Monday, May 12, 2014

This is a really nice motorcycle touring bag!

I never know what to expect when I order something from a catalog or online. Sometimes the item is exactly as I pictured it, often the quality or size aren't what I expected, and every once in awhile the item is even better. We're thrilled that Motorcycle House sent us a complementary Viking Cruise Roll bag and asked for our honest review.

We leave in two days for a week-long trip to Boise, Idaho where we're going to put the bag to good use.


This is an impressive motorcycle bag that truly exceeds our expectations. It has two narrow round zippered expandable pockets on either side, and another larger zippered pocket with additional internal pockets on the front. The rear-facing side has a silver reflecting strip, a safety feature we appreciate.

The zipper on top reveals one large, padded interior section that easily holds my helmet. The top opening expands for easy packing and unpacking and the zippered top has three smaller additional pockets. There's a separate rain cover and also a removable bottom piece that reveals 4 bungee cords. We're both impressed with the sturdy quality, good looks with black leather accents, and roomy compartments.

 view with the zippered top open, showing the three pockets on the inside of the top flap

Tomorrow we'll pack up everything for the trip to Boise, and Mike will figure out how to attach the Viking bag to the top of our tail bag. Look for photos of the bag on our BMW as we head out on Wednesday. We'll bring the rain cover along but hopefully it won't be necessary.

16 comments:

  1. The Viking bag looks great! I've been considering the Viking luggage for sometime now and its great to hear the quality is better then expected. I'll keep an eye on your blog to see how the trip with the Viking. Enjoy Boise

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    1. I'll post the next few days how the Viking bag handles the road. It doesn't look like we'll have rain, but you never know!

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  2. That's a nice looking bag! Have a good time on your trip. I need a bag that large. I'll have to go look to see what they have.

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    1. We're thinking of putting our rain gear in the bag for easy access, and then will have room for jacket layers as the day warms up and I can shed some layers. I'll post more about how we use the bag tomorrow on the first leg of our trip.

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  3. That does look like a nice bag. I have a larger Viking Bag that I love but this might fit the need for a smaller, in-between model. Anxious to read your full review.

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  4. I'm presently travelling around the UK using Viking saddlebags. I'd advise not putting much faith in the rain cover but otherwise the quality of the bags is surprising considering the low price.

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    1. Your trip sounds fantastic. I bet you have to use the rain cover almost daily in the UK. When we traveled in Ireland a couple of years ago we wore our rain gear constantly.

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  5. Mike & Lynn, sounds like you're getting ready for a great road trip, I'm sure the bag will work nicely for you. I have a large Viking Bag with a built-in backrest. It worked great on my recent SaddleSore 2000 ride. Enjoy your ride!

    Cheers,
    Curt

    Live Free. Ride Hard. Be Happy.

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  6. Enjoy your trip! This looks like it is the perfect size and can roll a lot up in it. Easy hook ups too for on and off. Safe trip to you two.

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    1. Mike figured out how to bungee the bag onto our tailbag today, and tomorrow will be the big test. Stay tuned!

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  7. Looking forward to hearing how the bag worked out on your trip.

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  8. Nice bag, can't wait to hear how your trip went! Be Safe out there!

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  9. Good looking bag. It seems very useful on the bike and of. Including the bungy straps is genius, I am always losing mine. The rain cover would also be appreciated in my part of the world. Well thought out. Well done.

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    1. Living in Arizona, it may be awhile before we have the chance to try out the rain cover. We typically get monsoons in late June/July so keep reading and I'll post how the bag holds up in the rain.

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