I haven't weighed my pannier contents, but I'd be amazed if they're under 11 pounds very often (any more than the top-box stays under 22 pounds!). I have had a few latch issues, but you can get those without carrying much of anything. I'm paying more attention to how I close the lids.
My previous bike was a Kawasaki Concours (the classic C-10 Connie) and they had a similar limit. I consistently overloaded those panniers and appreciated their simple and robust latches. The big problem with the Connie bags was that the "antler," the bracket that they attached to, was made out of a very non-ductile aluminum casting that broke easily and regularly with any kind of impact from drops or deer strikes. DAMHIK.
My previous bike was a Kawasaki Concours (the classic C-10 Connie) and they had a similar limit. I consistently overloaded those panniers and appreciated their simple and robust latches. The big problem with the Connie bags was that the "antler," the bracket that they attached to, was made out of a very non-ductile aluminum casting that broke easily and regularly with any kind of impact from drops or deer strikes. DAMHIK.