Givi Stealth system offers less ugly pannier mounts
People who like to ride far no longer have to accept ugly pannier mounts, thanks to a new set-up from Givi.
For the longest time, motorcyclists have had to contend with an ‘either or’ situation when it comes to practicality: Either you want your bike to look cool, or you want it to be functional. Often you don’t get both.
Pannier rails, in particular, have a habit of spoiling a bike’s lines – adding an aesthetic that the bike’s designer clearly didn’t intend. Now Givi is offering a solution to this problem with its new Stealth solution – aimed at creating pannier rails that can easily be made to disappear.
“The new Stealth fixing system is an innovative solution for the attachment of soft side bags, developed to combine technology, practicality and design,” says Givi. “Made from fibreglass-reinforced technopolymer, it offers solidity and resistance over time, with minimal aesthetic impact on the motorcycle.”
The idea is that the pannier rail is retractable, pulling out of view when bags are not mounted. Givi says that the process of putting the pannier rails into place is “quick and intuitive.”
“Simply press the release button and lower the support bracket,” it says. “Bags are attached with a click, immediately holding them securely in place.”
Notice, of course, that the system is aimed at soft luggage. If you want more robust (and heavier) hard luggage, you’ll need to continue attaching scaffolding to your bike. That may or may not be a deal breaker for you. Personally, I’ve kind of gone off hard luggage in recent years – it’s just extra weight to balance.
Givi says it is developing Stealth mounts for a number of popular motorcycle models, including the Kawasaki Z900, Yamaha MT-07 and Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450.
For more motorcycle and gear news, stick with Visordown.
Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
