Tank Bags ( ST1300 )

[KoTAOW]

Contributed by Scott Fairchild, STOC #4728.
Original article can be found here: http://www.thefairchilds.org/bikes/

~~~

Tank Bags ( ST1300 )

Here's the thing about tank bags. Until you actually put one on your bike, you don't realize how useful they actually are. I'll be the first to admit that I had no intention of putting some ugly blob of a bag on my beautiful tank, but after considering the convenience of the extra small storage that it offers, I was sold.

The beauty of the tank bag is that you can carry all the small (and usually valuable) things while you're riding, then simply take it off and carry it with you when you go anywhere. This way your cell phone, digital camera, GPS, wallet, CD player and more can go everywhere you do, and you never have to worry about someone breaking into your saddlebags to steal a thousand dollars or more worth of loot. Also, things are right within your reach, after pulling over of course.

The bag I chose was a nice one by Nelson Rigg®, Model MG-950. It's held on strictly by magnets and holds pretty darn well. I chose a magnetic model as opposed to a strap model because it would be easier to remove. The clear map cover is removable, which is nice since due to the GPS, paper maps are pretty useless. It's not waterproof as is, but comes with a nylon rain cover. I would rather it be simply waterproof, but oh well. The only other problem is that you have to make sure it's set back far enough to clear the handlebars, and not accidentally allow the bag to hit the horn on a tight left turn, or the starter on a tight right one. The handlebar risers make this a bit more difficult, but it's really not a problem with this bag.

There are other bags out there, and some that are 3 times as tall as this one. I had no desire to deal with something like that. This one is quite easy to handle.



Below is a shot of the bag opened up, where you can see the pockets, loops and clips. It doesn't come with inserts, so I'll install some foam strips to help keep things from rattling about.



~~~

Thank You again for your contribution Scott Fairchild, STOC #4728