I have traveled with soft bags after having issues with the spendy aluminums. The spendy aluminum ones tended to rattle and leak water and dust. Went to Ortlieb soft bags that are totally water and dust proof and added a second bag for tools. Taken a few spills with softbags and just pick up the bike and get going. Security??? No place is totally safe. Keep an eye on things and sleep with the bags. This photo was in Chile. I think they look as nice as twisted aluminums.....

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I have ridden my strom off road more than most to know. It is not really an off road bike. My take on panniers and I have tried most is. If road you are traveling is mostly tar. It does not matter whether you use hard or soft..

If the road/ track is hard going. Then soft is the way to go. With hard panniers you need to have them tightly packed to stop your valuables destroying themselves.

Steel pony soft luggage after couple of desert crossings.

The main thing is the racks. I mean the panniers have to be able to take the spills but the racks cops everything

My panniers are aluminum and no way will you find a competent welder with MIG TIG in Mongolia or other out of the way places

They are still bent and torn and will get repaired one day

But, when the rack snapped off in the middle of Mongolia, I thought of many ways to get myself going again and ended up stopping a truck and asking for fencing wire

The best result yet, the truck had a welder on board and fixed the non aluminum metal rack in five minutes


Keep that in mind, as well as what the previous poster talked about

My panniers are no longer fully waterproof nor straight but they are still on the bike and the now have character

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www.travellingstrom.com

As far as aluminum panniers I would say the Jesse bags are the most robust and quality.

That being said Caribou Luggage is pretty impressive, and designed to take a spill.
The latch is designed to break and release the case from the rack in a hard crash therefore saving the racks and your subframe.
Then you simply replace the $25.00 latch.

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2011 GS ADVENTURE

In 2003, two couple friends and us, followed the Silk Road across China. One of those bikes T-boned me in the center of the Jesse Bag, so that the outside was 'V' d into the inner or wheel side. I had it straightened at a Nanjing moto shop, and not only did it work perfectly but has never leaked. These cases are 'bullit-proof'. No damage to the frame or the bike. I'd estimate the speed at 70mph and we spun 180 degrees. So a heavy hit. Don't even ask why!!
As for the plastic discussion, I have an MTS 12 and the stock cases, while beautiful, and work quite well, would never consider and adventure trip with them. They are function following form. let alone SMALL even with the large lids, and to flexible in the mounting system.
Allen.

I bought a used pair of Happy trails denali panniers off of ebay. They worked great on my DL 650 on my ride through South America to Brazil. They were water tight and were welded nicely together.
If I hadn't gotten such a good deal on these panniers I was planning on buy a pair of those chinese panniers (Tusk). They are cheap and I think would have gotten the job done too on a budget.

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seen all kinds and i am purchasing a new bike next year 850 bmw
my current bike is a f700gs with motorrad panniers and givi 42 outback trecker top box all is fine but i don't expand the side panniers for a lot of reasons drag is one ,beyond the handlebars is another, i live and ride in Colombia and you have to watch your 6 all the time its a pain in the ass.
Givi 40 l waterproof bag is the answer on the back seat for long hauls i keep all my clothing in this bag 2 bungees and secure and many more options to secure stuff to the givi outback
all being said i think it is personal preference what is right for you
The new 750 / 850 bmw has a different frame and the exhaust is on the rh side so i a sure bmw has panniers for the beast and they probably look nice and fit nice, but i am going to build my own
I am a aviation sheetmetal tech and have a lot of experience with carbon fibre composites, yes this is the real deal 2024 T3 aluminium alloy is incredibly strong and fairly easy to work with if you have the right tooling and lots of experience
all the aluminium panniers available on the market use commercial aluminium and by nature is commercial it is not Aeronautical it is easy to bend easy to fix but is not strong, for example thickness .040 2024 t3 is twice as strong as .080 5056 commercial aluminium and half the weight . aeronautical aluminium become stronger when it is bent or formed in a stressed skin or monocoque design,there are tricks to the trade, stronger lighter its aerospace and its not cheap But i work in the trade so it is for me
Now the final frontier carbon composites stronger than all of the above and lighter but you need special tooling to make it happen
I am waiting for the bike to come to the market in Colombia and will start my process on making luggage