Long Motorcycle Trip - Hard vs Soft Luggage - Which is better?
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- čas přidán 9. 01. 2017
- What to chose Hard or Soft luggage?
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I have one very interested topic to discuss. To have expensive hard pannier system or simple saddle bags? Forever battle between hard and soft luggage. Stay with me and I will tell you what I think . So, which one is better? Nice hard cases system or cheap saddle bags. I am so glad that you expect me to tell you the magic formula, but I will disappoint you and will tell you that it’s not exist. It is all depend of many circumstances:
Riding alone or with pylon?
How long the trip will be?
Road or Off road?
How much luggage you will have?
Where the bike will stay?
and many more…
As I said at the beginning I don’t have universal answer for you, but I will tell you what I think:
I prefer soft luggage. Saddle bags or big waterproof bag whatever suit better for the trip I planned. I am pretty sure now, some of you guys will disagree with my statement and will attack me with some very strong arguments, but that's me and who am I to tell you what to do?
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Soft Luggage:
Giant Loop: amzn.to/2j3UptX
Wolfman: amzn.to/2i9wdGV
Hard Cases :
Givi: amzn.to/2jelyrx
SW - Motech: amzn.to/2jqFA1q
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what about top cases? I'm leaning towards, hard top case, soft panniers combo?
Sensible opinions delivered in a humble manner as always.
Well.... There is a solution... Like Honda NT650V/NT700V Deauville or ST 1100/ST 1300 Pan European with build in hard cases located very low and fixed very close to rear wheel. All of mentioned models are running with Cardan Shaft so there is no need to adjust or lubricate chain and the time to remove rear wheel in order to change the tire is very quick as well. There is enough space to place soft bag on the top or use top box if someone preffer.
Locks keep honest people honest, the criminals dot not care about little locks. Good video as always.
best sentence of the year, locks keep honest people honest
Hi Pavlin, I agree with you.
I had the Hepco-Becker Gobi system on my 1150 GSA 2003 (Eisenschwein). Side cases weigh 12kg, topcase (very bad to ride in the wind, very bad gravity point, too high!!!) 6kg = 18kg without a drinking straw in it! Top cases in general are bad to ride and look disastrous, in the wilderness as well as in front of Italien ice cafés! Bike fell down in the pyrenaes on the at the camp ground. I needed Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield to get this sh... up. Bought now the SW Motech Dakar, I save weight 12kg of weight and was forced by myself to reduce trip gear (in the forelast trip I sent 8kg of gear back home by parcel servive). So i had 25kg less than before.
I looked at your video last year AFTER my Norway trip and changed immerdiately to soft luggage, and I'm very happy with. On the trip I saw hundreds of (BMW) riders with extremely expensive panniers by BMW, Touratech etc., but in the real wild I only saw KTM,Yamaha, Husqvarna and lighter bikes only with SOFT LUGGAGE!! My next bike will be 100kg less!! I look now for a 660XTZ or similiar. The BMW Adventure is simply tooooo heavy, and more and more I don.t like the kind of people with that typical attitude of perfection. They have stuff of 25.000€ but even can't do anything themselves in case of problems. My way is "back to the roots of traveling", and I like your way of looking to that.
There are many more excellent hints by your 'motorcycle adventures vids' to enjoy riding the bike, thanks for that, I love them. Kind regards, Henry
Thank you very much for the kind words Henry! I token the right decision to switch the luggage to soft. All the best!
I was planning for hard saddle bags...
But after watching this I changed my mind...
Lot of love...
IMB
I just have to say, that I just use hardcase. It saved me on time. The only crash I had was with hardcases. And because of them, the bike didn't crush my leg. The bike did just slide away.
But I understand how you mean it :)
I use dry bag when I travel without passenger, but when I take my wife or kid for trip I must use side cases. You always repeat "there's no perfect solutions" and I'm agree with it. Regards
I just subscribed! It the most honest and true description and opinion I’ve ever seen in the net. Congrats. Sincerely!
Vasco Pais Brandão. Amen 2 that.
Man, I truly appreciate your videos, thank you so much! And love your sense of humor as well! Congratulations on the channel!
Glad you enjoy it!
Thank you for sharing your opinion, these arguments are really matter. I'm a new in the motorcycle trips, and such videos are very helpful
40 or so years ago I did a lot of travelling with bmw hard plastic cases. I always locked then but not for external security but to help stop the cases coming unlocked when I travelled. I also used a large kawasaki kit bag and always used straps and not bungees. the bag took the bigger things that didnt weigh much, sleeping bags, tent and over suits etc. the hard cases had food and cooking stuff and not much else. a harro tank bag had the immediate things like washing things, clean underwear etc. oh and maps, mostly french or german but also from whatever country we were in.
I travelled a lot and never crashed while in europe, that took an 82yo woman blacking out at the wheel in northern UK.
I like your ideas and feel they are sincere and honest. Please keep up the good work
michael
one of the most humorous way of explaining things. loved it
Thanks, man!
Best storage IMO is having a mate in a van take all the stuff and ride empty.
Great video, and excellent in-depth info. Everything you said is 100% correct. I came to the exact same conclusions.
Thanks!
Thank you very much for watching the video. I am glad that you found the information useful. Ride safe!
Excellent advice delivered with well-timed humor and flavored with experience. So many brands of great gear from which to chose, what meets your budget and riding/travel plans. Giant Loop here in the USA is well-regarded, too.
Yes, I will agree with you about Giant Loop, expensive, but maybe the best choice. Thank you for watching!
very good topic!! i do agree that big hard cases can be a problem thats why i only chose small hard cases and i can rig an army kit bag ontop, on very bumpy terain big hard cases will always provide cracks and thortion problems ext ext good video thank you!!!
Well said! I have 2x dry bags mounted on pannier frames + another strapped across the top of the bike. Low cost, low profile, low weight, low stress.
I am planning on a long bike trip when I retire in 2020 and find your videos very informative. Having owned a couple bikes back in the 80's and not ridden since then I am at a total loss in decission making and everything you say is enlightening..thank you !
You are welcome anytime!
Agreed! One other point regarding the disadvantages of hard cases, riding through obstacles they catch upsetting your momentum and balance.
Absolutely, especially when you riding in the traffic, I forget about this. Thank you for watching and comment it!
I've watched guys I ride with bang on fuel islands, rocks and trees on trails.
Hi. Have used most of my day wacthing almost every video you have made. And one of the best channels i have seen. Learned alot. We are 2 friends planing to ride from Norway to New Zealand. Been planing for 2 years now. So seen alot of videos on tips on adventure riding etc. Yours is by far best one yet. Thanks for the tip on the soft luggage and web page to them.
ps: soft luggage can be fixed with ducktape very easy to..hard panniers cant..i think that is a big plus to. For me any way :)
Another great video. Your comment about the fridge made me laugh. I have both soft and hard luggage. I prefer hard luggage but it's personal preference and you have some really valid points. I think the messages to take away from your video is to not take so much crap with you on the trip in the first place and think about where you leave your bike. I've made the mistake of taking too much stuff in the past just because I can which turned into a burden.
Yes, correct, this was the main idea of the video. Take less and enjoy the ride!
Yes, my hard panniers did talk to me: "Gimmy more, I can carry a lot more of luggage.!" So I did. On the trip, I sent back 8 or 9 kg back home, I packed too much gear on the bike. I don't do that with soft luggage.
Absolutely agree!!! I have used both types and stayed with soft bags. Common Sense advice! Thanks
You are welcome anytime!
Good honest perspective.
Very informative, thanks a ton. I was planning to buy box panniers for my bike...now I have decided to go in for a pair of good quality saddle bags. Keep producing these lovely videos they do a world of good for novices like me 👍
I will, thanks for taking the time!
Yes, I did Austin, Texas to Cozumel, Mexico with my Yamaha R6, a tank bag, and 2 saddle soft bag. And I was carrying also my laptop inside one bag. I well balanced the weight, in case of rain the bags come with a rain-proof cover, and that's it. Pavel, you are right about soft bags.
Thanks!
Well explained. Cleared my doubts. Thank you very much.
You are welcome anytime!
I'm fine.Good sharing.Thanx
Dude! I've watched 3 of your videos so far and U DA MAN! Soft is the way to go BIG TIME.
Thanks, Matt!
I wish more people would watch this video. It would save them tons of money and a lot of headache. Thanks for the information and as always a great video
You are welcome anytime Robert!
This is my kinda fella, straight up, no bs.
Thanks Greg!
Excellent and time proven real advice. .... No substitute for gobs of real-world experience! Thank you for sharing. Barry M. Australia.
Thanks for taking time and watching it Barry!
so ture, smart thinking! (its about experience)
i've been watching some of your videos and you are 100% right about many topics, with my not so big experience of motorcycle travelling i can relate to many situations you describe ! No bullshit, only "fieldproof" tips and advises, thank you very much.
And by the way, once you customized your saddlebags to fit the bike (correct straps length, positions etc) it takes less than 10 sec to attach and remove
Have enjoyed your channel for a long time...and as I now start planning a ride to Alaska in the next couple of years, I truly appreciate your explanation and examples of soft vs hard cases. I was inclined to the Tusk hard cases due to the low price, but the soft cases and quick-release attachments lend themselves better to my needs, not to mention the ability to move them around on other bikes. Thanks for your continued advice! Stay well!
You are welcome anytime John! Good luck on your trip!
i use a soft bag. First because i like it and second because of the size of my bike. Hard cases would look ridiculus on my motorcycle. I got a 32liters and a mediun tank bag and i'm good to go !
Great review of both types of cases, your videos are really amazing to watch have learnt so much, thank you
You are welcome! Ride safe!
Always do and I agree mid-range light weight bikes are the best for adventures.......love my Tracer 700
Aaand you just convinced me to choose soft luggage for my cb500x. Thank you Pavlin, greetings from northern greece!
I'd love to ride with you in the Balkans.
Glad to help!
I have recently subscribed to your channel.....really liked your videos. For sure anyone can agree with you on weight....its matters a lot when you ride long enough. Keep it up !
Thank you very much for watching and subscribing to my channel! As I promise I will release a new video every week. Ride safe!
Brilliant thoughts and simple explenation! I owe You at least a beer - You just saved me a lot of money. Greetings from Poland!
Check the rest of the videos, I might earn for dinner!
I am checking for about 6 hours now :P And I think I should start negotiations with my wife :) Anyway, if You come visit Silesia - the dinner will be waiting (and a beer)!
Thanks man and my apologies to your wife!
my givi hard bags on my 650 versys are great - no problems - they hold a ton and since they are almost 6 years old they are well worth the price.
It all depends on the type of trip. For long road trips dismountable hard cases are much better for dismounting and taking them into the hotel.
Soft bags are the second best because they still can be removed but requires more work. Fixed bags are nice but not travel worthy.
Your first sentence: No! I had to carry all the panniers in the fourth floor of a hotel in St.Etienne! Elevator defect, even 2 years later. Additionell 2 soft bags, leather clothes, helmet... I had to go 3 times, hot summer. I was near to cardial center of hospital.
My soft luggage has back packing straps, put them on and carry the rest with two hands. No, panniers in no case are better, in NO case!!
To remove my saddle-bag Cortech, it does not takes long, from my R6. Just unlock the quick-clip, that's it.
Really good ,,!, thanks for video , good info .
Glad it was helpful!
As a non motor driver , i must say that i really like your'e vids. Gruss from NL Danke.
Bitte!
Здравейте, момчета! Благодаря за канала, днес се сдобих с Тенере 660 XTZ, 2009г.
I loved his last 2 sentences about his cons on hard cases :)
They are very true
Hey :) Ich werde kommenden Frühjahr meinen Schein machen und neue Orte kennen lernen. Deine Videos sibd Spitze und helfen mir da echt weiter! Wollte mich an dieser Stelle herzlich dafür bedanken! LG aus Niederösterreich
Good luck my friend!
I totally understand all of your negative points for the alloy cases. And maybe you are right. For myself i'm travelling with my old alloy cases since I started. I have no idea how many times i crashed my bike even on tarmac. (wintertime) Yes, they have lots of deep scratches but they still work as they should. Luckily i never hurt myself while knocking on the panniers. I think they helped me from getting injured. Anyway, everybody should choose his own system ....and to all of you : have a safe riding and enjoy your life.
A compelling argument for soft luggage and I have taken your advice.
Good decision.
Less is more for long trips :D Just the essentials of survival for the trip. Been doing backpacking and climbing for over 30 years and never had problems when i carry less on my back or on my bike.
Agree
great real life advice
Soft panniers are the go, I guess a lot depends on the bike, a big GS is ok with hard because they are a monster of a bike anyway.
But weight is the killer of the bike, smaller bike with smaller load has much more benefits than drawbacks.
Seen photos of some bikes with hard cases that have been dropped sitting on the side of the case with the rear wheel sitting a good 30cm off the ground so you have to lift the bike just to get it back onto the wheels meaning a dead lift, way to much effort required for that.
Give me soft over leg breakers any day.
One big draw back also with hard cases is they have mostly square corners and most things I put in my bags are round, so you lose a lot of space, bags can at least take round or square items easier.
Have to say if you need so much luggage, take the car.
Good vid 👍👍👍
I agree with everything you just said. Thank you for watching and comment it! Ride safe!
Hello from Seattle, New Sub! Safe Rides! Ducees !!! :)
Giant Loop coyote bag is the best for me, and I TOTALLY agree with you
Thanks!
You r a true rider..
Very usefull, thx!
Thank you for watching!
Nice video!
Thanks Hendrik!
I'll take the fridge. I can stick more stickers on it than hard cases, and I can mount the expresso machine on it too.
Ha, ha, ha , very true.
Makes perfect sense, your opinion. Thanks for yet another helping video.
For me the price alone for some terribly over expensive set of hard cases is reason enough. Bikes are for light travel IMHO.
Totally agree, and this really gets into the whole topic of how people define adventure riding. people with $30k BMW 1200s that have integrated seat massages and sat TV dishes mounted to their handlbars, describe adventure riding as "riding on a motorcycle". That's not adventure riding, that's just "riding." Adventure riding is "taking every dirt road you possibly can." and i've watched 100s of adv rider videos. the guys who are really hard core, ride off road, and do this all the time almost all carry soft. i had hard, didn't like - i was constantly hitting trees, etc and when you get into situations, they definitely get in the way due to consistent, unchanging size. if you're not really adventure riding and you're basically a pavement queen, then go get your $2500 touratech hard bags.
I have always Soft Luggage for tdm 900...and it's amazing!!
I have used Kreiga soft luggage for years and it's brilliant. If like me you ride 40/50 of the time off road then it's much better, why? Several reasons. It lighter, it fits closer to the bike and the the center of gravity of the whole mass. The contents are kept tighter and of course as you use the contents you can adjust the pannier to maintain this security, they are repairable on the trail, if you crash then they are a lot nicer to your legs, they keep the bike a lot narrower. and of course as said they are cheaper. I traveled with a guy that had ali panniers and by day three he had wrecked his cooker as it was bounced around. So would say there is a security problem with soft luggage but I have never had a problem while traveling. I guess if someone wants your gear ail or soft they are going to take it.
Just investing for my Yamaha super tenere (I know, heavy bike!) with Bumot rack and Xtremada soft pannier system with small black toolbox. I don't like hard cases either! Great advice cheers!
Enjoy your trips!
Excellent points, I agree with every word & would like to elaborate -
I prefer hard cases, ONLY on smooth surface trips because,
it is the best protection of contents, that is the only reason I can think of.
Soft cases on rough terrain -
No rattles or noises from contents shifting or banging.
This is a distraction I DON’T need.
My calves do not get caught under soft cases while paddling in soft or rutted terrain.
If I fall over, which I sometimes do, soft cases cushion the bikes fall & my legs.
Hard cases often bend, dent, or break something & yes sometimes it is YOU !
My saddle bags link together as one bag, off the bike & my top bag can also clip on, with my tank bag, I carry two bags into the hotel, 1 trip.
My hard cases, it is 2 trips into the hotel, I cannot carry all 3 at once with my tank bag.
I strongly prefer soft luggage.
but everyone has different needs.
Agree
Good comments on hard bags vs soft. I've always had hard bags on previous bikes (mostly because they were included), but not with this bike. I've been a bit concerned about getting bags, but have realised that I should be good with soft luggage. Dry bags are the best!
Good decision, don't forget - ride safe!
Good info thanks
Great stuff. Recently discovered that Varios look great on the road but turn out to have cream cheese mountings off-road. No matter how light the tumble they break, swiftly using up your supply of cable ties and gaffa tape. Next time it will be a couple of tastefully moody ex-1950's army canvas rucksacks, slung in a devil-may-care attitude across the the seat. They hold about as much, cost about £10, double up as, er, ruckacks and you don't care if you break 'em.
great video
Wonderful
Good!
Well said
Totally agreed with this.
Thanks!
Great advice that is simple a straight forward. You did forget one alternate use of hard cases: they can function as a rear bumper in traffic. (joking)
I broke my ankle on my luggage rack a few jears ago. I got stuck under my f800 after i dropt it in sand. had to dig my self out with the broken ankle an a twisted knee. took my about 20 min. after this i switched to soft luggage. I made them mysef and i don´t think i will ever switch back to hard luggage.
Cheers Luz
Luz Getting Lost , ya ,an I broke my ankle with no luggage . Have to think about luggage while riding an how your going to get out of the way if the bike goes down , have to try an minimize the risk, top boxes can really getcha.
Man, I'm now researching to buy panniers because of a trip I'm taking from the Netherlands to Denmark, and I thought to buy aluminium because Saddlebags might not be of good quality, but after seeing your video again I changed my mind, I am going for the Nelson Rigg dry Saddlebags. Thank a lot for being realistic to the way you present your ideas. Keep it up.
I am glad that the video helped you to take the right decision. Good luck on your trip!
Thank you. :)
I need to tell that I remembered your words on my last trip. I was hit from behind at low speed and the only thing broken was my topcase mounting. Luckily I packed just like you(it was in a little bag in the topcase) , and had a spare bungee cord. I left the topcase with the useless stuff from it behind, and I continued the trip. I thought you were right about everything except the topcase but I was wrong again. I just wanted to share this.
Well, I am sorry to hear that you had an accident! The idea of my channel is to help and I am glad that it works well. Good luck on the future trips Laszlo!
Well said ,I love soft luggage ,and I only carry about 3 days clothes and other supplies ( doesn't matter if I'm going for 3 weeks or 3 months or 3 years ) the lighter the better
Correct, lighter is better.
awesomeness...👍👍😁
People usually take way to much shit on a trip anyway. I have a lot of ultra-light gear for hiking, so that keeps the weight down. I also try to take as little as possible in my Kriega bags. Anything that can break goes in the top bag so it does not get crushed.
I do exactly the same. Thank you for watching!
I also backpack. My pack is 18lbs with all my gear. I use the same setup on my bike if not less. I used to be the "bring everything" you may need it guy. After many years and miles, you get smarter about things.
Nice videos thanks 🌹🌹
I like the kawasaki versys panniers they are well designed one key system for the ignition and the panniers and have a really cool mounting system which is integrated on the bike’s frame, of course I recognize that these are an exception.
Nice vids! Cheers
If you like it, just use it.
Sure I’ll :)
Many good arguments. Last year I did use Hepco-Becker side cases Gobi plus Tope-Case. Save+comfortable, but heavy. Empty weight is 15kg!!!! Took too much luggage, total weight 60kg or more. Bike fell down it a shitty situation, 3 men needed to pick up the bike in an upright position (1150GS Adventure). Sent home 12kg of luggage... 38€ postal service ;-(( Never again! On the other side, very good soft bag systems (Kriega, Mosko Moto, Touratech) are about 600-800€, too. I will look for others. Last but not least, you put in a very good video and gave pretty good arguments for thinking of. Thanx for it!! ;-))
I am sorry that you learn it the hard way Henry! That's why I did this channel, to help others to avoid our mistakes.
Yes, but it was the right way ;-))) I haven.t been like this (safety oriented) in younger age, and now I thought "you need this and that"... as one wrote here: "If you need so much gear, take the car". The hard way is the durable way, one has to learn fast, even in the age (63). Yesterday I ordered soft bags by Touratech, so I earn 12kg of weight!!! It were YOUR arguments on behalf "hard or soft" systems, and many others of your experiences are very worthful! I like your vids, your speech and your humor!! Thx for your effort to share with us. GREAT!!!
He he, I always use hard cases but you are right.
I put bin linear in my soft panniers kept everything dry even a downpour.
If you get a massive top box you won't need a tent! 😎
Hi ! good video !
I use my hand made aluminium cases , but I realy understand plus and minus of them. but in my case it is like crashbar :D and I can easier to pull my bike on the wheels. and sometime I use it like a central stand of my bike. . one of the bigest disadvantage of comercial hard cases is that they push center of gravity to back side and it is extremly dangerous if you ride offroad.
I will agree with you, in some situations the cases might help, but in some they are real danger. Ride safe!
Ok i agree with all, but: i am traveling most of the time with my tent and i am autonomous for the trip. ( i am buying food from supermarkets like people’s in the place). And i use my hard cases for seat and table.i can say that this is important for me, for my “confort”
My friend, look for guys with dark sunglasses from Touratech showing up at your door. LOL. In all seriousness, I have both because my bike came with Givi Outbacks. I rarely use them though. I use a tankbag for daily use and soft bags with the tank bag on short or long trips. Nobody has made a HARD tankbag because of all of the reasons you just listed. I'm sure you're going to get a storm of ZegaPro's chiming in. Nothing starts a fight more often in the ADV world faster than this subject...unless it's what tires or oil you should use.
Thank you for watching and for the advice!
Interesting opinions, thanks. Certainly food for thought and I agree with you about the weight and cost in particular. I still think better security is a valid benefit of hard luggage though. The locks may be basic, but they are harder to break into than soft luggage so they will deter the opportunist. Also, I can easily fit groceries in my top box whereas soft luggage would not support it.
Use whatever suit to you and your riding style. The video is just to show you the pros and cons of each one of the systems.
When it comes to practicality, I think most of us will live easier with hard luggge. Soft luggage requiers more work and adaptation, but I'm sure it can be done both ways. Especially if you have a passenger you need more stuff, and then being able to put the tent or something similar on your side case is not a minor plus. Eerything counts when you driving for days. For hard off road trips, which are out of my league, I believe it is as you explained it. Concerning the prices, as I've looked, there are no big differences. And 10 kilos extra weight, Yes, it means something, but is it that much if you are reasonable and trying to travel light!? As you've said, it depends on many circumstances, so I'm sure there are many trips on which the hard luggage would be a better solution.
Well, it is a personal choice. I prefer to travel as light as possible, but it doesn't mean that I am right. We all are different. Thanks for watching and commend it!
Your video made me think! I can see you know what are you talking about.
But comparing the prices I come to conclusion that I would spend the same amount of money and the difference in my case would be 7-8 kg of weight, which is not that bad.
Then again, when I travel alone, top box and one bag at the pillion seat is more than enough. Keeping things simple and as light as possible, that is the point, and you are 100% right about that.
I bought the moscomoto saddle bags n tank bag pricey but worth it im offroad almost always and believe they are safer in a fall. Needed super light weight
True. " The weight always matter.
Motorcycle Adventures went and looked at mine moscomoto reckless 40L if it dont fit in there i dont need it
I used hard, squre plastic boxes for 20 years now. Yes, they are practical and easy to pack, also waterproof. But as these are on a Yamaha XT 600 E, they were fine to me. Now I want to change to another bike, as I did not really get on well with the Yamaha (I do not like that the seat tends to get a tad wider towards your thigh, and the plastic cover is even a bit wider - always created a bit of discomfort, and now it is enough). So I looked at something comparable in power, but also shorter height-wise. And I found the Benelli Leoncino. Not as offroad-capable, but I do not care about this. As she has a really nice back, I do not want a tube construction permanently attached to her. So I think I will look for panniers. I have found a pair which is lockable (I know you can easily cut through the material, but still). They seem to look reasonable on the bike. Now this may not matter to you, but if you choose such an Italian beauty, you want her to look good.
Italian bikes never been in my list.
The issue about security are not the professionals thieves. It's about street kids. Which are the majority of thieves. And hard cases are less inviting for them.
Oh no! I am one of those who thinks stickers are fun to have on cases. I don't like the square metal cases though.
Well, we are ll different! Thank you for watching!
I went with hard cases because most of my off-road riding is simple Forest roads. Sometimes they get a little choppy but if I'm falling down I'm probably doing less than 15 mph. I find that they are also better to commute with. I can lock up all my gear in my boxes when I get to work and I don't have to bring it all with me in the truck every day.
Whatever works for you.
Nice vlog
Hard luggage is not always expensive, and good quality soft luggage is not cheap. To achieve the same volume capacity and quality, by the time you add a rack to protect the bike from the luggage and vice versa, the cost is almost the same between soft and hard. Great job with most of your videos - thank you.
True, nowadays there are many expensive brands but it is also true that with soft luggage you can start with just 50$, which is not possible with hard panniers.
A duffle bag and some cam-lock straps? You can start with it, but would you want to? ;-)
you`re absolutely right - 04:46 = did they move or travel ?
I´ve never used hard cases or soft panniers on my bikes - I´ve used ORTLIEB`s waterproofed Dry-Bags (PS490 www.ortlieb.com/en/Dry%20Bag%20PS490/ ) or Rack-Packs (www.ortlieb.com/en/Rack-Pack/) with a roll-down closure with stiffener bar, they were very good indead - dry bags mainly used for canoeing are very recommendable, every good trekking shop offers them for any prices or sizes, but they need to be robust - but also important: don`t use cheap lashing straps with plastic cam buckles - get the heavy duty ones with sharp metal cam buckles for a better grip instead to fix your luggage
Good examples., but my two main gripes with both systems not mentoned. Soft luggage moves around and flaps about it opns and rips. It also touches the exhaust and melts and goes on fire. Hard luggage is a real nusience to store, 3 45 litre cases take up a lot of space in the garage, bloody in the way all the time
1
I don't do hardcore off roads "adventure rides" because my bike is not suited for that, I just travel (on roads) and maybe some light off road to some camping ground. Since I ride solo, soft bags will be a nightmare to have. It means that in any moment when I'm in the gas station to pay and take a piss I have to worry about someone just walking to my bike, open my soft bags and just take whatever they want.
If I want to eat something at a restaurant, then any thief has all the time in the world to take everything I have in the soft bags.
I also have a disk lock and a gps tracker, so if someone tries to brake the hardbags, I will hear them.
This argument about hard bags not being safe is like saying that a lock on a bicycle is of no need since a thief could just open it in an instant with a pick. Many thieves are opportunists, when they see something easy to take, they will take it.
Caribou luggage was the best value for hard cases. Not metal but Pelican cases which are without much question the best hard case you can buy. Also not as heavy. My pros of the pelican hard cases is, Easier to take off of bike than soft
Locks, on case and on bike
Easier to get your stuff
More secure for stuff like cameras with foam inserted
Protects the bike in tip over or high speed slide, several stories of pelican cases sliding for a long ways and being perfectly fine
This full set up was actually cheaper than many soft luggage setups
All in all it is preference.
I will agree with you. Ride safe!
Although I have the BMW aluminium boxes, I rarely use them. For a 4 weeks trip, a 20 liter roll bag will do. But the main reason is saving money. The bike uses more petrol!
True, 0.5 l per 100km with hard cases.