Team-BHP - The Saddle & Tail Bag Review Thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by amyntor (Post 5837260)

I bought a Viaterra Claw for my upcoming trip to the Himalayas.

I usually carry my stuff in a rucksack and tie it to the pillion seat with bungee cords. That has always worked but that rucksack is showing it's age now. Poor old thing accompanied me to eight countries and got thrown around and was brutally abused when I hitchhiked.

I'm planning to live on my two wheeler and away from home for a while. So, I hope my purchase turns out to be a good one.

Sounds like you're heading for exciting times. Do you have recommendations for bags if one is taking a pillion along?
One could go for the standard semi-hardened saddle bags from Viaterra (for the RE Classic / Std 350) but I wonder if one could just get thick cloth bags, and use some kind of waterproofing plastic casing inside.

Do you also have any recos for saddle stays for the RE Classic / Std 350?

Thanks.

Hi All,

I'm in the market for a versatile rugged laptop backpack mainly for my all season motorcycle commutes to the office and weekend rides. I have two laptops which I prefer carrying with me on my longer rides/trips: one is a stone age 15" ROG which is I guess the size of 18" laptop by today's standards. Another is a modern 15" office laptop. So far, I've been using a 10 year old Safari backpack. I've used it almost everyday ever since it was bought, be it college commutes, weekend trips in crowded buses, trains and flights, to the office commutes and my weekend rides, in peak summers, heavy rains and through mud & slush. Now it has started to show it's age, and is at a point where it can fail on me anytime. I recently came across the Kriega R series. Almost all reviews I've seen/read for those backpacks are overwhelmingly positive. I got to chance to see the 2024 R22 in flesh and the size seemed pretty small for my larger laptop. Now I'm considering either the R30 or R35. The only problem is I'm having a difficult time justifying the price tag. Had there been any options by Rynox or Viaterra, those would've been reasonably priced, and I've written to them about it. Coming back, are these backpacks worth the price? Almost all the reviews I've watched/read are overwhelmingly positive, but I can't shake the fact that:
a) <Rs1500 backpack lasted me almost 10 years. Though the quality of most backpacks available these days is nowhere close to the one I'm currently using.
b) The user reviews of people abroad may not directly translate to our Indian conditions. Even though it has got 10 years of warranty, the process/hassle of claiming it is unknown.

I've looked up few backpacks from the Ogio Drag and Renegade series as well, but unlike Kreiga, there's no mention of the material details on the product page, thought few reviewers claim 420D/600D polyester is used. How rugged and abuse friendly are these backpacks in reality?

Quote:

Originally Posted by t3rm1n80r (Post 5893766)

The main problem with backpacks, not necessarily kriega is that they cut off all airflow. I feel perforated leather is as cool as mesh jacket with a backpack, I have stopped using my mesh jacket entirely now and use a tailbag all the time. And my leathers don't even have perforations on the back. But if you want to go ahead with a backpack, I strongly recommend considering a trail 18 (assuming at least your smaller office laptop fits) instead of the R series. Waterproof bags are great until you realise your rain jacket has to go back in once the rain is over. I carry two separate plastic bags just to quarantine my rain jacket and pants which can be contaminated with sewage. With the trail backpacks you can stuff it outside the waterproof layer and accessing it again is so much easier

Quote:

Originally Posted by t3rm1n80r (Post 5893766)

Hi All,

I'm in the market for a versatile rugged laptop backpack mainly for my all season motorcycle commutes to the office and weekend rides. I have two laptops which I prefer carrying with me on my longer rides/trips:
I've looked up few backpacks from the Ogio Drag and Renegade series as well, but unlike Kreiga, there's no mention of the material details on the product page, thought few reviewers claim 420D/600D polyester is used. How rugged and abuse friendly are these backpacks in reality?

I use an Ogio Bandit backpack which is now discontinued and perhaps replaced by the Renegade (they have the same shape). It is priced at a premium yet undercuts the irrationally priced Kriega. It can carry a 17-inch laptop and has a lot of space for extras. I have not seen Renegade in person but they look similar to Bandit. It also has a chest strap to keep the weight away from your armpits so that helps in long rides. I have used it for around 2 years for my rides as well as as an office bag and am very impressed with the quality of materials, smartly organised pockets, cushioned back/straps and the abuse-taking capability. I can recommend Ogio with confidence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by t3rm1n80r (Post 5893766)

I recently came across the Kriega R series. Almost all reviews I've seen/read for those backpacks are overwhelmingly positive. I got to chance to see the 2024 R22 in flesh and the size seemed pretty small for my larger laptop. Now I'm considering either the R30 or R35. The only problem is I'm having a difficult time justifying the price tag.

Kriega is priced high but the quality is high too. I have used my R30 for the past 10 years and it’s still going strong. It does take a lot of stuff as it’s 30ltrs but the downside to this is that if you don’t have much stuff to carry then it’s a pain to lug that big backpack everywhere. Kriegas are heavier than your regular backpacks and the R30 uses a lot of straps to compress the bag.

Any backpack (Kriega included) will cause shoulder discomfort if you use it for prolonged time like a 400-600kms ride. The chest strap helps but it doesn’t completely take off pressure from the shoulders.

I had purchased the DUSC cases from SW Motech that were newly launched by them in 2024 for use on my 1300 GS. I did a quick search on this thread and couldn’t find a review on the DUSC cases here.

I like this thread to be a one stop repository for different luggage solutions so wanted to leave an extract here of the relevant bits so the review of the cases is sitting in this specific thread too for anyone considering purchasing them.

Happy to address any specific questions if anyone has on these cases, since I’ve been using them over a few months now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axe77 (Post 5915546)

Luggage Setup …

Quote:

The Dusc case has the obvious advantages of being a quick lockable luggage solution with a clip on and clip off installation setup. I’m using the two 33 ltr version for side cases and the 41 ltr one as a top case. The mounting points are such that these cases can interchangeably be used as a side OR a top case.

However, one important point of note. Once you put the inner felt lining into the 41 ltr bag, even my M sized helmets are a “very” snug fit. I would seriously caution before choosing this as a top case without taking this aspect into consideration - I have personally taken a considered call on this since my helmet just about fits (and I use the soft cloth helmet bag to avoid scratching it). Alternately, please consider the soon to be launched 55 ltr version which should fit more comfortably although personally I’m not a fan of such a large box as a top case.

Quote:

On that note, here is a quick review of the DUSC cases:

[+] Lightweight compared to traditional Aluminium cases.
[+] Lockable solution as opposed to soft / semi rigid bags.
[+] Quick installation and removal.
[+] Cheaper to buy than same brand Alu cases (although they’re not inexpensive by any stretch).
[+] Functionally, the same case can be mounted as a side case or a top case. Quite handy if you wanted only a 2 case and not a 3 case solution.
[+] Now available in 3 sizes - M (33 ltr), L (41 ltr) and XL (55 ltr). (Obviously the 55 ltr one will not be practical as a side mount).
[+] Can be purchased as any combo - M with M; M with L or L with L as per preference depending on staggered or even set up
[+] The Trax inner bags (which I’ve previously used for my Givi side panniers as well as Sys bags) fit flush inside these cases, thereby mitigating some disadvantage of the side loading factor.
[+] Single key solution is convenient if you plan your purchases together. In fact, even my SWM tool case uses the same key as my 4 lock purchase accounts for 3 luggage cases + SWM toolcase.
[+] Cases are tough and sturdy and yet have some handy flex for those occasional bumps etc. Review videos show reviewers even standing on them.

[-] When used as a side case, the case opens side-on -i.e. it is not top loading. I use inner bags so doesn’t matter for me but for many, top loading is the only way to go. Makes for more efficient packing (stuffing the case) too.
[-] Material is coarse and therefore catches dust very easily and is a nightmare to keep clean.
[-] Helmet fit is sideways and even in the L case it’s far from optimal. It is way too snug a fit if you’ve got the inner lining and they REALLY should have given it a few more mm of width / height. This is the BIGGEST miss of this design.
[-] They are pitch black and only come in one color. Reflective stickering (which will have to be relegated to the small non-corrugated bits which will hold it) are important for improved visibility in night riding as panniers, specially dark ones, are often not noticed by other vehicles. I am still to do this on the panniers.
[-] Will need some inner lining or inner bag for sure else things kept inside can get quite rattly. This is not an issue for soft bags.
[-] Has the usual disadvantage vs a soft bag of the bumps that a soft bag can take in traffic etc. Not specific to the DUSC though - that’s more a generic soft vs hard luggage difference.
[-] AFAIK, it’s not possible to put a back rest on the case when it’s working as a top case. Not a fatal issue specially when the pillion is wearing a riding jacket with a back protector. But for city rides if the pillion is not wearing a jacket, the absence of back rest could detract from comfort.

EDIT: Forgot to add pictures. Dropping some images below in various combinations - just side cases, just top case, and all three together and from different angles as well covered.

The Saddle & Tail Bag Review Thread-img_7007.jpeg

The Saddle & Tail Bag Review Thread-img_7009.jpeg

The Saddle & Tail Bag Review Thread-img_7008.jpeg

The Saddle & Tail Bag Review Thread-310276cf6c234126bdcd4a521509d52b.jpeg

The Saddle & Tail Bag Review Thread-img_5209.jpeg

The Saddle & Tail Bag Review Thread-img_4676.jpeg

The Saddle & Tail Bag Review Thread-img_4146.jpeg

Quote:

Originally Posted by FieryRed (Post 5913891)

Need suggestions for everyday usage saddle bags...

A friend has the Viaterra Pod 12 always hooked onto his motorcycle. I have also seen many leaving their crash guard bags on the bike all the time.
This maybe a solution for you. You can check out Dirtsack, Rahgear & Viaterra. They all make relatively small sized pod bags that can be left on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axe77 (Post 5915620)

I had purchased the DUSC cases from SW Motech that were newly launched by them in 2024 for use on my 1300 GS. I did a quick search on this thread and couldn’t find a review on the DUSC cases here.

Thanks for the review! Not that I had these in mind but I absolutely love the finish.
In fact I love neat luggage setups and I find hard luggage to look the best. Although I myself have soft luggage except the hard top box.
Bungees and stuff - aces and life savers! But look ugly :p