FIRST TIME OXFORD MOTORCYCLE PANNIERS

THE INTRO:Motorbike = Suzuki SV650SRequirements:1) Mustn't melt on my high level exhaust.2) Must be able to hold a full-face helmet.3) Must be reasonably easy to fit when I need it.THE PURCHASE:Firstly, Amazon & Ghostbikes service was amazing (ordered on Tuesday & delivered on Thursday. Even better when you get FREE delivery. R.R.P. was £49.99 & some sellers are selling for close to this price. However, I searched for this product in Amazon & got the same panniers for £41.99 (Bargain).THE CONTENTS:Inside the supplied carry bag are the following...2 panniers2 waterproof covers4 short bungees2 shoulder strapsuniversal instructionsFITTING:The first fitting was a little awkward because it's all 'trial & error' until you figure out how it fits on your particular bike.The thinner centre velcro strap is the first to go on (under the rear seat). This gives more stability & better security than just straps on top of the seat. There are also 2 wider velcro straps which go on top of the rear seat. Just adjust these straps until the panniers sit at the right level. The attached straps on the corners of the panniers & the supplied bungees are used to hold down the bottom corners of the panniers to various parts of your bike (passenger foot pegs, indicators, etc).Once the panniers are fastened down, they are very secure (even when empty). When filled with various kit, they sit even better which will ensure that they don't flap around while you're riding.VERDICT:So far I'm really impressed with these panniers. When expanded, they hold my full face SHARK S600 helmet, & I have been able to zip it in, put a padlock on the zip tags & get the waterproof cover over it all.Expanding them is easy & the top straps allow you to tighten everything up when zipped up.As mentioned, one of my concerns was that they hung so low that they touched my exhaust & melted on long journeys. I needn't have worried because they sit high enough to be clear of the heat.Although I have yet to do a long journey with them fitted, I feel confident that they will do an excellent job of keeping all my kit clean & dry.These are never going to have the same amount of security of hard panniers, but if you only need to use them occasionally, these will probably be perfect for you (& a snip of the price of hard panniers). For the ease of fitting to a any bike, the versatility compared with the price, these are impressive.Highly recommended.I have added several pictures which may help if you're uncertain whether these will be suitable on your bike.If you have any questions about these panniers, just ask & I'll help if I can.

I needed a small travel set of bags but was not sure if I could find any that would suit my make of bike, a racing high seat Honda fireblade 1993 model.After reviewing others comments, I went ahead with buying the Oxford Panniers.For me, the panniers worked an absolute treat! Having a lockable opening rear seat, I was able to link the panniers and place the velcro tabs across the underneath of my seat, which made them very secure and snug fitting. If you dont have this option, there are bungy clips in the package to more securly tie things down.The only draw back was that they did lean on my indicators and were close to touching the exhaust, so I had to be carefull not too put too much weight in the bags but still managed to fill them to the brim with clothes etc. The supplied waterproof bag covers also came in handy with the odd spot of rain (they stayed on securely even at 70mph).In comparison to other more expensive bags, the Oxford Panniers really did the trick (even after a 15hr ride through europe!!!) :)

I have just returned from a two week tour of France on my Honda CBF600 Hornet. These panniers were my only luggage, apart from a very small tank bag. I put all my gear into 2 bags for life, which then went into the panniers. This at least gives you an idea on capacity. It took me a while to fit them in the first place, some of the problem that I hadn't read the instructions fully, though a clear picture showing which way the panniers should face on the bike would have helped. They were snug up to my indicators but this didin't seem to cause any problems. The waterproof covers are pretty effective, though you do need to be careful to fit them carefully and really tuck them in. I used the covers during some very wet days and during one absolutely torrential downpour and they were for the most part, effective. During the torrential rain, I was on a motorway for some distance, and on stopping the covers had collected rain at the bottom but the panniers were only damp. These were pretty extraordinary conditions though.A great bit of kit for a fairly low outlay.

After purchasing my Yamaha XJ6 in July after owning a 650 Burgman for 3 years, I soon wanted the storage I lost on the Burgman back. I simply can't justify paying the near £600 figure my local Yam dealer wanted to fit hard Givi panniers and the top box on offer just looked crap tbh. So after reading loads of opinions and reviews I'm really glad I bought these cracking little panniers. After attaching them which can be a bit of an effort admittedly, they sit well on the bike, they look good and from a distance they look like hard panniers, and they do everything I want of them. I.E. bring home light shopping, hold my lock, laptop, lunchbox, shoes and generally everything I need for work, and mainly, stay on the bike. And best of all I can park in the city, leave my boots, jacket and helmet in them and look like a 'normal' person when walking around shopping. I'm no longer saddled with a stupid 30kg bag and all my clobber which is a godsend when it's 35 degree's or so. The waterproof covers seem to be fine but it's yet to be wet enough to really find out, and because the Yam's exhaust is under slung there's no issue of burning them. All in all I'd say for £42 you can't go wrong, ok they're a bit of a pain to fit, but they do the job. Obviously if you plan on doing your own Long Way Round you would prob invest in hard panniers, but for everyday use for everyday bikers they're a steal.