SADDLEBAGS
Nothing all that modified here, as the side saddlebags come standard
with the bike. If you were European, you'd call them "panniers."
They are quite roomy, each holding about 35 liters,
and a full-face will fit comfortably into each one. Amazingly,
they actually add to the bike's styling. Said another way,
the bike looks better with them on than off. They are quite easy to
remove and reinstall and seem relatively durable. If I had one complaint
about them it would be the lack of some kind of slow-opening device.
Unless you hold the cover with your other hand, when you lift the latch,
they will slam open a bit harder than I care for. There are straps to
prevent them from opening completely (and scratching them on the concrete),
but it's not a very smooth movement.
All in all, they are pretty good. I've never been a saddlebags kinda
guy, because the wheels are a cool part of the bike that I like to see.
On a touring bike though, they are pretty much required, and I think
they look great on the ST.
Below you can see the inner liners that fit into the saddlebags.
Honda makes specific bags, but they run over $100. I decided to get
the full-size Bestem bags from this company.
The full-size ones are made of good quality nylon and fit better in the
saddlebag shells than the normal ones, without wasting any space. They are
extremely useful in that you can empty the entire saddlebag by simply
removing the liner and taking it with you like a duffle bag.