[middie26]

I'm in the market for some side luggage and I've narrowed my choices down to the Happy Trails Tetons, the TRAX Boxes from TT and the Givi cases...

From a price standpoint, it seems the HT ones are cheaper and from what I've seen, the build quality and install is pretty decent. The Trax boxes look awesome, but it seems TT only sells them individually.. The Givi cases look good too (all curvy and stuff), but how will they hold up when (and it's only a matter of time) the bike goes down? Seems like the aluminum ones would hold up better..

Any recommendations or advice??

Thanks!

 

[greywolf]

I had Givi E36 side cases and an E45 top case on when a high speed tank slapper threw me off and rubbed all sides of the bike on the asphalt. I took the bags off and put them on the plane to bring my stuff home. All three pieces were rashed and one let in some asphalt grains as the surface was barely sanded through. I replaced the lids at $50 each and all were as good as new.

 

[swingset]

Having seen all of your choices up close and personal, I'd choose the HT bags for build quality.

 

[truax]

Taken my HTs (Tetons) to Alaska/Yukon and back and this summer on the Oregon Trail and back-- bullet proof. I think thier racks are also very well made.

I've also had Givi's. If you are never going off pavement, get the Givis they look cooler. They do not hold as much, and are not as tough.

If you want ultimate cool (looks) go with the TRAX. They are proud of their product and you will pay accordingly.

 

[bassbronco_74]

my wee came with the Givi E360's and i really enjoy them, and they seem sturdy, and after hearing GW's response they are more stout than one would thing. they are nice and curvy and look good on the stroms, and because of the curviness, i would assume more aerodynamic (better fuel mileage?)

i agree though the trax boxe's look awesome, and that the HT's are inexpensive...if my wee hadn't had come with the Givi's i would have gotten the HT's because of the price (i was farkle shopping pre-wee ownership). the only thing i have heard is that the metal/aluminum boxes have a higher possibility of rattling, so if you are bothered by extra noises you may want to consider that.

there's my two cents...

 

[middie26]

Taken my HTs (Tetons) to Alaska/Yukon and back and this summer on the Oregon Trail and back-- bullet proof. I think thier racks are also very well made.

I've also had Givi's. If you are never going off pavement, get the Givis they look cooler. They do not hold as much, and are not as tough.

If you want ultimate cool (looks) go with the TRAX. They are proud of their product and you will pay accordingly.

Truax, did you need to cut out your head shield over the exhaust or did you remove it entirely?

I do intend to take it off road at some point and I like the idea of the additional luggage room on the tops & sides of the aluminum ones...

my wee came with the Givi E360's and i really enjoy them, and they seem sturdy, and after hearing GW's response they are more stout than one would thing. they are nice and curvy and look good on the stroms, and because of the curviness, i would assume more aerodynamic (better fuel mileage?)

i agree though the trax boxe's look awesome, and that the HT's are inexpensive...if my wee hadn't had come with the Givi's i would have gotten the HT's because of the price (i was farkle shopping pre-wee ownership). the only thing i have heard is that the metal/aluminum boxes have a higher possibility of rattling, so if you are bothered by extra noises you may want to consider that.

there's my two cents...

I agree with the curviness.. Makes the bike look kinda sexy.. But I like the rugged look of the aluminum ones. I don't mind the rattling too much. If you're talking about the rattling on the inside, I'm sure some kind of liner will take care of that...

 

[Guyver]

I'm in this thread for the same reason. Looking for side cases. What I would like is the SWMotech quick release racks that Greywolf uses.

If you start with these as a mount......which cases would you get to go with?

From what I can tell the options are Givi, Pelican, HB, Trax, Micatech, Kappa, Shad, Krauser.

 

[middie26]

Based on feedback from everyone here as well as the old man (an avid biker, though not an ADV rider), I think I'm going to bite the monetary bullet and get the Trax cases.

The Givis are out because I'd like to eventually camp and there really isn't a tie-down location on them. Also, since I know I'll eventually dump the bike, I'll feel better knowing I'll have the metal instead of the plastic (though they do look good!!).

The HT's are out simply because they kinda look like lunchboxes and they just weren't the extra bit of "industrial sexy"... :thumbup:

 

[braincellgenocide]

I have the HT racks with their puck mounting system on some Pelican 1550's from Caribou Cases. The mount/unmount isn't the best system but they held up well when they were loaded on several very nasty dirt sections my friend on a KLR took me on which proceeded to turn some blackberries in my topbox into mush due to the vibrations and rocks/bumps.

I also did 2700 miles of interstate with the cases loaded down and didn't have an issue.

I'm not impressed with the alignment of the rack components at installation. I also had to tap out the mounting feet because the holes weren't threaded all of the way through (last 3mm weren't threaded). I like the setup as it was a little cheaper then some of the other pelican solutions, but the quality of service from HT is sub-par. Especially considering the price for the racks. Also when I purchased the racks they didn't have the left mount tool tube for the 650, but their website was still advertising as such, at the time. When I e-mailed they wouldn't do anything as far as a partial discount or providing me a left tool tube mount which they are designing and will be selling separately in the near future. :thumbdown:

 

[RShrimp]

I went with the TRAX. I had Givi's on my DL1000 and honestly, I hope I never have to own another set of side load cases. The Motech racks are the bomb if you ever run without the bags as the whole thing comes off.
I was able to go with a 37 on the right and a 45 on the left of my DL650. The left only sticks out 1/2 inch more than the right. My 2 choices were the TRAX or HT as I did not want plastic side loaders again.

I am sure the HT's are nice but have not seen them.

I am very happy with the TRAX except that the key can not be removed when they are unlocked. (This will be solved with a quick trip to the locksmith)

 

[greywolf]

The trick to living with side opening cases is to use an internal bag. Pack the bag and put it in the case.

 

[chicago]

If you decide to go with E41's, Trader Joe makes an insulated bag that fits well as an 'inner case'. The blue one with the volkswagon bus design. Around $7 each if I remember correctly. Thanks to the person who discovered and posted that.

 

[truax]

Truax, did you need to cut out your head shield over the exhaust or did you remove it entirely?

I do intend to take it off road at some point and I like the idea of the additional luggage room on the tops & sides of the aluminum ones...


Quote:

No mods necessary. Put everything on lose, then tighten to spec and you are good to go.

 

[MeefZah]

HT Tetons here.

I love them.

I have previously used Pelican 1550s on Givi racks, Givi E41s (on Stroms), and Givi 36 (not on the Strom though). The HT's are superior to all.

Top load is a major benefit that is often overlooked. Lashing points on the top of the boxes equal more space to secure stuff. The boxes and mounts are rugged, and easily repairable / tweakable in the event of a crash / breakage. HT's mounts are secure and easy to use. The boxes don't have to be locked when closed, unlike the Givis, which makes them easier to access on trips. You can run a padlock through if you want, but it's up to you. The boxes look appropriately utilitarian on the Strom. Other benefits are that they are made in the USA, not Italy or Tawaingledesh or wherever Trax are made.

I will say that HT's customer service is a little lacking, I attribute it more to one hand not knowing exactly what the other is doing than I do a disregard for the customer. You just have to call / email several times to get them off their asses.

Signature links below picture the bags in use.

 

[Mike92]

The trick to living with side opening cases is to use an internal bag. Pack the bag and put it in the case.

I don't even use internal bags. I keep my camping stuff in my V35's. Tent, stove, coffee pot, mess kit, utensils, etc. in one side and sleeping bag air mattress, pillow, pump for mattress, etc. in the other. Take them off and walk to my campsite and unload. Pack everything the next morning, close them and snap them back on the bike. Takes less than two seconds to remove them and lay flat.

Stuff I need quicker access to either goes in the trunk or the backseat bag.

I have dropped my wee twice while learning the kickstand (works different than my Harley) and only a few minor scratches (battle awards) are present.

I have studied all the pannier systems over and over and really come back to what I have. They were on the bike when I bought it. The only change I would probably make starting from scratch is to go with the e36's like Greywolf has. They are a little more square than mine and would make packing simpler.

BTW you can tie small duffles to the racks and stack them on top of the bag more or less like the HT's if you want to.

 

[HereIGoAgain]

I've owned HT Tetons on my KLR and Trax cases on my Wee2. The HT rack is superior. Stronger welds. It held up far longer than the SW-Motech rack. It took multiple wrecks and countless tips and 11 months of riding through Central and South America to finally bust a weld (mere vibration on a bumpy road) on the HT rack. Took nothing but half a dozen tips (standing still) for the Motech rack to bust a weld on a bumpy road (after just 4,000 miles in 11 months). I feel that the locking system is more secure on the HT system. The internal knobs are great for security. A little more difficult to use than Trax, but secure. Both cases are pretty much waterproof. Trax bags get some water if spraying with a hose from the side. Never tried that with a HT Teton. The Teton case is a sturdier aluminum than the Trax. The narrow profile of the Tetons also helps when splitting lanes or trail riding (as I discovered just a month ago). I'm now ordering a set of Caribous because I believe they are tough as hell and come with Hepco-Becker racks, which seem sturdier than both HT and SW-Motech racks. For looks- definitely the Trax. Price- obviously HT. My overall vote is in favor of HT. The Tetons also have better tie offs atop the lids.

 

[HereIGoAgain]

Wow, HT must be doing well. The Tetons I bought for my KLR back in 2010 cost me $640 (after a $100 promotion). Hard to believe that price jump has been just because of inflation!

 

[Stalky Tracker]

I went with the TRAX. I had Givi's on my DL1000 and honestly, I hope I never have to own another set of side load cases. The Motech racks are the bomb if you ever run without the bags as the whole thing comes off.
I was able to go with a 37 on the right and a 45 on the left of my DL650. The left only sticks out 1/2 inch more than the right. My 2 choices were the TRAX or HT as I did not want plastic side loaders again.

I am sure the HT's are nice but have not seen them.

I am very happy with the TRAX except that the key can not be removed when they are unlocked. (This will be solved with a quick trip to the locksmith)

I have the Trax side cases (37L and 45L) and top case (38L) too. Along with the SW-Motech Quick-Lock EVO racks. I have had them for about 2 years and have taken four long tours with them. I've been down a couple times in low speed dumps and only dented the side case on one. When I got home I just pounded the dent out and I was good to go again. I am very happy with their performance and would buy again.

 

[Squish]

I have some older givi monokey bags. I forget the number. But I got them as a gift 20 years ago. Other then being faded they work very well.
Mostly on road or easy graded fire/logging roads.

I also have some early HT bags from the old mounting and pre canyon-cut era.
Decent if simple bag but the un finished aluminum coats everything in a black aluminum oxide stain.

I do. Not like how rough the HT rack was ( For an XR650L) and how much massaging it needed to get it to work with that bike.

If I was to do serious off road camping/riding, but not global touring.
I would use soft bags.