Favorite Luggage Solutions?

I went down the multi-luggage route and it became a PITA for my riding style, I had the panniers, top boxes, etc. I evolved to a single North Face Base Camp 90-liter duffel laid along the pillion and luggage rack held on with two Rock straps. It makes traveling on the bike so much better. I have 3 sizes depending on how long ill be out. XS, 30 liters, Med, 71 liters, and LG 90 liters. I have a small 10-liter backpack for water, keys, wallet, FA, and misc stuff. After 50 years of riding and 25 bikes, I'm back to where I started, a bike and a bag.

Both of my Vstroms have come with 3-piece hard case sets, one GIVI and one Hepco-Becker, and I haven't liked either of them (the luggage sets that is, the bikes I'm quite fond of). I've been looking at soft cases, I like the look of a Canadian company called West Wind (Adventure Series), but I've also got a good sized dry bag and have been considering doing what @DaveinNC suggested above. What I do like about the hard cases is that everything is enclosed, so there's no worry about loose ends getting caught up in moving parts, or significant load shifts as I ride. There is also at least the illusion of security with the locking hard cases. Both set's I've owned however have had some odd shape to the side cases that can make packing difficult, and they make the bike quite wide. Both sets have also been side load cases, which can make access to the left side case on the road a pain in the posterior. If I were to go to another set of hard cases, they would be top load. The locks on the Hepco-Becker cases are barely functional. Of the two sets I've owned, the GIVI are better made, if hard cases are your choice I'd recommend them over the Hepco-Becker cases. But give serious consideration to a good dry bag.

Hard bags. The biggest ones that I can fit. Nice having the space for groceries or not having to decide what to eliminate on a multi-day ride. Even my Ducati has bags. I tried a Kriega bag on the rear seat, but it is a much bigger pain than having luggage you can easily get into.

On my previous 2009 wee, the BEST setup was a big aluminum flat rack on the back tail, and hard saddlebags.
this allowed way more than a topcase, and i serisouly loaded that badboy down.

For my current 2019 wee I, just got a Precision rack (PMR - Suzuki VStrom 650 ADVENTURE Series Rear Luggage Rack (2012 - 2016) - $94.99 USD) and will be getting the Shad 23's shortly.

Here was (2) roll bags and a small duffle on the top plate, bicycle on one side, and a Givi hardbag on the other...

On other bikes, and for a while on my DL650, I used huge hard cases, sides and top - 40L each, sometimes using just the huge top case.

The last handful of years I've slimmed down to my narrow-as-handlebars 'city' side cases + smedium top case that I use all the time: commuter, errand-runner, weekender, longer trips: 2 x 19L side cases, 1 x 26L top case, 1 x 12L pillion case. I'll occasionally forego the pillion case if I need to strap something large to my pillion rack.

In general, if I can't fit it in my current setup, I don't want or need it. Though I admit I'm contemplating swapping out the 26L top case for a 32L top case for a longer trip to provide just a bit more space (already have the case, bought cheaply off eBay). Def not re-fitting the humongous 40L case.

I have the Hepco Becker Lock-it removable side racks, with Caribou Cases bag hardware. In addition to the ability to remove the side bags quickly & easily, the side racks can be removed outright in just a minute or two. And the bag hardware is easily transferrable to different cases (my 19L side case hardware was previously attached to 40L cases). There's no shortage of cheap Pelican / Storm / SKB / similar style cases. Over the years, I've appreciated the ability to cheaply and easily swap cases as my needs / wants have changed.

Cases with empty pillion rack:



Cases with an older 8L pillion case:



Side racks removed, 26L top case and 12L pillion case:

Two cropped photos to demonstrate my setup for touring two up with the Wife. Same for solo although I would prob lose the topbox. The panniers and tankbag are Touratech and the topbox is Givi. Heaviest stuff kept in the Tankbag and the Topbox carries the lightest.