In an effort to find some adventure touring cases, which were functional and looked good, I was able to find a US made case that's both attractive, durable and has an ingenious mounting system that's nearly invisible once the cases are removed. Here's my review of these cases:
Currently, Micatech is offering cases and mounts for the 1100GS, 1150GS and 1200GS. More models will be offered in the future. Should you upgrade bikes, cases for the 11xx will also fit the 1200GS, you'll just need to get new mounts for the 12GS.
When I purchased my BMW R1200GS, I wanted to buy strong, stylish, solid cases that were easy to mount and remove, yet are water tight and dust free. Once the cases were removed, I did not want to have a bunch of metal tracks all over the back end of the bike, which would detract from its overall lines.
The only cases available for the 1200GS that have an unobtrusive mounting system are the original BMW cases, however, these cases mount with four easily broken plastic hooks. Then, I learned about the unique Micatech mounting system. It's strong, yet elegant. Unlike other mounting systems, your mounts have the advantage of being made of aluminum and stainless steel and will never rust, plus I'm hard pressed to even see the mounts once the cases are removed from the motorbike.
The mounting system is very unobtrusive
I have now covered 8000 miles and the bags were exposed to rain, hail, torrential downpours, and the worst roads I've ever ridden on this GS. I've even climbed Pike's Peak in Colorado. The ride up the mountain is covered in loose dirt, gravel, powdery reddish sand, washboard surfaces and erosion fissures that shook my teeth loose.
The bags survived the Pike's Peak paint can shaker test. The mounts did not come loose and the no dust entered the bags. I can tell you I was covered in red dust, and so was the bike, but not the contents of the bags. During my travels, I have also managed to have a couple of get off with the bags attached to the bike. The worst one was a slow speed (about 20 mph) get off where the bike and I fell on the right side and slid for a short distance.
The engine guards protected the valve covers and the Micatech case protected the rear end of the bike, especially shielding the drive shaft from scrapes and scratches. A quick inspection revealed cosmetic scratches to the case, but no dents of any kind. Furthermore, the mounting system survived intact and the case slid on and off its bullet connectors as it always has. Phew!!
Here's what I like about the Micatech Pilot Cases:
- Water / weather resistance: No issues at all. I rode in rain so thick, I could not see the road in front of me, I could not pull over as we were on a mountain pass and there was no place to pull over.. Torrential downpour.. and then we got marble sized hail.. very painful to the upper body and no dents to the cases.. and no water penetration.. I rode through light rain, heavy rain and torrential rain.. no problems, everything remained dry.
- Locks: The locks work well and are easy to use.
- Doors: I had the passenger area loaded with a large dry bag which
contained all my camping gear. The dry bag sat across the passenger deck,
and on top of the two Micatech cases. I hadn't thought of this feature when
I bought the cases, but with the back of the bike fully loaded, I was still
able to open the case doors and access what I needed without having to
unstrap everything, which I would have had to do if I had purchased top
loading cases. I was also able to keep the door unlocked at the campground
and they did not fall down open, (with the bike on the center stand). I like
the fact that the doors are hinged two thirds of the way down, so when you
open them, nothing falls out.
Update: the production bags will now feature a latch and lock system, as per the photo at the bottom of this page. The new locks allow you to leave the cases either locked or unlocked. If left in the unlocked position, the case door closes securely and does not require the key to open or close. When locking, you first turn the handle, which engages the latch with the frame of the bag; then you fold the handle into the slot, which applies sealing pressure to the gasket and moves the handle completely out of the way, so it is flush with the surface of the lid. You can then either insert the key and lock the handle in place, or leave it as is and ride off into the sunset.
- Mounting system security: The mounting system is simple, elegant and yet very functional. Sliding the bags on and off is an easy task. The cross brace is very easy to fit. The tightening / securing knob lock the cases to the mounting frame in seconds. On a few occasions, I was able to remove the cases from the bike, while they were still fully loaded, by simply reaching in and loosening the 3 knobs. I found using the 3 smaller interior case liners - rather than one large interior case liner - an easier and more efficient way to pack.
- Clearances: Riding at maximum lean angles, with the bike fully loaded, I was never running the risk of scraping them on the road while leaned over. I also like the fact that the cases are nearly as wide as the handlebars, so maneuvering in gas stations and parking lots, I did not need to worry about being mindful of any added width. If the path was wide enough for the handlebars, then it was wide enough for the cases. I had no problems lane splitting either.
- Riding with the cases and passenger did not compromise passenger leg room. My passenger commented on how she liked the 2 additional forward handles on the cases which gave her another place to hold on to while riding.
- No relocation of turn signals on 12GS, or relocation of the exhaust cannister.
- I tried long and hard to find something you could improve on the cases. The only issue that I am ambivalent about is the restricted access to the seat lock. To unlock the seat, the left case needs to be removed. If you store your tool kit in the case, you don't need to remove the seat. To me, this is not an issue. I would also like to see a matching top case, so I can upgrade from my plastic top case.
New locking system
Copyright © 2005, by Rick Saba & H. Marc Lewis. All rights reserved.