BMW tank bag v BMW top case, pro/cons

[SQD8R]

I'm going to be buying one of these soon. I've seen some of the posts regarding the top box being loose and the tank bag being too big. That said I'm wondering if:

a) the top box can be fitted properly and ifi t is just loose until it is adjusted correctly
b) can anyone tell me the volume of the top box v the tank bag
c) is the tank bag really water proof
d) is there a better, read safer, way to mount the top box so it doesn't fall off
e) is it hard to mount the bike with the top box in the passenger seat position
f) is the top box falling off from the passenger seat or from the back position

Any other information or opinions will be appreciated. Thx.

 

[Clive]

I guess I've covered around 3,000 miles with top box on rack, 1,500 miles on pillion with perhaps a 1,000 miles with the tank bag is use. The bike currently has 5,600 miles.

a) In normal use my Top Box isn't "loose" in rack or pillion position.
b) The tank bag can take about the same amount of stuff as the top box in lower volume setting. In daily commuting use I tend to use the top box in higher volume setting.
c) Has proven waterproof so far.
d) Don't know.
e) I vary between 3 approaches to suit. 1. Bike on sidestand - throw right leg onto top of seat and then "hop" onto seat. 2. Bike on mainstand - mount by standing on left peg then "rock" the bike off the stand. 3. Bike on sidestand - mount by standing on right peg. I guess it depends on your height - I'm 6'4''.
f) It's not fallen off from either position in normal road use. Fell off once on rack while off road - I suspect the pillion seat position is better while off road - when on the rack there is quite a bit of flex.

I found the tank bag a bit of a pain to start with filling up with petrol - the "trick" is to pull the bag towards the seat once the metal hook is in position, further than you need, then it becomes quite easy to join up to the mounted part of the zip. Similarly when removing - pull the bag slightly towards seat makes it easy to unzip. The little extra bag that clips on is a bit pointless but the right size to hold the Navigator II - it gets in the way of zipping/unzipping so I always unclip the right hand side to get it out of the way.

"Just in case" I have a bungee over the top box.

I find the top box on the rack affects the handling esp in cross winds on the motor way - a 120 mile per day part of my commute

However, for me, having the top box in the pillion position reduces my available movement - you either have to sit forward of it or push back hard against it (I have the back rest fitted) as in between it taps against my back protector and transmits every bump which I find annoying.

 

[Clive]

Forgot to add...

If you can afford it I'd get both, as they each have their use. If you can only afford one I'd go for the top box.

It only takes 15 minutes or so to convert from rack to pillion - I leave the metal rack supporting part in place - it's useful for bungeeing extra stuff to.

Again, perhaps because of my height I don't have any issue with the size of the tank bag - I can still see the Navigator fine (mounted on the handlebar clamp)

 

[Mouse]

Just to say I've used the top box almost constantly for 3000 miles, mounted on the rear rack, and it's not got loose or fallen off at all. It's also totally waterproof, as you'd expect really.

 

[nadeem]

My top box is fine after just under 2k and I have a baglux tank cover + bag which is excellent - my colleague bought the bmw tank bag and doesn't use it at all because of the size...

 

[Denis Milne]

11,500 miles up, virtually all with the top box - great kit. The inner bag works as a brief case and on those rare occasions when I need to collect a bottle of wine and/or some beer on the way home - just expand the box and Bob's your auntie's live-in-lover.

Tank bag has seen about 5,000 miles of use - mainly on trips. The first one "let go" when the zip-on-fixing-bit on the "tank" came unstuck. The replacement sticky bit also seems less than secure and the bag tends to shift to one side in strong side winds.
However the bag itself is great: it's waterproof, even outside the liner; doesn't interfere with visibility of the instruments; and is easily un-hooked for re-fuelling. I do like the little "Joey" bag which holds wallet, camera, phone, etc and is easily un-buckled at stops. Watch out though, this part is NOT waterproof.
The sticky attachment is nonsense, but the bag is worth keeping so I am going to rig up an attachment, along the lines of the Touratech one, which loops around the seat adjustement bar - makes the tank bag more secure as a bonus.