Long motorcycle rides or touring requires a rider to get the best motorbike luggage system for their bikes. There are many options to consider including hard luggage and soft luggage storage.
Hard Luggage Motorbike Systems
Hard luggage options include side boxes and top boxes.
The benefits of a hard case system are that they are more secure and lockable, also they tend to be a larger capacity for holding more items on your bike.
The disadvantages of hard luggage are they are generally more expensive than soft luggage, they also tend to be larger and can make the bike much wider which can cause problems navigating traffic especially in a city environment.
Hard luggage is generally fixed to the motorbike with brackets which means they cannot be removed easily when you reach your destination unless they have a quick-release system that can be found on high-end hard cases.
Examples of Hard Luggage
Soft Luggage Motorbike Systems
Soft luggage systems for a motorbike in many cases can be a more practical solution for long journeys, the advantage of a soft luggage option is they can be removed and placed back onto the motorbike quickly and easily.
Many bikers prefer soft luggage options as they are more versatile and usually cost less than their harder counterparts.
Soft cases can be mounted to a motorcycle in more positions than hard cases, such as tail bags that fit onto the rear rack instead of a top box, tank bags that fit a motorcycle fuel tank using straps or a magnetic mount on metal tanks, soft side panniers that can either mount over the seat of the bike or be attached to rack extensions alongside the rear wheel of a motorbike.
The disadvantage of soft motorbike luggage is that they are not as secure as hard luggage boxes and can cause issues if parking and leaving your bike.
Examples of Soft Motorbike Luggage
Combining Hard and Soft Motorbike Luggage Systems
Using combination motorbike luggage options on a bike is the solution most bikers opt for, many motorcycle riders will use a hard shell top box fitted to the rear rack combined with soft panniers, tank bag, or backpack.
Combining the options of storage on a motorbike is in my opinion a personal choice, the type of motorbike can also dictate which would be the best motorbike luggage system due to mounting positions and bike styling.
Many bikes will have luggage carrying options straight from the factory such as the Honda Goldwing, or some BMW motorcycles, they are usually colour coded to match the paintwork of the motorcycle.
Motorbike Luggage Weight Distribution
When adding motorbike luggage systems it is essential that weight distribution is considered.
Maintaining balance on a motorcycle is important so fitting a single side box or pannier to one side of the bike only is not recommended.
When loading your kit for travelling on a motorbike, try to keep an even weight balance by loading each side of the bike with a similar weight, this will make the riding experience more comfortable and much safer especially when cornering.
Motorcycle riders have to carry a lot of stuff with them. They need to bring their helmet, clothes, tools, and more. This can make it hard for the rider to focus on the road while they are riding.
Most motorcycle riders don’t realize that packing all this gear in one big bag makes it difficult for them to keep their bike balanced.
If you want your ride to be safer, then get the Best Luggage system for your motorcycle requirements to ensure your motorcycle will always stay balanced and safe!
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Conclusion
Finding the best motorbike luggage system for traveling long distances is a personal choice, many riders use the combination of a hard top box, soft panniers, backpack, or tank bag to store away all their kit on the motorcycle.
Evenly distributing the weight of your kit keeping the motorcycle balanced will improve safety and make the motorbike easier to ride.
Some larger touring motorcycles have built-in storage compartments with colour-coded paintwork as part of the design of the motorbike.
We hope you found this article “Best Motorbike Luggage System for Long Motorcycle Rides” useful for your next journey carrying luggage on your motorbike.
