Kuryakyn & Bagtech Cruiser Bag Review

[HD03]

I love to tour on my Harley Davidson 2003 Anniversary Softail. I like to do multi day rides through remote areas of the country. I also like to travel compact and efficiently, i.e. I do not want to look loaded down like a pack mule. I also do not want to look like I strapped on a leather sack and made the best of it. I have gone that route and have not been happy with the results. Being unorganized and having to unpack half your bag to find a Kleenex at every rest stop gets old fast.

I searched long and hard and looked at many bags that are out there. One driving factor was price, I did not want to spend $250 on a bag for my motorcycle; this criteria eliminated many choices. I also did not want a repeat of my experience with a soft leather bag that will remain nameless.

This bag seemed cool, but its lack of structure made it a real pain in the ass to deal with. Combine that with lousy stitching and it did not last but two road trips before it ripped. That was fine because I was fed up with the bag, really wanted to replace it or burn it.

I found the Cruiser bag by Bag Tech and Kuryakyn.

This bag is what you are looking for. It has structure, which means it has a hard shell on the inside. At first glance you think you won’t be able to fit much into the bag, as soon as you start packing you see how wrong you were. The bag is 11" Wide, 10" Deep, 18" Tall with Top Compressed, 25" Tall with Top Expanded.

This bag was designed by a person who rides and travels. So many details have been well thought out. The way the bag attached to the sissy bar is via really tough Velcro and well placed straps that hold the bag tight to the bike. There are 4 little side pockets on the outside of the bag; plenty of room for all the little items one carries with you. There are D rings up and down the sides of the bag for strapping stuff on. There are two large straps that go over the top which can be used to secure your tent or sleeping bag.

The bag has a set of small skateboard wheels on it so when you get to the motel you can wheel your bag to the room. At first it sounds a bit gimmicky but after a 800 mile day they certainly do make the long walk to your room a bit easier.

The bag comes with a water proof cover in case of rain. The cover is attached and has its own pouch for storage. While in Sturgis I stopped by the Kuryakyn booth and was told new version of this bag will come with water proof zippers; a nice addition.

Price – this bag can be gotten on the internet for $159.00, just look around because most places sell it for $199.99. Quite honestly I would not have bought the bag for 199.00 it was the 159.00 price point that sold me.

I would highly recommend this bag for those who need a stylish multi day travel bag.