Hi Guys, planning a bit of a trip in August around some parts of Europe with m mate for 2-3weeks. We are now in the initial planning stage. My bike is a 2004 XT660R. We are on a budget so I dont want to spend a fortune on panniers etc. At the moment I am thinking about soft luggage which I have found on ebay. See links below.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/BUFFALO-MOTORCYCL...1%7C240%3A1318

or

http://cgi.ebay.ie/NEW-OXFORD-1ST-TI...1%7C240%3A1318

I know that there are protectors on the exhausts but would these prevent the soft luggage from melting etc? Will I have to get rails to keep them away from the exhausts? If so what do you recommend? Would I be better off buying the rails for a hard luggage set and if I want to upgrade at a later stage to hard luggage I would have the rails already. So far thiniking of Hepco and Becker's Explorer range of panniers and top box. http://www.hepco-becker.de/_eng/pdf/...20Info%20E.pdf Anyone have any wexperiance with these? Either?

Any help appriciated

Sambo

There's also these...
https://www.thefastone.co.uk/proddet...901543&cat=405
�20 cheaper than mandp.

You might find it a struggle to fit the tank bag due to the shape of the tank.

Or you can make your own soft pannier racks like I did...

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=3693

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Thanks, are they simple enough to strap on? Never had a pair before or seen them fitted up close so not sure. Tank bag doesnt fit cos its a plastic tank but aparantley the lidl tank bag can be strapped in through the slot between the X and the T on the fairing and then hooked together.

Thanks Denny, they look good. If you were making them again what would you do differently? Not sure I could mount the same one on mine as standard cans are different on mine but sure I would sort somthing out.