Motorcycle road trip: the perks of large bags

Road tripping on a motorcycle is like dreaming. Leaving early in the morning and going on for miles and miles all day long. Sun, wind, rain, it doesn’t matter when passion and adrenaline pump through your veins. What makes the difference is the equipment and, let me tell you, large saddlebags are a must have: they can be filled with everything you need for a road trip and more.

Saddlebags: this is why is better to get them large

The web got us used to never ending battle between compact and large bags. Some highlight compact bags functionality and infinite qualities, whyle some energicaly state that large bags have no rivals.

We believe that there is no such thing as the absolute bag. Choosing the right bag is the outcome of a valutation that does not only keep loading capacity as the number one requirement. Our intention is to guide you in a journey that highlight all the great traits of large bags.  If you like going on week-end long road trips, you know the importance of having everything you need with you and avoid thought like “if I take this, I cannot take this one. Oh wait! It does not fit, I’ll take this one”.

A large bag will give you peace of mind. A large bag will make you sleep like a baby the night before leaving for your trip. Beside the tool kit you usually keep with you, a large bag will allow you to take spare clothes, toiletries, a full rain gear and goretex gloves. Some might have enough space to take a small first aid kit, you never know.

Heavy bags, light trip

When talking about large bags, is often possible to hear loading the bags too much will cause dynamic problems to the motorcycle and no-sense like “small bags are better because the motorcycle handle better”.  We are very far from the truth. Harley Davidson, Indian, triumph and BMW create very well engineered machines that cannot be affected by the choice of a large bag rather than a compact bag. What is true is that it is mandatory to properly load your bags and not overload your motorcycle.

I understand that weather is the biggest variable for us bikers and that, therefore, we need to always carry equipment like: full rain gear, goretex gloves and heated gear. All this stuff comes a cost: loading space. Therefore we need to cleverly pack our stuff.

Travelling with pillion: here’s what to take

When travelling with a pillion, it is necessary to make compromises. Travelling in two means planning very well what to take and what to leave home. Obviously, it is ideal to leave home stuff like electric razors, and hair-straighteners. It would be ideal to have two bags, one for the rider and one for the pillion. This set-up would make your life easier, each rider will have his own space.

Making a list of things always helps avoiding mistakes. Let’s dive into my list of things for a week-ends trip with pillion and a set of bags.

• 4 t-shits
• 2 sweaters
• 2 micropile (if it is autumn/winter. You gonnaneed those under the jacket)
• 2 undies
• 2 pair of socks
• Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste etc)
• 2 pajamas
• 2 pair of walking shoes (flip flops, sandals… your call)
• 2 phone chargers
• 1 toolkit

It seems like a lot of stuff but, actually, for two bags it is a fair number of things. Nothing that would lead you to make extreme stuffing. The secret is to pack the heavy stuff at the bottom and to cleverly pack moldable, soft stuff like clothes. An organization like this will help you organize better and enjoy all the perks of having large bags at your disposal. On our site you can find a quite amount of them. Start roaming around our bags for Harley Davidson, Indian, Triumph and BMW.