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G'day Grant, I fell off a few years ago (avoiding a school bus doing a u-turn in front of me). I slid down the road at about 100kph on my crash bar and pannier. I'm sure my leg would have come out of it very badly if it weren't for the two of them. As it was I only grazed my knee and broke some ribs. The crash bar bent back onto the rocker cover and slightly damaged a fin. The road almost ground its way through the crash bar. The pannier was scratched badly but otherwise was just fine.

Which brings us to panniers. Mine are exactly the same as yours. A few weeks ago I took my helmet out of the left one, rode 40km home and when I got there the pannier was gone. I slowly rode the 40km back again, and then again as I returned home. No sign of the pannier. Bugger. None at Munich Motorcycles or wreckers or any other BMW dealer in Oz. Found some in the U.S. at about $250 each but the freight was gunna be $300 each. Unbelievably a pair was for sale on ebay ending that week. Got them for $500 the pair. One broken lock but otherwise not bad.

I don't know why mine fell off. In 6 years they had never even come slightly loose. My advice is to put some sort of safety wire on them. I have. They're hard to get and expensive.

Cheers
Ray

ps If anyone notices a left-hand BMW pannier for sale in the Albury/Wodonga region with scratches on it please let me know.

Gidday Ray,

Yes I heard of stories like that and I always have a strap around them when riding, I leave the straps in the panniers when at home, will keep a lookout for the pannier and helmet on the 2nd hand sites.....not a bad price either for the replacement panniers, well done.

grant81rs wrote:Hanns,

SteveD mentioned that he might come up just for the day's ride Saturday, he has work 7am Sunday morning? so between us all we could meet just north/east of the city somewhere like "Healsville" - great bakery there!! 9.30amish - Just a thought

Sounds good to me. Of course I'll have to confirm closer to the date if I can make it, but so far it is looking good.

Lost panniers.

I have a short pannier story.

Long ago in the land of Oz, I lost my left pannier. Near Corryong to be precise.
Turns out that after helping to fix my brother Ken's valve cover (he got a hole in it) back down the road a way, I didn't get my Krauser back on properly. I didn't get that 'click'.

Any ways, we get to Corryong ahead of the others only to find my panniers not there. #@$%
The other lads finally arrive and reported no roadside panniers #@$%

So me and my good mate Jim ( who now happens to own an 84 RS same colour as mine for a thousand bucks #@$%) set off in search of the Krauser.
About 30 ks back the way we came and 30 k back to Corryong. No Krauser. #@$%

Later that evening after a good feed and watering, me and Jim decided to go looking again. At night.
We went about 60 k back this time and pulled up in a farm driveway in the black of night in the middle of nowhere.
No Krauser. #@$%

Standing there on the gravel drive at the side of the highway, looking up at the cloudless, moonless, brilliant immenseness, our eyes are drawn to a vehicles' head lights, 3-400 yards up the gravel drive.

Coupla minutes later the vehicle slows to a stop next to us. ( mind you, it's about midnight) "gidday fellas, lost something?" said the driver, his wife/prize heifer in the passenger seat.

Yeah, I said.
'I lost a pannier off the bike, somewhere between Corryong and Tangambalanga.

Not this one on the back seat, said the driver as the vehicles' interior light came on.........

True story.

You one lucky son of a bee-atch Jeffery

Steve78RS wrote:Grant

For the record I think the crash bars look great. I originally didn't fit them to my 78RS. After my crash and subsequent rebuild/S-conversion I bolted them on and I'm glad I did. More chrome bling to look at.

Have a good time away in the hills folks. Don't forget the banjos.

Steve from Dubbo

I've got them. I like the way they finish the bike off. They make removing valve covers a bit more complicated. My bike has multiple personalities (so do I). The Jury is still out as to whether or not I'll keep them.