Giant Loop Mototrekk Panniers

By Paul Strubell : 8/14/24

After 13 years of honorable service, I have retired my beloved Giant Loop Siskiyou Panniers in favor of the more versatile and modern Mototrekk Panniers from Giant Loop.

The Siskiyou Panniers were not only extremely durable, but I loved their rack-less design and how easily they transitioned when I switched out bikes over the years. Four different adventure bikes, same luggage system. They put in a terrific shift, but it was time to put them out to pasture.

I have switched to the Mototrekk Panniers for a few reasons. The first is that I simply needed something new. The old panniers were worn out and it was getting to the point that I felt something might break on a trip. Leaving me without a solution for field repair. The material was still sturdy, but it had lost a great deal of its water resistance and the panniers would fill up with water at the bottom. Anything not in the dry pod would sit in standing water.

The second reason is that, now that I am a parent, I don’t have time for ten day + adventure rides anymore. Those kinds of rides will return, but it’s going to be 10-15 years down the road. I tend to travel with my son when I have time off these days. I still love adventure riding though, so I get out when I can for 3-5 day rides here and there.

The time was right and I have made the switch to the Giant Loop Mototrekk’s Panniers.

I like this option for a few reasons. The first is the size. At 50 liters of packable volume, these robust panniers offer me the storage I need for my kind of riding. When I got into adventure riding over a decade ago, my camping gear was larger and I would take longer rides. I needed more storage for those big adventure rides.

These days, my trips tend to be shorter and I have refined my travel style to incorporate lighter more compact equipment. I also try to visit friends or stay in cabins once in a while. Which means I don’t have to haul as much cooking and sleeping gear.

I used to bring a lot of things I didn’t really need. Simply put, I bring a lot less stuff these days.

The Motortrekk Panniers cooperate with my other Giant Loop luggage more than the Siskiyou Panniers.

I love Giant Loops Klamath Tail Rack Pack and keep it on my bike often. But because of the mounting position on the BMW r1200gs, I needed to remove it in order to mount the Siskiyou Panniers. This was due to their substantial cross strap that goes over the pillion seat. That wasn’t a big deal if I was also planning to install the Tillamook dry bag as well, but I found that it was overkill for overnight trips or weekend rides. The Mototrekk’s allow me to keep the Klamath in place and run the Tillamook without having to sacrifice one or the other. All things considered I am able to pick the ideal luggage set up, without feeling like I have only one option no matter the scope of the trip.

I am really pleased with how lightweight the Mototrekk Panniers are compared to the more robust Siskiyou Panniers. They are easier to install and remove as well. If I find myself in an setting where I want to remove the Mototrekk’s, I can use the included shoulder straps to haul them with me in a way that simply isn’t feasible with the unibody Siskiyou’s.

After a few weeks with them, I am very pleased with the new set up.

Get yourself a set here.