I know, I know. Some sensitive matters like politics, religion, motorcycle tires, and panniers are too delicate to be discussed publicly. I can already see some trolls sharpening their knives, ready to unleash their anger in the comment section about this sensitive topic, which definitely will split the crowd. Despite all this, I’m going to tell you how it is. Like it or not, I can at least steer you towards the best panniers. Determining what pannier is the absolute best might not be easy, but it’s not impossible if you use logic and facts.

Years ago, there wasn’t much choice. Riders could opt for a hard case or some plastic bags strapped at the back of the motorcycle with a rope; they did what they could with whatever they had. Now, there are almost too many options available, making it hard to pick the right one out of the bunch. Which pannier is best, then?

Start by asking what basic features are available, decide what features you need, and compare between the brands.

Hard, Soft, Hybrid, rackless, rack-mounted, waterproof, showerproof, lockable metal base, plastic harness… the options are several and they all serve a specific purpose.

First, let’s break it down to the two main categories. The debate between hard or soft panniers has been going on for decades and, despite unpopular opinions, I believe there is a clear winner between the two.

I think SOFT PANNIERS are the preferred choice here, as they have more advantages.

Immediately, I know what many of you are thinking: “Hard panniers are safer and more secure, since you can lock them.”

If you think a thin piece of bendable metal and a cheap lock can deter a thief from breaking into your panniers, think again. I’ve personally broken into hard panniers myself (because I lost/broke keys) with nothing more than a screwdriver and a small amount of force applied to the lid—and I’m no professional thief. Imagine what somebody with the proper set of skills could do! The argument of “I prefer hard panniers because I keep my belongings safe” doesn’t stand. Just say “I prefer hard panniers because they look better” instead.

All the other aspects of hard panniers are downsides. They are bulky, heavy, hard to repair, and can also be very dangerous if your legs are caught under them. Not traffic or air friendly. Photo: Paolo The size of these things! Photo: Paolo Same Volume. But soft. Photo: Paolo

Since now we can all agree (or at least, I tried to convince you… ) that hard panniers are not the best choice for motorcycles, we can continue and determine the best soft panniers out there.

When choosing the best pannier, you should consider three main factors: weight, size, and price. Weight

I believe this is the most important factor to consider.

Imagine a ride on your bike with no panniers, no extra weight. Just you and your bike. Feels good right? Now go for the same ride but carrying your tent, some food, some spares, some electronics, etc. Not so agile anymore, correct? Less weight makes for more fun.

Extrapolating from that, even trimming 1-2 kg could make a huge difference, even if it’s just cutting 3kg off a 200kg bike. It’s even more noticeable if you trim it from above the center of gravity of the bike.Weight distribution makes a big difference in your bike’s handling, especially when riding aggressively. For that reason, I believe the best pannier out there is theoretically the one that is the “lightest with the most resistant” construction materials.

It’s silly to carry an empty box that weighs 3-4 kg in itself, and that’s what happens when you ride with hard panniers.

The second key aspect of pannier selection is size. Size

In this case, size does matter. But with great size often comes greater weight (and great responsibility?); the trick here is to find the perfect ratio.

Like the old wise men used to say “est modus in rebus”—there’s a proper measure in all things. This perfect amount is usually in the middle, or somewhere around there. And, just as most people tend to overpack for their holidays, there is also no need to pack your motorcycle with 100 liters of stuff for a two-day trip.

Some believe it doesn’t matter whether one goes for two days, two weeks, or two years—the packing should be the same. I believe the perfect size should be around 75 liters in total, allocated in a roughly 50L pannier set plus 18-25L of smaller bags attached. This will allow you to carry enough items for foraging supplies, sleeping arrangements in the wild, and clothing. It also means you’ll have to leave things behind, but I promise you can survive without your frying pan to cook your eggs and bacon in the morning. Price

Adventure bikes aren’t cheap, and neither are panniers, so this is a very important part of the decision process for those of us without unlimited funds.

Some brands appear to target their audience with a price tag which is not necessarily related to the quality of products they provide. So, when someone buys OEM-branded panniers for an astronomical price, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re buying the best pannier out there. It’s just marketing leveraging on brand loyalty.

Sometimes the cheapest ones are actually the best ones for the job, but clearly one cannot expect too much from a product that costed only few bucks. Years of product development, design and testing cost money. Nowadays though, most brands manufacture their products where costs are minimal. Sometimes two competing brands may even have their production line coming from the same manufacturer. Instead of the MSRP, you might get a better evaluation from the company’s customer satisfaction and history.

And now for the final result, here’s a table with the comparison between brands. I couldn’t collect all brands’ data out there, but these are definitely the preponderant ones, which compete somehow within the same price range (prices are in USD).