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Best Motorcycle Luggage Options for Your Camping Trip

Best Motorcycle Luggage Options for Your Camping Trip

Although a bagger bike is essentially one that comes equipped with saddlebags and panniers on the rear, there are ways to turn almost any motorcycle into a bagger as long as you’re equipping it with enough motorcycle luggage options, whether it’s for a trip or just for the aesthetic style.

However, you need to understand that while it’s possible to load your bike to the limit, you can’t just keep attaching luggage options and tying up the knots anywhere you seem fit.

Though expensive, motorcycle-specific saddlebags or other luggage options come with peculiar compositions, settings and ways to mount them that allow the bike to continue performing the same way.

That is to say, unless you know everything about weight distribution, you shouldn’t get the next good-looking bag you find for one side and something else for the other side.

While it’s plausible that there are bikes that only go with one saddlebag on a side, you can’t expect your bike to perform the same with unequal weights or too much weight, especially if you don’t plan on getting stuck in the mud when you go off-road.

When it comes to motorcycle adventure, you need to make sure that you’re prepared to face just about anything. This means you have to plan for the worst-case scenarios of the following:

  • Climatic conditions/weather
  • Road conditions/blockades and traffic
  • Off-road problems
  • Lacking camping equipment
  • Poor time management
  • Changing destinations or schedules on the go
  • Having said that, let’s take a look at how you can prepare your bike to become the perfect bagger for a touring adventure through the states:

    1. A Pair of Motorcycle Saddlebags/Panniers

    As mentioned above, what makes bagger bikes unique is the presence of large saddlebags on each side. Sure, not everyone can afford the Harley Road Glide Special that comes with all the coolest features one can want on a motorcycle but that doesn’t mean that if you’re driving a Triumph, you can’t make it a bagger bike.

    Start by getting yourself motorcycle saddlebags that provide you with sufficient space to store much of your belongings. Note that saddlebags are your primary luggage option, so you have to organize your luggage such that all the biggest and heaviest items go in your saddlebags. You can leave your clothing, med kits, gadgets and tools for other luggage options described below.

    If you’re looking for saddlebags that are specific to your bike, try Viking Bags’ collection of the most durable, weather-resistant and key lockable motorcycle saddlebags that come custom-made for specific motorcycles. That’s right, you get everything that’s suited to your bike and this includes all the mounting hardware that you need.

    2. Sissy Bar Bags or Motorcycle Trunks

    When it comes to the rear of the bike, you have two options. You can either equip a sissy bar that’ll allow you to have a sissy bar bag as well as a comfortable backseat for a passenger should you choose to ride with one. If not a sissy bar, you can go with motorcycle trunks that are comparatively huge containers that can store a ton of stuff.

    Again, you can’t just leave your bike for a bathroom break and expect to find all your things the way you left them unless you have proper security measures in place to prevent theft. That’s why we recommend going for Viking Bags’ collection of hard motorcycle trunks that come with key lockability as well as weather resistance.

    A lot of people think that they can carry just about any trunk by fixing it on their bikes. Not only is this concept flawed, but it can also prove disastrously dangerous because there are many variables you’re not considering.

    The fact that motorcycle trunks have a huge volume means that they can become super heavy. And you can’t just rely on ropes or straps to keep such a heavyweight in place, at least not when you’re hitting bumps in mud and swamps during off-road adventures.

    And regardless of how strong your trunk might seem to you, once it falls over, and it will, you’ll run the risk of losing if not damaging your luggage. This is why we recommend going with Viking Bags’ state of the art motorcycle trunks that come with appropriate and adequate mounting hardware to install them on your bike in a rigid position.

    3. Motorcycle Tank Bags

    Many riders prefer their own aesthetic styles to be reflected in their motorcycles. Which is why a lot of people go for custom-made tanks that aren’t exactly the same size or dimensions as the stock option.

    When it comes to motorcycle tank bags, while other alternatives don’t cover custom tanks, Viking Bags is providing a seamless detachable motorcycle tank bag that can be attached to almost any kind of tank with its lockable straps. In fact, with Viking Bags’ innovative design, you can even wear your motorcycle tank bag on your back whenever you get off your ride.

    Although not as big as the other options on the list, your motorcycle tank bags can easily store all your cosmetic and hygiene-related products and items. There are also compartmentalized spaces for you to store your gadgets and extra belongings neatly placed and held tightly in place in several pockets.

    4. Motorcycle Windshield Bags

    Cruisers and Tourers that have a windshield can have a windshield bag equipped on the front as well. Though many riders who have bikes that come with a speaker system or additional technological features on the front would prefer to have those spaces unoccupied, other riders can easily attach a motorcycle windshield bag with it.

    In fact, if you choose to go with Viking Bags, you can even equip your cruisers and tourers with state-of-the-art bags that are not just unique and stylistic, but also come with specific purposes entailing careful packing of your luggage as well as offering protection and security.

    Though not key lockable like the other items on the list, your motorcycle windshield bags will come with separate compartments to allow you to store your items. The variation in designs allows riders to choose whether they want one big bag that can store bigger items or a bag with several pockets and designated spots to store luggage items.

    Reading next

    Motorcycle Laws & Licensing for New Hampshire, United States
    How to Equip Your Bagger Motorcycle for Tours

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