Penny Tech Panniers

[pilot]

Tired of high prices for panniers? These do the trick at around $100 a pair. These are Merimite Food Containers courtesy of good old Uncle Sam.

[pilot]

This is what you get. They come with these annoying inner cans. If anyone knows what to do with these, let me know.

[pilot]

Give these away if you can.

[pilot]

Remove the gasket and cut here all the way around the liner with a sabre saw.

[pilot]

Next cut the liner in half lengthwise. I used an angle grinder. This is the worst part of the whole process. Then pry, cuss, pry, and pull these out of the boxes.

[pilot]

You then have to remove the insulation from the inside of the can. I used a putty knife to scrape all the foam out starting about an inch down from the fiber gasket surface. I left the top inch in to support the gasket surface. I then painted the interior with truck bed liner in a can. Use plenty on the foam at the top.

Next is the latch and mount. I used eyebolts from Airparts for the lock hasp. Drill and cut out the tab to allow the eyebolt to pass through. The Happy Trails mount bolts on the back. Two more holes at the top for the hold on bolts and your through.

[pilot]

Here is the completed latch.

[pilot]

This is the Happy Trails mount.

[pilot]

Here is the rear view of the bags on the bike. This is the setup I used through Mexico and Guatemala this winter. Lots of room, water tite, secure, and quite ugly to match the KLR.
You don't have to worry about trashing a $1000 set of boxes if you fall over. I didn't crash test them yet, so I don't know how well they hold up to abuse, but for the money, who cares?

[Chopperman]

Said pilot:
Give these away if you can.

You can make a pine cone stove out of those. Or a parts container. Or stuff your tool roll in there to keep the greasy bits off your shaving kit. thousands of uses

[Ricardo Kuhn]

Love the care you took to explain the whole thing.

I thank you in the name of everybody,that belive in autonomy, I love the felling of creation....

Great JOB

[Stephen]

I saw some of these on some surplus Web site, and you can imagine what I was thinkin'. Later saw some on a KTM at Mid-Ohio, but saw no trace of the owner. Been real curious about it until now.

The inner cans look about perfect for dippin' carbs, or for tool boxes instead of the ever-popular, perfectly hideous PVC pipe. In fact, they look just like something I was looking for lately, but doggone if I can remember what it was.

Very nice job on the tutorial!

AndrewH is lookin' at a pair of these...think you can whip a tape on'em and give us the dimensions?

[TXGSrider]

very nice! I wonder how those would look on a black GS. Any idea what the capacity is? How about ability to keep water out of the bags?

[pilot]

The outside messurements are 10*20*15 1/2 tall. The boxes on the bike outside meassure 39 inches wide. On the inside lid of one of them I cut a panel and fitted a door for small stuff. It was a pain to cut due to being stainless steel. I used up a 20 pack of dremel cutoff wheels. Finding a latch to keep it closed was the biggest challenge. I don't like the slide bolts I used, but couldn't find anything better.

[pilot]

Yes they seem to be water proof. I glued the gasket onto the gasket surface with silicon adheasive. You can do all sorts of things to the lids for more storage, just keep about one inch around the outside for gasket surface. I don't like wasting the space in the lid, but didn't feel like messing with the second one.
John