Hard or Soft Adventure Panniers - Which is Best - Pro's and Con's of Motorcycle Luggage Options

[@MOTOTREK]

Get your name in the end credits! JOIN now and become an Associate Producer. www.youtube.com/@MOTOTREK/membership

[@Domitianvs]

Hard panniers win, obviously. Soft cases don't offer the same opportunity for stickers, and as such, you can't impress people with where you've been.

[@leeedsonetwo]

@Wes B Come on too many choices

[@richardmilsom3350]

‘Cos that’s why you have em….

[@Domitianvs]

@@richardmilsom3350 No, but that's why you have a sense of humour...

[@richardmilsom3350]

Haven’t you seen all the adventurers riding to the office in the full rallye suit and pannier get up?

[@sirgalah561]

Fridge magnets for when you invite them over for a beer...

[@badapple65]

Thank You Brother for convincing my wife that I need both systems.

[@pravinsrivastav2530]

:)

[@saso-gi9sy]

Hahaha... I guess your wife likes her ankles as well as her security lol

[@vivzermattjigosevilla]

Hahahahahha!!

[@qnim7]

i don't know what it is but , i like him and like every video in this channal... just me???

[@Cafeducati]

Nope. Brett has style, he has substance, he is kind, approachable and most of all, the man loves to share knowledge. Not force down your throat what might be a confident fib, but proven knowledge that he could easily keep to himself as a power move or retain for his school, which ppl pay for. He freely and willingly opens himself up as a person, mentor, teacher and friend. He is a PNW gem.

[@johan.ohgren]

This is the third video I watch... now I´ll go watch my fourth..

[@BretTkacs]

I'm blushing

[@theponderosa3489]

A very good review as always. I like the fact that you didn’t push one system over the other. When I was young I strapped everything to my bike with bungees and ropes. Sleeping bags were rolled in a plastic trash bag first and tied down. Now I’m pushing 60 and I ride with solid panniers. I have no illusions of traveling the Mongolian deserts or outrunning bandits in Columbia. I still go back country on occasion but what I really need is something secure for my stuff when I’m stopped in some city or out of the way place and away from my bike. Soft panniers don’t do that. Sure you can pry open my bags but that at least takes some effort. A lot more than simply releasing the catch on a soft bag. I went with what I was comfortable with and that’s what matters in the end.

[@Radio_180]

Hard pannier on top, soft panniers on the sides = best of both worlds.

[@jimbob7559]

But they don't match. You're probably one of those riders who wears a brown belt and black shoes. I'll bet your Momma tried, poor dear.

[@Radio_180]

@@jimbob7559 You’re probably one of those riders that are so insecure that they have to have matching panniers, matching belts and boots, buys sticker of places you’ve never been and puts them on your bike, and just cares about having the right image so you’ll feel good about yourself when ordering a Soy Latte at your local Starbucks.

[@W1nDy_Artria]

@@Radio_180 oof burn! Yea I think hard+soft is the best way to go, electronics goes into the hard for extra protection and security. Clothing, hygiene, camping gear goes into the soft as those are soft and/or rugged, your legs will thank you.

[@kennethbuluran2348]

@@jimbob7559 Burn. Idiot

[@charlesx5291]

That’s my setup as well. Breakables and smalls in the hard case, everything else on the sides.

[@shoakman]

soft panniers + hard top case for valuables seem like a winning combo

[@Gismo3333]

It is not a safe… A thief may open most of them in 2 sec with a screwdriver. So I would not have any valuables in there. And then you have a broken top-box, lost all your valuables, and a lid flapping in the wind.

[@signalvideo1]

Thanks for pointing out the differences and best use for each style. I ride a 2022 Himalayan that came with hard panniers. My nephew bought me a set of soft panniers for a gift. I will use use the soft for moto camping and hard for motel trips.

[@Britishshooter]

One other suggestion, use soft panniers on the side and a lockable hard top box to store valuables. You are unlikely to be injured by a top box in a fall.

[@hairyneil]

That's what I was thinking. You can put all the breakables (cameras, laptop etc) in the top box and then mostly nice squishy things are in the sides.

[@linc_y]

That's what I do!

[@juro6]

I've heard of top boxes rattling loose and falling off on dirt.

[@EugeneYunak]

@@juro6 i've experienced this myself, many times, with various top boxes, however all of them were of the plastic variety. just grab something like a mosko moto duffle if you plan to go offroad

[@marksandorf2072]

You’ve obviously never seen me crash! I could figure out a way to injure myself even if they were made of bubble wrap.

[@crusing275]

The most straight forward advice I’ve seen on this subject. This channel rocks!

[@MOTOTREK]

Thank you!

[@justinbarney8198]

This video answered a lot of things I had not considered. I'm more into touring via bicycle(Surly BFD) and the part where he talks about crashing and what it can do to the frame was a HUGE eye-opener for me. I would more likely use soft panniers for my side saddles, but I may use a hard pannier on the top of my rack. That way when I stop I can just pack what I don't want to carry into the hard pannier(w/lock) for security purposes.

[@peterbrophy9442]

Everything you said equals all my 3 years of research on the subject and I came to the same conclusion. I have both hard and will be ordering the soft for the next season. Great Video. Thank you for the simple way of presenting the Pro’s & Con’s for both options.

[@tommeytommey2742]

Great unbiased review! Short, sweet and factual. Well done!

[@johnburgess5534]

Super informative vid. I use soft panniers, wrapping everything in zip bags or bin bags. I ride a Himalayan. Locked down at present and can't wait to be set free again. Stay safe.

[@MOTOTREK]

Great tip! Looking forward to riding free too, John!

[@mariorad529]

Hey man. I ride a Himalayan as well and am looking to buying panniers but don't know which will fit my bike except the stock aluminum ones, which I do not like and are quite expensive. Can you share the ones you use? :)

[@Navroze]

Always soft panniers for me since 6 decades of riding. They have saved me and my bike on small and big falls.

[@ahmets8787]

Do soft panniers protect the bikes?

[@douglaspeterson7006]

This happened to my Wife in Yellowstone Park. On her 1200GS she caught the back bumper on a pickup she was passing. That event threw her into the soft dirt roadside at about 25MPH. She had factory hard bags. Long story short two hours later she was airlifted to Idaho Falls for an emergency spleenectomy. If she had soft bags the outcome may have been different.

[@DanishSatkut]

This is becoming my favorite motorcycle channel. Great job.

[@MachoBiker]

Buy them both! Decide on which ones to use based on where you are taking your bike! Loved the video👌 simple, unbiased and straight forward! Hope it helps a Lotta ppl out there make up their minds!

[@steve_is_my_name]

Hard panniers you can use as a seat when camping 🏕 and a wash basin for washing your cloths when on the road.

[@Porsche996driver]

I look at it 180* differently. If you fall low side the hard case will hold the bike up. BMWs are so tough you’d need a huge hit to bend the subframe. The boxer motor is equally tough, it will slide for yards without a complaint. Soft pannier only if you need to stay very narrow. I normally ride with just the top case for filtering on commute.

[@Dirtpoorhomesteader]

Iv been recommending these videos to fellow riders. Some of the videos especially with regarding technique have already improved my riding tremendously. I’m a much safer rider and have more fun on the bike. And the best part is I’m not asked 10 times to subscribe. Come to think of it I can’t remember ever being asked to subscribe. Which is why I subscribed! Ha

[@gpnmoab1]

I can't agree more. I have both soft and hard for the very same reasons. If I plan on a lot of miles off road/ camping, the soft bags go with me, on the other hand, road trips with my wife and lots of eating in restaurants or going into stores where the bike will be out of site - hard cases are my choice. I do worry more about the bike falling on my wife, but in 30+ years of riding road bikes I've only fell once. off road, well more than I can count or remember.

[@ethancheng1595]

Damn, as an OCD person I absolutely love your hard pannier setup, specially when you used the word "stage" to explain your charging setup - that gave me chills. But I do like to keep my legs, though. Tough decision.

[@thanhnguyenuc8545]

touring: hard panniers adventure: soft panniers

[@kenpage7305]

The hard panniers make a good in-room lock box. If I am staying in a sketchy hotel or hostel, I cable lock them to the bed, radiator, desk, or whatever, so the boxes and the contents (computer, camera, medications, important documents) are not stolen. The soft panniers can be easily and quietly cut through.

[@MOTOTREK]

That's a great tip, Ken.

[@gregreynolds5576]

These are great videos, keep em coming. Some of the best adv videos on U Tube!

[@MOTOTREK]

Thanks, Greg! We will.

[@kyledormoriz7065]

This was very helpful for someone just getting into riding and choosing gear. Thank you.

[@GRequinBlanc]

Great video again - beautiful ending.... I've the H&B hard cases. repaired the mounting a few times and hammered out the dents on the panniers. my next purchase is soft panniers.

[@FranksBmwAdv]

i liked the end clip of you hiking in the sand, I almost broke my leg with hard cases in the AZ desert, going to get some soft cases for that riding. great video!

[@beamdoctor5637]

Agree totally with owning both soft and hard. I bought Givi Hard and Oxford soft set. Sometimes I put the soft on top of the Hard Cases on road trips when I am camping and need to carry the extra gear. I just subscribed due to this video quality. Curious if your other video are this good?

[@MOTOTREK]

+Beam Doctor thanks for subscribing!

[@azdesertdog]

Well said. My personal preference is the soft bags. I like the light weight, they most likely won't break my leg and if they do get damaged they are easily bungee'd back on. If someone wants to steal my dirty skivvies that's less laundry for me and toxic waste disposal for the thief ;-)

[@SuzukiC41]

Right now, I plan on running a combination of hard and soft for all of the reasons listed above. I normally run my bike with a top case to hold all of my important stuff and I'm planning on eventually grabbing soft panniers for longer adventures. Best of both worlds.

[@hwobstj]

I put Bumot hard panniers on my 2018 GS. I had Touratech on my 2007, but found the Bumot to be slightly cheaper in cost yet stronger and better made. Plus Bumot offers a soft pannier set that goes right on the same rack and locks to the rack the same as the hard bags. I haven’t purchased the soft panniers yet, but they are on my list. Having both gives lots of flexibility in travel style and preferences as you mentioned.

[@vicenteaq]

Same like me.

[@orangelion03]

Loving your channel! My GS came with a set of HUGE Micatech Pilot aluminum panniers. Great boxes for carrying lots of stuff, convenient side opening, and they hold the bike up nicely if you fall over! But have only used them on dirt once, the first time: I messed up on a rocky road section and ended up with my right foot going under the box...grateful for my Toucans and the rock the front wheel hit that tilted the bike back over. Now I only use the cans on longer asphalt only trips and have a set of old Cortech sport saddlebags combined with a soft seat/tail box for the dirt.

[@MOTOTREK]

Glad you're okay.

[@outty77]

I use a roll top Wolfman Expedition, mounted to the top rack and a Krieger backpack for all my gear, My F800GS doesn't like to push all that air in front of the panniers. I sacrifice security and a little storage space for aerodynamics!

[@remid1994]

I prefer one hard top, two soft sides.

[@mariusvanniekerk7707]

Hi guys and girls. I'm from South Africa, and my opinion the best country in the world for adventure riding. I believe that soft luggage is the best option, but in our country it's a no go. The risk of having the bags slached when you turn your back, is almost a guarantee. Point I want to make is, plan properly and always keep in mind the areas you are going to travel. If you can, visit our country.

[@wolfganghokenmaier]

The final credits of your movie are just hilarious! Thanks for a thorough summary of the topic.

[@MOTOTREK]

You're welcome, Wolfgang.

[@richardahola692]

I have both but I like the hard bags better. Keep a lot of gear in them and lock at night. Soft bags on my dual sport worked. A pain to get into during the day. I try not to fall. I'm old and don't heal quickly.

[@induristan]

You forgot to mention the obvious: you cannot apply stickers on soft panniers to show where you've been :) Since 2001 i am using Touratech 42 liters panniers, really satisfied. However, the had their fair share of ground contact and need to be replaced within the next few years (I do long trips every 4 - 5 yrs only). I met 2 riders using the moskomoto panniers this year; had a close look and talked to them in great detail. Awesome product. Later I met to Australian riders who had a very flat 'plastic' topcase for their valuables combined with soft panniers. The topcase was so flat that a big Ortlieb duffle bag could be fitted on top. I guess - for me - this is the perffect combination for a long distance / several months trip. What do you think: Soft panniers, flat top case, duffle bag (and of course a tank bag) for.... let's say Europe - Iran - India?

[@Hp2G1]

Thanks for the great video! You summarize it very accurately. I had soft panniers on my HP2, and before a trip across Labrador, my friend gave me his hard aluminum panniers (he was changing bike). I figure the additional capacity and locking capability would be great. It was a mistake. I dropped my bike in very loose sand, and instead of having only my pride injured, the panniers trapped my right ankle and twist it badly. I can only imagine what it would have been in harder ground. Not the best way to finish a trip (not being able to use the rear brake). Also, although they where expensive panniers made for BMW, they where not as water-thigh as my soft panniers. No more hard panniers in the dirt for me... Cheers.

[@Comrade134]

I love your classroom and all of your panniers!

[@dwightbernheimer331]

Very interesting. Here's something to think about. Even if you own both systems you're only going to have one or the other with you... At one time... thanks for posting

[@willief7863]

its all very simple. buy both. be prepared for every senario..... one thing i do like about the hard panniers is you can sit on one as a chair and use the other as a table

[@MOTOTREK]

Yes!

[@tomg6284]

Chainmail bags will do both. Security and soft and comfy in a wreck.

[@damienford3587]

Great suggestions and advice clearly backed up by hard earned experience.Thanks Bret

[@MOTOTREK]

Glad it was helpful!

[@igorbardales1771]

You just convinced me. I'll go for the soft panniers. LEGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT.

[@mattblyther5426]

Simple answer if ur mainly riding roads and wide gravel roads use hard panniers. If ur gonna be doing more off-road or technical trails use soft luggage, much more forgiving if u tag a branch or lay the bike down.

[@CaptainCaveman782]

hard panniers for me every time. You can stop off at a park, restaurant, museum or whatever and spend the afternoon looking around without worrying about your gear. I guess it depends on what you're after in a long bike ride

[@EmJay2022]

Mosko makes lockable metal cable reinforced straps that you can wrap around the bags. Not a perfect solution but it'll get the job done.

[@peelypeelmeister6432]

I agree. I had hard panniers and a hard top box with some expensive gear in it. I felt pretty confident leaving it for a while, never overnight though. Mind you I always carried a cable and padlock to secure my bike to something solid as well. I'm talking Asia/Vietnam.

[@littlebitofeverything652]

%100 hard case pannier for me all 3 cases hard. 2017 bmw adventure 1200

[@pcmountaindog]

I have hard boxes on my GS800. For long haul road touring camping with some easy dirt roads I like them. For my DRZ I use soft. If I ride on rough terrain where I could dump the bike I would rather not land of a hard box which can't cushions the fall. As for security, I don't ride in places where that is a big deal and if I was in such a place I would leaving ASAP. I have never lock the boxes on my GS800 and never will.

[@Gismo3333]

Hope you know that criminals can open them in seconds. Then you have to leave your bike there, and when you are back to pick it up. The bike is probably also gone.

[@Vincent-yv1iz]

So it depends on your way if u take on road riding suggest u to use hard panniers compare with if u wanna ride on the off-roads will better using soft panniers... At the point i choose to combine with using soft panniers on side that covers my clothes and top box to covers my electronics and other stuffs

[@ThrillaPark]

You’re the best. Keep up the good work. Keep making vids please! I wanna go to your school and learn from you!

[@zzxx33mh]

In my opinion, the top case is best to be hard one..but for panniers are depending on many factors..but soft are Maybe preferable.".best choice in the end.."

[@daphnedevi]

agreed

[@CanadianTexaninLiguria]

I did 50,000 km (21k around N America) and My hard top case was a lifesaver and the most useful place to keep the laptop, electric gear and things I might need to change during the day. The tank bag came in second.

[@mrbjay5443]

I must say, Bret, your channel is the best, I learn so much from you!

[@mvjoshi]

Hi Brett, I have watched almost all of your videos. Very instructive. I especilly like the ones on 9 mistakes made by adv riders, U turns and lifting the bike. I ride a 2018 BMW 310 GS and a 2019 Versys 650, with soft panniers (SP and HP hereon to reduce typing), so am playing a kind of devil's advocate here. The pros and cons that you listed are all valid but I opine a bit differently on some of them:- 1. For example, a fall with HPs transferring energy not enough to break the HP material itself to the stuff stored inside - in the case of a SP, ALL the energy goes directly to the valuables inside it, causing much damage. And if one encases all the delicate stuff in bespoke cases, the volume goes over even the otherwise generous SP storage volume. I have seen this happen on my 2018 Ladakh ride with a rider - his laptop cracked and was kaput despite being rolled up in clothes within the SP as the energy of the fall was not arrested by any stiff material in the SP. 2. Legs trapped under - I really don't see how one's leg can get trapped under a pannier, HP or SP, on either side. The dynamics of a fall, combined with the reflexes of the nervous system, should see the rider sliding off/getting tossed off at high speeds or in a low speed fall, his (applies equally to ladies, no gender bias here) leg coming under a frame member (the speed would be too low for the bike to move ahead of him to a point where the HP rides over his leg). The pannier(s) seem a little too far back for the leg(s) to come under them. Just food for thought. 3. If you recall your superbly practical "3 great ways to lift a motorcycle" lesson (kzbin.info/www/bejne/ambMp2mmmdSagtE), the HP caused a much better angle, ergonomically speaking, to enable easier lifting of the bike than would obtain had the HPs been SPs. I have yet to drop any bike that I have owned but on my rides, I have seen riders in Rajasthan struggle to panting exhaustion due to the near prone state of their SP laden bikes when fallen in sand - no HP to give that vital angle that gives that vital leverage to lift by either monkey or man method. 4. Luggage limiter: Another great pro of HPs is that their limited physical dimensions force one to limit one's luggage to really the absolutely essentials. You simply cannot make the sides bulge out with that additional pair of trousers or that T shirt or what have you. Limited luggage=limited weight=lighter bike=all the benefits accrued thereof. 5. Convenience of HPs - just open the latches of the frame and take one or both HPs away. Unlike most SPs which need a plethora of straps to be dealt with. And you cannot leave one SP on the bike unlike for an HP; both SPs get detached together and have to be lugged away together even if you don't want one or the other. Two important reasons why I myself use SPs is the much lower price vs HPs and the much lower dead weight over the HPs. Again, a very balanced and educative video. Ride Safe, Live Strong :-)

[@mytube335]

Thanks for these insights on the panniers. Rarely you hear talking about consequences by the impact between legs and panniers.

[@diegofianza3525]

Weight-mpg, handling, lifting a fallen bike; the bike’s overall width-entering hotel doorways, lane splitting, navigating tight spaces...

[@T0BBi94]

Those are all words, good job!

[@Flyingjaffacake]

@@T0BBi94 they're also valid considerations. Don't be so dismissive.

[@saso-gi9sy]

I think they are actually relevant considerations... As opposed to what the video offers. Legs and ankles... Give me a break 🤣🤣

[@jebwood9461]

Are we not going to acknowledge sasquatch top right corner at 4:59?

[@EthanAdey]

Where?

[@OneManTrail]

Holy crap 😂

[@OneManTrail]

@@EthanAdey 4:56

[@henryjones7240]

Ahahahahahahaha don’t eat Dusty!!!!!!!!!!😂

[@ronanrogers4127]

I always pack my valuable electronics in the soft bag on the side that I know I won’t fall on, it works 100% of the time.

[@motovinster431]

Nicely done. Big thumbs up!

[@gpnmoab1]

Great advice and based on this video I bought the GIVI outback trekker for hard cases as they are just cool and quick to remove and the rack comes off in seconds with a tool. This rack also will work with the Mosko 37 liter soft bags which I'm going to order for the off-road trips. Thanks!

[@aka_pierre]

The answer is always (and has always been) soft panniers and hard topcase.

[@jeffjones2792]

Sasquatch sighting @ 4:58!

[@kyliemcwynne]

The Irish tricolour on the solid pannier is a welcoming sight.

[@roadwarrior8560]

TAL

[@Tarsys]

Ever heard of Pedro Motta on his old Transalp crossed the whole world on and mostly offroad with his topsuitcase and rollbag. Whatever you choose it's just a choice which suits you there is no necessity!

[@riggingengineer]

Soft bags are great for preventing damage to your bike too in a minor off. A friend has a cheapo pair of Oxford bags on his KTM1190. They look ridiculous and flop about like spaniel's ears, but they've saved his plastics and paint a few times.

[@안성범-o4p]

Steve i like your word that spaniels ears.

[@georgecurtis6463]

Had a 96 r1100gs with factory hard bags. Loved them because i could use them as suitcases. Protected my wifes legs when i tipped over.

[@andrewkitchenuk]

Or maybe no panniers. I just load a 100L waterproof bag and strap it on the back seat. It holds a LOT. 😁

[@MOTOTREK]

You're right, Andrew, as long as it's not too tall.

[@Liberty4Ever]

I have waterproof roll top side bags, but for short trips I use a 55 liter waterproof roll top backpack that I place on the rack and pillion. It's good to keep the weight low for stability, but I like ultralight camping, and 35 pounds on top of the rack (including bike specific stuff like a 4.5 pound tool roll) handles well enough. I still try to keep the weight low. I like to keep it simple and light. No bags on the sides reduces aerodynamic drag on the road and makes it easier to maneuver in tight spaces on the trail. It's the small ADV bike version of dual sport camping.

[@darvelbidenisapuppet7275]

Also the Weight of the soft panniers is much better for light weight adventure bikes.

[@genxray951]

I use Hard panniers for multi-week trips with easier dirt sections, and soft panniers if I know i'm in for more challenging terrain.

[@gregharder1056]

Great Points on both systems

[@socialoracle]

Amazing that people come here to a tell him he's wrong. It's crazy.

[@Runner_fatih]

Loves from Turkey. You are good man. 👍🏽

[@markjacobs6294]

I will never ever use hard cases again. I came close to tearing my knee out of socket paddling on a hard hairpin corner in Colorado. I've gone to a 30 liter Mosko Duffel and tank bag for everything including camping gear. The more bags or cases you have, the more crap you find to fill them with, the more weight you have to pick up if you go down. My kit is 25lbs with tools and everything...for a week or 6 months.

[@BretTkacs]

nice if you can do 25lbs for 6 months! I had roughly 70ltrs of gear for 6 months through Africa and did not make the 25lb mark (about double that). true statement about the space... most people with fill every oz. I was happy when I left last year and could load all my riding gear into my panniers/duffel as plane luggage.

[@markjacobs6294]

I've learned from hyperlight friends who have hiked the Appalachian Trail. Outside of the tools a bike needs, a helmet, and armor, it's pretty much the same gear. The only luxury item I bring is a Helinox chair and my coffee press. I never where cotton. I use synthetic fabrics and merino wool socks. 3 pair of socks, 3 pair of underwear, 2 synth t-shirts, 2 synth pants. Wash when needed. I see guys with 6 pair of jeans and wonder what the hell??? Just for the record I have a large Mosko pouch on top of my 30 duffel for odd tools and things.

[@cemyatman]

I agree .......soft panniers are my choice......mosko excellent....

[@gabrielamato5460]

Great vids! Thanks for the pro tips, just got a R1150 GS for travelling and your tips have been invaluable for safety and learning. Keep up the good work!

[@sethralston]

Check out the Bumot pannier system. You can get either soft or hard panniers. They both go on and off with ease and both lock to the racks. I did the CDT with the soft pannier system and laid my bike down several times. They held up great. I also laid my bike down hard on my foot and if it wasn’t for my buddy I would still be trapped. I tore a ligament in my knee from my foot going backwards while being trapped. It would of been much worse with hard panniers. If you plan to do legitimate trails do not get hard panniers.

[@BretTkacs]

AT Forever thanks for the tip... I will look those up

[@Weltbummler23]

I keep it simple: If you are doing any type of riding where you are likely to drop the bike, a hard pannier and/or its attachment can break. Soft panniers are better for that type of riding. Also hards have one additional drawback: small loads will rattle around in there unless you either secure them with some additional means or pack the pannier full. If you often carry small loads, soft panniers may be better for you.

[@FanOWater]

There is also a significant weight advantage to soft luggage. That should really help when riding off road.

[@blackskunk9034]

...and when you have to pick the bike up after a fall...bikes are heavy already

[@tooljst8]

Bigfoot spotted at 4:57 Great explanations!

[@neilarmstrong1948]

I'm a fan of soft luggage mostly, and had everything for a 2 week trip in about 40L (no camping). We did discover that sometimes the convenience of a hard top case can't be beat for odd shaped things. And also for simple things like getting some beers and groceries if you are staying in one place for a few days, trying to carry a box of beer etc any other way is a real pain!

[@blackskunk9034]

Use a rucksack?

[@tedcrum]

My solution is to have a 1200GS with Jesse cases and a DR650 with soft saddlebags. The right bike for the ride also has the right luggage.

[@user-dk7vt8jy3b]

Lone Rider #MotoBags have the advantages of both. Safe (for your ankles) and light like soft bags but also lockable and with large capacity+ accessories on them possible!

[@jerrymorales6501]

I know this video is a bit dated. But still excellent and relevant nonetheless. It helped me decide between hard and soft panniers. Because I need security when I leave my bike and I'm in the city, that is a much better choice. Having to be honest with myself, even though I'd love the soft panniers, I don't do as much adventure riding as I'd like. That's strike two against soft bags. The third, well like you said in the end. Maybe you just need two of each. THX

[@irishrover63]

I don't have any. Carried all my gear in a 30 litre Drypack strapped to my rear seat when we did the North Coast 500 earlier this year. I do prefer soft though. Giant Loop do good soft luggage as you will already know or maybe own.

[@MOTOTREK]

Giant Loop makes nice stuff.

[@yair1956]

.... the conflict is over with the new Semi Rigid from Lone-Rider, you can have the advantage of both worlds ... would be nice if you can put your hand on those Panniers and post a review .... I personally, swap from my OEM Aluminum Hard Cases to the Lone Rider, and never looked back

[@chrishill8770]

Thanks for mentioning these. Id never heard of them, but now am going to order some. Great information! Looks like a brilliantly thought out bag.

[@dirkmertens6926]

Great job, loooooove the music. Gtrz from Belgium !

[@MOTOTREK]

+Dirk Mertens thanks! Music by mattjorgensen.com

[@mattjorgensen6573]

Thanks Dirk!

[@akdstudio957]

I am from India. And i love this

[@handolbarmotoaklan9417]

Very educational vedio specially for me planning to get an adventure bike. Love this video

[@shootermacgavin1]

Just came across your videos. Great stuff! I have subscribed.

[@Visian]

The angled bottom of the Jesse boxes provides clearance for your lower leg, to either paddle though a tough spot, or reduce the chance of breaking your leg in a get-off.

[@TheWorldRealist]

I have a Plano gun case as a top box which is tough and secure. Side bags are Nelson Rigg deluxe. Secure stuff goes in the box. Clothes, tent etc go in the side bags and roll bags which can be added as required.

[@TheWorldRealist]

Ps I do not have a big budget! Retired.

[@franzheger2871]

Soft on the Side, hard as TopCase :)

[@Roadghost88]

All great points. I use a set of leather throw-overs with alarmed locks that I remove at the hotel/motel/campground. Haven't had a problem with theft over the years, but never stray too far from the bike anyway. I suppose a determined thief is going to get what he wants anyway, especially in some of these bad areas that I like to stay clear of.

[@johnsandlin7474]

Mosko Moto is the only luggage I will buy. The stuff is darn near bomb proof. Plus they sell components so repairs win over replacement. Great company...check them out.

[@Highvis_Rally]

good cutting and paceing in your video. its a great way to end sentences for an outdoor view in the office to make it more interesting to watch.

[@riderskc]

Thanks sir for ur knowledge that you share with us..it's really helpful for us to deside what to buy

[@MOTOTREK]

So nice of you, Sumit!

[@viasevenvai]

A HUGE part that was missed is hard offroading with these. I had a cardboard box full of CO2 cartridges in my hard top box when offroading. I also had a spray bottle for cleaning the visor/mirrors and a cheap tool bag. Offroading with these things was like putting them in a tumble dryer. Everything after a 1 hour session was shattered; cardboard was shredded and wet due to the spray bottle top breaking off and the cheap tool bag zipper split open. I now use a tough tool bag and expect anything in that box to knock around hard. "Compartmentalizing" only works if you lock everything down. A soft bag can be compartmentalized if you have everything in it's own smaller case. Or, you could just stick to the road and play it safe.....

[@golferchin76]

I prefer the soft pannier designs these days. They are highly adjustable, durable, customizable, can be packed smaller when stuffs are less. Cheaper and not as mentioned in the video, smaller. One can go overboard and have 50L on one side of the bike. 100L on two sides. Some design can even carry tent. The advantage of hard case (security) doesn't appeal to me. It's an older concept these days. It has too many disadvantages for people who ride hard.

[@Gismo3333]

@@golferchin76 - Only good thing I see in hard panniers… They are easier and much faster to open and close. And you don't have to take them with you going in a shop to buy something. And they only stop randoms not just taking your bags. But not someone that come to steal something. They probably open them faster then me, with a key… And they break the lock, and buying a new one is really expensive. But what I like to see is hard bags + top-box we can put together, with wheels on it. And you have it like a suitcase to drag with you. That would be perfect on road trips, and shopping trips. I should have made that, and become a billionaire in a week. But the lefties would probably only kicked the legs under me, and stolen the idea and all the money.

[@mbuyukkaya]

the best video, I've seen about panniers.. great info

[@MOTOTREK]

+Mustafa B. Thank you!

[@mbuyukkaya]

+MOTOTREK What is your opion about plastic hard panniers, such as Givi TRK46N TREKKER.. Should we consider them best of both worlds?

[@MOTOTREK]

It would seem that plastic is compromise between hard and soft luggage, not truly offering the advantages of either. If you're talking about hard plastic, like Pelican cases, then they fall into the hard pannier category.

[@mbuyukkaya]

Now I have second thoughts about, Honda OEM panniers on my Africa Twin.. :(

[@HyperSarcasticAvocado]

I think I'll just attach some pool noodles to my hard panniers

[@plinkbottle]

I like a lid that flips right over so the underside can be used for sorting

[@jeffreyyoung2479]

Thought you would give a definitive recommendation at the end of this video, instead you just sat on the fence and recommended both!!

[@BretTkacs]

I like the fence

[@SuzukiC41]

Did you miss the entire point of the video? He explained exactly which one to pick. When it comes to riding, each type is better for different situations