Motorcycle Luggage - But Which Luggage

We probably all know the rules for riding with luggage, pack light and low, check your bags every fuel stop, pack your wet-weather gear at the top!, garbage bags make perfect waterproof inner liners, and don't carry your wallet in a magnetic fuel-tank-bag, the magnets can disable the magnetic strip on your bank and credit cards. No good finding that out when you're trying to for fuel at 3,000km from home. But what do we actual know about the different luggage options for out motorcycles? We have looked into this problem and will try to explain the different luggage options for motorcycles.

Hard Panniers

Factory-fitted hard panniers are the best option for carrying gear because they will have been designed specifically for the motorcycle they're fitted to. This will make the attachment secure and should also offer locks keyed to the ignition key. They ease of use that comes with a single key for all the locks on the motorcycle cannot be overstated.

Panniers are also mounted fairly low on the motorcycle and between the wheels, which helps with handling, but it is still a good idea to match the load weight in each bag and to pack the heavy stuff in the pannier and at the bottom. The optional inner bags are a good idea, both in terms of ease of packing and, more importantly, for ease of unpacking once you get where you're going.

Soft Panniers

Soft panniers are almost as good as hard for carrying stuff and they have an added advantage in that they're not permanent fixtures. On the downside, attaching them is harder and you need to keep a watchful eye on them in case they shift position. We find a piece of high-density foam, or one of those proprietary anti-slip pillion pads, will help keep the bags in place, as well as protecting your motorcycle's paintwork from scuffing by the straps.

Keeping the weight of each bag equal is crucial. If one side is significantly heavier, it will shift and potentially come to rest on an exhaust pipe. Almost every tourer who has used soft bags will have lost one, or both, or cooked the bottom at some stage. That's why we recommend carrying your tinned soup or pasta at the bottom of your soft panniers. At least you've got a meal ready when you stop.

Topboxes

Increasingly popular with riders who want some extra storage but who don't want to compromise their motorcycles' ability in traffic, topboxes make a lot of sense. They work very well in conjunction with panniers because you can keep the heavier things or stuff you need less frequently in the panniers and keep the topbox for light objects, stuff you need at every fuel stop, or even empty to take your helmet when you want to go for a bit of a walk.

Pack too much heavy stuff into them though, and you'll notice the front end feels vague. Do it too often and you'll run the risk of cracking the frame or topbox mount.

Seatbags

The rise and rise in popularity of sportsbikes has led to some innovative gear-carrying solutions – apart from the ubiquitous backpack. Seatbags or tailbag are similar to the traditional tankbag, but are designed to strap to the rear seat, often using the seatpad itself as an attachment, by running straps beneath it before it's reattached to the motorcycle.

Seatbags are very versatile, being suited to use with a rack if you're riding two-up, on the pillion seat if you're not and, at a pinch, as a tankbag. They generally have handles or straps that allow you to use them as a makeshift backpack as well.

Tankbags

Tankbags are an excellent way of carrying stuff with the least impact on handling. Despite the fact that the weight is carried relatively high, the central positioning makes up for this and, in any case, you are limited in what you can carry in a tankbag by the physical size. You still need to be able to see over it and to use the controls without hindrance.

There are three basic types of tankbag: Strap-on, magnetic and those that come complete with a fuel-tank cover. Each has its pros and cons. Strap-on bags may be difficult to remove quickly, but are held securely and are unlikely to move around. Magnetic bags attach and detach in an instant, but can slide around over bumps, especially if the load is heavy. Thankbags that come with a fuel-tank cover are very secure and the bag itself is easy to get on and off, but the tank cover tends to be tailored for one particular model and so is not readily transferable between motorcycles.

One thing all tankbags have in common is the potential to damage expensively painted tanks. The integrated bag and cover is the best for protecting paintwork, but makes sure there is no grit caught between tank and cover when you fit it up. Straps can chafe paint, so use duct tape or cloth beneath the points of contact. Magnetic bags are perhaps the most likely to scuff paint, partly because there is more scope for movement when you're riding, metallic particles from brake dust, which then can act like sand paper. Just keep an eye on the magnets and clean them off every now and then.

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