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Luggage Reviews


SHAD 3P Mounting System and the SH36 Side Cases on the BMW S1000XR The webBikeWorld SHAD SH36 review was published in 2014. The SH36 side cases were new at that time and were fitted to the Suzuki V-Strom 1000 ABS (Blog), the webBikeWorld Project Bike that year. Since then, SHAD has introduced the SH36 mounting kit for the BMW …

SHAD Motorcycle Luggage As identified in Part 1 of the SHAD motorcycle top case review, four complete top case kits along with a Top Master rack kit yielded a multiple mounting options on a variety of motorcycles. Of the four planned installations, three have been completed. The last will be completed before the truck, trailer and motorcycle …

Installing the Bags-Connection Daypack II Tank Bag Daypack II Installation: What’s Included This article illustrates a typical installation of the Bags-Connection Quick-Lock system and tank bag. Remember that every motorcycle may be different and you should follow the instructions provided by Bags-Connection. The information here is for illustrative purposes only. The Daypack tank bag shown …

Motorcycle Tail Bag Oxford Sport Tail Bag The Oxford Sport Tail Bag, or Tail Pack, provides an additional 42 liters of carrying capacity (vs. 28 liters for the Humpback version) and can be fitted to a variety of motorcycle seats (see caveats below).  The Sport Tail Bag is rectangular in shape, at 350mm (14″) wide  …

Motorcycle Saddlebags Oxford Sport Saddlebags – Panniers Let’s see — so far we have 36 liters of space in the Compact Tank Bag and 42 liters in the Sport Tail Bag.  That should be enough to get you back and forth to work in good shape, but how about another 55 liters worth of storage …

Oxford Compact Tank Bag The Oxford Compact Tank Bag is nicely proportioned and should fit many different fuel tank shapes.  It measures about 280mm (~11″) across and about 450mm (~13″) long prior to stuffing it to its 36 liter capacity.  It sits only about 140mm (~5.5″) high when not expanded, which is relatively unobtrusive and …

Outfitting the Versys The Kawasaki Versys Story Part 1: Kawasaki Versys Introduction and Review Part 2: Luggage and Accessories Part 3: Windscreen Part 4: Accessories for the Versys Part 5: New Tires for the Versys Part 6: Oxford HotGrips on the Versys Gear: Zeta Handguards and XC Deflector Kit Gear: FAMSA 260 Tank Bag & Pannier Set Versys Specs: Kawasaki Versys Info and Specs …

Roadgear MultiTasker Briefcase Commuting to work or school on a motorcycle or scooter sounds like a lot of fun, but reality often leavens the thrill. There aren’t many places with a perfect dry and sunny climate that encourages carefree two-wheel commuting. Most of us have to consider things like the type of outerwear that will …

Super-Solid Hard Bags Happy Trails makes several different types of panniers and the Imnaha version is the smallest and lightest. The Imnaha bags are probably too small for true long-distance adventure touring, but they’re rugged and waterproof and their light weight is barely noticed on the DR650. The mounting rack system makes it all work, …

Eclipse motorcycle luggage has been made in the U.S.A. for just about as long as I’ve been riding motorcycles.  The company was started in 1973, and it was in the spring of that year, if I recall correctly, that I purchased my first bike, a 1968 Bultaco Metralla (of all things). Back in those days, …

Motorcycle Touring Bag One of the benefits of soft vs. hard luggage for motorcycles is the ability to use the soft stuff for multiple purposes.  Let’s face it, you’d look pretty dorky carrying a Jesse aluminum pannier into a Vegas hotel. But most of the recent crop of motorcycle soft luggage not only looks cool, …

The Wolfman Explorer Tank Bag Have you ever purchased a piece of gear that looked great on the shelf or in the catalog, only to find that it seemed to have been designed by someone who had never seen a motorcycle? The Wolfman Explorer tank bag neatly disposes of such nonsense with smart features and …

Act Fast On This Ogio/Dainese Tail Bag The Ogio tail bag is a versatile, medium-sized storage option for your motorcycle. It should fit on a wide variety of motorcycle passenger seats. It has adjustable quick-release loop straps, which make it easy to mount securely, perhaps with some ROK Straps (review). Three compartments, with the main one …

A Clever Expandable Top Case The new SHAD SH58X has a very clever trick. It’s the first hard case top box that can be expanded to a total of 3 different capacities. I don’t think there are any other hard top cases that can do this? At any rate, SHAD has a patent on the …

The Kriega R25 and R35 Motorcycle Backpacks The Kriega R25 and R35 make a convincing argument for wearing a backpack on a motorcycle. The design moves the weight from the shoulders and places it on the chest and back. Freedom of movement is also a benefit of Kriega’s design, as both backpacks allow movement of …

Waterproof Luggage With A Unique Mounting System The Hepco & Becker Royster C-Bow side cases straddle the line between hard cases and soft bags. The semi-rigid design offers light weight while still being strong enough to maintain the shape. Capacity is a bit limited but is in line with the intended use for commuters and …

Wet Is Bad; Dry Is Good The Touratech Waterproof Moto Tank Bag system is also made by Ortlieb in Germany for Touratech. It is a direct-fit solution for wide range of motorcycles, but a workaround or compromise for others. With a universal-approach tank harness, the 18L Moto Tank Bag has a removable clear map case …

Made in the U.S.A. Luggage Combo: The RKA Shiloh Road Tank Bag and the RKA Starr II Seat Bag RKA Luggage has been made in the U.S.A. since the early 1980’s. The company now offers a huge line of tank bags, seat bags, saddlebags, bag liners and more. Each luggage piece also comes in a …

The Convoluted Tale of A Tank Bag for Two Kawasakis Here’s a photo-heavy update on the surprisingly useful SW-Motech Quick-Lock EVO Daypack we first reviewed in 2014. All of the features and details on fitting and installing the Daypack were covered in that review. Also, more details on the SW-Motech Quick-Lock system can be found in the Suzuki …

The Modern, Safer and More Secure Replacement for the Bungee A ROK Strap is an intelligent solution to thedangers of bungee cords. Suffice it to say that bungee cords are dangerous — and a leading cause of eye injuries. If you don’t want to believe that, then at least believe that bungee cords just don’t …

Installing the BMW Luggage Rack and the SHAD “Top Master” Top Case Mounting Kit on a BMW S1000XR The BMW S1000XR is now gone, but there are still some stories to be told. One important subject is the BMW Luggage Carrier (Grid). It didn’t get installed at the factory on this early production S1000XR due …

Touratech Waterproof “Moto” Saddle Bags by Ortlieb The Touratech Moto Waterproof Saddle Bags are made by Ortlieb for Touratech. As I noted in the first part of this series — theTouratech Adventure Dry Bag review — not all “waterproof” motorcycle luggage really is. And some aren’t very good no matter the list price or features touted. …

Touratech and Ortlieb Partner for Waterproof Motorcycle Luggage There is no shortage of waterproof dry bags for motorcyclists. But not all of them are truly waterproof and some aren’t very good, no matter the list price. Fortunately, the Touratech Waterproof Adventure Dry Bag is both waterproof and good. Actually, “great” is the better word to …

Dry is Good: SHAD Zulupack Waterproof Luggage The SHAD Zulupack name is well known by those who enjoy the outdoors, particularly in wet environments. And SHAD has done a good thing in tailoring and marketing the line worldwide. With twelve bags in the current Zulupack lineup, there is — or should be — something for …

motoPOCKET Accessory Luggage Bags The motoPOCKET line of textile soft bags are lightweight and have simple and effective mounting solutions. Extremely versatile and just plain useful, they seem to blend into whatever piece of luggage they are being used with — a testament to their versatility and durability. No matter if travelling near or far, …

SHAD SH36 Side Cases for the Yamaha FZ09, Honda NC700, Honda CTX700 and the 2014 Suzuki V-Strom 1000 ABS The new SHAD SH36 side cases (aka panniers, bags) are very easy to install. They also have a more modern, angular look than the stock Suzuki bags. The price difference from OEM luggage is also dramatic. …

SW-Motech Bags-Connection Quick Lock EVO Daypack Tank Bag A small tank bag that uses the Quick Lock EVO second generation mounting system. The EVO locking system uses a special ring that mounts on the fuel filler and different sized tank bags can be fitted. It keeps the tank bag off the paint, while making it …

The SHAD Zulupack SW05 Waterproof Pack The SHAD Zulupack SW05 is a small waterproof bag that can be used to carry a camera, wallet and more. The SW05 is the smallest of the many new Zulupack waterproof bags now being offered by SHAD. The bags feature vinyl-coated fabric and sealed seams and the roll-down top …

Motorcycle Handlebar Bag for the BMW GS and BMW Scooters This small handlebar bag is designed to fit the crossbar on the handlebars of some dual-sport bikes. It also makes a handy bag for the BMW C-Series scooters. The bags are made in the U.S.A. (Virginia) by Kathy’s Journey Designs (info in summary table below). …

The Giant Loop Possibles Pouch The Giant Loop Possibles Pouch is a small heavy-duty bag that can carry a variety of gear. It uses a “MOLLE-like” system of straps on the outside that can be used to attach the bag to various points on a motorcycle or scooter. MOLLE is an acronym for “Modular Lightweight …

Rotopax Fuel Pack for the Suzuki DR-Z400S During the planning stages for our assault of the western half of the Trans-America Trail, Glen and I knew that we would be crossing some desolate areas void of fuel stations. This is similar to our Trans-Labrador Highway ride (report) in 2011, when we also needed to carry additional fuel. …

SW-Motech Bags-Connection EVO Rear Bag Why do the manufacturers release new motorcycles in the Fall? Last year, it was the BMW C 650 GT scooter (blog). They had all year to release but dealers didn’t see it until mid-October. This year, it’s the Suzuki GW250 (review). Released under the radar at the 2013 AIMExpo show (report) in October, it …

BMW Scooter Top Case Review The BMW scooter top box (aka top case) is expensive, but it’s naturally a perfect match for the new C-series scooters. The top case is made by SHAD for BMW and the molded plastic is thick and strong. In typical BMW fashion, buying the basic black top case is just the …

SHAD SC20 Scooter Tunnel Bag The SHAD SC20 is a basic but rugged scooter tunnel bag with a unique attachment system. It has a single large pocket that can hold a smaller helmet, plus two narrow side pockets that are easy to access. This is a generic soft bag, without stiffeners. It attaches with provided …

SHAD SH37 & SH48 Tp Case Review The SHAD SH37 is a generously-sized top case that can be fitted to a variety of motorcycles and scooters. It’s good-looking and has a variety of accessories available, including snap-on color-matched top panels. The new SHAD SH48 is an even larger, yet still light weight top case for …

Micatech Pack Rack Review and Micatech Top Case Review Like my earlier wBW review of the Micatech Roof Racks (review), this submission is also long overdue… Unless I use the excuse that it was meant to be a long term evaluation of course! Short and sweet: the Micatech Pack Rack, when used alone or with the …

Nelson-Rigg CL-950 Deluxe Saddlebags Review The Nelson-Rigg CL-950 Deluxe Saddlebags sleek styling and adjustability will fit many different motorcycles. Installation and removal is a “piece of cake” with the efficient included mounting system. Large compartments and the fuss-free ability to attach a Nelson-Rigg tail bag make this the perfect luggage for a week on the …

A Front Fender Bag for the DR650 This is a Quick Look at the Wolfman Enduro Fender Bag and the Pro Cycle DR650 Fender Brace. The fender bag needs a few tweaks to be more useful and I’m not sure the fender brace is really necessary. Oh well — you win some, you lose some… …

BMW Adventure Dry Bag Review The BMW Adventure Saddlebag Liner dry bags are big, bold and meant to go the distance, just like the BMW R1200GS Adventure machine that they are designed for. They also fit perfectly in or on the BMW Adventure pannier system. As a soft compressible dry bag, their uses on or …

Givi Luggage for the Kawasaki Z1000 November 19, 2011 – Here’s a quick one, we passed by the Givi Luggage booth with this Kawasaki Z1000SX on display. The luggage looked very nice and well made and it turns the bike into a respectable sport-tourer. I picked up a Givi brochure that I thought described this …