Hard luggage for FZ1

[carbman]

My friend has just bought himself an FZ1 2009. He's planning to go 2 up to southern France in June.
He has already bought himself a SW Motech  Alu-Rack. I think he told me that the girl on the phone said she could not guarantee that it would fit his bike. He also bought soft throw-over panniers.
Now I'm very old, old enough to remember Craven panniers and top boxes, but I swore by them. I have suggested that he get hard luggage instead. Can anyone advise me/him, which luggage would fit his SW Motech carrier please, or should he start over again?    http://www.cravens.org.uk/

[PaulSmith]

If your friend has a fixed base in southern France to go to, then I would suggest he ship a package there with the luggage for the duration of their stay, then he only needs to bring what they need for the trip itself. Two up plus two weeks luggage is a hell of a lot to carry on a bike if he is not used to touring.  I would also strongly recommend that he breaks the trip over at least two days if he ever wants his other half to get on the back of a bike again. Make the trip down a fun holiday itself, don't let it become a torture  trip. If he is thinking of travelling in high summer, he should be aware that those cool leathers he uses to blat around in on a British Sunday morning are not appropriate for riding in the southern half of France from mid day to mid (even late) afternoon.

Another option for him to consider is to ride down solo while is other half flies in with the luggage.

[carbman]

Wise words indeed Paul, from someone who has obviously done this before.
Unfortunately, the lad has already made his plans about it being a trip of discovery, edging into the Alps and doing a circular tour to visit his father who lives somewhere up above Montpelier.
The total trip is for 10 days, so no great rush.
The last time I did a trip down into Spain, was in 1976 on a Kawasaki KZ400 twin, with my now wife. I had a tent on the carrier and said Craven panniers. My suit was good old Belstaff.

[chaparral02]

Can anyone advise me/him, which luggage would fit his SW Motech carrier please, or should he start over again? 

Givi v35 side cases and Givi monolock topbox....He will need to buy the SW Motech side case racks (That if he has the Sw motech Givi topcase carrier)

[chaparral02]

SW motech also do there new BLAZE ® Panniers Set for the FZ1

http://shop.sw-motech.com/cgi-bin/cosmos...=138332010