Fat Skeleton's Guide to Cruiser Luggage pt.1 Sissy Bar Bags

With over 30 years of touring on 2 wheels under my belt, I can honestly say that if there’s one piece of luggage that’s been invaluable it’s been a quality sissy bar bag.

I personally find these so much easier than dealing with saddlebags for various reasons:

 They are generally much more spacious than saddlebags

 They are easier to pack, being more like a traditional suitcase, whereas saddlebags have odd corners.

 They are easy to secure to your bike and just as easy to take off. There are a few different ways that manufacturers have developed to safely secure them to the bike.

 At point of arrival, you can easily remove & carry to you room or tent, or if travelling on a ferry, many have specific pieces that will zip off, leaving the main bag on the rack.

 With some bags, you don’t even need a rear rack or sissy bar, the bags are designed to attach to a system which you secure under your rear seat.

 Also speaking from experience rear bags tend NOT to get the hammering from rain that saddlebags do.

 Most sissy bar bags will take a half or full face helmet, most universal fit saddlebags won’t.

 With a sissy bar bag you just attach and go, you’re not concerned with issues such as indicator & shock absorber location nor indeed the height of your exhausts which you will be with saddlebags.