I won't be lane splitting...

[lorazepam]

Here are a few pics of my V7 stone pretty much set up they way I want. These pictures do not show the LED lights on the forks, see the cheap LED thread to see those. I really like this bike, I wish I could ride every day, it just calls to me.




I do have a straight on view withthe LED lights.

I won't be taking any cross country trips on it, but it should be more than adequate for long weekend trips, and heading to rallies.

[Lannis]

I rode a V7-II demo model at the National this past Friday.

As I was riding it, I was imagining equipping it just like you've done there.

And if I had, I wouldn't hesitate to take it coast-to-coast solo.   That's a really nice all-around motorcycle.

Lannis

[Arizona Wayne]

I've ridden our 750 Breva 2up all over the West, so what's your excuse?   No balls?  And yes, I've split lanes w/those bags too. 

[fotoguzzi]

That LOOKS perfect! those bags give it a real purposeful look. careful on how much weight you put in all that space.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Yep, it'll do the job.  Personally, I detest top boxes. I have visions of one taking me to the scene of a crash..

[Lannis]

That LOOKS perfect! those bags give it a real purposeful look. careful on how much weight you put in all that space.

That IS a lot of storage space, and a lot of it is "high" and "back", but if it's stuffed with the normal paraphernalia of travel and rallies, it'll just be clothes and tents and cooking gear and riding kit.

I wouldn't haul bags of salt for the water treatment system, nor sacks of fertilizer or things like that though, tempting as it may be ....   

Lannis

[Zinfan]

In the head on picture notice how your bags are narrower than your handlebars and mirror?  Lane splitting not a clearance issue.  Yours looks a lot like mine, I'll post a pic when I'm not on my phone.

[LowRyter]

Big Juniors 

[Zinfan]

I've lane split in L.A., San Diego and San Francisco with this setup, have yet to touch another car/truck.
It may be that your hard bags are a bit wider than my soft ones but not by much.

[lorazepam]

I can haul a weeks worth of groceries for me in the bike. I am a proponent of you can leave a hard case partially empty, but you cant make them bigger.
Top case is an Emgo, and it is just big enough to hold my 2xl Nolan helmet and my gloves, more if I stuff it in the helmet. It makes a great cooler, and for 79 bucks it is a lot cheaper than any of the "name brand" offerings.
I have considered adding an Emgo Viper fairing, but wonder if it would look out of place with the bags.

Edit:  Lane splitting in Ohio will almost guarantee you will be hitting a door someone opens in front of you.

[Arizona Wayne]

I've lane split in L.A., San Diego and San Francisco with this setup, have yet to touch another car/truck.
It may be that your hard bags are a bit wider than my soft ones but not by much.

In decades of lane splitting never once has anyone opened a door in front of me.  Your assumption doesn't happen.  And if it did the door opener would be guilty of trying to take you out and there'd be all kinds of witnesses.   

[toaster404]

Thanks for posting that. Will show to my partner when is awake again - maybe she'll get a V7!  Looks awesome.  I'm impressed.

[Zinfan]

I can haul a weeks worth of groceries for me in the bike. I am a proponent of you can leave a hard case partially empty, but you cant make them bigger.
Top case is an Emgo, and it is just big enough to hold my 2xl Nolan helmet and my gloves, more if I stuff it in the helmet. It makes a great cooler, and for 79 bucks it is a lot cheaper than any of the "name brand" offerings.
I have considered adding an Emgo Viper fairing, but wonder if it would look out of place with the bags.

Edit:  Lane splitting in Ohio will almost guarantee you will be hitting a door someone opens in front of you.

I'm not sure if you are talking about filtering (moving up the the head of the line at a stoplight) or lane splitting but I'm splitting lanes only on the freeways and only when traffic is moving less than 30 mph.  It is a common thing in California and many drivers will move over to give you more room if they see you coming.  At no point did I ever have someone open a door at me and I never felt that anyone would.  Now there have been times where drivers squeeze the gap down so you can't fit by but I just wait until the traffic moves slightly and move around then.  I did give a kid a high five once as I went past the car he was in while lane splitting, he saw me coming and was waving at me the whole time.

Your bike looks good to go to me.  I plan on taking my V7 on longer trips but I have taken a 2000 mile circuit of California last summer and just got back from a ride of over 1500 miles through Yosemite and Death Valley.

[cruzziguzzi]

Calvin got me paranoid about splitting and filtering.
Absolutely all my own fault but I ripped the right side bag of her getting by an Oldsmobile one day. Everything cleared (as would every other motorcycle that I own) until the right bag.

Hellatious strike that!

Now I treat the Calvin like a car in nearly all situations.

Still split on the skinnier rollers but the Calvin waits her turn.

Yep, it'll do the job.  Personally, I detest top boxes. I have visions of one taking me to the scene of a crash..

That's an interesting perspective that I have not entertained.
Had I a top case when I was clothes-lined by a chain or recently, rear-ended by a Mercedes... the respective outcomes would have been - well, the second one would likely ever have been a possibility.

I'm gonna chew on this a while now.

As far as the "opening doors" comment above: Once in LA, once in San Diego County and untold suspiciously timed drink or ashtray dumps.
Oh yeah Buckoes, it happens! When they're leaned into their sideview as they do it, it's hard to right-off as accident.


Todd.

[Arizona Wayne]

Calvin got me paranoid about splitting and filtering.
Absolutely all my own fault but I ripped the right side bag of her getting by an Oldsmobile one day. Everything cleared (as would every other motorcycle that I own) until the right bag.

Hellatious strike that!

Now I treat the Calvin like a car in nearly all situations.

Still split on the skinnier rollers but the Calvin waits her turn.


.

That's an interesting perspective that I have not entertained.
Had I a top case when I was clothes-lined by a chain or recently, rear-ended by a Mercedes... the respective outcomes would have been - well, the second one would likely ever have been a possibility.

I'm gonna chew on this a while now.

As far as the "opening doors" comment above: Once in LA, once in San Diego County and untold suspiciously timed drink or ashtray dumps.
Oh yeah Buckoes, it happens! When they're leaned into their sideview as they do it, it's hard to right-off as accident.


Todd.

Some bikes w/saddlebags are too wide to split lanes with and some times these HB 40L bags may be too wide, but every situation is different.  You need good depth perception.  Nowadays many drivers don't have it and don't even know it.

[krglorioso]

In decades of lane splitting never once has anyone opened a door in front of me.  Your assumption doesn't happen.  And if it did the door opener would be guilty of trying to take you out and there'd be all kinds of witnesses.   

Happened to me in the latter 1980s in Rohnert Park, CA.  I had Karen on back and still managed to stop in time.  Very angry, but undamaged. 

Ralph

[Vasco DG]

While I too don't like top-boxes/tail trunks they are a useful adjunct when touring heavily laden. When Jude and I were touring on the Cali 14 the box was vital. Even if we'd been on the Mana a box would of been necessary for such a long tour.

Personally that Stone looks just right for a long tour for me. Only thing I'd probably do is add a sump extension. Not because the post single TB models seem to use oil but simply because I'm a silly old worrywart.

My Mana is bagged up to the max and still handles acceptably fully laden, (OK, it's had about three grand poured into brakes and suspension work.) but we are still careful to make sure the *Light* stuff is in the box.

Pete

[Cam3512]

In the head on picture notice how your bags are narrower than your handlebars and mirror?  Lane splitting not a clearance issue.  Yours looks a lot like mine, I'll post a pic when I'm not on my phone.

Bars are closer than the bags in the photo.  No way the 40L bags are narrower.

Looks great!

[Lannis]

Personally that Stone looks just right for a long tour for me. Only thing I'd probably do is add a sump extension. Not because the post single TB models seem to use oil but simply because I'm a silly old worrywart.

Pete

Yeah, you don't want a perfectly capable motorcycle dissolving into a pile of molten slag because you didn't add an accessory ...         

Lannis

[Motogogo]

Nice Guzzi .... have a blast!

[Zinfan]

While I too don't like top-boxes/tail trunks they are a useful adjunct when touring heavily laden. When Jude and I were touring on the Cali 14 the box was vital. Even if we'd been on the Mana a box would of been necessary for such a long tour.

Personally that Stone looks just right for a long tour for me. Only thing I'd probably do is add a sump extension. Not because the post single TB models seem to use oil but simply because I'm a silly old worrywart.

My Mana is bagged up to the max and still handles acceptably fully laden, (OK, it's had about three grand poured into brakes and suspension work.) but we are still careful to make sure the *Light* stuff is in the box.

Pete

With my soft bag setup I use the top case as the quick access area for my stuff.  At the end of a long day I just grab the small pack out of the case, it has a change of clothes in it so I can get out of riding gear, shower, eat etc and then deal with the side bags.  Those HB hard bags would be much more convenient but also heavier.

Cannot tell if the OP's bike has it but my V7 has a sump extender, something I have to think about with my plans to ride Mexico and parts south.  Ground clearance over topes is the concern here.  Also looking for a sump guard to protect from stones and such on unimproved roads.

[lorazepam]

No sump extender. I figure that unless I lower the oil pump pickup, it will not do anything but add an extra quart of oil to my oil changes. I have a set of bags that fin inside each side case, and it is just a matter of opening them, pulling the bag out and taking it to my room when traveling.  Tops case gets stuff like rain gear, spare gloves, snacks, and other things I don't want to dig for. Tent is usually mounted across the seat next to the top case.

[Arizona Wayne]

I can't believe how many here are SURE you need a sump extender extender on a 750 Breva to travel long distances to have ease of mind!    WE have put in 500 mile days in triple digit days 2UP for thousands of miles w/our `04 750 Breva in deserts with NO issues doing it w/o and extender on DINO oil !!  I'm tired of hearing these false what if stories.  I did monitor the sump temp. each time in the hottest stopovers because of all these supposed concerns and compared the temps. to what the oil was capable of handling before it lost it's quality.  I do change the oil every 3K miles and the filter every 6K miles.  I do run 10W-40 oil in the winter and 20W-50 oil in the summer. And I still have the bike @ 42K miles and rarely have to adjust the valve clearances.  This summer I will be riding it to the Deep Forrest Campout in Wash. State if you want to see it.    I have run my Breva in 105F to 124F temps. It sometimes fairs better than me.  If it had a metal gas tank perhaps it would have vapor locked @ 124F.