I am interested in feedback from anyone who is using a tail bag on their R or F model, particularly 2016 or 2017.
I am thinking of purchasing one for my 2016 CB500F and am interested in feedback about cost, ease of use, durability, how well it fits on the bike, ect..
I would be using it primarily to go back and forth to work and would use it to carry my lunch and maybe a few extras. I might also use it for the odd day trip, but I want something I can easily take on and off my bike as I desire, as I will not use it all the time.
I am really not interested in panniers or a top box.
There are a couple of bags similar to this Giant Loop Great Basin bag. 50 litre capacity, worked well for me. You load the heavy stuff in the legs to keep your weight low on the bike.
I've been wrestling with going either top box or tail bag all winter. Finally pulled the trigger the other day and went with the SW-Motech Rackpack Tail Bag along with the All-Rack and Quick Release Rack Extension ... cost a pretty nickel (no coppers up here in Canada anymore) but I figured if I wanted to upgrade later on, at least I'll already have the rack; plus the pillion will be left open for another bag if necessary.
I'll post pics and thoughts once the items have arrived and I've got my bike on the road again.
I have the Rally Pack.
It came on a used bike my son bought years ago.
It is expandable, and has a attached, rain cover enclosed in a zippered pouch.
I made some soft flexible pieces to slip the attachment straps through to further protect the paint.
It works well for me.
I use a backpack. Find it very convienent. I use it too for carrying things to work and back, and doing some groccery shopping. As long as its not very heavy, no probs. Also when off the bike my hands are free to carry my helmet. Much cheaper too. I have a bad back...nearly had an operation twice last year....and the backpack isn't an issue for me.
I went with a Cycle Guys FastPack tail bag. It is lightweight but built pretty strong. folds and zips up when not in use. Holds more stuff than you'd think by first seeing it. They come in different sizes. I can't remember what size I got(but could find out). It fits my '13 "R" perfect. Their website shows size 7, but I don't think that's what mine is.
I actually use two. a US20 dry pack and a R25 backpack from kriega. love them both. the dry pack I use when I don't feel like wearing a backpack and the r25 is just what I use every day. just a small break down -
the US20 dry pack - I throw in a base layer, a 15" laptop, power adapters, spare glove, liner, and a waterproof liner as well just cause I can. all securely tied down (pretty tight too) with straps and doesn't move unless I want it to move. doesn't add too much bulk or height to the tail to the point where I can't throw my legs over it. it comes with straps to wear it as a messenger/shoulder bag (of sorts). the subframe mounts works great and it's waterproof.
the R25 backpack - pretty much everything that I throw into the US20 including an iPad Pro and with the quad lock system it's super comfy to wear and SUPER easy to wear with a jacket on. this backpack isn't water proof but mostly water resistant. I live in Los Angeles, so the thought of getting in a down pour isn't very likely (except this year) so I don't have to worry about keeping things dry. you can attach a hydration pack to it or if you have a jacket that doesn't have back protection, you can purchase a back protector and install it instead of a hydration pack.
I got the R25 mainly because I can attach the dry pack to it if I need additional storage. i've even thought about strapping the US20 on and leaving the r25 empty to get the waterproofing transport in a backpack form (although it's kind of silly now since I can get a waterproof bag to throw into the r25). needless to say I've been pretty pleased with the kriega bags.
with the two there's an insane amount of storage for long rides (like pack shoes, clothes and what not).
For around town (mostly shopping for my 105 year old mother) I use this configuration, the saddle bags used to be Jafrum's cheapest and the tailbag comes from Amazon for ~$42. The Jafrum bags have gone up $20 and the tail bag $7 since I bought them. I think that I only paid $100 for the lot. I too added the OEM luggage rack to tie stuff down to.
I use a Honda OEM tail bag available through motosport.com It fits the pillion perfectly, is easy to remove & large enough to hold a bunch of stuff. The total cost was about $120. The bag was $65, but the straps for attachment were also about $60. That seemed way excessive, but considering the total price, it is OK. Sorry I do not have an image with me as I am away from home at the moment. I also use a tank bag from cyclegear.com The Expando Tank Bag. It is magnetic, stays put & a great value at around $40. If you ever need more space, but do not want a rack, twistedthrottle.com has a great pannier set up the SW motech Blaze panniers. Not cheap, but it has a super clean mounting set up which leaves the bike looking stock when not in use.
I have used my Cortech Super 2.0 (24 litre) tail bag on my CB500FA for three summers now, and just love it. It is easily expandable, holds much more than you would think possible, and looks fantastic... suits the bike and still looks brand new, even after three years. Worth every penny.
I use Nelson-Rigg CL-1060-S. It's really convenient and I haven't found any major flaws to it. Now, I did modify the straps to better suit what I was expecting of it by adding plastic quick-release clips with one end permanently attached to the bike under the pillion seat. Only problem I find with it is the fact that it tends to slide forward when you go over rough road or potholes. This has more to do with the seat shape I guess and the way I strap it down. On longer trips I use bungee cord to prevent it from doing that. Check out the pictures (sorry for the quality). I can take better pictures if you're interested.
Here's my SW Motech Rack Pack in action (a little overkill for a day trip - I think a good tank bag will be next).
And another one showing off my Buddy's OGIO Tail Bag (He subsequently purchased the matching saddle bags as well though he suspects that whole line might be discontinued):
And another one showing off my Buddy's OGIO Tail Bag (He subsequently purchased the matching saddle bags as well though he suspects that whole line might be discontinued):
I have that same OGIO bag. It is perfect for commuting to/from work and for running errands around town. It is very well made, has a built in rain fly, & is expandable. I also like that you can hide the securing straps under the rear seat so they aren't visible when riding without the bag.
Finally bothered to photograph my Honda OEM tail bag which I purchased through Motosport. It holds plenty of stuff & I like the very clean attachment system.
I use the Ogio Stealth Black Duffle Tail Bag on my 2013 500F... the fitment should be identical on the newer model. I can't post links yet, but you can find it on Amazon right now for only $67.90. Just search for "ogio 110091.36" and you should be able to find it. It's expandable to hold most full-face helmets and it has an captive/attached rain cover in the front zip pocket.
The best feature for me is that it has quick-release buckles that can be quickly detached while the straps stay tucked under the seat. That's a huge time saver when you need to leave the bike unattended... no fiddling around with cam straps or cinch buckle nonsense. I have Kriega's as well, but 4 click buckles are easier than threading hooks when you're in a hurry. The only downside I have found is that some of the fabric on the lower sides and around the zippers is losing its black and starting to fade to a blackish-purple color from being in the sun. Mine sees lots of action, so other folks might have better luck with the fading issue.
I have a CBR500R 2016 and got the Oxford T25R Tailpack
It's marketed as a helmet carrier, which it does just fine, but I find the square shape gives a lot more usable space than some of the tail bags (handy for weekly food shops). Zips are waterproof and it feels pretty sturdy. For long trips, it might be a bit small but if you're looking for something for your daily commute to work, it's a perfect size.
If you get a soft tailbag, the ones with expanding sides are handy. As most times a smaller bag is enough, The zippered expanding sides add a lot of volume when you need it. A U shaped top loading zipper access is easy to load. The passenger seat and grab rails are an adequate platform for most bags of this type.
Reviews on here also led me to the Ogio. Thanks for the helpful advice. Was surprised to find out I had to practice mounting and dismounting to deal with a full bag. But nothing too bad
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