Tank Bag Recommendations...

[Palerider]

Mornin' All

I'm about to collect my GSA and I've been considering tank bag options.

Historically I've used my tank bag to house my Autocom 300 and associated stuff (i-pod, Kenwood b2b radio, BT dongle (for Zumo), i-pod charger, etc etc)

I like the TT ones (but not the price!), although I have recently discovered that NN's do a conversion to allow a SW Motech powered bag to be attached to the fuel filler ring with an adaptor. A mate had one of these and I was most impressed in how easy it was to detach to allow fuel filling - my Baglux was a real PITA fully loaded.....

What are your experiences and what works for you?

Ta!

P

 

[John Armstrong]

I've got the later BM bag designed for the GSA and its cross bar. IIRC got it in the middle of 2007.

Fairly spacious, waterproof, including the map pocket, fits onto the bike well without looking naff when you take it off, expandable, but never bothered to. Negatives, sometimes unhooks when fueling up (but with 33 litres to play with not really a problem), hard to look inside the little bag at the rear if your not racing snake physique when on the bike and that's it really.

 

[MIKA]

BMW bag for me.

Waterproof, plenty of room, easy on and off, doesn't catch anywhere.

 

[Palerider]

Well that's two out of two so far!!

How would you get power to the BMW bag??

Questions questions questions!!

P

 

[John Armstrong]

How would you get power to the BMW bag??

I have a centech fues panel and run a lead up to the tank bag that ends in a cigarette lighter fitting. Then have a switched doubler so I can effectively switch the lead on / off. Also allows me to charge the battery without tapping into the canbus / croc clips etc. Works for me.

Also have a bullet camera and music lead from the autocom. So, I've spiral wrapped the leads together and then it goes to the bag in one fairly neat package. I route it between the tank bag rear strap / the tank bag to stop it getting caught on anything, just need to remember to unclip the rear bag when filling up with fuel.

And I use the headstock plug for the GPS, and the seat area accessory socket for the autocom.

 

[Barfly]

If you don't use one often (as I don't) and if you don't want to pay for an expensive one (as I didn't) I recommend the Oxford. £32. Big enough for most essentials including a full size camera, book, atlas, pipes, tobacco, fleece etc. It has four pockets - useful for change for autoroute pay booths. It comes with a map pocket and a see-through rain cover. Takes only a few seconds to detach at one end to lift for fuel. It also has a shoulder strap. I'm sure it's not as solid as a BM one but it worked for me on a 6 country trip around Europe. Once on, it never moved even in strong winds. A cheap and serviceable alternative.

 

[G4]

BMW Bag

BMW bag for me to, Have one on my 07 GSA.
No probs, water proof, loads of room and nice fit on tank.

 

[cocokid]

Bmw bag,good fit,good quality,not cheap though,(1200gsa)

 

[North]

My wife bought me an after-market bag for my GS, I forget the make. It fit like crap.

I took it back and got the BMW bag. It of course fits perfect and has lots of space.

The BWM bag was way too much money, but what the hell.

 

[Jon P]

Used BMW bags for 19 years........they just fit and work as they should. Over the last few years there has been a lot of aftermarket stuff with all manner of 'features' available to us but you just know that anything BMW supplies is going to work.........and if it doesn't then you can take it back.

As for getting power to the bag - if you really need to? - I found the easy way was simply to make a lead that plugs into the front optional power outlet with a trailing 'fag' lighter socket on the other end just goes into the bag through the gap in the zipper. Never really fancied making holes in the bag to fit power.

If you go for the BMW bag make sure you get the GSA one and not the GS. The GSA one is a bit flatter on top and fits around the handlebar crossbrace(though I think they did away with that on the 08).