I’ve travelled extensively on bikes all over the world and previously I’ve just strapped a couple of half decent sports bags/dry bags to the bike and off we go. I’m getting a little older now and thought it about time I invested in some decent panniers for an upcoming long haul trip from the Isle of Wight (UK), down through Europe and into and around Austria. I’d already installed the Bumot rear rack, soft luggage plate and pannier racks 18 months ago, so the Bumot soft panniers were the obvious choice.
My initial plan had been to strap my old bags to the Bumot pannier racks. I’ve liked how the racks cover the Akro silencer and potentially protect it from falls, so they served dual purposes. However, the bullet has now been firmly bitten and two Bumot Xtramada Soft Panniers will now arrive with me today, and over the next few weeks I’ll begin to test them and get the bike ready to head off in June.
These bags have a sturdy quick release/mount system and decent locking mechanisms, ideal for the kind of touring I do. I’m also hoping they maintain a reasonably low profile that won’t make filtering difficult/dangerous.
One thing to note if you’re also considering these and, like me, already have the toolbox: Carl at Adventure Bike Shop, here in the UK, informed me that Bumot had struggled to order in their very reliable locks during the pandemic and were forced to change to a different locking mechanism. That’s not a problem per se and I’m told the new locks are equal to or better than the older ones. Before, however, if you already had the Bumot locking toolbox you could supply your key number when ordering the panniers and they would match the pannier locks for you, meaning a single key would access or lock both panniers and your toolbox. That is no longer possible unless you’re ordering all new V2 items simultaneously, or you send your toolbox back to have a new locking mechanism fitted. Personally, I don’t have a problem with using two keys as the toolbox is not something I access daily, anyways, but it’s worth noting.
I’ll be publishing a review of the panniers in 3 parts
1. Unboxing and first impressions
2. Installation and removal
3. Practical use on tour (this section will publish on my return from Austria, probably sometime in July)
Where To Buy
Adventure Bike Shop (UK)
Bumot (EU)