Kriega OS-Base Adventure Luggage System for ADV Touring
Hard panniers with a strong luggage rack are an essential part of long-distance road touring. For dual sport or ADV tours, however, they aren’t an ideal solution.
A luggage rack adds rigidity and weight to the bike, which may compromise its handling characteristics. Meanwhile, the hard panniers can throw off your balance and reduce sideways clearance. And taking the rack off altogether can be a real hassle—or impossible if you didn’t pack your tools.
This is why many ADV and dual sport riders opt for harness-based soft luggage systems. They weigh less than hard luggage racks and can be installed and removed quickly while still transporting your belongings efficiently to your basecamp.
Kriega’s new OS (Overlander System) adventure luggage system is a convenient solution that pops on and off your bike without any tools. It accepts a range of soft pannier bags to haul your stuff to the camp and the trail.
The OS solution consists of two parts: the OS-Base harness and the OS bags. Let’s take a closer look at how it works.
OS-Base Harness
Instead of a hard-fixed luggage rack, the OS bags attach to an OS-Base overseat harness. It slips over the bike’s seat, attaching to rear body components with hooks, straps, and buckles to keep it in place.
The base models of the OS-Base harness are the universal ADV and dirt bike mounting kits. They are designed to fit the vast majority of motorcycles (there’s always an exception), whether vintage or brand-new.
However, a universal system will always fit fine, never perfectly, which can introduce points of failure on rough trails. Kriega also offers model-specific harnesses for some of the most popular ADV machines, including KTM and Husqvarna bikes, Yamaha Ténéré 700, Honda CRF series, Ducati Desert X, Aprilia Tuareg, and more. These harnesses function the same as the universal kits; they’re simply modified to fit the bike’s body and easiest attachment points.
Whether universal or model-specific, the harness consists of a durable Hypalon main body with EVA foam on the underside to protect your bike’s body panels. It is fixed to the frame and/or other parts of the body with aircraft-grade alloy hooks and buckles, fixed to the body with reinforced seams. The hooks are the only metal parts of the system (depending on the model, some bike-specific ones feature screw-in attachment points).
The harness accepts OS bags from 6 to 18 liters in size. You can also attach a soft topcase with additional straps.
Your first installation will likely take some time, as you’ll have to adjust all straps and loops to fit your motorcycle. After that, however, the OS-Base becomes much quicker to attach and remove, making for a long-lasting and durable luggage carrier.
Note, though, that the harnesses are designed specifically for bikes in stock condition. If your motorcycle already has a hard luggage rack or other rear accessories, you may not be able to attach the bike-specific OS-Base harness. It may be possible to mitigate the issue with accessory straps, but you’ll be better off removing the accessories. Conversely, the universal harness might work best if your bike is not stock.
OS Soft Bags
To store your luggage on the OS-Base harness, Kriega offers the OS series of soft panniers. The OS-6, OS-12, and OS-18 bags feature storage volume in liters according to their names.
Visualize it. From the harness to the three available bag sizes.
These bags are manufactured from the same durable Hypalon/1000D Cordura materials and metal components as the harnesses, providing extreme durability. They’re waterproof with tight-fitting rolltop closures. The internal compartment features a white high-visibility liner to make finding your things easier (like on the Kriega R series backpacks).
For attaching the bags to the OS-Base, they come with hook loops and straps that match the attachment points on the harness. The hold is strong and firm, so you can focus on riding without worrying about your bags falling off.
By mixing and matching the OS series bags as panniers and a topcase (requires additional straps), you can carry up to 54 liters of storage at one time. In addition to the bags, Kriega manufactures some other accessories compatible with the OS-Base, such as bottle holders and tool rolls.
The OS series does include the larger OS-22 and OS-33 bags. These, however, are incompatible with the OS-Base harnesses and require a hard luggage rack.