Motorcycle Hard Luggage Looks Good And Keeps Your Gear Safe

When you are looking for hard cases to use on your motorcycle it is important to take the time and effort to research which style will work best for your particular needs. If you have a cruiser, then the traditional hard saddlebags that are incorporated into the lines of your bike are going to be a great choice. Dual sport and ADV riders tend to go with the basic box-shaped cases because they are strong and durable. Sport and touring riders enjoy a wide range of options including universal-fit hard cases as well as bags designed specifically for their motorcycle. Here are a few selections from each style to get you pointed in the right direction. Remember most hard luggage will require mounting hardware that is sold separately from the cases.

The Givi brand of motorcycle products have come a long way over the years and its side cases and mounting brackets are particularly popular among the touring crowds. The Trekker side cases are universal in nature because they are great for dual sport and adventure riding but they look right at home on a touring bike as well. The Trekker features a pair of 33-liter hard bags capable of holding more than 22 pounds in each case. Another nice feature of Givi products is they have a monokey design so you will not need to fiddle with multiple keys.

There are many aftermarket hard saddlebags for cruisers these days, so make sure to do some research, check the reviews, and pick a set that seems right for you. The OEM hard cases are often more than a $1,000, so these are a great way to get into a set at a fraction of the price. Just remember that, more often than not, you get what you pay for.

In some cases the universal-fit saddlebags are just not going to be an option. In that situation, it's a good idea to search out a set of cases that are designed for OEM fitment. What we have here are the Kawasaki Carbon Saddlebags for the Ninja 650. The bike comes with mounting points designed into the grab bars and footpeg brackets so all you have to do is buy the bags and stick them on the bike. It doesn't get any easier than that.

On the extreme end of the dual sport and ADV luggage spectrum are the premier Givi Dolomiti hard cases. These are more expensive than the Trekker but you get even tougher, more purpose-built cases as a result. The Dolomitis offer 36 liters of storage, plus the cases incorporate mounting points for tie-downs, additional bolt-on features designed specifically for these cases, and the case mounting kits are bike specific, which makes them very easy to install.