Tail bag (or how to spend part of that stimulus check)

A couple of issues back, Motorcycle Classics reviewed several sets of soft luggage. Stated as the "most versatile" was the Cortech Tri-bag system by Tourmaster. Given that I plan to use the bike more, I figured that something better than a duffel bag bungee strapped to the seat would work better.

I received the bag today from New Enough and strapped it onto the SR. I have not yet decided to buy the associated saddle bags.

View from the front:

The tailbag is billed as being able to be used stand alone or with the saddle bags. For each the mounting is slightly different and easy. Stand alone uses a set of bungee straps built into the bottom of the bag. The very bottom is neoprene and grips the seat well and doesn't seem prone to sliding. It is part of a flap that is zippered on one side and opening this zipper reveals the bungee hooks. The hooks can be hidden under the flap so the bag can be used as a duffel.

I did shorten the cords by tying the knot further back on each cord to make the mounting more secure.

The bag appears well made (I'd hope!) and looks as though it will be easy to access with gloves. There are several separate compartments and it comes with a shoulder carrying strap and rain/dust cover that goes over the entire bag.

Here are the links:

Tail bag
Saddle bags

They also have a smaller "sport" version available tail/saddle bags as well that is similar to these in function.

Looks good, but if the cords are the normal material like the similar bungee cords their life is short as they eventually stretch and you have no more elastisity (to lazy to spell, but you get the idea . I always just had a better luck with luggage using rubber straps. Every store sells a different rubber strap, and some stretch, some don't, the stretchy ones are the ones to get, where you can really stretch them out. Old days you could test them right in the bins of any store, no more I suppose. I'm using the same rubber straps I used 20 years ago still. The wife got one of those cargo net things a couple yrs ago and it's shot already to say the least and she only ties on stuff maybe 6 times a year.

I just bought one of those cargo nets, 15" x 15", because it was on sale cheap.
Guess it wont last long then. :laugh:
Not sure if I'll ever use it, but I thought it might come in handy.
I always use a tank bag, so I tossed it in there.
The tank bag has some tools and general emgency fix it up stuff like elec. tape, some parts, ties, cable/s etc.
It's expandable, has tons of pocket including the map pocket up top, works as a back pack, has a man purse attached etc.
I just don't like covering the tank with the bag at all times.

.

There's some good stuff out there. Especially when the bike starts becoming part of our basic transportation plan we need the ability to carry stuff. I like the soft bags since they can be taken off in short order when not needed, say for a sporting ride.

N0NB wrote:

There's some good stuff out there.
Especially when the bike starts becoming
part of our basic transportation plan we
need the ability to carry stuff.
I like the soft bags since they can
be taken off in short order when not needed,
say for a sporting ride.

Nate! . . . Get away from that Suzuki! :woohoo:

When I got the free KZ 400 last Summer it had a tall sissy bar with a rather big bag attached. It was a black vinyl and hung on the back of the bar with a long string that wrapped around the sissy bar like laces on a shoe. I thought it might have an application on my Volusia so I took the pillion pad off and laced as much of it as I could over the pad then reattached the pad to the fender. The bag is quite large and works pretty well. I just can't put something very heavy in it or it will slide over the side of the fender since the bag is wider than the pillion/fender. It's not so big that it would slide down below the valanced fender and hit the tire or spokes but just enough to put me a little off balance. It's more for clothes or something light. I will likely also use a bungee to keep it in place when it's full. Either way, it looks ok with my black saddle bags and works well. Not bad for free.

KZ250LTD wrote:

My father has a set for his VFR with tankbag, tailbag and saddlebags, all some 'motopak' brand, all expandable that we used on a roadtrip last year.

I have a motopak tank bag. It works perfectly on the 1100. I got mine cheap on ebay.

I actually plunged and bought a set of Givi 411 soft saddlebags for the Bandit 2 years ago. Great bags and fit the Bandit perfectly. Unfortunately, Givi's tailbags are all quite small (well, smallish) and so I elected to stay with my $10.00 sportbag purchased at a Target store many moons ago. No goofy "name" logos on it so nobody wants to steal it and it holds tons of stuff. Very visible in bright blue, as well. Unfortunately I don't seem to have a pic of it on any of my bikes. Strange....(scratches his head)......