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Re: Soft Luggage



Richard & I both have the three bag set on our STs, along with the tank
bags.  Of course we do not ride with the top box on unless we have
something that needs to go in it, but I rarely take my panniers off. 
Richard will, on a rare occasion, take his bags off and use only his
tank bag.  He would like to be able to put the pipe in the up postion
more often (and easier), and I agree that the bare mountings do not look
the best and the pipe then looks a bit odd in the down position when the
bags are not on.  On the other hand, the panniers are just too
convenient, especially if you are riding in weather that changes
frequently and you need to shed or add clothing.  You can also take a
nice picnic lunch with you when you go riding or that soft sided cooler
full of drinks for the day.  It's just really nice not to have to worry
about where you will put things.  Plus, when you go on long trips, like
our two week trip to Utah, they can't be beat for their carrying
capacity, ease of removal, the fact that they lock, and they are
waterproof!  They also do not get in the way on the twisty roads or when
you are going really fast.  I will adjust my riding style when fully
loaded, of course, but the only time I've felt uncomfortable was when we
were fully loaded on our way to Utah and passing 18 wheelers at insanely
high speeds in a good wind, and I probably would have felt uncomfortable
then even if the panniers were not on!  On that trip, including the
weight of the boxes and tank bags, we were carrying approximately 75
pounds of stuff on each bike!

Ultimately, it's all about what you are looking for in the bike.  Some
of us like the fact that we can use the panniers to carry everything but
the kitchen sink and still play in the twisties while others want to
keep the sporty look and are willing to use soft luggage with less
carrying capacity.  The questions is what are you looking for in an ST .
. . . 

Lisa White
Houston, Texas
'99 Sprint ST


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