Not every ride goes according to plan. And not every rider takes the easy road.
In Roadside Realities, we share raw, unfiltered stories from SW-Motech riders out in the world — through sun, rain, crashes, and close calls. These aren’t product reviews. These are the kinds of moments you remember long after the ride is done.
“Every Bike, Every Ride” - Charles May
“The luggage has been well made, well stitched together — and in some cases, waterproof too.”
Charles has trusted SW-Motech tank bags on a long list of bikes: from a Triumph 1050 and two FJRs, to a Moto Guzzi V85TT (sadly lost in a collision), and even an “awful” Guzzi Norge he owned for just five weeks. Through it all, the gear stayed solid.
Now riding a Taureg 660, Charles relies on the SW-Motech Adventure Rack. It carries whatever the road calls for — tent, soft luggage, top box. “Well designed and thought-out equipment,” he says, “which is how it should be.”
“The Pannier That Took the Hit” - John Baron
“The left-side pannier took the impact. My wife was bruised, but we stayed upright.”
September 2024. John and his wife were 1,045 miles into a European tour on their Harley Softail, fitted with SW-Motech panniers and rear rack luggage. Riding through a torrential downpour on the motorway from Porto to Lisbon, visibility was poor. Traffic ahead slowed — and that’s when it happened.
A van, unable to stop in time, slammed into the back corner of their setup — directly into the pannier and his wife’s back.
Miraculously, they didn’t go down. The pannier absorbed a portion of the blow, deforming in the process, but it may have helped prevent something far worse.
Back home, John dismantled it, bent the brackets back into shape, and got it back on the bike. “Still has the white paint scuffs,” he says. “They won’t go away. But the panniers continue to perform.”
“Europe, Scotland, Wales — And Still Going” - Debbie Martin
“I love the ease of taking them on and off… the removable rack is great.”
Debbie’s had the TREK system for nearly a decade, fully kitted out with panniers, expansion bags, lid bags, a top box, and cargo net. It’s seen more of Europe than most people ever do — including deep tours of Scotland and Wales. Through it all, her setup keeps delivering — easy to use, hard to beat.
Got Your Own Roadside Reality?
We want to hear it!
Send us your story — the good, the bad, the unforgettable — and we might just feature it in the next edition. Photos welcome, scuffs and all.