You have various storage options for a motorcycle, such as built-in saddlebags, soft luggage, tank bags, frame bags, and windshield bags. Each option has its pros and cons. Some can be easily added to other bikes if you have multiple bikes or rent a bike occasionally. However, the best motorcycle luggage requires no special racks or setup and can be used on any bike: the backpack. Though it may seem like a simple piece of gear, I believe it’s the best cargo option for most motorcyclists, and I’ll explain why.
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Advantages of a Backpack
Mounting and adapting to any bike
Most luggage needs to be mounted onto your motorcycle. This either requires dedicated mounting hardware like that used with saddlebags or benefits from a cargo rack that you can use to lash the bag to the bike. Backpacks attach to the rider, making them easy to use on any bike.
No need to “unpack” the bike
With regular hard luggage mounted to the bike, you usually encounter two situations when arriving at your destination. If the panniers can be removed from the bike, you must remove the luggage and carry the heavy luggage and its contents to where you are going. Often, this is when you wish for a luggage cart at a hotel. Otherwise, you must remove the contents from the pannier and carry the loose pieces in if you don’t have an inner liner bag.
If you have soft bags mounted on your bike, you either remove the lashing, which holds them in place, carry them in, or unpack them like hard panniers.
But with a backpack, there is nothing to unpack on the bike. The bag is already on your back, and you can get off the bike and head to your destination.
More storage capacity than some other options
Some luggage options are perfect for those items you want quick access to on the bike, like a wallet, spare glasses or gloves, or even a snack. A tank, frame, or windshield bag can be a good option. But each of those has limited capacity. Most framebags and windshield bags are a liter or 2 of capacity. Even a large tank bag will usually be less than 10 liters. Backpacks can provide more storage space, where even the smallest backpack is often the same size or larger than a large tank bag.
Perfect for day trips on any of your bikes
When you head out for a day ride, you should bring things like a charging brick and cables for your phone and camera, a jump-start battery for your bike, and some extra clothing for changing weather conditions. Especially if you are commuting, you should bring a laptop.
If you suffer from multi-bike syndrome, you might need to pack what you need for the day onto the bike you’ll be using. This can take some time, and you will likely forget something. But your backpack can be ready to go, and you grab it and put it on no matter which bike you are using.
The backpack I use on all the coffee rides is ready to go. I have a whole tech pouch with various cables for my headset, phone & GPS, plus a power brick to charge them. I also have spare SD cards and batteries for my camera, a small tripod, a jump start battery, and my camera. I add my iPad to it & any spare clothes the weather might require. There is no need to forget a cable or camera since it is kept in the backpack and ready to go.
It can even work for some longer trips
Even longer trips may benefit from a backpack if your packing needs aren’t excessive. I’ve done weekend hotel trips on a sportbike, carrying street clothes and toiletries in a 25-liter backpack. No camping or cooking gear means my needs are minimal, and a midsize backpack will give me plenty of room for what I need.
Downsides of Backpacks
It’s not all roses and unicorns, though. Although there are many benefits, there are some caveats you should be aware of that may influence your decision to use this as a cargo option. But many of these can be addressed by motorcycle-specific options, which I’ll cover later.
Weight is on your back
Unlike luggage mounted on the bike, all the weight is on your back with a backpack. If you have just a laptop and some clothes, it’s probably not a big deal, even for a more extended trip. But there are always those travelers who need to take everything with them. There is perhaps a gym at your destination, so maybe it’s good to leave the dumbells at home.
There is not as much space as some luggage options
A full-dress cruiser with a large top case or a similarly equipped ADV bike will often have as much as 130 liters of storage capacity, many times the capacity of a typical backpack. If you love to take a lot of stuff, luggage mounted on the bike will be a better option.
Straps and the bag flap around in the wind
A regular backpack is typically designed for walking around or hiking, not traveling on a motorcycle at 70mph. The bag’s material can flop around in the wind, pulling at the zippers and potentially opening the bag. The adjustment straps’ ends may swing around and hit you as you ride, distracting you.
The bag can move around on your back
Most backpacks are meant for walking around, so they are free to move independently of you. While this won’t matter when you are walking around a mall, any turbulent air could cause the bag to shake on your back, causing distractions.
Many of the downsides of a backpack above refer to using a generic backpack made for other purposes. Fortunately, backpacks specifically designed for motorcycle use address many of these issues and have thoughtful add-ons that can help motorcyclists.
Motorcycle-specific backpacks
Ogio
Ogio is a well-respected luggage brand. They make a semi-rigid streamlined backpack series for motorcycles called the NoDrag series. These backpacks almost look like turtle shells. These are great options for sportbike riders. Models like the NoDrag Mach 5 have dedicated compartments for laptops and tablets and fleece-lined pockets for phones or sunglasses. There are several small pockets to organize your gear, like pens and other small items. They even have shoe storage compartments for your street shoes to swap with riding boots off the bike. They have a waist strap to help stabilize the bag.
It is also available in a version that incorporates a D3O back protector.
The Mach 1 is the same size as the Mach 3, but it has cut some corners on details to keep the price lower. It is missing the padding on the back that creates a channel for airflow to keep your back from getting sticky, while the Mach 3 & 5 have that padding. The interior is unlined in more parts and missing some of the features of the other packs, but it does let you save ~$50 vs the same size Mach 3.
The biggest reason to choose the Ogio bags is the semi-rigid construction, which avoids all flapping, making it especially suited to those rides where you may hit very high speeds, like sports bikes. The downside is while the material is water resistant, it isn’t waterproof. So it’s more beneficial for fair-weather riders, and given the emphasis on sports bikes in Ogio’s marketing for their motorcycle line of gear, this may be a reasonable assumption. You may recognize the bag on the 360 riding shots worn by host Scott Warner of the Nothing to Prove YouTube channel.
Other Brands
Several other brands produce bags aimed at motorcyclists, but several are just a rebrand of another regular backpack or hydration backpack. Some are clones of the Ogio bags. Motorcycle backpacks on Revzilla | Motorcycle backpacks on Amazon
While I encourage readers to check out those options, my favorite brand for motorcycle backpacks is Kriega.
Kriega
Kriega was the original motorcycle-specific backpack maker and is still one of, if not the best, brands for bikes. I’ve had my original Kriega R25 for over 10 years. The bags are designed for motorcycle use, so the straps are tethered to avoid flapping, and like the Ogio, they have water-resistant materials.
One key feature of the Kriega backpacks is the quadlock harness. This has a broader strap area in the front over the chest and more oversized waist straps to transfer weight from the shoulders to the chest and body, making the pack feel much lighter. It incorporates quick-release fasteners that allow you to lock the bag to your body or unlock it even with gloves on. The harness holds the backpack to your body and keeps it from moving around on your back. Once you’ve adjusted the pack to your size, the quadlock quickly secures it at that preset size. The belt has quick adjust loops to accommodate different jacket sizes as needed. The beauty is that the quadlock can be connected or disconnected while wearing gloves, while a regular backpack’s clips are more complicated to manipulate with gloves.
I’ve used the R25 for weekend trips on my sportbike when I knew the weather would be clear. I could pack toiletries, street clothes, and extras with room to spare. The larger waist belt and full Quadlock harness kept the weight off my shoulders, so it was comfortable even for my 250-mile ride each way.
The downside of the R25 and most of the larger capacity Kriega backpacks is that, like the Ogio, they were only water resistant. Kriega had made the US Drybags for many years, which were packs designed to be mounted onto bikes with a roll top and a fully waterproof liner in white, making it easy to find what you needed in the bag. I’ve had a few of these for years, and they are another excellent luggage option. Most of the Kriega backpacks can mount the US Drybags on the back for extra waterproof storage. US Drybags from Revzilla | Amazon
Recognizing the desire for some riders to have the waterproof benefits of the drybags in their backpack, they introduced some smaller bags with the same rolltop and waterproof liners as in their drybag line. I picked up the R16 a few years ago to complement my R25. The size is perfect as a day bag, especially if you need a laptop or camera gear, and waterproofing is critical.
Quadlock Lite doesn't have as much support but works for the smaller bags
It has the quadlock lite, so it isn’t quite as balanced as the full quadlock as it has a waist strap more similar to regular backpacks, but it works fine for the smaller capacity. This is the bag I use on the coffee rides, carrying a small camera, an iPad with keyboard, a Peak Design tech pouch with extra SD cards and batteries for the camera, charging adapters, and power brick to charge my phone, iPad & camera, a jump start battery and room to carry a windproof shirt or cooling vest and spare gloves to adapt to changing temperatures. It also has a space for the water pouch to keep you hydrated, with the tube running along one of the straps.
Of course, the R25 and R16 that I own and use are just two of the many backpacks Kriega offers. They offer waterproof bags like my R16 in 20—and 22-liter capacities. They also offer larger bags than my R25, such as the R30 and R35, which have 30—and 35-liter capacities, respectively. Check out the complete line of Kriega Backpacks at Revzilla | Amazon.
Kriega has introduced models aimed at adventure riders. The biggest difference is the hexagon pattern hypalon cargo net on the back. This is great for quick storage of wet gloves. The Trail 9 and Trail 18 offer 9 and 18 liters of capacity, respectively. A portion of each is fully waterproof. They do have a more rugged appearance, which will work well for the ADV crowd. The smaller size makes them perfect for trail rides.
While the R25 has probably been the best seller for Kriega, with an ideal size for most use cases, it was essentially the smallest back with the full Quadlock but also one that missed out on the waterproofing of the smaller bags. The R25 v2 was recently released, and the same waterproof liner was added using the roll top to make it an ideal travel or commuting bag if you need more storage. As of the writing of this article, you can still get the original R25 on closeout at both Revzilla and Amazon. But it is replaced by the v2, so if you want the original, act fast. Adding the waterproof liner to the V2 makes it more useful in my mind, allowing trips no matter the weather. It was the reason I bought the R16 several years ago.
Ideal bikes for a Backpack
If you have a full-dress Harley with non-removable bags, you already have so much storage space that a backpack isn’t necessary. But if you are going for a day ride or commuting, a backpack could still be easier than packing and then unpacking your bike.
Although many bikes support full hard luggage, like my BMW R1200GSA, which has two large aluminum panniers and an aluminum top case, the luggage isn’t usually mounted on my bike. My bike is much lighter and easier to maneuver without the luggage. Similarly, my R18 Classic has saddlebags, but I remove them unless I’m going on a trip to give the bike a slimmer look and reduce some weight.
While both my GSA and R18 have mountable luggage, the bags have weight I’d instead not carry unless I’m on a trip. This is where a backpack becomes an ideal day pack. In fact, for many of the coffee rides on the Tank of Coffee site, this is how I travel on those two bikes, carrying a Kriega R16 backpack carrying camera gear and an iPad for taking notes, plus some spare gear like a windproof shirt or a cooling vest and different gloves for changing weather.
My sportbike doesn’t have luggage, so the backpack is perfect for day rides. I’ve even done weekend trips to a hotel on that bike with nothing but a Kriega R25 backpack. If I don’t need to bring camping gear, my storage needs are much less, so I can easily carry what is required. I find 25 liters is pretty good for a weekend, but if you want to bring more, there are some larger packs to give you more room. Additionally, you can add one of the Kriega US drypacks to the back of most of the Kriega backpacks for extra storage. The 10-liter version of the US drybag easily adapts to the back of my R25 or R16, giving me some additional space. As my R25 is an original version without a waterproof liner, this is a way to have some waterproof storage. I’ve done plenty of coffee rides on the sport bike with just my R16. Backpacks are commonly used on sportbikes and supermotos like the Ducati Supermoto or the Indian FTR.
I do have a set of Krauser saddlebags for my 1972 BMW R75/5, but I mostly use that bike for day rides rather than overnight trips, so even on coffee rides, a Kriega R16 gave me plenty of storage space for the bike. A perfect complement is any standard motorcycle like this, including the Triumph Bonneville series, the MotoGuzzi V7, and the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650s.
And if you are on a cruiser without luggage, like a Harley-Davidson Sportster, an Indian Scout, a Harley Fat Boy, or an Indian Chief, you are ideally suited to using a backpack.
If you want to take a bike for a test ride and still carry some stuff with you, like camera gear, water, etc., a backpack makes it easy to hop off your own bike and onto the bike you are testing out. Similarly, for rental bikes, which may not have provisions for mounting luggage, a backpack works with any bike.
Conclusion
Backpacks can be your only cargo option for day rides and even for overnight trips on some bikes. Even if you have hard luggage mounted to your motorcycle, a backpack gives you additional flexibility and convenience that other luggage options can’t provide.
