The best luggage options for motorbikes

One afternoon, not too long ago, I decided, on the way home from a meeting, to stop for a quick bite to eat. Well, a bite and a cigar. The helping was generous; I wasn’t able to finish the meal so asked that what was left be packed in a “doggie bag”; then remembered that I was on my motorcycle. And, for some reason, I did not have my usual backpack with me.

There are multiple advantages to owning and riding a motorcycle including a motorcycle being more affordable to maintain and service; easier to manoeuvre through traffic resulting in quicker commutes, which saves time; easier to park and store (takes up a small section of the garage); is much more fuel efficient and is generally more fun to commute on.

When it comes to carrying stuff, however, it can be a bit of a mission, especially when you haven’t planned for it. A motorcycle may not have a boot and may not be the best vehicle for an impromptu stop at the supermarket to do grocery shopping for the family, but there are various storage/luggage options.

On your person

For my day-today commuting I generally use a backpack for my Macbook, notebook, pens, etc. Mobile phone and wallet usually go in my jacket pockets for security’s sake. There are various backpacks available designed specifically for riding, with capacity for drinking systems for longer rides. It is also best to have a waterproof one if you use it for longer rides like Touratech’s Backpack COR13, made by Ortlieb, which is made from wear-resistant nylon fabric with a padded foam back, and a chest and hip belt to ensure it is fitted snugly.

For quicker runs where all I need to carry is my mobile, wallet and house keys, I often use a fanny pack or a leg bag, like Givi’s Thermoformed leg back, which comes with adjustable leg and waist straps or can be hooked directly onto a belt. It is made from high tenacity 1200D/PVC polyester, is EVA coated with anti-scratch PU, has three inner pockets and protects your stuff from rain.

On your motorcycle

While some motorcycles, particularly your modern cruisers, baggers, etc with fairings, come with small storage compartments for keys, wallet and mobile phone (including USB charging slots in some instances), if your motorcycle isn’t one of those, there are handlebar and tankbags that can be mounted on the tank.

The Desert Fox EzPack Handlebar Bag can be mounted on the handlebars of most motorcycles using Velcro and Cinch straps and is made of water-resistant materials and, importantly, has a big. YKK zip puller which makes it easy to open wearing gloves. You can also get a compact Mobile lite mini motorcycle tool kit that fits while still leaving space enough for your stuff. There’s also the Giant Loop Zig Zag Handlebar bag made from ‘super tough trucker’s tarp Bomb Shell and ballistic nylon. Both of these can be carried on the belt when you get off the bike.

When it comes to tank bags, there are a multitude of different sizes mounted using magnets, straps or on a motorcycle specific tank ring mounting system. Givi, Shad and Oxford all have tankbags of varying sizes, that can store a variety of items.

For the back of the motorcycle, you can get both hard and soft panniers (side bags or cases), for the sides, whether you install a luggage rack or simply strap across your pillion seat. There are also top boxes that can be mounted on a luggage rack to store your helmet or anything bulky that you are looking to travel with. Most manufacturers, especially those with adventure motorcycles in their range, have your hard panniers that can be mounted on side racks/pannier frames and brands like Touratech, Trax, Givi and Shad make both hard and soft panniers, ensuring that you have options. These are often lockable, which helps.

For rough terrain riding, there is also the ATG Overlander Saddlebag, which straps over your pillion seat and onto just about any pannier frame. And if you ride a cruiser like an Indian or a Harley, there are dope leather saddlebags. A friend rides an Indian Scout and ordered a lovely set of brown leather saddlebags, in which he carries his work stuff when commuting.

And, if push comes to shove, you can also carry a duffle bag, like Touratech Waterproof’s Dry Bag Rack-Pack, and strap onto the back of your motorcycle with bungee cords.

So, yes, while a motorcycle may not have as much storage as a car, there are options. And, if you are wondering how I made it home with my takeaways … I tucked into the front of my jacket for the short ride home.