Friday, lovely sunny day, headed off for the weekend with some mates. DL1000 08 stock panniers only half filled. Offside pannier springs open without warning and my clothes fly in all directions, my toilet bag with 80gig I-pod safely stored within dissapears under the wheels of a lorry to be flattened beyond recognition!!
I knew the stock panniers where a bit naff but, having used them in Europe the last couple of years I thought they would at least stay closed. Kind policeman who happened to be passing in his four wheel helped me retrieve the intact stuff and didn't bollock me for riding up and down the A68 without my helmet so many thanks to him.
Luckily one of the riders behind me managed to dodge my underpants and socks etc. My sleeping bag, which resembles a bouncing bomb when stored, was in the nearside pannier so that was lucky.
The panniers were definately locked shut (I had already done 20m) and they were only half full so it wasn't a case of over-filling. Anyway it gave us a laugh for the weekend and I had to endure the compulsory piss taking. It could have been a lot worse than it turned out.
I was already looking at other boxes so I guess I'll move a bit quicker on that front.
Anyone else had self opening panniers?