The weekends Shakedown Run was a roaring success (if I do say so myself), however I’m left with a bit of repair work after coming into close contact with a huge tree stump!
Whilst negotiating a narrow and rocky section of Hogden Lane en-route home on Sunday I was forced, due to the terrain, close to the left hand bank where, poking out of the undergrowth, lurked an enormous gnarly tree stump. I knew it was close, but as I went carefully past I was right at the point of breathing a small “phew that was close” sigh of relief when I collected it with the front of my left hand pannier.
Despite only going slightly above walking pace, the contact was enough to dislodge the box from it’s mounting, the rollbag across the seat the only thing saving it from coming off entirely. Stopping a little further down the track it was quickly reattached and we were on our way again, but not before I could give warning to the following bikes and Steve repeated my mistake and clouted his pannier off on the same stump!
Jetwashing the weekends several pounds of hard-earned mud off the GS later in the day revealed a tennis ball sized dent in the pannier and, when I opened the lid, some light deformation of the shape of the box itself which meant that the lid no longer closed properly. Then disaster struck. Whilst attempting to bend it back into shape (using my knee, the perfect tool for the job) the box slipped on the garage floor and SNAP, off came the lid. Arse!
A quick search on Google revealed that BMW fit their “rugged” and phenomenally expensive 1150 GS Adventure aluminium pannier sets with catches and hinges made of a brittle flimsy plastic which is extremely prone to breakages. Mr, or should I say “Herr” BMW also wants GBP33 per hinge for identical replacement parts! Another search revealed Zygology the UK importer for said hinges (from whom BMW buy theirs) who would sell me identical hinges for under GBP12 each. Better. But still not great.
A touch more electronic rummaging on the Zygology site highlighted another set of hinges, same size, same spec and same hole position as “the flimsies” but made of zinc alloy, and even cheaper at under GBP9 per hinge. Better. MUCH better! So I’ve ordered 4 hinges just in case another gnarly tree stump leaps out unexpectedly in front of me at any point in the future.
Now remains the problem of bending the pannier back into shape so the lid fits properly again. In the meantime, I await the postman with my new hinges 
)
GBP = WordPress will not for some reason
display Pound signs! Grrrrr!
Posted from London, England, United Kingdom.
