Ventura Luggage

[Earl Gray]

I have a 900 IE Dark, and would like to fit the Ventura bike pack system for touring later this year - does anyone have experience / advice with this system ?

[MotoNik]

I use Ventura stuff on my Supersport, and it's really excellent. Seems to be well made, and lots of capacity for expanding the kit for extra bags.

The beauty of the one on the SS is I can retain the pillion seat and still carry loads in it. If you are travelling solo you can have a bag on the rack part, AND a bag on the pillion seat.

Add a set of Oxford throwovers and you've got more luggage capacity than you'll know what to do with!

I can't remember the site, but someone else might - there's someone in the states who's fitted Ventura stuff to her Monster and taken loads of pics of it all installed. Gets a pretty glowing report, from what I remember. A broad search on Google might locate it.

Recommended!

cheers,

Nik

[gary tompkins]

Had a ventura rack on my 600 - bit expensive but a well made bit of kit. The new racks have been re-designed to allow for the different mounts under the tea tray on later frames.

[SimonH]

Gary's dead right. You have to be careful to order the exact model otherwise they wont fit. I had this gear on my 750 and Phil has it on her new 1000s and it is very well made.

SimonH

[madhatter]

...You have to be careful to order the exact model otherwise they wont fit. I had this gear on my 750 and Phil has it on her new 1000s and it is very well made.

SimonH

I've always wondered exactly how interchangeable the kit is. You quite often see them appear on e-bay for 900's and I've always wondered if they would also fit my 1997 750. :confused: Seems like you need to get the kit for your exact model and year.

[Earl Gray]

Thanks all for the feedbacj & pic's - looks & sounds like good kit.

Planing a quick 5 day trip around the Pyrennes later this year and looking for something a bit more stable than the throw-over panniers I've used on previous trips, so will probably give this kit a spin.

[SimonH]

You need to buy the correct mounting rails which fit on the sides of the bike. The rest of the kit, carriers, grab rails etc are interchangeable. So if you change your bike then you only buy new side rails

SimonH

[M900nster]

I fitted a Ventura luggage rack/grab rail on my first (1999) 900 Monster. It was a well made bit of kit, but the grab rail was too far forward. The pillion perch on a Monster is small enough, but with the Ventura grab rail pressing against your pillion rider's bum, it feels even smaller. Every time we went over a big bump in the road (speed hump, etc.) my wife would slide forward and join me in the rider's saddle. I think Ventura mount them far forward like this to keep the tail lamp unobscured over a wide angle of view. It's my guess that Ventura didn't fancy the idea of being responsible if anyone got in a mess due their tail lamp being obscured by rails, or passenger's hands.

The Ventura kit is great if you don't intend to carry a passenger. I do, so I made my own grab rail for my current Monster. It's a good 3" further back than the old Ventura, plus a bit lower (I'll try to take a pic of it soon and post it here). Next, I intend to make some side frames to work with a set of Oxford Sports panniers.
Second caution: Panniers don't work on a Monster with a pillion because the rear indicators are right in the way. I have fitted one of those 'bug eye tea trays' in place of the stock items. Like I say, I just have to make the side rails and I'll give you verdict and post some pix.
All the best
Henry