Wanting more storage than just the area under the seat, and really not liking the look of a tailbox, I bought these Givi saddlebags. This fit the SW very nicely, give a good amount of storage, and look really good on the SW. Workmanship is excellent and getting them on and off the bike is totally no-hassle. I think this is a very reasonable solution for storage needs for the SW, and at only $140 it was far cheaper than other suggestions I found on this and other SW forums.

What retailer did you buy them from?

Hey Bigbird, I've got a set of Givi saddlebags that are only mounted once in brand new condition if your interested. PM me. Pictures in the album section.

Do have in mind (if you didn't already know) that Givi bags are barely shower-proof and definitely not waterproof!

I always pack everything in plastic bags inside the saddlebags to save having to put on the covers if there's likelihood of light rain.

This weekend's rideout finished with torrential rain. Afterwards, when I opened my Givi holdall (which I have on the back seat) there was water inside, not just dampness.

Any news on the bags, Vito?
Do they stay clear of the exhaust?

I just got the T427's. I'm very happy with them. They fit under the seat. There is one center strap that joins the 2 bags under the seat with a clip. The strap folds inside the clip like a shoulder strap. There are also 2 outboard velcro straps. So altogether there are 3 wide straps to hold the bags to each other. I didn't need the bungees. The bags are very stable.

Thanks for the heads-up, bigbird.
I was concerned about the clearance between right-hand bag bottom and exhaust.
I shall order a pair as soon as I've got my new bank cards - some b*st*rd nicked my wallet this evening while I was in church.

You guys seem to be happy with your T427 bags. Could you tell me please if they get in the way of your pillion passengers.
Thanks

In addition to that, will someone who's got a set please measure them and post the width in inches, i.e. by how much each bag increases the width of the bike.
Every site I look at seems to show different dimensions and I'm confused.

Thanks, Bill.
I guess that's the definitive site - one of the sites I looked at reckoned 10" wide.

And thank you, too, bigbird; overall width is useful to know.

I have a set of River Road bags I picked up (used) with rain covers, the only problem was the straps weren't long enough so I made an extension from a 3"X8" strip of leather and punched holes to match the original ones laced it to proper length. Works great, the better half has no problem mounting or riding. After a ride to Galveston I noticed faint scratches underneath, either caused by salt spray or sand probably a mixture of both. When I use them again I will use rubber glue to place a soft liner to the back of the bags in hopes that will cure the problem.
Craig