Fully loaded: Best motorcycle luggage racks

Sometimes, you don’t want full-on fitted luggage on your motorcycle. Sometimes, you just want to chuck a bag across the back, strap it on and go. And while this can often be entirely possible with an empty pillion seat, on some bikes, there simply isn’t enough room to be able to fix a rollbag securely enough – This is where a motorcycle luggage rack can come in handy.

Motorcycle luggage racks are especially useful on bikes with small pillion seats, such as sportsbikes or bobbers with no pillion seat. In these cases case, adding a luggage rack provides much more area for you to be able to rest a bag or rucksack on safely and strap it down, improving safety and convenience.

Related: Triumph Tiger 900 luggage reviewed

And on off-road bikes, they can provide a useful spot to mount essential kit with you, such as tools and spares and if you are using a lightweight off-roader or adventure bike for commuting, then the rack will be useful for your daily gear.

Alternatively, if you don’t use it for luggage, a rack could also provide a useful spot to wrap your padlock and chain around so that it is always with you – also useful for commuting, for example.

Of course, there are also racks that are part of a larger luggage system so in the future, you could build on the rack itself if you need to carry more luggage, by adding say a topbox, or some panniers.

But in the meantime, here is a selection of luggage racks to improve your carrying capacity and your safety.

Is a luggage rack the best way to carry cargo on a motorbike?

A luggage rack makes for a great way to strap some larger cargo to the back of your bike; think duffle bag, large parcel, extra helmet, that kind of thing. However, you need to make sure your cargo is strapped down securely with bungee cord, or something similar, otherwise you risk loosing your cargo and causing a road hazard in the process.

What to consider when buying a luggage rack

There are quite a few things to consider when buying a luggage rack. The maximum load capacity will tell you how much weight you can load up on it safely when fitted to your bike. It’s never a good idea to exceed this limit, so make sure to get one that’s strong enough for your needs.

As well as this, many luggage racks are only designed to fit specific models of bike, so be careful of buying one that doesn’t fit on your ride. Some claim to be universal fit, but your mileage may vary with these – if it wasn’t specifically designed for your bike, it probably won’t fit perfectly out of the box.

The size and shape of the luggage rack is also worth considering. You can choose from long, short, skinny, wide, with side bars, top bars, some even have integrated backrests. The size and shape will have a big impact on what you can carry with you, and how your bike looks.

About the author: After qualifying as a mechanical engineer, Jim Blackstock began working on magazines in the early 1990s. He remains passionate about product testing to ensure readers know what products offer good value and why. He relishes torrential rain to see if riding kit keeps water out and an hour or two to tinker on a project bike in his workshop.

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