The thigh's the limit! MCN's guide to choosing the best motorcycle leg bag for you

When riding a motorcycle there are certain bits and bobs that we need or want to carry with us; earplugs, mobile phone, keys, bank cards and so on. Sometimes pockets are enough but if you ride in sportsbike gear for instance, with tiny pockets, then often we need more storage space. A leg bag is a good option if you don’t want to carry a rucksack or use a tank bag.

Perhaps you don’t need to carry quite enough to require a rucksack, or maybe like myself a tank bag makes reaching the bars a bit too much of a stretch. Whatever your situation, a leg bag can be a convenient way of keeping the essentials safe and easily accessible without the need to remove anything from the bike when you pull up and get off.

What to consider when choosing a leg bag

Generally a leg bag is a small bag that straps around the upper leg and waist, usually split into a couple of pockets to help keep things separated and organised. There aren’t too many factors to bear in mind but think about the overall size of the bag in comparison to you leg, for instance myself being quite a petite person, would look a little daft with the best part of a pannier strapped to my thigh.

Also consider that if you ride in the rain, unless you go for a waterproof option, everything inside will be at risk of a good soaking. There are options available in leather or various other textile fabrics, some with zippers, others with poppers or clips. Which you pick is up to your personal taste really.

Another handy thing that some leg bags offer is the flexibility to use them as a tank bag too. With magnetic mounts or straps for attaching to the bike allowing you to choose what best suits you for each ride.

Our favourite leg bag so far

Other options to consider

Frequently asked questions

How does a leg bag fit to me?

A leg beg will typically have an adjustable strap that goes around the thigh and another that goes around your waist, to allow you to get a nice snug fit around your upper leg.

Are they crash tested?

Generally, no, leg bags will not provide any protection to your items should you have an accident. That said, some are made from more rigid shell type materials which will provide more protection than a simple fabric variant. You should perhaps bear this in mind with what you choose to carry in it.

What size should I get?

This is entirely up to you, but I would advise keeping in mind the size of your leg and how much a large bag would get in the way for you. The idea is that a leg bag is only really used for smaller items, so don’t go too crazy.

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How MCN tests motorcycle leg bags

At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles in order to provide you with opinions and evaluations you can trust, alongside news of the most significant developments in motorcycling safety gear. We want you to stay safe, enjoy your riding and hopefully look great while doing so! 

We don’t test our kit to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions.

That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on. To make it onto this list, leg bags must have been used for thousands of miles by our team of experienced testers, show no major flaws as well as offering decent value for money. 

Each of our expert reviewers tests their leg bags for a variety of things, both subjective and objective. Factors assessed include the leg bags fit, how secure they are with weight in, what pockets and compartments they have, how heavy duty they are and if they include details such as a waterproofing or expandable capacity.

We cover thousands of miles with these leg bags and regularly compare them with one another in the office, so collectively we’ve built the sort of knowledge base you can trust.

If you can’t see a review against a leg bags on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These leg bags will only be included if we think they’re important and relevant in the market, and rest assured, we will be working on bringing you a review as soon as we’ve done the miles.

Here’s a brief run-down of the star rating system we use, and what each score means:

• 1 star – Poor performance in this category or overall. A leg bag with a single star rating has fallen below the expected standard and should be avoided.
• 2 stars – Basic performance in this area or overall. A leg bag with a two-star rating has managed to perform to a barely acceptable level and there is room for improvement. It might be lacking safety features, be poorly built or far too expensive to recommend.
• 3 stars – An average performance in this area or overall. A leg bag with a three-star rating has achieved a basic level of performance and is deemed adequate.
• 4 stars – A leg bag has performed over and above the accepted averaged in this category or overall. A leg bag with a four-star rating has surpassed expectation and delivered in a particularly impressive way.
• 5 stars – A leg bag has performed at the highest possible level in a particular category or overall. A product with a five-star rating has delivered to the highest possible level, impressing the tester with its performance. We would happily spend our own money on it.

To find out more about our kit testing, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

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