ANDY STRAPZ 4 POCKET EXPEDITION PANNIERZ

If there's one thing we've never really liked about Andy Strapz Expedition Panniers, it's the lack of pockets. They had two pockets (or pocketz, as they call them over there), one on each side, and when you make a list of the things that you need to get at quickly while motorcycle touring, the list tends to exceed the capacity of a mere two pockets.

We don't know how they found out about this. Here at BIKE ME! we'd always been too polite to tell them, and we can only surmise that they became aware of it through their own special brand of osmotic (or ozmotic, as they call it over there) telepathy. Or some large hairy biker was packing for a trip, ran out of pockets somewhere after the cigarettes, hip flask, condoms, spare clip, jerky, moustache cup and martini olives; and got on the blower to them at three o'clock in the morning and put a rocket up them.

Whatever. Andy himself has recently decreed that the Expedition Pannierz shall have four pockets, and now that is the way they come.

Regard them.

The 4 Pocket Expedition Pannierz

One handed circle work on the panniered Tiger. Just like Al's old DR

Monster wheelies on the panniered Tiger

The delivery rider brings another load of Bohemia crystal to Andy's place

We asked Andy if they still fitted behind the pillion's calves like the old ones did. He said no, they don't, but most bike riders these days are over forty, and how many forty years olds did we know whose wives speak to them civilly, let alone go for a ride with them?

We asked Andy if perhaps he was aware that luggage of this sort can have detrimental effects on motorcycle stability. Al spoke in hushed tones of how his old DR750 would handle at 140km/h with soft panniers on, and started to get a twitch in his right eye.

"It's tested", said Andy. He showed us pictures of a guy on a Triumph Tiger with 4 Pocket Expedition Pannierz on doing one handed circle work. "Well, yeah", said Al. "Of course if does one handed circle work. My old DR750 used to do that. What's it like at speed?"

So Andy showed us pictures of the same guy doing monster wheelies on his Triumph Tiger with 4 Pocket Expedition Pannierz. "It doesn't even need two wheels", he said. "Well, yeah", said Al. "Of course if does monster wheelies. My old DR750 used to do that. What's it like at speed?"

So Andy showed us pictures of the same guy doing monster stoppies on his Triumph Tiger with 4 Pocket Expedition Pannierz. Al was silent for a while. Thank God.

We asked how much they were. Andy said they were $370.00.

We said that sounded kind of expensive. Andy said it was only $92.50 per pocket, and he defied anyone to provide more pockets per dollar.

We asked if they came in fluoro. Andy said no.

Al said he knew someone who still had a DR750 that he could maybe borrow, and asked if he could have a free pair to test at high speed. Andy said no.

We said well, that kind of wraps that up, and we may as well knock off early and head up to the pub, and which way is it? Andy said it was just around the corner and along a bit.

Al said he had had heaps of stories about his old DR750 and maybe Andy would like to come with us and Al would tell them to him, and Andy said gosh, is that the time, he'd love to but he just remembered an urgent appointment.

So we went to the pub and wrote everything up on a few beer coasters while we still remembered it, except where to get them. Bike shops, we guess. And you could try his web site.

We bet he's in Google.