Hard vs Soft Luggage

[kriegar]

Ola amigos.

 

So I keep going back and forward on if I want the OEM yamaha (givi) hard panniers or the rackless kriega OS base setup for a lot less money.

 

I know a lot of adventure riders like soft luggage... However, the OEM panniers on my ninja are just so damn convenient. I can stop off for a coffee and not worry about someone raiding my bags and when I get to where I'm going I can just pop them off and carry them in with not a lot of hassle.

 

I do plan to try a bit of off road stuff and plan to do the TET when lockdown buggers off... So the advantage of soft luggage not crippling me in a crash is a tad appealing!

 

What do you guys use and do you swear by one or the other?

Edited March 6, 2021 by kriegar

[Hammerhead]

That’s a trigger topic almost akin to oil & tires. Both definitely have their clear advantages so it really boils down to deciding what practically serves your intended use more appropriately. 
   No experience with hard bags, but will say the Kriega OS setup has impressed with its versatility & quality. To remain light & narrow with a variety of options for various load sizes it definitely fits the bill. 

[kriegar]

7 minutes ago, Hammerhead said:

That’s a trigger topic almost akin to oil & tires. Both definitely have their clear advantages so it really boils down to deciding what practically serves your intended use more appropriately. 
   No experience with hard bags, but will say the Kriega OS setup has impressed with its versatility & quality. To remain light & narrow with a variety of options for various load sizes it definitely fits the bill. 

 

Have you experienced any damage to the rear plastics from the OS base at all? I have some paint protection film I'd use if I go with that setup I think. 

[Hammerhead]

Not yet, used clear 3M film on the outside & did some reinforcements to the weak flange on the back. So far so good. That T7 specific base stays well put with the way the straps triangulate. The brittle plastics could likely suffer if it gets dropped hard on the bags too many times. Time &

experience will tell, but so far so good.

[papab]

If you're going to stay on pavement & never drop the bike hard bags are fine.   If you have quick reflexes and can keep your leg out from under, or in front of the hard bag, and don't mind riding with them  looking beaten up hard bags are fine.   Hard bags wouldn't work on my T7

 

[Totti]

I've had both. First bike had hard luggage, the second bike soft, third and fourth bike had hard luggage and now soft again.

It's totally two different things and two different philosophies. Trying to remember all the pro's and con's.

 

Hard luggage:

+easy to pack

+easy to take out stuff during a day

+your clothes don't wrinkle

+can be used as a seat or as a table in the evening (if you side case is a "box" of course)

+fast to attach to the bike (and take off)

-bike gets quite wide, witch affects handling and fuel economy

-not waterproof (no matter what the manufacturer says)

-may brake or deform in a fall, or brake your side racks

-repairing must to done with a hammer or by a welder

-side racks look ugly (yes, all of them)

-takes lots of room when storaging in the warehouse

-quite heavy (even when empy)

 

Soft luggage:

+waterproof

+packed easier and faster that hard luggage

+most of these can be positioned to different positions on the bike

+can be fixed with a duct tape

+no side racks

+light

+narrow

+packs away to a very small space compared to hard cases

-clothes will wrinkle

-attaching and taking off takes more time

-may damage your side fairings (depending on the make and model) (3M tape helps a bit)

 

All hard side cases can be forced open fairly easy, so they are not thief proof. Soft cases open just a bit faster with a knife.

 

 

[JamesE]

I've used the Kriega OS set up for all of my TET trips and they have worked a treat.

If anyone is interested, I've written my opinion on it here:

https://9to5adv.com/hard-or-soft-adventure-motorcycle-luggage/