Saddlemen TS1450R Sport Tunnel Motorcycle Tail Bag

Comments about Saddlemen TS1450R Sport Tunnel Motorcycle Tail Bag:

The Saddlemen TS1450R tail bag is the perfect storage addition for my RC51. I've been using a Cortech Sport tailbag for years that's ready to be retired. While the Cortech "worked", I needed just a little more room and flexibility - the TS1450 delivers that in spades.

First impression of the bag is the build quality is great. Quality materials are used throughout and the internal/external storage pockets are plentiful and well thought out. I like the integrated rain poncho with reflective piping. The storage capacity is impressive too. At first glance, the Saddlemen doesn't appear much larger than my old Cortech sport tailbag when expanded, but it will swallow much more gear without straining. I can stuff my overpants (w/ armor), spare faceshield, flat repair kit, extra bulb, cargo net, lunch, flash light, coffee mug and disc lock in the main compartment with room to spare. This still leaves all of the exterior pockets available. D-rings are spaced all around which will allow me to sling more gear and secure with bungees or a cargo net easily. The bag holds its shape when empty too.

The bag looks great and its sleek profile doesn't make it appear out of place on my sportbike. The mounting system uses a separate pad that is secured to the pillion seat with hook and loop fasteners and straps. While the pad is quite secure, attaching the Saddlemen to the pad results in a little slop. You cinch the two together and there is a big velcro strap in the middle, but it still moves a bit. I've had it at interstate speeds with no problems so I don't expect this will be an issue.

Another con is part of the design and rubbing the tail fairing. Note the underside of the bag is not abrasive and the d-rings underneath are secured with soft stretch fabric, but the bag does rest some on the fairing. If you carry a heavy load it could possibly affect the finish.

Final minor gripe is the lack of reflectivity piping on the bag itself. I commute on the bike at night and I like to be seen as much as possible. The bag sits high enough where some reflectivity could have been very effective. I may get some piping sewn on later. The rain cover does have a nice reflective strip around it though.

So in the end, I definitely recommend this tail bag. The few gripes I have are overshadowed by the positive attributes. Even though the price is a little high, the storage, build quality and feature list are worth the premium over bags in the sub-$100 range.

Comments about Saddlemen TS1450R Sport Tunnel Motorcycle Tail Bag:

I like the clean looks of the bag. It fits great on the bike and is very secure. I have played around with it, fitting in different clothing items, fitting my computer with clothing, etc, and everything fits (except my leather jacket). I plan on using this on my next long trip to South Carolina and except for my leather jacket and future purchases of t-shirts at the many HD dealerships I stop at, it should hold all I need. I do wish it was about two inches taller, then I don't think I would have a problem taking what I need for the trip.