Panniers are great when you want to take lots of stuff, but don’t want it in your way.
While some require specific fixing kits, others can just be thrown over the pillion seat, leaving them out of sight and out of mind.
Our guide to five of the best panniers has been put together using reviews from the Sportsbikeshop website, all written by the people who know best − paying customers.
Oxford Lifetime P60R Panniers - Black
Customer rating:
Oxford’s panniers have a total capacity of 60 litres and receive a 4.80-star average from the first 25 Sportsbikeshop customer reviews − earning praise for their looks and how easy they are to fit to a bike using the included bungee straps. Reviews say these RiDE Recommended panniers offer great value for money, as they’re extremely well built and can easily hold plenty of kit for tours.
Givi EA100B Easy-T Expandable Panniers - 40L
Customer rating:
Givi are well known for hard luggage, but it won’t surprise you to learn their soft luggage is top-quality too, with these 40-litre panniers earning an average score of 4.85 from the first 13 reviews. Customers have been happy with how easy the panniers are to fit and secure to their machines, which range from a Triumph Street Triple to a Harley-Davidson Sportster 883. One reviewer was hit by a car while using these panniers, and they only suffered a single broken strap.
Kriega OS-32 Soft Pannier
Customer rating:
These Kriega panniers greatly impressed the first 15 customers to leave a review, resulting in an average score of 4.87 stars. As you might expect from a Kriega product, many customers have been impressed with the durability, build quality and waterproofing - with one customer even taking them through deep water and the contents remaining completely dry! Customers also like the simple attachment mechanism, which makes it easy to attach and remove the panniers. The OS-32s are sold as single panniers and they can only be used with bikes that already have pannier racks fitted. You can attach the panniers to either a Kriega OS Platform (which mounts to the bike’s pannier rack) or use Kriega OS Straps to secure them over the bike’s seat.
Oxford Heritage 40 Litre Panniers
Customer rating:
These attract owners of classics and those who fancy a retro look, with a construction that mixes canvas and synthetic leather. Styling might be from the past, but the features are from the present. Supplied waterproof liners can be secured inside to keep stuff dry, and the securing methods are far stronger than anyone in the 1960s could have imagined. A Velcro underseat strap keeps things safely mounted, and compression straps cinch the bag in when not using the full combined capacity of 40 litres. Owners are generally very happy with the panniers, although some dislike the ‘plasticky’ synthetic leather detailing. The average review score from the first 21 reviewers was 4.62. For more carrying capacity, Oxford’s 20-litre or 30-litre Heritage rollbags complement the panniers.
Givi ST609 Panniers (Pair) - 50 Litre Total Capacity
Customer rating:
Customers who’ve splashed out on a pair of these sporty semi-rigid panniers from Givi are very happy with them - though the appeal is inherently limited. They fit a restricted range of bikes and attach to a rack that’s bought separately. In some cases the pannier racks are designed to mount only to a Givi topbox rack, which means buying an adapter kit if you want to go without the topbox rack. If the hassle and extra expense doesn’t deter you, owners praise the construction quality, ease of use and carrying capacity. Waterproof capability is called into question by one owner, who now lines his panniers with plastic bags as extra insurance on top of the supplied storm hoods.