When I played EvE we made a fortune pirating explorers. We would track them down, and simply wait while they would do the hard work such as tracking signatures, unlocking secure containers, etc etc. While they worked we bull shitted and drank. They wrapped up ops and we would come in and be pirates. Explorers think they are safe because they are off the beaten path, they lack defenses, they are just a fat perfect target.
Another thing is PvE. You guys want that scythe, that fat ass glaive? The Vanduul are nomadic and know the wormholes well according to lore. You are going to need a explorer to track those targets, and the trackers will defenders. You never know what will be in the void, could be a bengal carrier could be cthulu. Every jump is a risk from all fronts, enviroment, pirates, AI, crew members, all are potential threats.
I dont think people understand what a pirate does. They do not go up and simply destroy a ship. There is a finesse to being a good pirate. I am going to have to write up a thread about it.