Motorcycle Luggage: Pack Up Right and Enjoy the Ride!
If you own a motorcycle, chances are you love to ride off on those long stretches of road, away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city and enjoy the open air and wind in your hair. And coincidently, these roads often lead to some great camping spots where you can find some rest during long rides that can easily extend to days. So, it’s safe to say that motorcycling and camping, in the words of Forrest Gump, “go together like peas and carrots”.
And in order to have the best motorcycle/camping adventure, you need to get on the road fully prepared. This can be no easy task as packing for a long trip with your motorcycle is completely different than packing for a regular car trip. You will need to carefully pick out the most essential things and make sure that the luggage you bring won’t be too heavy and weigh your bike down. Obviously, after plenty of trips you’ll discover the things you really need on the trail and what is best left at home.
The packing checklist differs from person to person and can depend on the length of the trip, the terrain and the weather conditions. However, when it comes to luggage motorcycle all riders go out of their way to pick out something good. Of course, you can stuff your backpack full, but all that load on your back will drive you crazy by the end of the day. On the other hand, the right luggage solutions will conveniently hold all your gear on the bike and keep it dry and safe.
Now the range of luggage motorcycle enthusiasts can choose from is vast, so you might get a bit overwhelmed. Depending on where the luggage is placed, you can find saddle bags, tank bags, tail bags, and sissy bags. Take into account the design of your bike when deciding what will be more convenient. As for the material, motorcycle luggage can be divided into three separate categories: hard luggage, leather luggage and textile luggage.
Obviously, if you’re looking for something enduring and impact resistant, hard luggage is your best choice. Sure, it weighs more than textile and leather luggage, but most modern hard luggage sets can be easily detached in the case that you need to shed some weight from your ride. But the greatest advantage of hard luggage is that it’s lockable, meaning it will keep your belongings 100% secure, giving you a peace of mind to leave your bike unattended.
On the other hand, leather luggage bags have been around as long as motorcycles themselves. Today, they are only around because of their visual appeal. If you’re riding a cruiser or any vintage model, chances are you’d want to complete the genuine old-timey look with such a luggage bag. Unlike in the past when they were simply strapped on, modern leather bags for motorcycles mostly come with secure mounting systems similar to those found on hard luggage.
And finally, if you’re looking something extremely light, textile luggage is the best choice. It’s affordable, easy to mount and remove thanks to a combination of Velcro and adjustable straps and can also be waterproof. The only downside is that unlike hard luggage, textile luggage won’t protect your belongings in case your bike tips over.
