Let’s face it. There is a lot of utility and convenience to hard cases. When it comes to security, there is no comparison. Hard luggage makes a lot of sense which is why some of the most accomplished motorcycle travelers insist on hard luggage. Simon & Lisa Thomas of 2 Ride the World have used hard luggage for the last 14 years of motorcycle travel. GlobeRiders founder, Helge Pedersen requires all of his customers use aluminum panniers for all Globeriders tours. With the recent trends in soft luggage, many people are choosing to go soft without considering all of the benefits they are giving up.
Security
Hard luggage gives you the freedom to go anywhere because your belongings and the luggage itself are completely secure. This is not the case with soft luggage. If someone wants your soft luggage or its contents, there is not much stopping them from taking it. Leaving your bike parked in an urban place with soft luggage is a bit unnerving. With hard luggage it’s simply not a problem. Valuable contents are kept secure by hard luggage on parked motorcycles all around the world.
The lower lip shape of the updated Zega Pro actually locks in place with the lid to both seal and structurally reinforce the pannier. This enables the box to handle more weight and more rough terrain without bending or deforming from extreme forces.
Fast Access
Anyone who has ridden with soft luggage knows there is a bunch of time cinching and tightening every time you access the bags. With hard luggage you can just open the lid and instantly access what you want and close the lid and you are off. No repacking, cinching, or tightening required.
Protecting Contents from Impact
Soft luggage has some benefits, but keeping your contents from being crunched isn’t one of them. Computers, iPads, electronics, camera gear, stoves and other fragile items are best protected by a hard shell. Hard luggage will protect your contents better that soft luggage.
Camping Utility
A set of panniers can serve as a seat around the camp fire as well as a table for making dinner in the bush. You can even put a warm rock in the pannier to make a heated seat on a cold night. On long trips you can even do a load of laundry with some soap & water on a bumpy road.
External Storage & Accessories
Aluminum panniers provide a multitude of ways to extend your storage to carry things you just wouldn’t want on the inside you’re your panniers. Things like spare Fuel for your bike or stove. Drinking water, rain gear, medical kit and other add-ons can be attached to the outside of you boxes. It also provides a flat and secure surface to hold a dry bag or pannier top bag for sleeping gear, extra food, camera gear, etc…
Protection for the Rider
We have received many letters from customers who praise the way the aluminum boxes protected them from impact with cars and even the ground. Having metal boxes protruding out creates a cavity protecting your legs from impacts from objects and even the ground. As the saying goes, ‘it’s not if, but when you’ll have an incident with another vehicle or the ground’ and when that time comes, you’ll be glad you have hard cases to protect you.
Waterproof Protection
Zega Panniers use a toung-in-groove edge with a silicone gasket to keep the water out. They also are completely dust proof keeping your contents protected from the outside world.
Trailside Repairs
Don’t lose your nuts & bolts in the gravel or grass during a trail-side repair. Just remove your pannier lid and place it upside down on the ground to contain your take-off parts during the repair.
