Before packing our bags to drive to Dakar, we had only been driving in roughly one climate. A cold loop in the Indian and the Nepalese Himalayas, some loops in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia and other warm countries. So far we always took as little luggage as possible and stuffed it all into one or two backpacks before setting out. This time we had to prepare a bit better, as the temperatures were reaching from less than 10 degrees Celsius in Europe in December until 42 degrees in the Mauritanian desert. This is what we packed and what we learned.
Two different bag setups
First off, we both had a different view on things, and bought different bags to fit everything in. Walter had high quality Kriega waterproof saddlebags. They can be locked so it’s possible to leave his motorcycle outside with the bags on them. I bought cheaper Rhinowalk rackless bags, although I still needed pannier rails on the Himalayan 450 to prevent them from reaching the tyres.
The cheap way: 120 liters for €300
| Rhinowalk rackless pannier bags (48L) 5 stars I love these bags. They’re big and long, so it’s easier to fit a long object like a tent. They’re perfectly waterproof and easy to take off (I did install clips, because I didn’t like the original installation system. The modification cost me about €4,00). I dropped the motorcycle five times, allways on gravel. Up until now the bags are still holding on. | €153 |
| GIVI magnetic tank bag Corium CRM103 (5L) 4 stars A tankbag is great to store things that you always want to have close when riding. I used it to store my camera, earplugs, phone charging wire and passport copies in the Western Sahara and Mauritania. The magnets in this one are brilliant if you ask me. It won’t bulge when riding fast or offroad and I didn’t have the feeling it would be preyed upon in traffic, but it’s quick to take off when stopping for coffee. It’s not big enough for a4 papers and laptops, the only downside. | €100 |
| Any bag as duffelbag (50L) 1 star I wouldn’t do this again, because the backpack (or any duffelbag that would replace it) was too wide so it was hanging over the pannier bags. It didn’t cause any issues, but it was hard to take something from the pannier bags without taking of the backpack. It worked for this trip, but I would replace it with a narrower waterproof top bag next time. | €0 |
| Waterproof rain cover from Decathlon 2 stars I bought a waterproof bag that’s meant to be used for hunting. It was small enough to wrap when not in use and big enough to fit my bag. I also used it to wrap my backpack at night when camping (I’d just leave it on the motorcycle at night and only take the valueables in the tent). My advise is to buy a bag that is waterproof by itself and save yourself the struggle of wrapping and unwrapping. The bag also leaks at the zipper, so I packed it with the zipper facing down. It’s better than nothing. | €17,50 |
| Backpack for riding (15L) 1 star Don’t make the mistake I made: riding around with a backpack for 6-8 hours a day is a terrible idea for your back and shoulders. If you do want to do it, buy a backpack that has a straps around your waist and at your chest(!). Without a chest strap, the shoulder strap will be around your elbow if you reach for your pocket when riding and you will have trouble getting your back arm up to reach the handlebar. I ended up strapping my backpack to the luggage and unstrapping it when we stopped for coffee. | about €40 |
| Total baggage liters | 120L |
| Total cost | €300 |
The comfortable way: 120 liters for € 870
| Kriega Pannier bags (2x 32L) 5 stars These bags are big, and the cubic form makes them easy to load. The tent would also fit. They can be locked, so you can safely leave your stuff inside when parking for coffee or overnight next to the tent. | €550 |
| Kriega OS Plate holder (2x 0L) 3 stars It’s honestly a bit annoying that you also need to buy a very expensive plastic attachment plate to be able to use the pannier bags that already cost a fortune. But anyway, it worked. | €200 |
| Kriega steelcore security strap (2x 0L) 5 stars This lets you lock your soft baggage, which is kinda cool as that takes away the only downside of soft panniers (in my opinion). It works really well and it’s easy to use. | €100 |
| Any bag as duffelbag (50L) 1 star I wouldn’t do this again, because the backpack (or any duffelbag that would replace it) was too wide so it was hanging over the pannier bags. It didn’t cause any issues, but it was hard to take something from the pannier bags without taking of the backpack. It worked for this trip, but I would replace it with a narrower waterproof top bag next time. | €0 |
| Waterproof rain cover from Decathlon 2 stars I bought a waterproof bag that’s meant to be used for hunting. It was small enough to wrap when not in use and big enough to fit my bag. I also used it to wrap my backpack at night when camping (I’d just leave it on the motorcycle at night and only take the valueables in the tent). My advise is to buy a bag that is waterproof by itself and save yourself the struggle of wrapping and unwrapping. The bag also leaks at the zipper, so I packed it with the zipper facing down. It’s better than nothing. | €17,50 |
| Total baggage liters | 114L |
| Total cost | €870 |
Summary
Summary: My total cost was about € 300 for 120 liters of luggage capacity, which was more than needed. Walters total cost was about € 870 for an equal amount of luggage capacity.
Final opinion: Walter’s luggage could be locked, but I took my valuables with me in the tank bag and small backpack and left clothes outside at night, which worked fine for me.
