good but not perfect. It actually fits real well and lined up until I put the side panniers on and strapped them down. When I did that it pulled the filler hole a little forward (towards the headlight). I can still get gas in, but the hole being forward won't let the gas cap come all the way back without holding it back with one hand and the other hand filling the tank. All this while holding the mostly unzipped tank bag forward with my elbow. Either that or totally unzipping the bag, which I found to be a PITA. The bag is not hard to unzip or reattach, but finding a place to set the bag down and reattaching it everytime is just too much BS for my liking.

The 2 straps that attach to your bike under the seat work pretty well. They could be resewn a little higher onto the protection pad and would work better. If you're using the stock seat the buckles just barely clear over the top of the seat. With an aftermarket or front padded seat you may have to move them. I don't believe this would be difficult at all, if you need to.

Filling the tank as I described is not that bad and became easier as I did it more often. I have a friend who does upholstery work so I can get him to enlarge the hole back toward the seat a little bit. Then I will only have to fill the tank with one hand and hold the bag with the other.

The panniers actually will hold quite a bit of stuff. My only real complaint with them is, the zipper is hard to work in the corners. Again with a little practice and different technique it became much easier. I wasn't sure if I was going to keep the whole system or just resell it and order the versys specific bag , so I didn't cut the leather tabs that I presume are scratch protection for the BMW. As it turned out they are not in the way that much, but there might a little better clearance around the turn signals if I do cut them off later, and would probably look a little cleaner also.

I have the H&B bars, and the panniers strapped up pretty good but you will have to take the Famsa straps off and replace them with 1" wide webbing, 2 per side. A different set of bars will probably require the same thing, not sure.

I really couldn't tell much difference in wind drag (with the panniers on) when riding the bike at speed on calm or breezy days. When the wind got up to 27-40mph I believe they were causing some drag, especially in a head wind.

I have DVT in my left leg real bad. So when the wind whips your pants back and forth, its like someone slapping the crap out of my leg nonstop and after a while it really gets to hurting. SO....an added benefit to having the side panniers on is there is NO turbulence on my lower legs and I couldn't quit smiling about that

I also put highway pegs on, due to my leg and I have just enough room to clear my shin bone and the back corner of the panniers. Most people would put the pegs in a lower position, but it relieves the pressure on my leg if they're up higher. I don't see the panniers causing a problem if anyone wants to use Hwy. pegs.

Conclusion:
The Famsa system (w/side panniers) is not a perfect fit but darn close and with a little tweaking can be just about as good as it gets without being made specifically for the versys which I don't think they're going to do. Also you could leave the panniers off most of the time and just put them on for trips and such. I have decided to keep them and all in all I'm very happy with them

JH

There famsa BMW 1200rs bag will fit the versys and it gives you side panniers

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-luggage/famsa-260/

Just to clarify, I think you mean the R1200GS, not the 1200RS.

I also talked to the guy at Bikerworld before I ordered them, and he told me that Famsa has not redesigned these for the BMW R1200GS. So your guess is as good as mine.

Despite what BikerWorld have said, as I previously mentioned FAMSA have modified the base for the R1200GS.

Here's the earlier FAMSA R1200GS base -

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4108/p10100066custom.jpg

Here's the later R1200GS base -

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/580/bmwr1200gsfamsatankbag3.jpg

You can clearly see the later base has a seam down the middle, the tail of the base is longer and the strap fixings were also altered, meaning that when you try to fit it to a Versys, there isn't the flexibilty there once was to adjust the fit of the bag.

As Stater61 has pointed out, it can be done, but there is a compromise to be made, it's not quite the fit it was on the Versys as when WebBike World did their original fitment.