Seat unit help required

[Ckennedy]

Before I went on my trip to France I was worried about the top seat unit lugs snapping as they had started to crack already. This has got worse over the trip proberly due to the weight of the throw overs. Of course now it is really bugging me as now I have to try to repair the lugs, make a good job of it and sort out why it is cracking. I was told of a way to help reduce the strain on the mounts and this worked but unfortunatly did not fully solve my problem.

Are there any suggestions or mods that can be done to the top lugs for the seat unit or could it be secured somewhere else that will not crack? any thoughts and help welcome as I need to sort something out before it gets any worse and before it gets loaded up for a tour next time.

Here is a pic of her loaded. Maybe I have just done something wrong with the loading?

[Jamoi]

Make sure you fix/reinforce your lugs before you break them further.

Looks like you have similar panniers to me, I use a square camping stove (just a cheap £10 thing) between the Velcro straps (between the panniers) to space the panniers far enough apart so it reduces stress on the fairing panels

You can see how the panniers are elevated about the seat level. This is obviously no good if you've got a passenger, so could you do what I've done but instead of putting them on the seat, get a renntec rack, £80ish?

Or get creative with some 2mm steel sheet & and angle grinder

[Wicky]

Not had a problem with soft panniers and the kitchen sink effecting the rear plastic - but with that load and a pillion you'd be best getting hard panniers with a frame attachment. Get a universal kit and fettle fabrication to fit off good hard mounting points.

[Ckennedy]

What is a good universal frame kit? I have been looking but unsure what to get. I would love hard luggage for next time so I don't need to worry about remembering the water proof covers (which I forgot) and it rained!

[Tweety]

My best tip is to get two regular tennis balls once you have repaired the plastics... They work very nicely for supporting the plastics once wedged inside the tail unit, against the subframe... Supports it from inside, and takes up the movement/load from the bags...

[Ckennedy]

That is something I would never have thought of! I have to take the seat unit off to fit a new Reg/Rec anyway so will do that at the same time. Cracking thought that!

[lumpyv]

My best tip is to get two regular tennis balls once you have repaired the plastics... They work very nicely for supporting the plastics once wedged inside the tail unit, against the subframe... Supports it from inside, and takes up the movement/load from the bags...

that's a good bit of thinking
did,nt almac have a solution with a bit of broomhandle?

[Wicky]

Find a Krauser or Givi frame and panniers - then you'll you'll need to fabricate some stout mountings.

I've a set of Krauser's from yonks ago that was for originally for a VFR750 that I converted to work on a GPz600 and then later to fit the Storm.