I must have missed the announcement that NASA was planning the first motorbike tour on the Moon, but the folks over at Touratech obviously didn’t.
OK, I may be exaggerating a little, but while bike luggage may seem a relatively simple piece of kit to produce, making it appear easy is where the magic lies.
In reality a huge amount of knowledge and expertise goes into crafting those adventurous metal boxes locked to the back of our motorbikes so we can be assured our kit is kept safe, secure, and dry.
And while Touratech are already one of the most trusted names in the motorcycle luggage world, they’ve been working hard on refining their factory processes to continue to raise the bar with its new ZEGA Evo range.
The ZEGA Evo range
The latest fruits of this labour is the ZEGA Evo range, and from what we’ve seen so far, we’re seriously impressed. These panniers are engineered to such a high level that they wouldn’t look out of place on the side of a space shuttle.
And impressively, Touratech says its new mounting system is so easy to use, the panniers can be taken on and off the bike in just nine seconds. Luggage doesn’t get much more faff free than that.
All ZEGA Evo luggage is built at Touratech’s state-of-the-art factory in Germany’s Black Forest. Here, in a vision of the future as far from the Terminator imaginable, robots and expert craftspeople work alongside each other in perfect harmony.
The dance of autonomous laser cutting machines is performed under the watchful eyes of humans who treat each product like it’s a Rolex. Yet even with such high standards, the factory manages to produce up to 100,000 panniers a year, consuming several football fields worth of aluminium in the process.
Built in ventilation system
Touratech’s 3D laser cutting and welding is done by purpose-built machines which combine to create carefully crafted panniers, with features like the ventilation system that relieves air pressure in the pannier in case of changing altitudes. Maybe not something you’ll notice riding around the Cotswolds, but it goes to show just how thoughtfully designed the ZEGA Evos are.
From a more practical standpoint, the ZEGA Evos have everything you need from hard panniers. They’re waterproof, they’re tough, there are plenty of loops for attaching other bits on like tents and roll mats, and they look great.
The luggage works with Touratech’s new mounting system which combines ergonomic handling with security so you can easily get to your luggage with your gloves on. So, you don’t need to worry about them being knocked off while you’re hitting the trails or being stolen while you’re in the pub. Plus they’re designed with adventure bikes in mind, so they’re a breeze to set up on most models.
Carefully crafted
If you’re the kind of rider that’s happy with a drybag strapped to their bike with a bit of old rope found in your garage, then you’re probably thinking that this is overkill. But for the rest of us, being able to rely on rugged and easy-to-use luggage on tour is a Godsend, and it’s hard not to appreciate the level of precision and craft that goes into Touratech’s latest kit.
It’s also reassuring to know that your panniers aren’t going to fail on you and ruin your precious gear. Check out Touratech’s ZEGA Evo range here.
