When embarking on a motorcycle trip, regardless of whether it is just a day trip or a lengthy tour, there is a fine line between packing everything you need and overpacking.

The key is striking a balance, you want to be prepared for every eventuality but you also need to remember that too much gear is going to be difficult to organise and that could cause problems if you need to find something urgently.

Fear not, you have come to the right place as we have put together a guide to help you stay organised on your next motorcycle trip.

How To Find The Best Motorcycle Luggage

Before you can even begin to fathom the best ways to organise gear on your motorbike, you must first find suitable motorcycle luggage to store it in. After all, it is going to be a rather redundant exercise thinking about how to transport equipment without anything to transport it with and without knowing how much can be carried.

The sizes of motorbike luggage cases are listed by ‘capacity’ which is measured in litres and naturally, higher capacities offer more cargo storage space. Therefore, It is important to assess the amount of gear you are bringing on your trip and then find luggage capable of supporting the load.

With waterproof structures and security locking within their arsenal, SHAD motorcycle top boxes and panniers are perhaps the best options on the market and while their rear cases and side cases go up to 58 litres and 47 litres respectively, maximum space does not necessarily mean optimal organisation. Yes, a bigger case will offer more storage, but it is also likely to mean there is more gear to organise and keep on top of.

Meanwhile, when buying motorbike panniers specifically, there is a further choice to make and that is whether they are side or top opening. The reason this matters is because, with the side-opening, if there is no form of restraint included then the gear could spill out when the case is open.

Top Tip: Only Carry The Essentials

Storage space is not limitless.

When setting off on a motorcycle trip, whether it is just for a few days or even a longer tour, it can become far too easy to overpack and most riders would probably hold their hands up and admit guilt in that respect. However, the more you pack the harder it is going to be to organise and although it is easier said than done, try to only pack what is essential.

At first it may be difficult to decipher what is essential and what is merely desirable, but there are ways around that. Our top tip to avoid overpacking is to pack everything you think you need and then reassess. When the space inside the luggage begins to fill up, it will likely become clear that some items simply are not essential.

Naturally, different trips are going to warrant different gear but regardless, the general rule of thumb is quality over quantity. Pack smart with the length and conditions of the trip in mind but remember the less stuff you have, the less you will have to organise. At the end of the day, spare clothing, food and other supplies are always welcome but no one needs to pack 100 pairs of underwear nor do they need enough grub to feed a small elephant.

How To Organise Your Luggage

Selecting the right motorcycle luggage and keeping the gear to a minimum are certainly going to put you in good stead in terms of organisation, but there are also physical ways of organising the inside of the luggage cases.

Inner bags can not only be used to keep gear dry in luggage cases that do not already have a waterproof structure, but also allow everything to be stored in one place before being removed at once to be taken on the go and free up space.

Restraining straps are ideal if gear has been packed in a particular order, holding it in place inside top boxes and panniers to stop it from jumping around and becoming muddled up. Inner trays perform a similar duty but are specific to side-opening panniers, supporting the gear and holding it in place to prevent it from falling out when the panniers are opened.

If you are the type of person to stuff as much gear as possible into your motorbike luggage cases and worry about finding what you need when you need it then this guide may have just persuaded you to change your old ways.

Ultimately, organised gear is going to be a great time saver and effort let alone stress when it comes to finding particular items mid-journey and hopefully our advice will help achieve just that.