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'06' GT Side Case Liners

7K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  TxWhiteKnight 
#1 ·
I have a 4 day vacation coming up next month and I am looking for liners for my side cases on my 06 K1200GT.

I have found CeeBaileys but thought there were some other?

what are you likes/dislikes and features on the different ones.

:popcorn:
 
#2 ·
The main advantage of saddlebag liners is that you can just grab the liner and not drag the heavy, dirty saddlebags into the hotel at night, or back out in the morning. And you can leave your helmet locked up in the now-empty saddlebag at night and not drag it into the hotel, either.

You can get the BMW liners, or for 1/3rd the price, you can get liners from Cee Bailey's, Kathy's, RKA, or TLC.

BTW, the saddlebags on the GT and RT are identical, so liners listed for either bike will work just as well.

I've been very happy with my Cee Bailey's liners, and have drug them into and out of countless hotels in dozens of states. An advantage to the Cee Bailey liners is that they have full zips on both edges so you can lay them flat to fill them, and you can get into them relatively easy while they're still on the bike. Plus I prefer the grey color over all black. Its a great product, especially for the price.



I also bought a liner for the 49-liter trunk, but I find that much less useful so I don't bring it with very often. Usually my trunk is full of a soft-sided cooler for snacks, an atlas, rag & cleaner for the face shield, camera, etc. Stuff that I want to get to while on the road, but don't always need to drag into a hotel with me.
 
#3 ·
Thanks Ken. The Cee Bailey's and Kathys look the best but the gray CB looks like a close match to the one I put in my 52 L Givi that I got last week :teeth

I am going to try my hand at a SS1000 next month on the MTF get together if my eyes will handle it. The liners, a SPOT mount and a portable heat troller is all I lack for now.

If the SS is successful lights and a fuel cell like this will be forth coming. My RDL probably wont make it for this trip but will be ready for shortly there after.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I have the BMW side case liners. They are superbly crafted and the fabric is tough and stiff, made of heavy cordura. The bottoms are made of thick rubber. You get what you pay for in craftsmanship and materials. Butt...

BMW Liner Pros:
* Well crafted, well made.
* Durable.
* Liners are rigid and self-standing. They won't flop over while you load them.
* The liners are matching and symmetrical. Both sides of each liner have a zipper pocket and a "flap" pocket with a velcro tab at the top. Thus, either bag can go in either side case.
* Form fitted for your GT or RT side cases. Maximizes the use of the space perfectly.

BMW Liner Cons:
* Form fitted for your GT or RT side cases. If you overpack even slightly, with the slightest bulge, the hard case won't close over the liner. (Typical expectation that you will do everything precisely the way it should be done.)
* The zipper and flap side pockets don't expand. They will hold papers and small items, but don't expect to stuff a shirt or sweater in them.
* The main compartment zipper runs across the middle of the top. As Ken says, you must pull the case out (at least part way) to get at your stuff.
* Because the main compartment zipper is across the top, you stand the liner up and load through that zipper. It isn't the most convenient way to fill that case. Because it stands tall, it isn't convenient to get stuff that is on the bottom.
* Not that it matters much, but the liners do not have reflectors on them.

Bottom Line:
The BMW side case liners are very well made, but I would save the money and buy the Cee Bailey liners that Ken recommends. With the Cee Bailey side zippers, you can load your stuff with the liner on its side. Access to the liner's contents while it is in the hard case is much easier on the Cee Bailey. With the Cee Bailey liners, you get a lot more for the money, and a better design. With the BMW liners, you get top quality construction and materials, but perhaps not the optimum design.
 
#6 ·
I also have the BMW liners for bags and the top case but I didn't stop there. I got the BMW soft duffel bag that mounts across the passenger seat and straps to pillion grab handles. I went this route to avoid a tank bag. Other than the price, I have nothing but good things to say about the BMW liners. They are everything that XMagnaRider says they are. My wife and I can pack comfortably for week long road trips and have room to spare. And the conveniece of just taking the inner bags into and out of the hotel is certainly worth the price. Not to mention keeping your personals from dropping to the ground if you happen to pack a saddle bag without using a bag liner. Regardless of your choice you can't go wrong.

Good luck.

John
 
#7 ·
I usually pack one saddlebag full of tools, and the other full of clothes.

So one Cee Bailey liner always stays packed with my bike clothes, which is 3 sets of LDComfort tops and bottoms, 3 sets of coconut socks, a set of travel pants that convert to shorts (and pack very small), and a couple of shirts that pack small and travel well. Oh, and a set of cheap boat shoes that also pack very flat. And I tuck an overnight bag in there along one edge.

I lay the bag flat on one face, then pack the shoes and street clothes on the bottom, with the LDComforts on top. So if it's just a quick motel stop and I need fresh LDComforts, I unzip one side. If it's a destination stop and I need street clothes, I flip the bag over and unzip the other side. Simple and easy.

I've lived off of that for weeks on end when most of my trip was spent riding.

If I'll be spending more time at my destination than riding (like for work meetings or a family visit, then I may throw in additional street clothes. But most of my trips tend to be big-mile days with little lounging about, so one set of pants and a few shirts works just fine.

In fact, I used to be able to keep my riding clothes and my laptop in one side bag, but since upgrading to a 17" MacBook, that now has to go in the trunk.
 
#8 ·
TxWhiteKnight said:
Thanks X, packing precisely is not something I am good at :rotf:
Remember, you won't need too much gear for 4 days. Just pack light, and leave most of the crap at home. :)
 
#9 ·
Meese said:
.... 3 sets of coconut socks, ....
OK.... :confused: :dunno: what are these? ....splain please....
 
#10 ·
Meese said:
I usually pack one saddlebag full of tools....
:confused:

"What tools require a whole saddlebag? Okay, excluding a spare final drive?"

I've got in my case:
1. Slime ATV air compressor (I wish it had a built in air gauge though).
2. BMW CruzTool roll kit.
3. Stop & Go Tire Plug Kit Not the CO2 kit that tends to leak on filling and takes far too many cylinders to fill a 180-size tire.

On top of that stuff is all my electric clothing (pants, jacket, gloves, socks, controller) and any rain gear. Same left bag, which pretty much stays that way the whole year.

Never thought of leaving that helmet in the bags with the bike. :clap: Might save me some time especially after climbing up 2-3 flights of stairs lugging all that crap around. Liners sure help speed the process up and keep the bags from getting all scratched up hitting walls and doors.

Oh, that Eagle Creek Pack-It System stuff is pretty cool to to organize and compress bulky clothing. Their "Cubes" allow you to roll up underwear and socks so you can get 4-5 days in one little cube. Their "Folders" allow for shirts and pants/jeans to be compressed and they come out pretty wrinkle free once you learn to use their template thing and folding process.


Mack
 
#12 ·
GMack said:
These: Coconut socks.
They are tall socks, mostly for geriatrics, and keep stinky feet to a minimum.


Mack
So in Meese's case it's an old fart thing? :D :rotf:

I've just always used a good pair of socks and :



Keeps things comfy and relatively stink free. And I can buy a lot of them for each pair of 20 dollar socks.
 
#13 ·
Robert_W said:
I've just always used a good pair of socks . . .
But those are "a good pair of socks". ;)

Trust me, after 3,000 miles straight, you want to be wearing the most comfortable pair of socks you can get . . .
 
#14 ·
GMack said:
"What tools require a whole saddlebag? Okay, excluding a spare final drive?"
Hey, I only did the spare FD thing once . . . ;)

It's tools to not only fix flats, but also to be able to pull both wheels and change the oil in a parking lot. Both of which I've done numerous times . . .

And yes, my heated gear and heavy gloves go in that bag, too.
 
#15 ·
On one side I will probably have my Gerbings, rain liners, spare gloves, first aid kit, small tool kit (with tire repair), and the like that I don’t need everyday (I hope anyway) then the other side will be clothes and stuff in will need in the room every night. The trunk will hold computers and camera stuff. In my tank bag I will have my extra face shields, camelback, food, Gerbing controller and my com gear.

I am going to have to go look at those coconut shocks but if my feet dont stink I cant run the roaches out of the room :teeth

That Eagle Creek stuff look good too, I was taught to start filling a duffel bag, sit on it then fill it some more and repeat until you had everything in it

One thing about the Cee Bailys and softer sided one it they may fit in the Caribou cases on my Dakar too??
 
#17 ·
Regarding tools and socks and stuff:

Tools:
After my first long ride, I learned to divide my tools between the two cases. That first ride, I felt like I was leaning the bike over to compensate for the imbalance. I carry roughly the same tools as Ken, so I wonder how he balances the load between the two side cases. (He is a big guy, but I don't think his clothes weigh as much as his tools.) For the curious - I keep the air compressor, tire repair kit, and a few miscellaneous items on the left side, the hand tools on the right side, and the BMW roll-up set under the seat.

Socks:
I have a pair of long and a pair of short BMW socks. http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=44208. I bought them soon after buying my bike, when I was still in my "Trust BMW, they make the best of everything" period. The socks are good but somewhat heavy for summer use. The silver anti-bacterial function works well on long multi-day rides, and they wash easily and air dry quickly. They were the first socks I ever saw that have defined left and right socks (the left sock has a special pad for under the shift lever). Next time, I want to try the lighter Coconut socks for summer rides.
 
#19 ·
Case liners

I have found case liners to largely get in the way. With case liners, it's just more in the way of me getting to my stuff. To even SEE your stuff you have to (maybe unlock), push the button, pull the latch, find where you left the zipper last, grab the bag with two hands so you can pull the zipper, then rummage around. When you aren't sure where something is, this gets old, FAST.

I also found that I never took advantage of the theoretical "pull the liner out and leave your helmet locked in the saddlebag in the hotel parking lot" because I usually want to bring the helmet with me to wash the bugs off the screen anyway.

So, IMO, they cost money, get in the way, and don't help.

What works far better for me is a whole bunch of smaller bags in a wide assortment of colors and sizes. This keeps the really little things together that belong together and also helps you move stuff around a lot faster.
 
#20 ·
I have several small compression sacks in one side now and when ever I open it up they want to fall out on the lid, then holding them in to close it is a job I need about 3 extra hands to do :D

most of my stuff I use a lot will either be in a tank bag or in the top case
 
#21 ·
Action_Mango said:
I have found case liners to largely get in the way. With case liners, it's just more in the way of me getting to my stuff. To even SEE your stuff you have to (maybe unlock), push the button, pull the latch, find where you left the zipper last, grab the bag with two hands so you can pull the zipper, then rummage around. When you aren't sure where something is, this gets old, FAST.

I also found that I never took advantage of the theoretical "pull the liner out and leave your helmet locked in the saddlebag in the hotel parking lot" because I usually want to bring the helmet with me to wash the bugs off the screen anyway.

So, IMO, they cost money, get in the way, and don't help.

What works far better for me is a whole bunch of smaller bags in a wide assortment of colors and sizes. This keeps the really little things together that belong together and also helps you move stuff around a lot faster.
TxWhiteKnight said:
I have several small compression sacks in one side now and when ever I open it up they want to fall out on the lid, then holding them in to close it is a job I need about 3 extra hands to do :D

most of my stuff I use a lot will either be in a tank bag or in the top case
I remember a thread where someone built homemade dividers that fit across the lid and the body of a side case, forming pockets that can be used to keep contents from spilling out when the case is opened. The design was simple, using cable ties to hold half-height sheets of thin plastic in place across the bottom of the case and lid openings. I searched, but couldn't find the thread. Perhaps this description will suggest new ideas for you.
 
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