Touring and adventure motorcycles should just come with luggage. The saddlebags and top case should be standard equipment instead of optional accessories. Unfortunately, many motorcycle manufacturers don’t think owners need to get the bags with the bike. Instead, they make you pay hundreds of dollars after buying the bike to outfit it with luggage. This is something to consider, as not all bikes look good without luggage. If you don’t add them, you lose out on storage space and have a bike that doesn’t look right. These ten bikes need luggage because without it, they look terrible.
10 Harley-Davidson Pan America
The Harley-Davidson Pan America adventure bike is the latest addition to their lineup. This unexpected bike is impressive, with a comfortable ride, plenty of power, and features that make long-distance travel more comfortable. With all of these benefits, you would think the bike would come with saddlebags. Unfortunately, Harley-Davidson wants you to buy those separately. If Harley went through the work of producing an adventure bike like this, they should have expected that owners would want to put saddlebags on the bike. So now you are left with three options. Either accept the bike as is, buy aftermarket bags, or spend hundreds more on Harley-branded bags.
9 Triumph Tiger
There is a lot to like about the Triumph Tiger; its rear-end is not one of them. The back of the Tiger is very narrow. While this is great for maneuverability and handling, it also takes away from the bike's look. The front is obviously wider to accommodate the engine, support the front forks, and have a large enough windshield to protect the rider. Unfortunately, the back end looks unnaturally narrow by comparison. As a result, you need luggage bags to widen the back of the bike. This creates more visual balance and also evens out the weight of the bike.
8 BMW K 1600
The BMW K 1600 is one of the most trusted sport touring motorcycles on the market. The motorcycle manufacturer has decades of experience researching and developing technology. One hallmark feature of the bike is the sport bike design of the forward fairings. These full fairings wrap around the front and sides of the bike. When you stand back and look at the bike, there is a slope design created by the fairings and tank. You need the luggage bags to complete the lines. This gives it a cohesive design throughout the length of the bike and if they get removed it looks incomplete.
7 Kawasaki Versys
Thankfully, the new Kawasaki Versys comes with saddlebags. This was a smart decision, as they completed the bike's look. Because they come standard, Kawasaki color matched the bags to the bike. Unlike the plain hard cases you see on other bikes, the ones on the Versys have angular lines that match the bike's lines. Without them, the bike’s design seems incomplete (see above). The tail doesn’t have the same lines and angles to support the bike’s design the way the hard cases do.
6 Moto Guzzi V85TT
When the Moto Guzzi V85TT first came out, it was met with praise and plenty of positive reception. However, there was some critical feedback that Moto Guzzi needed to address. They ended up doing so by releasing the Moto Guzzi V85TT Travel. Moto Guzzi added large silver hard cases for the Travel model. It completes the angular, rugged look of the bike's front end. Without them, the bike actually looks a little naked.
5 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT
The Suzuki GSX-S1000GT is another sport-touring motorcycle on this list. You have the option of buying it with or without the saddlebags. When comparing the two models, the choice is obvious; you should buy the GSX-S1000GT that comes with luggage. Suzuki does a great job designing custom luggage that enhances the motorcycle's appearance. They have color-matched accents that tie the design together. Without them, you lose this color, leaving the bike's back end lacking something visually. The bags also fill up a lot of the open space between the tail and the rear tire.
4 Ducati DesertX
The Ducati DesertX is a bike built for the ultimate in off-road performance. Its design is simplistic and a very good example of retro-futurism done right. Ducati combines form and function for a bike with three macro elements; central volume, the saddle, and the windshield. However, they left out the back end of the bike. Technically they didn't forget, they intentionally left the rear end unfinished, so you would either buy their long-range fuel tank, or its Ducati-branded luggage. You don't need to buy their stuff, but you will need to put something there.
3 Indian Challenger
This classic all-American bagger comes outfitted with a large chassis-mounted fairing, a powerful V-twin engine, and cavernous saddlebags. The bike looks almost menacing, the angled saddlebags are a perfect accent that gives the bike a feeling of being in motion even when parked. Unlike other bikes on this list, these luggage compartments are not meant for removal. While you can take a wrench to them and take them off, it wouldn’t be a good idea. Underneath, you will find a large gap between the rear tire and the fender above it. This awkward gap looks odd and detracts from the bike's overall design.
2 Yamaha FJR 1300ES
The front of the Yamaha FJR1300ES is big, really big. There are fairings and cutouts everywhere. With all this work done to the front of the bike, you would think it would continue throughout the rest of the design. Unfortunately, it doesn’t, and that is pretty disappointing. Thankfully, the bike does come with luggage which fixes the problem. The Yamaha-branded luggage comes with a painted front to match the fairings, which improves the bike's overall look. The positioning of the luggage is also effective, making it slightly higher than usual, visually balancing the bike.
1 Suzuki V-Strom
The Suzuki V-Strom is a do-anything kind of bike with a huge following. V-Strom riders will do everything from commuting on it to going on cross-country adventures on it. Thanks to the bike’s ever-growing popularity, what started as one or two bikes has grown into a full lineup of adventure bikes, with new models continually getting added. With all of these functional uses for the bike, you would expect it to come with luggage for storage. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. What you are left with is a bike that looks unfinished. The V-Strom is a bike built for function, but if you want those hard cases, you will have to get the XT model.