Thanks for the heads-up on the lid cleat screws. Mine were long enough but weren't adequately tightened nor did they have a lock washer or thread locker so they certainly would have rattled loose in no time.
Thanks for sharing, Tim ! Good idea on changing out the lid hardware. And removing all the smaller assembly screws a d re-fastening with thread lock. That way you just know it’s there for the long(er) term. Thanks again Tim !
Great review, thanks for sharing! I just bought an '07 KLR650 a couple days ago and had a similar thought as yours re: cost of bike vs cost of panniers -- $1200 aluminum boxes hanging off the sides of a $2800 bike? Nuts. I'll be ordering a pair of Tusk panniers soon, glad to hear that I can get decent setup for a much more reasonable price.
re: the locks. those are plain old disc cam locks. pretty much ANY similar key will open them if you "apply a little english to it". i've used drawer and filing cabinet keys to start scissor lifts, man lifts, open incredibly divergent cabinetry, "lock boxes", and the like. you should be able to switch them out for "security" types (like medeco, etc), but the "box" they mount in (the lever mechanism) is still easily opened with a hammer, rock, pry bar, beefy slotted screw driver, lug wrench, etc. they serve the purpose most locks do, "keeping honest people honest", and prevent inertia loads of bouncing around from "popping them open" (their actual design spec, i bet). i wouldn't sweat the locks too much, lol
Hi, That is the Admore light bar. admorelighting.com/product/admore-light-bar-smart-brake-technology-deceleration-safety/ I have been very happy with it.
I second the locktite. I already lost a lock on one of the boxes. I will be contacting RMATV for a replacement lock. Great boxes! Thanks again for another great review Tim!
+John Webb Hey John, thanks for the comment. The locks are important to check. I have also noticed that it is wise to confirm the pins holding the boxes to the rack is fully engaged. It may require some minor filing to fully engage. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the great review. These are on my list of possible pannier systems and the price seems superb, but I appreciate your focus on the build quality and detailed photos. Right now I am debating whether to go with hard or soft bags; I want the security of hard bags with the light weight of soft bags. As St. Paul would say, "I am in a straight betwixt two." Thanks again.
That is a tough choice. Both have their pros and cons. If you're looking for security and capacity for traveling, the hard boxes are a good choice. If you will be doing hard off road work on tough, tight trails, I would go with soft water proof bags.
Thanks for the great reviews on the Tusk pannier boxes. However since I don't have anyone to help, and not wanting to drill a bunch of holes in the wrong places, I'm struggling with mounting the panniers to the racks in the proper location. Assuming I have the stock seat and rear rack, and want comfort for an occasional passenger, do you have a measurement I could use to drill one of the mounting holes to start the mounting plate with a reference to either front or back end and top of the pannier? Thanks.
Hi John, My first attempt was too low for my liking. However, now I have them just right as you see them in this video. I have the brackets mounted parallel to the boxes, which mounts them on the bike parallel to the frame. This puts them at a rear high angle when not sitting on the bike, but they level out while riding. My top holes are 4.5" (on center) down from the top bent edge of the box (with lid off). That's about 5" from the top of the rubber gasket. The bottom set of holes are 3" up from the bottom of the box. As for horizontal centering, I have the bracket more towards the front of the box at 3.75" from the front edge of the bracket (at the top) to the front edge of the box. This will position the boxes nicely if you want to carry a passenger, giving foot room and not too high to interfere with the rear seating area, but not too far back to hit the turn signals. Test fit in this position to see if you like it before drilling, but I really like mine in this position. Of course, you should adjust as needed for your use. Thanks for watching. -Tim
These are older Bark Busters. I'm not sure of the exact model because they were on the bike when I bought it. And yes the lever fit fine. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Tim, If you pause at 9:38, the exact nut your arrow is pointing to, mine came loose and it is really annoying and I don't have a way to fix it. The nut just simply does not secure the lock in place. Any ideas?
Schmidt McGready - I had tighten mine when new and added blue thread locker. I used a punch or flat blade screw driver and a hammer to tap the edge of the nut to tighten it. You can also remove the screw and the locking tab (circled in the video) then you should be to get to it easier. I hope that helps.
Thanks. That's a really good idea. I should try that. In my case, however, I believe there isn't enough thread left towards the beginning of the lock to really secure the nut in place. But I do have more than one replacement nut because I emailed Tusk and they sent me two new locks. So I will just have to use 2 nuts to secure the lock. Thanks again, you saved me here. Also, I'll take this opportunity to go ahead and let you know something. You were right about at least one of your reasons to go with the silver panniers, the heat. The black boxes will get hot and everything inside them will as well. I should have listened to you but no big deal. It is what it is.
Dan N - Tusk is a product line of Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. Give their tech/support guys a call and they will help you out. They have good product and customer support.
Well, I have made a couple of trips with them. One to March Moto Madness (380 miles round trip), where I had them FULLY loaded with gear. Plus I rode with them on 100+ miles of forest service roads and other gravel/dirt roads, some pretty rough. I even dumped the bike on the right box with no signs of damage. Also, part of the trip was in pouring rain and both boxes stayed dry inside. So, at this point (with about 700 miles on them) I can say they have proven to be very durable. I will do a full review at about 6 months.
Great review. If my bike didn't already come with some ammo can panniers, I would totally get something like this. The mounting solution looks awesome. Question off topic. I am looking at your bike and wondering if you have installed handlebar risers. 6'5" here, and would love to be able to stand up more comfortably.
I had the same problem (at 6'4") and I have just today installed a set of the ROX 2" Pivoting Bar Risers. They gave me just enough height to stand comfortably. These are more expensive than just regular block risers, but the pivot allows me to go up with the bars, not just back at an angle, which is a must for tall riders. I did have to re-route the throttle and clutch cables to have enough slack to turn without stressing the cables. So far it is a great upgrade. I did not record the install due to time restrictions, but I will try to produce a review soon.
+Tim2Wheels Awesome review! Great job. To answer your question about the locks & keys being interchangeable with another riders? We honestly do not know the possibility of that ever happening. It's the same for any other manufacture with a key/lock system.. the odds are very slim my man. We ship all around the world, i wouldn't worry about it ever happening. Nice Rig! We love the KLR :)
Great Video review Sir. Got a question for you. Why didn't you mount the boxes Horizontally/flat instead at a angle? Was there an benefit form a sloping top? What angle did you use? Just ordered some racks/boxes for my DR650 based on your review. Ha ha Thanks for the review and any help.
I severely want these but my biggest fear is destroying them offroad. All of my crashes are probably 10mph and less so I wonder if they would hold up for that.
+Stealth Bobber I think they will get some dents and scars, but that adds character, right? :) I do think that for serious off-road, quality soft bags are the best choice. So far, I like the Mosko Moto bags and hope to get a set some day to compare to hard boxes. Thanks for the comment and for watching!
I do agree with your view point on price. Only a fool would pay a thousand dollars for something that gets banged around on the back of a bike and that is what the klr is all about making it your own. Happy trails!
Schmidt McGready - I have not noticed any negative change to handling, even at highway speeds and fully loaded with gear. Of course, I rarely go over 70 on this bike.
Tim2Wheels Tim, how much weight can I add to my bike before (seriously) needing to consider upgrading my subframe bolts? I weigh about 235lbs. plus adding these pannier, crash bars, skid plate, etc, weight can add up fast.
Per the specs, the maximum payload for a KLR650 is 182 kg (401 lbs.). This will include rider, passenger (if any), plus all gear, tools, etc. If you add panniers, the weight of the racks and boxes are also added into this also. Additionally, I like to consider the terrain. If you are on smooth paved roads all the time, the frame won't take the same abuse as riding off-road with a full load. If you are interested, here's a link to my video on upgrading the sub-frame bolts. ruclips.net/video/lb28kR4uhKU/видео.html Thanks for watching.
Crazy I’ve got both an Africa twin and a klr 650 and the Africa twin looks and is 1000 times more badass with the alt rider high fender kit then I see people like yourself screw up the one very cool thing, the tie to dirt biking off the KLR and put the very ugly low fender kit on it. Makes it look more like the street bike based scramblers or big heavy teneres of the world. Your bike is awesome please put front fender back where it belongs if you get in any mud the front wheel will lock up. Just one jerks opinion hahaha bike is cool.
That a fair point Rodney. The main reason I lowered the front fender was not for looks. It greatly reduced the amount of water spray when riding in heavy rain. The high fender does look more "dirt bike", but it does little to protect the rider. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
ConditionRed - The windshield is from MADSTAD Engineering and I love it! Here a link to my video on lowering the front fender using the Eagle Mike fork brace: ruclips.net/video/SZTIJ4ZzaQA/видео.html Thanks for the questions and for watching.
I just got my KLR put back together yesterday. Quick question on the hard panniers. Do you have a feeling the hard panniers will run over your legs similar to a three wheeler on rough terrain? When I was a kid I went from a dual sport to a three wheeler, putting your legs down when you stop is self correcting. Hehhehe. I have seen a lot of soft panniers for OffRoad, but curious what your opinion would be since you have some on your bike now. I think you right on all your points on keeping them silver. I love that rear rack system you built. I think that is awesome. I have been pleased with the tusk items I have purchased and used as well. Replacing the foot,an loops hardware isn't a huge problem, great initial review of the panniers. Another great video my friend. Keep up the awesome work. Have a blessed day.
+Heartland Dual Sport - Thanks for the comment. The big, hard boxes definitely have some drawbacks for serious off-road work and the potential for catching your foot/ankle is one of them. That was a concern for me. I have mounted them as far up and back as I can to help avoid that. I have tested it and from my riding position, it is a stretch to get my foot under the box, but it could happen. I will try to be very aware of that while riding. I do think soft bags are better for serious off-road use and I am looking at the Mosko Moto bags as an alternative for those riding conditions. I'm expecting the hard boxes to fit 80% of my riding needs and they offer secure storage when parking the bike in public. That is the main drawback to full-time soft bags (in my opinion). -Thanks for watching!
+Tim2Wheels makes sense buddy, my thoughts exactly. I do like how you are setting yours up. I am keeping the KLR more for two up riding with the wife, so those hard bags might not be bad, being I won't ride it like I will the DRZ for more OffRoad stuff. Let me know how it works with a passenger. Have a blessed week buddy.
The reflective tape I used was found at my local Lowe's Home Improvement. It's the DOT reflective tape for trailers. It came in a pack of pre-cut strips and I just trimmed to fit my panniers. It works great and adds better night time visibility.
Great review. Thank you. Looking to out these in a DR650.
Thanks for the heads-up on the lid cleat screws. Mine were long enough but weren't adequately tightened nor did they have a lock washer or thread locker so they certainly would have rattled loose in no time.
Awesome review
Thanks for sharing, Tim ! Good idea on changing out the lid hardware. And removing all the smaller assembly screws a d re-fastening with thread lock. That way you just know it’s there for the long(er) term. Thanks again Tim !
The best indepth objective review. Very well edited and informative. Thank you.
I have these and I love em but my top mounting bolts snapped. Replaced them all (upper and lower) with hardened 12.9 socket heads.
Hey Thanks for the comment. These are good boxes and frame. It seems the hardware (some of it at least) is the weak link.
Thanks for watching.
Oh I also have the black tusk medium panniers on my dig camo KLR. They are great. I like the silver though.
Really appreciate your frugal and practical perspective, very much in line with the KLR world, or at least my perception of it! Well done, t
+Tony C Thanks for the comment Tony, and thanks for subscribing and watching.
well done...great video!
Thanks for producing and posting
Great review, especially the width of the rear i.e does it stick out further than the bars. litre size of medium (27) , large (37) awesome
Great review, thanks for sharing! I just bought an '07 KLR650 a couple days ago and had a similar thought as yours re: cost of bike vs cost of panniers -- $1200 aluminum boxes hanging off the sides of a $2800 bike? Nuts. I'll be ordering a pair of Tusk panniers soon, glad to hear that I can get decent setup for a much more reasonable price.
Ian, I think you will be happy with the Tusk panniers, I am pleased with them. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
re: the locks. those are plain old disc cam locks. pretty much ANY similar key will open them if you "apply a little english to it". i've used drawer and filing cabinet keys to start scissor lifts, man lifts, open incredibly divergent cabinetry, "lock boxes", and the like. you should be able to switch them out for "security" types (like medeco, etc), but the "box" they mount in (the lever mechanism) is still easily opened with a hammer, rock, pry bar, beefy slotted screw driver, lug wrench, etc. they serve the purpose most locks do, "keeping honest people honest", and prevent inertia loads of bouncing around from "popping them open" (their actual design spec, i bet). i wouldn't sweat the locks too much, lol
Super informative video. I subscribed, can't wait to browse your other videos. Thanks!
What's your led light bar setup
Hi,
That is the Admore light bar. admorelighting.com/product/admore-light-bar-smart-brake-technology-deceleration-safety/
I have been very happy with it.
I second the locktite. I already lost a lock on one of the boxes. I will be contacting RMATV for a replacement lock. Great boxes! Thanks again for another great review Tim!
+John Webb Hey John, thanks for the comment. The locks are important to check. I have also noticed that it is wise to confirm the pins holding the boxes to the rack is fully engaged. It may require some minor filing to fully engage.
Thanks for watching!
Solid review Tim - I now want to buy the silver panniers now
+camp7NdN I'm glad it was helpful. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Thanks for the great review. These are on my list of possible pannier systems and the price seems superb, but I appreciate your focus on the build quality and detailed photos. Right now I am debating whether to go with hard or soft bags; I want the security of hard bags with the light weight of soft bags. As St. Paul would say, "I am in a straight betwixt two." Thanks again.
That is a tough choice. Both have their pros and cons. If you're looking for security and capacity for traveling, the hard boxes are a good choice. If you will be doing hard off road work on tough, tight trails, I would go with soft water proof bags.
Thanks for the great reviews on the Tusk pannier boxes. However since I don't have anyone to help, and not wanting to drill a bunch of holes in the wrong places, I'm struggling with mounting the panniers to the racks in the proper location. Assuming I have the stock seat and rear rack, and want comfort for an occasional passenger, do you have a measurement I could use to drill one of the mounting holes to start the mounting plate with a reference to either front or back end and top of the pannier? Thanks.
Hi John,
My first attempt was too low for my liking. However, now I have them just right as you see them in this video.
I have the brackets mounted parallel to the boxes, which mounts them on the bike parallel to the frame. This puts them at a rear high angle when not sitting on the bike, but they level out while riding.
My top holes are 4.5" (on center) down from the top bent edge of the box (with lid off). That's about 5" from the top of the rubber gasket. The bottom set of holes are 3" up from the bottom of the box. As for horizontal centering, I have the bracket more towards the front of the box at 3.75" from the front edge of the bracket (at the top) to the front edge of the box.
This will position the boxes nicely if you want to carry a passenger, giving foot room and not too high to interfere with the rear seating area, but not too far back to hit the turn signals.
Test fit in this position to see if you like it before drilling, but I really like mine in this position. Of course, you should adjust as needed for your use.
Thanks for watching.
-Tim
Great video. What are the hand guards used? Did levers fit?
These are older Bark Busters. I'm not sure of the exact model because they were on the bike when I bought it. And yes the lever fit fine.
Thanks for the comment and for watching.
As always, very well explain.. TY
Did you have to relocate the rear turn signals for clearance?
No. In my case, I did not need to move the rear signals.
Thanks Tim.
As always....an Excellent video....will give these boxes a shot on my KLR as well.....;-)
Tim, If you pause at 9:38, the exact nut your arrow is pointing to, mine came loose and it is really annoying and I don't have a way to fix it. The nut just simply does not secure the lock in place. Any ideas?
Schmidt McGready - I had tighten mine when new and added blue thread locker. I used a punch or flat blade screw driver and a hammer to tap the edge of the nut to tighten it. You can also remove the screw and the locking tab (circled in the video) then you should be to get to it easier. I hope that helps.
Thanks. That's a really good idea. I should try that. In my case, however, I believe there isn't enough thread left towards the beginning of the lock to really secure the nut in place. But I do have more than one replacement nut because I emailed Tusk and they sent me two new locks. So I will just have to use 2 nuts to secure the lock. Thanks again, you saved me here.
Also, I'll take this opportunity to go ahead and let you know something. You were right about at least one of your reasons to go with the silver panniers, the heat. The black boxes will get hot and everything inside them will as well. I should have listened to you but no big deal. It is what it is.
Tim, I'm unable to find Tusk brackets for a '15 Vstrom 650, and it doesnt appear that Tusk has their own website ?? Any ideas ?
Dan N - Tusk is a product line of Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. Give their tech/support guys a call and they will help you out. They have good product and customer support.
Do you have any updates so far on their durability? I've finally decided to pull the trigger on a set but I'm not all the way off the fence.
Well, I have made a couple of trips with them. One to March Moto Madness (380 miles round trip), where I had them FULLY loaded with gear. Plus I rode with them on 100+ miles of forest service roads and other gravel/dirt roads, some pretty rough. I even dumped the bike on the right box with no signs of damage. Also, part of the trip was in pouring rain and both boxes stayed dry inside.
So, at this point (with about 700 miles on them) I can say they have proven to be very durable. I will do a full review at about 6 months.
Tim2Wheels
Awesome well I'm glad I ended up ordering them then. I look forward to the long term review!
Wonderful helpful video
Thank you sir!
Great review. If my bike didn't already come with some ammo can panniers, I would totally get something like this. The mounting solution looks awesome.
Question off topic. I am looking at your bike and wondering if you have installed handlebar risers. 6'5" here, and would love to be able to stand up more comfortably.
I had the same problem (at 6'4") and I have just today installed a set of the ROX 2" Pivoting Bar Risers. They gave me just enough height to stand comfortably. These are more expensive than just regular block risers, but the pivot allows me to go up with the bars, not just back at an angle, which is a must for tall riders. I did have to re-route the throttle and clutch cables to have enough slack to turn without stressing the cables. So far it is a great upgrade. I did not record the install due to time restrictions, but I will try to produce a review soon.
nice, for sure im buying those. btw, which hand guards are those on the bike?
They are an older style Barkbuster Handguards . Very sturdy and durable.
+Tim2Wheels Awesome review! Great job. To answer your question about the locks & keys being interchangeable with another riders? We honestly do not know the possibility of that ever happening. It's the same for any other manufacture with a key/lock system.. the odds are very slim my man. We ship all around the world, i wouldn't worry about it ever happening. Nice Rig! We love the KLR :)
Great Video review Sir.
Got a question for you.
Why didn't you mount the boxes Horizontally/flat instead at a angle?
Was there an benefit form a sloping top?
What angle did you use?
Just ordered some racks/boxes for my DR650 based on your review. Ha ha
Thanks for the review and any help.
No advantage, I just wanted them level with the top of the rack and bike. When loaded and me on it, the sit level.
I severely want these but my biggest fear is destroying them offroad. All of my crashes are probably 10mph and less so I wonder if they would hold up for that.
+Stealth Bobber I think they will get some dents and scars, but that adds character, right? :) I do think that for serious off-road, quality soft bags are the best choice. So far, I like the Mosko Moto bags and hope to get a set some day to compare to hard boxes.
Thanks for the comment and for watching!
Watch the video Everide made about these panniers, you will see the durability!
@@theninja001 I just happened to watch Everide’s brutal test on these panniers a couple of hours ago. It sold me on Tusk.
I do agree with your view point on price. Only a fool would pay a thousand dollars for something that gets banged around on the back of a bike and that is what the klr is all about making it your own. Happy trails!
how do these handle air at 70-85mph on the highway? do they hamper the bike in any way?
Schmidt McGready - I have not noticed any negative change to handling, even at highway speeds and fully loaded with gear. Of course, I rarely go over 70 on this bike.
Tim2Wheels
Tim, how much weight can I add to my bike before (seriously) needing to consider upgrading my subframe bolts?
I weigh about 235lbs. plus adding these pannier, crash bars, skid plate, etc, weight can add up fast.
Per the specs, the maximum payload for a KLR650 is 182 kg (401 lbs.). This will include rider, passenger (if any), plus all gear, tools, etc. If you add panniers, the weight of the racks and boxes are also added into this also. Additionally, I like to consider the terrain. If you are on smooth paved roads all the time, the frame won't take the same abuse as riding off-road with a full load.
If you are interested, here's a link to my video on upgrading the sub-frame bolts. ruclips.net/video/lb28kR4uhKU/видео.html
Thanks for watching.
Crazy I’ve got both an Africa twin and a klr 650 and the Africa twin looks and is 1000 times more badass with the alt rider high fender kit then I see people like yourself screw up the one very cool thing, the tie to dirt biking off the KLR and put the very ugly low fender kit on it. Makes it look more like the street bike based scramblers or big heavy teneres of the world. Your bike is awesome please put front fender back where it belongs if you get in any mud the front wheel will lock up. Just one jerks opinion hahaha bike is cool.
That a fair point Rodney. The main reason I lowered the front fender was not for looks. It greatly reduced the amount of water spray when riding in heavy rain. The high fender does look more "dirt bike", but it does little to protect the rider.
Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Which windscreen system is that? How did you lower the fender?
ConditionRed - The windshield is from MADSTAD Engineering and I love it!
Here a link to my video on lowering the front fender using the Eagle Mike fork brace: ruclips.net/video/SZTIJ4ZzaQA/видео.html
Thanks for the questions and for watching.
I just got my KLR put back together yesterday. Quick question on the hard panniers. Do you have a feeling the hard panniers will run over your legs similar to a three wheeler on rough terrain? When I was a kid I went from a dual sport to a three wheeler, putting your legs down when you stop is self correcting. Hehhehe.
I have seen a lot of soft panniers for OffRoad, but curious what your opinion would be since you have some on your bike now.
I think you right on all your points on keeping them silver. I love that rear rack system you built. I think that is awesome.
I have been pleased with the tusk items I have purchased and used as well. Replacing the foot,an loops hardware isn't a huge problem, great initial review of the panniers.
Another great video my friend. Keep up the awesome work.
Have a blessed day.
+Heartland Dual Sport - Thanks for the comment. The big, hard boxes definitely have some drawbacks for serious off-road work and the potential for catching your foot/ankle is one of them. That was a concern for me. I have mounted them as far up and back as I can to help avoid that. I have tested it and from my riding position, it is a stretch to get my foot under the box, but it could happen. I will try to be very aware of that while riding. I do think soft bags are better for serious off-road use and I am looking at the Mosko Moto bags as an alternative for those riding conditions.
I'm expecting the hard boxes to fit 80% of my riding needs and they offer secure storage when parking the bike in public. That is the main drawback to full-time soft bags (in my opinion).
-Thanks for watching!
+Tim2Wheels makes sense buddy, my thoughts exactly. I do like how you are setting yours up.
I am keeping the KLR more for two up riding with the wife, so those hard bags might not be bad, being I won't ride it like I will the DRZ for more OffRoad stuff. Let me know how it works with a passenger.
Have a blessed week buddy.
Are these the medium or large panniers?
They both are the large panniers. I like the storage capacity.
Thanks for the comment and for watching.
How have these held up? Any amendments to your review?
Why didn’t you buy solo box they are made in america
At the time I was not aware of Solobox. It would have been a good choice for only slightly more money.
how long did it take you to mount them?
it took about an hour, maybe a bit more. The Rocky Mountain install video is a nice guide to follow.
+Tim2Wheels I just ordered a set for my klr, I got the black, I like the looks of them, where did you get the reflective tape?
The reflective tape I used was found at my local Lowe's Home Improvement. It's the DOT reflective tape for trailers. It came in a pack of pre-cut strips and I just trimmed to fit my panniers. It works great and adds better night time visibility.
hmmph how can they seeya there blind .///
stop making excuses