There is a considerable cost difference as well as weight between the hard and soft bags I've used for long distance motorcycling.
Add in a range of propitiatory mounting hardware to outfit a variety of frame designs and sizes and you have an expensive complicated no-start business model for bicycles.
How many "baggers" do we see in cycling these day? Not many at all and those seem well served with the variety of traditional and new design soft luggage.
Ever see the result of dumping a hard-case equipped motorcycle off it's kickstand in a parking lot? Not good. With soft bags, not so bad.
Other than stylishly matching bags to a motorcycle why spend all that $$$ on hard-cases?
Security and weather protection. A locked case that accepts a $$$ helmet and $$$ riding jacket during a lunch stop and keeps a change of clothes dry after an all day run at 70 mph engulfed in a rain front is worth the price to LD motorcyclists.
For bicycles an answer to a question that I've never heard asked, until now.
-Bandera
Last edited by Bandera; 08-22-19 at 06:31 AM.