Super Tenere OEM Sidecases / Panniers - Not For Offroad

[KendallT]

If anyone is considering them...

Up until about 5 days ago, I was completely happy with my OEM Sidecases.
In fact, I still think they are great for riders who don't plan on venturing off road.

My biggest complaint is how flimsy they are. While riding on a primitive road in Great Sand Dunes National Park, my front tire slipped out from under me in some deep sand. I was moving very slowly and the only thing my bike hit was sand and dirt. In the end (after some banging and straightening ), I was left with a diagonal crease from one corner to another and a slightly bent lid. They are still functional and I suppose this is all part of owning and using an adventure bike like it's supposed to be used. But in hindsight...I wish I would have spent a little extra money and gone with something a little sturdier.

I did wind up buying a big Great Sand Dunes sticker put on the crease

 

[TheHelios]

That's one of the few benefits aluminum panniers have over plastic where you can bang an aluminum pannier back into shape but it's not so easy on plastic. Also, you shouldn't be off-roading with panniers on They cause more harm than good. Soft luggage is much better for off-road.

 

[Dogdaze]

::026:: on what TheHelios said, soft luggage on soft roads!

 

[tomatocity]

Post a photo of the creased part. Might have a used part to replace it.

 

[KendallT]

Yeah... hindsiget is always 20/20. I was loaded down on a 2500 mile trip. I did not realize how sandy the road was going to get when we cut across it. It was a 3 mile road next to our campsite.

Thanks tomatocity... I'll try and post one in the next couple of days. It is the outside aluminum panel on the right pannier. From what I can tell, they are plastic boxes with aluminum panels on the outside. The inside plastic case is undamaged, just the aluminum panel. Can those panels be swapped out? I didn't even consider that.

I will say this... I really liked the ease of popping off the side cases each night and carrying them to the campsite. Also, we got rained on for eight hours one day and the cases sat out in the rain overnight and they never got a single drop of water in them. That was a welcome change from my pleather saddlebags on my Bonneville.

 

[KendallT]

Not the best picture...

I was able to pop most of the dent out with a couple of pieces of wood, but you can still see the crease that was left.

Just to clarify... If I drop my bike I know I shouldn't be shocked by it getting damaged and I'm not too stressed about the crease; I was just really disappointed with how easily these were damaged. It didn't go down that hard and all it hit was primarily sand.

Our trip next year will have a lot more back roads. My plan was to save up for a skid plate and a set of crash bars; I may have to look into different panniers as well. Had I hit much harder, I may not have been able to use it for the rest of the trip.

Just thought I'd throw this out there in case anyone was on the fence about getting them. They are still my favorite looking panniers though.

 

[tomatocity]

Two years ago this month I crashed the right side pannier on a very muddy gravel road. I thought the mounting mechanism was the only part broken beyond repair. I had the broken pannier for two years hoping to find parts to repair it. I was VERY CLOSE to throwing it in the trash.

Recently "Archer" posted on the forum asking for a repair part. We communicated and set a date to attempt a repair. I strapped the broken pannier on my new ES and rode over to Archer's home with perfect timing. We learned how to disassemble a OEM pannier. The parts we could not save were the Inside Lower Panel, Latch/Mechanism, and Lid Mount Frame. We used one of the Edge Plastic's to replace Archer's broken piece that was broken by a deer in Zion. Archer was blessed that he and his wife did not crash.

The Outside Panel (silver) we have is in Archer's garage. I had plans on keeping it as wall art. It would bother me and if I were you I would celebrate the dented panel on your pannier. My reasoning is the cost of shipping and painting/powder coating. And guessing the color/finish still would not match and that would bother me and I am guessing it would bother you. A lot of cost for a non-structural piece of aluminum.

Do you want to spend a bunch of cash on a pretty face or celebrate Scar Face.

check your PM.

 

[KendallT]

Haha... nope, don't want to spend any cash. Was going to sticker it up anyways...
Will definitely be considering a different option before we head out on our first Backcountry Discovery Route next year.... 'cause I'm sure that it's going to be dropped a few times.

 

[ace50]

Almost purchased the OEM 's when I got the bike. Glad I didn't..................too fugly. ::017::

 

[patrickg450]

carribou cases and warranty...............one word: lifetime.

 

[MotoMachines]

That's one of the few benefits aluminum panniers have over plastic where you can bang an aluminum pannier back into shape but it's not so easy on plastic. Also, you shouldn't be off-roading with panniers on They cause more harm than good. Soft luggage is much better for off-road.

Depends on which hard luggage you're using!

 

[shrekonwheels]

Hard luggage looks cool, gives you a bit more of a false sense of security for theft, and allows a place to carry extra things. However soft luggage really works better overall. Save your coin as far as new panniers go and go with soft.

 

[FirstPath]

That's why my Wolfman bags stay when my DR is sold.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk