Tank/tail bag opinions

[K3V1N]

Hey guys I just got back from a 3k 8 day ride to Nova Scotia. I ended up using a Pelican case strapped to the frame then put my soft bags over that to keep them off the pipes. I still might try and make a custom rack that mounts to the chopped frame and grab bars but since this worked I wanted to post it.

[K3V1N]

In this photo it looks like the bag is close to the pipe but it really isn't. They would shift around like soft bags do especially when riding in field but they never got close to the pipes.

[Dwardle]

I have cheap saddle bags that the previous owner had on the bike, but they rest on the pipes of my 695.  I'm assuming this won't work for long rides right?  He only used them around the city to bring things to work, etc.

[K3V1N]

That is really the point of my post, if you strap a box or even a piece of foam on the seat to raise the bags up you can ride across the country if you want.

[Dwardle]

Sounds good I'll give it a shot.  I don't think mine has a strap that goes over the seat though, just under it.  I'll play around with it tonight.

[SteveO.]

Catch is that on some bikes, like my KTM there's no subframe to secure the new style too. The older school ones work better in that application. But I agree the new set up would work better on the monster with the tubes to loop on.

The other thing that sucks about the new Kriega straps is that if my US20 is empty, the straps are too long to lock it down tight.  The straps you mount on the bike and leave have to be just long enough to reach out from under the seat and the straps that hook them and then click in to the bag need to be cinched really tight to keep the bag secure.  Unless there's a lot in the bag, it's impossible to make it secure. 

Don't get me wrong, I love the Kriega bags but the mounting system sucks on the new Monsters, unless I've messed up the install somehow. 

[Raux]

i have the same issue with another company soft mounts. the seat just narrows too much.

[K3V1N]

I would love to see a photo of this bag on a monster. Anyone own one of these that can post a photo?

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/916/340/

[lazylightnin717]

I finally got around to washing the bike and taking pics with the new luggage

Thoughts....

1. I have way more room than I thought I was going to have

2. The tank bag works very well with the magnets

3. The tank bag can be removed and replaced very easily

4. Attaching the tail bag took a bit of creativity but it works and isn't too much of a pain to get on/off

I'm very happy with the bags. The tank bags is a soft shell with some neat accessories. It's not too fancy but everything about it's design seems to serve some purpose. The tail bag is a hard shell and very simple inside and out.

Here are the pics

[thought]

On longer rides you'll love that tank bag... due to the size it's perfect to rest your upper body on it and give your lower back a rest.

And I wish I could use magnets haha

[Jimmy6tring]

Your CF looks great! I still haven't done mine and I'm running out of excuses...

[lazylightnin717]

Your CF looks great! I still haven't done mine and I'm running out of excuses...

Thanks!

Getting a good clear finish on cf is such a PITA

Even after I got a good finish on it, the PPG clear coat still became very brittle. I'm still wondering how to get a more durable clear finish

[K3V1N]

Nice setup!!!!  You might want to think about leaving your seat cowl at home if your doing any real traveling just to prevent it from getting scratched up. I have a vinyl cutter and made some clear pieces to go under my tank bag when I travel. This last trip I had new rev it pants and the inside knee patches scratched the tank a bit

[thought]

Nice setup!!!!  You might want to think about leaving your seat cowl at home if your doing any real traveling just to prevent it from getting scratched up. I have a vinyl cutter and made some clear pieces to go under my tank bag when I travel. This last trip I had new rev it pants and the inside knee patches scratched the tank a bit

Do you have those pants with the ceramic plates bonded to the outside?  Like little ceramic polka dots?  I heard those ding up the paint pretty badly.

And what I use if I put any bags onto anything painted on my bike is that tool box liner they sell at lowes/hd.  It's cheap, comes in a huge roll, and I just lay a good amount under the bags.  It protects the paint and if you lose it or it wears out you just cut another one from the roll.

[lazylightnin717]

Nice setup!!!!  You might want to think about leaving your seat cowl at home if your doing any real traveling just to prevent it from getting scratched up. I have a vinyl cutter and made some clear pieces to go under my tank bag when I travel. This last trip I had new rev it pants and the inside knee patches scratched the tank a bit

Good call on the cowl although it's already scratched and cracked 

The tank bag is very well crafted. The magnets are encased in a nice soft rubber-like material and I've no fear of them damaging the tank. Not sure what type of magnets they are but they hold tight. We use neodymium at work if I ever feel like I need more magnetic power.

The bottom of the tank bag has the same non-slip/rubbery material as the magnets and I'm not the slightest bit  afraid of it scratching the tank.

On the other hand, my leathers seem to do a job on the tank and it wouldn't hurt to put some clear vinyl on there