Luggage Solutions

Hi, Has anyone had experience of the C Bow system from Hepco/Krauser? I'm looking for a system that doesn't involve drilling holes in the bike and is unobtrusive when the panniers/box aren't on the bike. I like the leather Hepco bags that fit with the C Bow brackets and it would be good to know if anyone else has used them as i'm not sure how much clearance I will have from the GPR exhaust I have fitted. I'm restricted on throwovers etc as I have a custom classic style single seat with a hump where the pillion seat would be. Any recommendations would be great. Much obliged.

Loads of threads about C-bow in the forum, not sure how many include leather bags. Here is picture of soft ones installed (no holes drilled)....and without ....these are fine with std and termi exhaust but only just clear with about 1.5 inch to exhaust
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There were some comments about weak C-bow brackets (I lift bike with mine so I haven't seen that) and others may have experience of leather bags (probably in drier places than Manchester).

Better still go to parallel topic in forum :-)

I've got them on mine. Fairly small storage, easy mounting.

Suitably moody pic:

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Thanks Gents for the replies, and i've also now found the other luggage posts too, oops! But I've overlooked that I have a tail tidy fitted which has moved the indicators backwards by about 2 inches, so unless the C Bows push the bags out further than the indicators protrude, I may have an issue there. I might be able to remount the indicators a bit closer in to the tail piece but not by much. Not sure if I could also bend the C Bow mounts out a bit, but it's a lot of money if it doesn't work! Bugger!

I just ordered the C-bow with the new Orbit side cases. Will post pictures when it's mounted.

blue thunder wrote:

I just ordered the C-bow with the new Orbit side cases. Will post pictures when it's mounted.

I look forward to seeing that, I'm just about to order them and can't decide whether to go for the orbit cases or the soft ones

Let us know your experience - I still haven't worked out if my 'old style' soft bags are 22 L before expanding zips opened (new ones seem to have extra external pocket rather than expander)....but imagine rigid would be more limiting to fill ?

Ready for touring! Don't mind the fugly windshield. That's a leftover of my "winter setup"

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If the bags fit, but are too close to the exhaust, get hold of one of those silicon baking trays & cut it to fit the bottom of the bag. Can be fit fitted with contact glue or with Velcro. Good for 500 degrees.

Hi

Have you tried a ventura system? I've used one on every bike I've owned from a fireblade to my GRiSO (apart from Ducati 900ss and my current Thruxton) and found them to excellent. The GRiSO one in particular simply bolts on at the 4 luggage/bungee points under the rear mudguard. Bag (mine is 52 litres but I think they do up to 60) slips over the top loop of the rack and attaches with built in buckle straps. When not in use the rack can be removed leaving the L brackets or arms in place which can be converted to a grab handle.

I have the system in my garage if you are interested. I will sell the L brackets and rack/grab handle but not the bag as that is transferable for other bikes.

Let me know if interested. Even if you want to buy new, I would check out their website as it is a great alternative to side bags.

E

I've used the Ventura system in the past and it works very well from a utilitarian perspective, but you can't really leave the mounting brackets on the GRiSO (IMO).  The "tall" bracket is fine for securing the Ventura travel packs, but it looks horrid on the bike without a bag mounted and it is very bendable so don't use it if you are riding two up.  Sure, you can swap out the tall extension for the smaller grab rail or tail pack platform, but it just looks a little out of place on the GRiSO.  It looks like something a suspender snapping, corn-cob pipe smoker fabricated in his back yard...  I found that it worked very well for what it was, but I couldn't wait to unbolt it from the GRiSO as soon as I got home.

On my current GRiSO, I now ust the HB/Krauser C-Bow system and don't mind leaving the brackets mounted to the GRiSO.  For my money, the C-Bow system is the way to go on a GRiSO.  They don't have a ton of room, but it is perfect for a weekend campout.  Afterall, the GRiSO was never designed for long distance, multi-day touring.  Not saying it's not suited for the task, it's just not what it was designed for.

Keep your GRiSO's punch you in the face good looks and be the envy of motorcyclists, and the object of desire for pretty women everywhere...

So, which pipes will NOT work with the c-bow brackets/bags?  I have the Mistral hi-pipe and it will not work without some modifications.  How about the Zard?  any clearance issues?  Others?




Randy

Steak, the GRiSO might not been designed for, though it's very satisfying doing long travels .
I went to Italy, went carving in the Alpes, explored the Morvan and The Black Forest and soon I'll take of for 8 days through Wales.
Thousands of kilometers of fun and joy!
Most of the journeys I had a 33liter topcase and a small seat bag. Now I'll have 44liter in the side cases. So, it's a win-win situation. Got rid of the weird looking topbox and gained 11liters of secured storage!

I guess I see your point, Steak, but I'm not so sure it wasn't designed for long distance touring. I made several 3,000 to 5,000 mile trips on my 1100 and it suited me to a T!

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Actually, I wonder wat is IS designed for. Too heavy for a sports bike, to naked for a tourer, too sporty for a cruiser, too expensive for just resting in the living room. Might it be Guzzi wanted the best of all worlds in one bike   ?

Typical Italian? Form over function - a sporty long distance tourer with a tiny tank. If not tiny, at least "inappropriately sized".

MalG wrote:

Typical Italian? Form over function - a sporty long distance tourer with a tiny tank. If not tiny, at least "inappropriately sized".

That's true too, Mal, but I find I have to get off and pee every couple of hours anyway.

I like the minimal look of the C-bow system and do like the look of the Orbit hard cases.  Any interference with stock signal placement getting in the way of them?  Anyone use the Royster Street Soft Bag? I'm thinking these may be more appropriate for the type of trips I do.
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blue thunder wrote:

Actually, I wonder wat is IS designed for. Too heavy for a sports bike, to naked for a tourer, too sporty for a cruiser, too expensive for just resting in the living room. Might it be Guzzi wanted the best of all worlds in one bike   ?

Probably the GRiSO was a design exercise that made it into production but could be used for touring like most motorcycles can be. On my 1100 the fuel warning light comes on at 150 miles which is good enough for tooling around western Europe for example. Certainly other than a fairing it is no worse than my old BMW R1100s which went across Europe a number of times.

Here's my 2015 GRiSO 1200SE with Givi E21 panniers mounted on C-Bows.

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