When you figure out panniers/luggage is actually awesome

[KenC]

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Never had a bike with any storage or luggage, and was planning and overnight'er this summer, so I bought some used soft luggage on Kijji, frig, I should have done it long ago.
I've always had to plan rides with the condition of never being able to pick anything up and when it's last minute when your out, you're like, damn, where am I suppose to put this stuff ?

Now I plan rides to pickup stuff

 

[J_F]

I never ride with the panniers off
anything that makes me more visible is good

and you never know what you might pick up while out
yeah, it quite often comes in one of those paper bags

 

[mimico_polak]

I had the Givi E-21 on my CBR250 and 500 and it was life changing. They're just so damn functional. Sold the bikes, racks, and I still have the luggage here at home.

Whatever bike I buy next I'll make sure that there is a luggage rack suitable for the E21s on it. Always had rain gear / extra gloves / lunch / water / beer / whatever in there. Made life so much easier.

 

[kurtrules]

I had a set of soft luggage saddle bags. My rule was saddle bags for any ride 3 days and beyond. A ride shorter than 3 days, I stuck to a tank bag. Many friends riding Enfields would get iron panniers installed on which you could tie stuff enough for a month long trip!

 

[sburns]

I've bought groceries while out on the bike, I guess this isn't the norm....

 

[Gary]

It's so much easier to get that dozen cobs of corn home from the roadside stand with them.

 

[Lightcycle]

I've bought groceries while out on the bike, I guess this isn't the norm....

Totally normal...

When your motorcycle is your only transportation!

 

[KenC]

I've bought groceries while out on the bike, I guess this isn't the norm....

already did that, it is the norm, now...

 

[J_F]

I've bought groceries while out on the bike, I guess this isn't the norm....

sure it is

I've never been one of those $300 kart full people
would rather go every few days and get what's needed
bike works fine for that!

 

[jc100]

My hard bags are my crash bungs.

 

[Wingboy]

If i got a set of DP panniers for my Multistrada would it be less fugly?

 

[Morrissey]

I put a set of Givi E41's and a V46 top box on my Bandit back in 2010 and it's hard to imagine life without luggage. I've had a Honda ST1300 for a few years now and the first thing I did was cannibalize the top box off the Bandit before I sold it and mount in on my ST! Most of the time they are pretty empty but it is nice having my clear visor, spare gloves, rain suit, sunscreen, and a rag and visor cleaner ready at hand!

That said, I never seem to find the time to fill them up to take a trip and they seem to be taunting me more than making me happy the last few years. If Kawi changes the colours on the W800 to the classy Green/silver for 2021 instead of the current red I may find out what it's like to have ZERO luggage again! It'll be like when I first started riding, if it doesn't fit in my jacket it doesn't come with me!

 

[ReSTored]

Like any storage........... once you have saddle bags and a top box you grow used to using them. I have heated gear, tire repair stuff, all sorts of odds 'n ends that are now vital to my day-to-day riding. At least I'm not pulling a trailer............

 

[regder]

Just wait until you discover how much better and more practical hard luggage is. A sizeable top case may look goofy but adds unimaginable practicality to a bike.

 

[Lightcycle]

Just wait until you discover how much better and more practical hard luggage is. A sizeable top case may look goofy but adds unimaginable practicality to a bike.

The flip-side is that it also presents a bad temptation to overload it. That much weight, that high and that far behind the rear axle could lever the front wheel, making it lighter and adversely affecting handling.

Don't ask me how I know.

Sometimes it's better to opt for a smaller topcase and remove the temptation entirely. On our trip, I had to make a deliberate effort to leave the 52L topcase half-empty and only load it up during short grocery runs, or to stash our gear and valuables when we parked the bikes and went hiking/sightseeing.

 

[jc100]

The flip-side is that it also presents a bad temptation to overload it. That much weight, that high and that far behind the rear axle could lever the front wheel, making it lighter and adversely affecting handling.

Don't ask me how I know.

Sometimes it's better to opt for a smaller topcase and remove the temptation entirely. On our trip, I had to make a deliberate effort to leave the 52L topcase half-empty and only load it up during short grocery runs, or to stash our gear and valuables when we parked the bikes and went hiking/sightseeing.

you're giving away my wheelie secrets

 

[J_F]

just can't do the topcase hanging out the back like that
if the panniers won't hold enough for a trip
I use a waterproof duffle across the pillion seat/top of the panniers

 

[regder]

The flip-side is that it also presents a bad temptation to overload it. That much weight, that high and that far behind the rear axle could lever the front wheel, making it lighter and adversely affecting handling.

Don't ask me how I know.

Sometimes it's better to opt for a smaller topcase and remove the temptation entirely. On our trip, I had to make a deliberate effort to leave the 52L topcase half-empty and only load it up during short grocery runs, or to stash our gear and valuables when we parked the bikes and went hiking/sightseeing.

This is true, flip side is it makes wheelies more better. Daily setup is just the top case, panniers are thrown on when travelling. I like my top case for carrying large and light items like a gym bag, laptop bag, spare shoes, etc. When travelling it is used for stuff I want easy access to like heated gear, water, snacks, laptop, etc.

just can't do the topcase hanging out the back like that
if the panniers won't hold enough for a trip
I use a waterproof duffle across the pillion seat/top of the panniers

Best part about a topcase is you don't see it when riding.


My travel setup is panniers, one for clothes, other for tools and random stuff. 30L dry bag strapped to the top of each for camping stuff. Small cooler on pillion for food/adult beverages. Top case as described above.

May be a bit overboard.

 

[MacDoc]

These days a top case is the only place to eat at a "table" heading to Pickle Lake.

This guy made a fresh pot of coffee while we were waiting for the ferry in BC.

 

[PrivatePilot]

More storage was the biggest reason I upgraded to a full dresser this year. I got tired of travelling with basically 1/2 of 1 saddlebag for stuff - on my old ride 1 Saddlebag always held all my rain gear and it was 95% full. Half of the other one was stuff that went everywhere on the bike, leaving a half a saddlebag for other stuff. The rest of my luggage...on the cargo rack out in the open. That was fine until it started raining, and then it was the garbage bag and cargo net routine. It sucked.

Now, with 2 hard bags that are about 50% bigger than the soft bags on my old bike, plus a top box, it's a dream. Last big trip I did I had one small bag strapped to the passenger seat, was able to bring all kinds of extra stuff (my drone, cameras, thermacell for the bugs, etc etc), and if I'd really wanted to (or it started raining) I could have even fit that bag in the top box.

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