The good: Professionally delivered and informative review/advice. The bad: No helmet to hat transition... The magic of that exquisitely trained, slick as an eel swimming in oil and perfectly executed move is all that was missing from this video.
I'm running these on my Africa twin. Currently in Dawson city yukon on my way to tuk and I have got nothing but monsoon rain for days on end. My camping gear has kept dry because of the inserts but boy are they hard to get into the bags for a short guy when it's pissing rain. My only complaint is with the adv tent. I really miss my msr. I started using my hotcore tarp instead of the fly. Puti g the tent away with a wet rain fly every day was just too much and I started to get a wet sleeping serface. Bret, your videos have helped me emensly. I live in northern bc and no way to get any sort of training. I have learned everything I know now from trial and error and your videos. Great content, and I hope to see you on the road one day.
I've had the Kriega Overlander soft bags for 4 years I think, and they have held up great over 2 bikes and I still use them. I was looking at these, but decided to keep the Kriegas and just buy the inserts that go into the Motobags to see if my bags keep their shape. I didn't really see that much to justify paying the money to get these bags when my Kregias are still in excellent shape, despite the use I've gotten out of them. Unless someone has went from the Kriega Overlanders to the MotoBags and knows of a huge difference/benifit I'm not seeing it. But I just put the MotoBag inserts in the Kregias this weekend, it does keep the bottom and sides ridigid/hold a shape. I just loaded my usual camping gear and I do like how I don't have to keep the bags open and it makes loading easier. But again, I really like the Kriega Overlanders I have, the only reason I saw to get these was the ability to lock them. The Overlanders come off the bike really easy, and when I'm traveling I rarely leave them on if I'm staying somewhere. When it comes to saving weight, and like in the video not bending, I much prefer soft bags. If you crash and something on the bags breaks, you just get some rokstraps and synch 'em down.
When I purchased my 1250 GSA I did a lot of research I opted for the soft panthers me and my son did a Touratech ride and we crashed his leg was trapped He was able to slide it out. I'm very pleased with these bags and feel I made the right Choice.
Love my Motobags. I did manage to catch a trailside log hard enough to actually bend the backing plate. No affect on the function of the bag and I'll get around to bending it back one of these days... I do find it handy to pack the inner bags as I am packing for a trip and then drop them into the main bags when I load up the bike. Never had anything get wet yet (knock on wood) but I do live in Colorado where a wet season for us is a sprinkle compared to the PNW.
I just subscribed to his patreon about a month ago. I just wanted to mention it's super worth it. Great video extras and I got a handwritten card and stickers. Bret is the man!
WE have them on our two bikes, plus extra bags attached, plus the big tent from LR and we loooove them, in my opinion the best of both worlds, pricy but you know the saying about you get .... cheers V!
Bret, I concur with your review of the LoneRider bags (same issues positive and negative). I have had mine just shy of one year. I have to say the reason I picked them over the Mosko, Kriega, or Enduristan was due to the others not being able to be locked both to the bike or locked in general as a hard case can be. I have to 2018 Honda ATAS and bought the Honda metal and plastic hard cases (which were nowhere near the quality I thought it would be, not even close to a Pelican Case either, especially for the price). I am displeased that at the price point, it’s made in China. It does take abuse, so that is a positive. The cheap locks it comes with needed to be upgraded, I don’t like the little peg on the latch as you have to get it to line up just so when full to close, but the lock running through both ends makes it moot. The side (horizontal) compression bands are not quite long enough with a full load, and will not allow for the outer bag to be fully expand (I just use them for smaller loads) and they don’t like to stay in place when you do [no camming action or spring clip with teeth (strap tends to loosen - I will probably be upgrading those later)]. I like that the bottom strap can be adjusted based on load / size requirements and that they included Velcro to wrap up the loose ends (don’t know why the didn’t with the other straps, I fitted my own). I know the two holes in the bottom are to allow air to escape when loading and cinching the bags, however they could have added one-way valves / grommets to keep any potential water from getting in. Overall, I’ve been happy with them as they fill the gap between a hard and a soft type of bag, and can be not only locked to the bike, but locked like a traditional hard pannier. I’m sure with enough feedback, they will continue to make improvements over the years.
Reading this a year later, wondering what your current stand on this is. Would you still recommend them or better advise friends to take Mosko or something else? Especially the locking is also one of the things I'm looking into but besides that also concerned with the 'overpacking' issues (not aligning, spending a lot of time putting things into the bag).
@@culartravel I'm still using them and they are holding up. I've just modified it in a couple of ways to work easier for me. Locks can be upgraded, other strap options, etc. it was easier and cheeper than buying a complete new system from another brand. It's nice to be able to remove them and the case to be locked.
Really like these bags. Always use with the liners. Liners do not slide in-out easily. I use the recommended closing with the strap underneath. Several days in rain with no issues. Having a little trouble locking latch on 38L on my rack which Lonerider configured prior for me. The bottom mounts are little too high so I have to push the bag up from bottom to get latch locked. Don't feel safe to not lock the latches while riding. Bags are very sturdy. Like the carrying handle to take them inside when needed. Handle could have been solid and not so soft. Overall I would recommend these bags.
Bought my LR set long before this video. Agree with all said and I rate these a 5 star. I am in hopes that LR will make a set for my other bike someday.
I have just installed these on my Tiger, replacing Pelican cases. I picked them because they are the only ones I have found that can be locked to keep curious fingers out.
I down sized from a 2018 Harley Fat Bob FXFBS to a 2023 Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro. I am looking at getting these bags for my upcoming CA road trip. Your video helped me make the decision to purchase a set.
I replaced my Hard cases on my KTM1290 with another brand of soft bags those sucked that brand was way to time consuming to open and close . I bought the loner rider and i love them. When i take my 1290 its for a 50/50 trip pavement to get to the cool off roads to camp. The stock hard cases that came with my KTM did not have a good mounting system i always thought if i go down the mounts would break off. Main reason i went to soft bags. As always Brett an honest and fair review 👍👍
I’ve had aluminum panniers from Happy Trails for five years, but this spring *almost* got my leg pinned under them in Death Valley. Have been planning to switch to soft bags ever since.
I’m using Giant Loop Mototrekk and Tillamoock waterproof soft bags on my Tiger 900 RP. So far so good. Big believer in soft bags over hard bags. Plenty of attachment points for accessory bags. With almost 100 liters of main capacity, I can carry almost two weeks of travel/camping gear (not including foodstuffs) and everything stays dry and secure. Lifetime warranty (not including bonehead damage) gives me peace of mind.
Interesting review Bret. The reason I eventually didn't chose the lone rider motobags and went for Enduristan equivalent is the total weight. The big metal plate behind is adding unnecessary weight according to me. When you are traveling, you are chasing any precious kilo you can avoid.
I paid £60.00 for soft paniers from British Lomo company. It specialises In making products for a British Royal Navy and Royal Navy Search & Rescue Service. To keep their shape when empty I use inflatable travel pillows that can be easily deflated and kept inside the panniers with other stuff. Cheap and still works similarly to very expensive saddle bags.
I started with hard cases. I liked the security of them and the volume. But I really liked the Mosko bags. After a few years I decided to give them a try. I like to softness and design but I feel they don’t utilize the full volume. I will probably not buy a third set but I do like this design. Great review Brett!
I too have the Mosko bags. They are well built, priced the same, etc..., but their Isoceles Trapezoid shape interior shape makes for limiting the packing ability compared to these rectangular shaped bags.
I use inner "Aliexpress GS bag" with my motobags to avoid friction damage to my thingd inside and to protect from water from bottom holes. It was before the quick release system. Now, I have the quick release system and still use inner bags. My motobags have 17000km (onna trip through souther europe). They are still in very good shape. Absulutly non regrets of spending that much money on them 😄
I bought the Tusk Olympus pannier system and it is quite similar in many details to the Lone Rider panniers you have here. I'll be using them the first time in a couple weeks for a road trip. I will be heading to Colorado on my Tiger 800, so I'll see how they hold up.
@@joshsultraadv3045 the touratech pannier racks have been absolutely solid. They replaced a set of EVOs I had before which frankly weren't great. I'd have no issues recommending the TT stainless racks.
Hallo Bret. Great video! I had my Lone Rider's for 4 years and I made my own attachments to fit on pannier rack. I got fed up to undo 16 bolts every time when you take them off or put them on. Love the bags, but they are very expensive with exchange rate in South Africa.
I use Ebay special used Pelican 1550s. Waterproof rigid luggage that gives a set space for packing, functions as a campfire stool, provides sturdy protection for the bike in a tip over, doesn't dent like aluminum paniers, and easy to clean out. Spent $90/case, and they have held up well over 3 seasons.
I have both. If I had only one set, I think I'd go for the Lone Rider. They are easier to compartmentalize your stuff in, as Bret mentions. They do fold flat so you can keep them on the bike without having full panniers sticking out when they're not in use. And now they have a removable system similar to Mosko to take them off the bike (which wasn't available when I got mine).
Given the comparable price, I went with Mosko backcountry 35L and never looked back. I continue to watch videos on the Lone Rider (this video and Big Rock Moto) and can’t see any reason to buy these over the Mosko.
Good bag system but I chose the 21 brothers soft luggage system for my GSA. Every day through traffic jam for work (less wide) and for offroad they adjust by the junk I stuff in them. Downside: they are not lockable. Keep up the nice work! 😉😉
I bought Kriega and happy. They cost slightly less and they are actually soft . the connecting straps are not the best, but ok. I use soft bags because you get off the bike and you trough them over your shoulder and go. Cannot really do that with Lone Rider or hard bags. I do have the Lone Rider Overlander that is great
Weight weight weight. For some this will matter more than for others, but for me it determines to a large degree just much fun I’ll have while traveling the more tricky trails/roads. So to support the low-weight goals (besides going on a personal diet 😏) the Rackless 80 system is currently on my bike. Do I love it? Not by a long shot. But so far I haven’t found a luggage compromise that suits me better.
“I put on a keyed Master lock” - have you not been watching LockPickingLawyer? Friends don’t let friends use Master locks! (Except that bizarrely secure lockout lock, that one’s ok for picking practice)
I currently use the Mosko Moto BC35s on my Africa Twin, but if I had to buy another set I would give these a go, specifically for the hybrid part that their a soft bag but hold their shape to make packing a little easier. Great review!
Nice advice Bret , as usual, !!! As for me .. i did my stiff/soft panniers by myself using saddle bags bolted to givi rack system using hard PP cutting board shaped the way the panniers are made putting them inside the panniers .. a diy system that works.. i used for a year and i dropped the bike few times without any issues .. Thanks for your video from italy
Thanks for posting. In the past, you have mentioned the risk/concern of having your ankles hit hard by the a panier during an involuntary dismount, while a soft panier will flex. Since you feel the Lone Rider are more like hard paniers, are you concerned about injuring your ankles?
I have the 1250 GS and have been using the soft luggage that I got for my 450 Husky. I have been thinking of getting soft bags. looked at Giant Loop and Lone Rider, also a few others that weren't up to quality and standard that I am used too. plan to get something before next spring. thanks Bret for this great review. Big thumbs up🤠👍
I'm currently running the Giant Loop MotoT**k side panniers. They hold everything I need to carry. I have a few of the possibles pouches for my tool kit, first aid kit, additional first aid supplies, and other sundries. When those bags wear out I may try out the Mosko or Lone Rider stuff.
Great review with not only the pros but, alas, some cons. I’m a GS owner looking for panniers but all of the soft case options look like garbage bags tied to the side of your bike 😂 These look promising, yet despite Bret’s assurance that the eventual greyed discoloration ‘looks good’ I’m inclined to believe that after 500 miles they may just look used and abused. I’m defaulting to BMW’s Vario hard cases but would luv to believe these might be an option that may have all the benefits of the varios without denting or scratching after an inevitable drop.
*_Great Video. Thanks for all the info. I can't wait for the Lone Rider footpegs to release. How are you liking those TrailMax Tires? I just mounted up the new Heidenau K60 Rangers._*
I’m looking forward to the LR footpegs too. I ran DTM tires on my Triumph Tiger 900 RP and easily got 18k miles out of them. I just spooned on set on my 1200GSA and over the last 2,000 miles, I’ve enjoyed them. Curious to see how many miles I’ll get with them on the GSA. I mounted the new K60 Rangers on my T700 about 2,500 miles ago and am impressed so far with their traction and wear.
They have a quick release compatible with many pannier racks. They (released?) are working on a special attachment for the BMW GS that directly attaches to the "Touring Box" mount points. no rack required.
Nice review, thanks! But one thing lacking: How easy is it to load and unload, on/off the bike? It's not only about how to open the bags, but also how fast we can put them on/off the bike.
Thanks for the great review …off topic nerd question: What are your thoughts on the Rev’it jacket in this video, vs the Aerostich jacket (which model?) you were wearing in some of your earlier vids? I have a one-piece Roadcrafter, which I like, but I’m always searching for the holy grail, so to speak… Keep the good content coming. Thx
I kind of struggle between these 2 options. Advantage LR: locking and no fiddling. Advantage Enduristan: lightweight. Ant these price levels 80 bucks difference for full equipment with all the locks for Enduristan is negligible.
Hi Bret :) Thank you for an awesome review as usual. Could you recommend a good, tough pair of cold weather pair of gloves with Gore Tex that actually keep your hands warm. I'm talking about something that you can actually use not only during winter, but a happy compromise at autumn, spring etc? I would appreciate your help
@@BretTkacs I get that ... As a person that spends 6-8 months a year traveling(on my r12gs), I don't have the ability to have multiple bags for multiple missions. When I leave, everything goes ... 🙏🙏
i think these bags are the ducks nuts. the only problem i have is trying to tension up the extra add on bags, straps seem to be to long and the hooks are some what loose. as you said i think the problem is that my panniers are not full enough.
Have this on my 1260 Multistrada Enduro and used them on a 5300 km trip in North Norway this summer. They are OK but im not sure they are the bags for me.. I dont like the hard part inside the bags, the ones that give them their shape, or the stiffener. I feel that they steal space from the bottom corners...I had Mosko earlier on another bike and liked they more. Im not very happy with the quality on the screws either. I must use the fixed system on my Multistrada. I will give them another try, but if they are a keeper or not, time will show :-)
1:20 "Lone Rider does give you a coded lock, but it is pretty much garbage, so I put on a keyed Master Lock." Minor point, but the Master Lock you selected is half a step above a zip tie as far as security goes. But then with soft luggage, you only have to be more secure than the side of the bags vs. a box cutter. Didn't show how the mounting works and how they lock to the bike.
Well.. I get my own lone rider side bags after selling my aluminum genuine hard cases. I love my choice and still satisfying except one thing that is need more procedure to lock it up than before.😅 But who cares. It looks badass That's all I need to my GSA 😎
Bret, i seem to remember you used Mosko bags in the past. Why did you switch? I like the Mosko bags because you can remove them in a second and take them into your room/ tent very easily. So no need to lock them on the bike. Can these LR be easily removed?
Hey Bret, i consider buying the "Bundle 1-Travel the World" from Lone Rider. Its 2200€ here in europe and i know the brand is high quality but do you think every single product in that bundle is good(price being somewhat irrelevant, asuming lone rider is not trying to rob their customers and price being more or less fair) or does it make more sense to build my own kit with different products and brands? or even better, would it be possible for you to test that bundle(i dont know if lone rider supplies you with products so you can test them or if you buy them yourself)? if you can get your hands onto one it would be really interesting to hear your opinion on their whole package. i am not saying it will get millions of views but it will for sure get mine :) thanks again for the great content!
Have you ever tried the Magadan (Mk3) soft panniers of Adventure Spec? I would really be interested in your experienced opinion. These apparently were designed and improved intentionally for some round the world trips. Compared to Hard/LR/Mosko? they seem to be significantly lighter, softer and affordable. However, it requires more time to mount and provides less security? Unlike Rackless it still requires some kind of frame to attach, but provides the pannier style "container"
I've always appreciated hard cases for the piece of mind for low speed parking lot practice. While I'm far more proficient these days, though admittedly practicing less. How would these fair against semi regular drops on pavement, or even a low side situation if one were to happen? I've just had a hard case broken off and stolen, so I'm reconsidering my preference for case type, as it's apparent if a thief wants it, and has the time to do it, they'll take it.
I looked at these but ultimately went with the mosko bc 35 woodland for my Kalamata gsa - a friend got these lone rider for his triple black so we will be able to compare during the year
Excellent video. I currently use the Giant Loop Great Basin bag and was wondering if you have ever used anything like it or what your thoughts are on it as an alternative to soft panniers.
Feels like these Lone Rider products are sent to every Motorcycle RU-vidr and thats the only place I ever see them. Nice review but feels a lot like this was a paid promotion rather than an honest review (can tell by the fact that he doesn't mention any other brand by name).
I sure would like to be paid but this is a sponsor free channel. If I mention one brand specific other than a direct comparison then everyone chimes in asking why I didn't mention their brand of choice.
@@BretTkacs That's fair, and to your credit your original review did compare this bag against the MoskoMoto bags - thanks for taking the time to respond!
@@BretTkacs What was your ordering/delivery experience? I ordered a full set along with several other bags on 11/24. I was told they shipped a week later and they'd send the tracking information in a couple of days. After that didn't arrive I contacted them again, the said sorry they've not shipped but should soon and they'd provide a tracking number in a couple of days. I got on a few forums and this seems to be their MO unfortunately. They have a lot of upset customers that have been waiting for shipments that they were told were in stock. I dealt with this last year from them when I ordered the headlight protector. It took almost two months to receive. Their products look like good quality from other crash reviews I've seen, but the trying to get a warranty on them has me concerned. If I can't get a response this week from them I think I'll cancel and buy Mosko bags instead. It's really too bad their customer service is so poor.
@@ErikAzar I was also thinking on buying this bags precisely due to be in the middle between hard and soft panniers, but I already saw other people saying that Lone Rider support let's a lot to desire. On the other hand, Moskomoto has a very good after sales support. If they had a solution like this one, I wouldn't think twice.
@@Kurt013 I don't think you can go wrong if you purchased any of Mosko's products. I bought their tank bag earlier this year and it's great. I'm going to consider their bags next year when I get a new bike.
What I really hate about these bag is the velcro belt inside. I stuffed all stuff into the dry red bags and found I couldn't fit it around the belt. I wasn't sure if I could ride without it so I just ended up putting in the red bag first and then stuffing the belt around it after. Lots of sweating. Another point is if you need something quickly, don't be putting in these bags. It takes a decent time to open and close them properly. Hard bags have them beat there. And yes that lock is garbage, didn't hesitate to dump it in the garbage.
I hate them. There is Velcro on the semi-rigid panel yet none in the bag to attach them to so they get outta shape in about 5 mins. What’s the point of putting Velcro on the panel but not in the bag? Such a poor design.
