Few things give you the sense of freedom as taking a motorcycle road trip. Some people pack light, needing only a backpack, while others may require a little more cargo room. This is where motorcycle luggage comes in. Obviously, if you’re riding with someone, you’re going to have to go with luggage rather than a backpack, not to mention a backpack can get really fatiguing after a few hours on the road. Many companies have their own specific types of luggage that can be attached to the motorcycle in just the right way, but there are also third party solutions that work just as well.
There are several options when it comes to motorcycle luggage, including bags, hard cases, and large multi-piece motorcycle luggage systems of either form. For easier mounting of either type, a motorcycle luggage rack is recommended.
Leather Motorcycle Luggage Bags
Leather motorcycle luggage bags are probably the most common, convenient and versatile way to pack your travel gear. These bags come in many arrangements from saddle bags, to stackable packs. Often you’ll find multi-piece sets that include the saddle bags as well as stackable bags, straps, and smaller bags that you can mount within arms reach to store items you may need to access on the road (like toll tickets, and cash for tolls, and license and registration for you speed demons). Leather is used because it is durable, as well as fashionable. These bags are also easier to carry around when you get to your destination, most of which are either duffle bag shaped (also called a motorcycle roll bag), or they can convert to a backpack.
Motorcycle Hard Luggage
A more permanent solution to storing your travel gear is hard case motorcycle luggage. These cases are made of either tough plastic, or metal, and often come with key and lock security. This is obviously the more secure option for traveling if you plan on leaving things with your motorcycle while you eat, visit rest stops, or sleep overnight. Some people prefer to have one hard case mounted to their motorcycle luggage racks for that secure storage, and then they incorporate a bag system around that.
Whatever type of motorcycle luggage you go with, you want to make sure your system is well-balanced and can carry everything you need. Not only does the system itself have to be balanced, but you have to pack it in such a way that neither side is overweighted as this may cause awkward handling.