Width matters more than volume, and it is publishable
Panniers hang either side of the rear wheel and are the luggage that changes how a machine behaves. The figure to read first is not capacity but total width when fitted, because it is what decides whether the machine still filters, still fits the garage door and still goes down a lane between hedges. Good makers publish it; where they do not, the width of each case plus the frame is the arithmetic to do before ordering. The second figure is the frame, which like the top box plate is machine-specific and separately priced, and which is a more serious purchase here because it carries a load in a place that flexes. The material choice divides the family cleanly. Aluminium cases are rigid, lockable, hold their shape, take a beating and mark a leg in a fall; they are heavier and they do not forgive. Plastic cases are lighter, cheaper, usually keyed to the ignition, and are the touring default. Soft panniers weigh least, carry no lock worth the name, and are the only ones that can be taken off in seconds and carried into a hotel. Then the practical details: asymmetry, since an exhaust on one side makes one case smaller and the maker publishes both volumes; waterproofing, which on hard cases means a seal and on soft ones an inner liner; and whether the cases come off without tools. We compare capacity per side, published fitted width, mounting frame, material, waterproofing, locking and keying, asymmetry and published weight.
32 L · 1.2 mm solid aluminium · 490 × 240 × 367 mm outside, 455 × 205 × 350 mm inside · made in EU
A 32-litre solid aluminium side case in 1.2 mm material, published with both external and internal dimensions, a lid seal, a catch strap and a folding carry handle.
Best for: A rider who already has a carrier and wants a case measured inside and out.
≈ €130
Oxford fabric · soft throw-over pair · multiple straps · reflective elements
A pair of soft Oxford-fabric saddlebags fastened by straps under the seat, with reflective elements and a stated expandable capacity.
Best for: A sport machine with nowhere to bolt a rack, carrying gear that is taken indoors.
≈ £44 / €65
Side case · the listing publishes three bullets and no specification
A side case whose listing bullets read "Side cases", "High quality products for motorcycles" and "SHAD Side Cases" — no capacity, dimensions, material or mounting are published.
Best for: A rider who already knows the SHAD system and is re-ordering something they have handled.
≈ £171 / €155
2 × 23 L · ABS · IPX4 · three-position locking · adjustable brackets
A pair of 23-litre ABS side cases with adjustable mounting brackets, a three-position locking system, IPX4 splash protection and red reflectors.
Best for: A rider who wants lockable, removable cases and does not already own the brackets.
≈ €149
Pair · 22 L each · 5 kg load each · Monokey mounting · made in Italy
A pair of Monokey side cases of 22 litres each with a published load limit of 5 kg per case, made in Italy — the only luggage here that publishes a weight limit.
Best for: A cruiser already carrying Monokey mounts, where the load limit is the number that decides packing.
≈ £141 / €159
Only the specifications at least four models out of five state. A column that is more empty than full compares nothing.
| Model | Price | Amazon reference | Capacity | Material | Mounting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JFG RACING Saddle bags | 44 € | B07K21TT17 (one reference across 5 Amazon marketplaces) | — | Oxford fabric, described as wear- and scratch-resistant against wind and sun (maker’s bullet) | Multiple straps, fastened under the seat; a cover is included in delivery (maker’s bullet) |
| Alubox ABX-M32 | 130 € | B085L7M7KB (one reference across 1 Amazon marketplace) | 32 litres (maker’s bullet) | 1.2 mm solid aluminium, made in the EU (maker’s bullet) | — |
| Givi Kappa K22N Cruiser Monokey | 141 € | B011IVQT8G (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces) | 22 litres per case, supplied as a set of 2 (maker’s bullet) | — | Monokey (from the title) |
| VEVOR Side cases 2 × 23 L | 149 € | B0HF14LPYQ (one reference across 5 Amazon marketplaces) | 2 × 23 litres, with internal elastic straps holding contents (maker’s bullet) | ABS, stated impact-resistant, dust-protected and splash-protected (maker’s bullet) | Adjustable brackets, stated to fit most common machines (maker’s bullet) |
| SHAD SH23 | 171 € | B072WDVRKP (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces) | Not published in the listing — the model name is SH23. | The maker puts nothing in writing on this. | The maker puts nothing in writing on this. |
Specifications: manufacturer sheets and Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. No product on this site has been physically tested.
Most recent revision in this category: September 18, 2026.
Nothing written into the text below is a current price. Where an amount appears in a sentence, it is the reading taken on the day that sentence was written; what a shop is asking at this moment loads beside the product itself, and that is the figure to go by.
