Landrover or Landcruiser? Cats or Dogs? Hard versus soft luggage? Decisions, decisions!
As the owner of a motorcycle accessories store selling soft and hard luggage, this is one of our frequently asked questions. Usually, this question leads to lengthy discussions over numerous cups of coffee. Below are a few of the key considerations when choosing between hard versus soft luggage. Remember, your unique circumstance and needs will determine what works best for you and your bike/partner.
Hard Luggage: advantages
- Most always waterproof and dust-proof
- Secure from theft; especially if leaving the bike unattended for a period of time
- You can easily attach them to your bike
- Hard luggage is handy for pillion – quick access, just use the key to open
Hard Luggage: drawbacks
- Pannier boxes can get bent out of shape in a biggish off. Furthermore, they can be extremely difficult to re-attach if the bracketry gets bent out of shape. For example, it feels almost like trying to strap a slippery seal down.
- If you are wading through shallow water and water somehow gets into your panniers, it will add massive weight. Alternatively, if you are wading through deep water, panniers can ‘float’ the back of the bike. This results in your rear wheel losing contact with the surface under the water.
- Hard-edged panniers can injure the rider and/or pillions rear leg as the pannier is hard-edged, and the human leg is, well, flexible only up to a point
- They do weigh a fair bit, and are mostly considerably heavier than soft panniers
- You have a FIXED volume, so you cannot cram items in, and difficult to accommodate UNUSUALLY shaped items
Soft Luggage: advantages
- Soft luggage is firstly very lightweight, meaning less weight on the rear of the bike. You will often observe a marked difference between hard and soft luggage
- They can take a ‘spill’ well and if detached from the bike, can easily be re-attached using a webbing strap or similar
- They are now much better than earlier models in keeping dust and water out
- There is a very wide choice of options available, MANY of which are expandable for in-town use versus adventure trips
- THEY CAN BE USED ON ALMOST ALL BIKES, WHEREAS HARD PANNIERS HAVE SOME LIMITATIONS
Soft Luggage: drawbacks
- They can theoretically be cut off the bike, or cut into, and generally cannot easily be LOCKED to the bike
- There are varying degrees of waterproofness and dustproofness, so getting a TESTED pair from the outset is important
As I said before, red-head or blond? Benz or BMW? Apple or Samsung?