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38 or a 45, What is Your Preference?

Nofear2trek

Nofear2trek

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This is a question for long distance riders, out for more than a week at a time, camping and using motels along the way. I am planning a ride to Alaska next year and I am thinking of replacing my Honda 29 liter saddlebags, upgrading to aluminum side cases. I am unsure of whether to go with 38 or 45 liter cases, although naturally I think bigger is better. Any thoughts, upside and downsides of each size?
 
Are you going to have a top box still?

I've got two trekker 33's and a 52 on the top, I rarely have space issues.

But if you don't have that top box then going up to the bigger size side bags might make some sense, but you will be wide.
 
My Alaska touring experience says that you are correctly packed when there is nothing else that you can leave behind. Larger sidecases encourage you to overload it even more. A couple of 35 liter cases and a couple of fabric bags should do fine. Otherwise, it is your packing strategy and not your luggage capacity that is in error. I know this from having done it wrong.
 
anglachel said:
Are you going to have a top box still?
Click to expand...

I currently have the Honda 45 liter Rear Trunk, but want to travel without it, keeping my center of gravity lower. I lean toward the 45's because riding apparel is so bulky to pack when I decide not to wear it all. And another pro for the 45's is everything goes inside and not in bundles tied on in suspicious ways. But it is true, 45's have a wide profile.
 
Nofear2trek said:
I currently have the Honda 45 liter Rear Trunk, but want to travel without it, keeping my center of gravity lower. I lean toward the 45's because riding apparel is so bulky to pack when I decide not to wear it all. And another pro for the 45's is everything goes inside and not in bundles tied on in suspicious ways. But it is true, 45's have a wide profile.
Click to expand...

When on trips I try to get everything I'm not wearing into the frunk, and the side boxes.
I keep the top box mostly available for my helmet, riding jacket, and pants for when I stop.
I've got other ways of locking up my helmet so this also means my top box is available for anything I pick up on the way and don't want to repack right away (food, beer, etc.)

I try to keep everything motorcycle related (tools, chain, lube, gear, etc.) in the frunk (or top box if I have to) and everything else in the side boxes... which means if I need to walk into a campsite, or if I'm staying in a hotel, I only need to carry at most two boxes, and don't need to repack stuff in the parking lot (when it is invariably raining....)

Center of gravity is kept low, gear is kept safe, but I still have space when I need it.
If I think I'm going to need more space I can carry a 40L dry bag (folds up small) in the top box and when I need it I can strap it on to the pillion or top box as required.

All of that said, I've never done anything as long as a trip to alaska, most of my trips to date have been a few days tops.
 
The longest I've been 'on the bike' is just over 60 days. Now, that was not all a fun and games tour. I had a temporary work location, but all I took with me came on the bike apart from some work electronics that were shipped. I stayed in a motel, and rode the bike around a _lot_ while there. No other transportation for personal needs. I had the Honda luggage (all 3 pieces) and a duffel bag strapped on the pillion seat.

I could have wished for more capacious saddlebags for that trip. However, I would not have wanted, and do not want, much wider saddlebags. I don't know how that translates into anything useful, except that I personally would not run the 12-gallon (~45 liter) bags. The 10-gallons look way plenty wide for me.

FWIW, my desire to not go wider is based mainly in: Maneuvering through tight places, and mpg.
 
Get the smaller panniers and an 80L dry bag if you don't want to use the top box...40L if you do.
Pack the heaviest things down low.
The lightest things up high.
I pack my tools and what not in the bottom because it says to me I'm going to have a good, no break down trip.
Clothes and personals up high because you're going to be good at getting that dry bag off quickly after filling up a few times. So, no problem at night going to the room.
Everything else locks up.
I have my tent, ground cloth, sleeping bag, chair, stove, and cooking supplies on one pannier. Get to the site, pull it off and take it where you want to set up (my panniers are not top loaders).
BTW- Alaska is a bucket list place for me!
 
I can only speak for myself- if I have larger containers to put stuff in, I *will* stuff them full, and as it stands, with my 37 litre Trax boxes, yikes, they can get wery wery heavy! :eek:

I am sure others can resist the temptation to cram their panniers chock full of stuff, but me...:eek: "because there is lots of empty room, I'll just add this one more item..."

My buddy with a Super Tenere has the 45 litre Trax, and they are rather humungously wide. They suit the bigger bike, but I'm thinking they would be a bit too much for our NCX's. Just my opinion.
 
UPS in Fairbanks probably makes a fair business shipping back loads of crap that people tote up there and figure out they don't want to carry. Alaska and the Yukon are places where you really need the full effective range of your suspension because of the bad road surfaces. Bikes have been broken in half up there. We have a lot of fun around here talking about measuring the sag of our suspensions. Get your bike loaded up like you think you want to go to Alaska and measure the sag. I am betting you would be heading towards the worst potholes you have ever encountered with one inch of spring left. There is more to it than whether you have boxes big enough to put it all in.

Like I say, I learned the hard way.
 
Beemerphile said:
UPS in Fairbanks probably makes a fair business shipping back loads of crap that people tote up there and figure out they don't want to carry. Alaska and the Yukon are places where you really need the full effective range of your suspension because of the bad road surfaces. Bikes have been broken in half up there. We have a lot of fun around here talking about measuring the sag of our suspensions. Get your bike loaded up like you think you want to go to Alaska and measure the sag. I am betting you would be heading towards the worst potholes you have ever encountered with one inch of spring left. There is more to it than whether you have boxes big enough to put it all in.

Like I say, I learned the hard way.
Click to expand...

Ye speaketh the truth as always

Before getting my Nitron, When I loaded up my bike for extended camping trips, it brutalized the sag and travel of the rear shock to the point where I couldn't use the sidestand, it was squatting so low...:eek:

It's so cool now to be able to spin the hydraulic preload and turn it into a jacked up Funny Car, lol
 
Brillot2000 said:
Do these bags make my bike look fat? ;)

View attachment 26153
Click to expand...

I have seen this guy, the rest of his extended family was strapped on the back side!

Thanks one and all for sharing your experience and insight.

For the record, I am a minimalist when traveling. Currently in Asia on a medical holiday with my daughter for the next few weeks, my bag weighs 14.6 pounds.

But on the other hand, on my last camping/tourIng trip with my NC, while camping at Cocoa Beach, I had unloaded my trunk and saddlebags but for the life of me, couldn't figure how to pack it all back in again! Had to send packages home via the PO. Camping farther down FL at Key West for 10 days, I found lack of capacity for creature comfort camping items was a problem for me. It's a give and take between personal stuff and a stove for tea in the morning thingy.

Getting back to 38 or a 45, handling is an important factor to consider. I don't weave traffic so I am inclined to feel that a wider than normal profile is doable between destinations/campsites. Then the side cases are off while exploring.

Hmmm....

Ray
 
Last edited:
So many times I have traveled with folks who have over packed. UPS usually cost them about $150 to mail all the stuff home. DO NOT OVER PACK!
 
I found SOLOBOX the other day. Eric, in Mt Vernon WA, builds them in his shop and ships anywhere. I am thinking of getting a set. He has fitted two NC700s so far with the large size - 18x14x9 (~38L). He quoted me a number and I immediately forgot it but its in the $350 range for a set of boxes.

I talked to the NC down in CA about his. He loves them but had an issue with some bolts that I totally didn't understand from his description and lost the top of the box on the freeway.

He doesn't make a rack for the boxes though so you will have to fit them to SW-Motech or Givi racks or make your own racks...

https://www.facebook.com/gosolobox
 
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