warning my new panniers and locks (2nd set with shorter key)
In the alps and stripped off to t-shirt and shorts for day

---t . when returned to bike.
KEY bent in case lock. had to find a garage 25miles away to straighten key and then gently opened to get jacket and trousers out.

when home .sent them back as not fit for purpose.
now just received TT cases and look well up to the job. Only dont send any english instructions for the rack.
oh well cant be too hard...... is it....?

After one year of owning my Yamaha topbox the locks are starting to get slightly stiff. Took some advice from my dealer and a quick squirt of chain lube in the lock and it's good as new. Did that about 4-6 weeks ago before it needed another squirt again today (which is good given the rain recently).

Wish that I would have read this before last week.
My key had been bending little by little over the last month but still worked, being busy with work and all that I carried on. 1st key snapped and I went to the local keycutters to have a spare cut, he couldn't do it there and then so before I could return with the blank I managed to snap the spare in the lock as well. Now I've realised that it was the lock that was the problem and not just a cheap quality key!!
At present I am opening the boxes with a screwdriver which is shockingly easy until I get time to order and fit new locks.
Lesson learned!!

My key (the original rubbish ones) finally gave up on me this week, thankfully I'd just removed the top box from the bike before it snapped before I tried to open it. Hoping the local yamaha dealer will be able to get me sorted out with the new locks/keys

Quick Update. Dealer got new locks from Yamaha but for some reason a plastic mount they came with was different so they would not fit. Dealer got back on to Yamaha and i'm being sent a brand new topbox!

I have Yamaha boxes and have had similar problems with locks but I think they are OK for occasional tours. I read that for off-roading it's better to use Ortlieb bags but how can I fir these to the bike? Do I need another rack? Asking because the Ortliebs have a lower mounting as well.

occasional tours......lol

it was the first time i used them and it was the 2nd generation of key type......
total ---p

I used a pair of dry bags - one Ortlieb dry duffle (size M/35L) for personal effects, and one similar size roll-top type for my camping kit - see photo:

http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/r...8/DSCF0544.jpg

I simply strapped them to the rear seat using a pair of webbing straps through the grab handles... it worked a treat over 23,000 miles, over every kind of terrain...

J x

Shame about your choice of parking location though! :101:

Ho ho!

btw. I've just had a look at he Ortlieb website, and my bag is actually known as the 'rack-pack' as I see they also do a 'duffle' which is a slightly different shape... either would be good for the rear seat I imagine...

J x