[bob]

Since I really don't think a tank bag will work well on this bike I decided to get a tail bag to do that job. I've had a tank bag on my last 2 bikes. OK, the Burgman really doesn't have a "tank" to put a bag on (it's under the seat!) but that one was referred to as a "tank" bag and sat in the step through space. I missed having something like that since I haven't been riding the ST any more (still trying to sell). I like having a smallish bag to hold stuff I carry in with me at work or other places I go on the bike. This tail bag, as I use it, works great and was a gift from my son and his wife.

It only came with 4 very short straps since it's intended to be added on top of a luggage set but I had a few longer straps the same width that I put the clips onto and run those under the seat. Works great. They bought it on Amazon. It has a wide long strap to go around a sissy bar or backrest. If I add that item, meaning my wife decided to ride with me, I will then mount it behind that and strapped on the luggage rack.

I think it looks very nice on the back seat. :smiley-happy0034:
I even think it complements the looks back there

Dowco Iron Rider roll bag/tail bag on the tail.

 

[sleepngbear]

That does look good on there. Looks like it holds a good bit of stuff too.

 

[bob]

That does look good on there. Looks like it holds a good bit of stuff too.

If you look at my tank bag on the ST1100 in my photo gallery and compare, this bag holds almost twice as much simply because all the space is in one compartment rather than broken up into a few smaller compartments. And it is a little bigger besides

 

[Jimmytootall]

I like it and yes it compliments the looks of the bike. I am going to get one similar, I have been using a bag inside my hard bags with my (kindle, light enhancement glasses, light gloves, wallet, reading glasses etc.) will need that space for clothes on a longer trip....great idea, great tip thanks

 

[sleepngbear]

I will probably look for something like that to go on the luggage rack, since the back seat is already occupied half the time.

 

[ShadowRider]

Bob:

Is this the one you got?

Dowco 50127-00 Iron Rider Black

It looks great. I would like some additional storage for the camping trip and that one is certainly cheap enough. I have some MotoCentric bags now that I might try to use instead but they were designed to mount onto a sissy bar so they might not work that well on the CTX.

Ideally I would like a taller version of what you got, but yours DOES fit in well with the bike!

 

[sleepngbear]

Bob:

Is this the one you got?

Dowco 50127-00 Iron Rider Black

It looks great. I would like some additional storage for the camping trip and that one is certainly cheap enough. I have some MotoCentric bags now that I might try to use instead but they were designed to mount onto a sissy bar so they might not work that well on the CTX.

Ideally I would like a taller version of what you got, but yours DOES fit in well with the bike!

And Bob, if this is yours, what kind of attachment straps does it have? I'm trying to understand how it would attach to the CTX1300's luggage rack, but none of the pics show any kind of detail on the straps.

 

[bob]

That IS the one. The photo is slightly different in that the lid doesn't come down quite as far so the front side is a little higher to hold things in (like that). The straps that come with it, 4 of them, are about 12" long and are really designed only to attach the bag to the matching larger luggage pieces that are available with that one (look at the "Frequently Bought Together" section just below the photo). The pics there show the short straps. In some of the photos of the back side of the bag you can see a wide Velcro strap that goes all the way across the back and folds back on itself for attaching to a sissy bar or backrest. The short straps might work fine under the luggage rack with the wide strap around the backrest (I think it will reach around). I took the clips off 2 of the short straps and put them on a spare web strap that I had on hand that was about 2-1/2 ft long and ran those under the seat, one in front of where the bag sits... about the same location as the strap on the seat (or just behind where the seat hooks are), and the other just in front of the latch for the seat which places it perfectly for clipping on the back rings of the bag. I actually mount the bag with the front opening toward the rear. I still have 2 of the original short straps as they came. There is also a D ring in the center of each side of the bag on the bottom (folded under in the first photo). I imagine this would be the place to clip it to the luggage rack if also using the backrest strap. I plan to use a bungee cargo net, or the 2 short straps run through other bungee cords, to mount it on top of my dry bags when I pack to go camping. I possibly need to access what I put in the bag while on the road, so want it on top. Very handy for work since I fit my lunch and wallet and all other stuff I normally take to work in the bag and just unclip and carry in, leaving the straps on the bike. They only stick out from under the seat a few inches on each side and I don't really ride without the bag now. If I did leave the bag off the seat I can just pop the seat up and pull the straps to put them in the saddlebags. The bag does seem to sit a little loosely on the seat but is definitely not going anywhere. It's behind me so the airstream isn't going to blow it off. It's pretty secure there. It's just too convenient for me not to have it and frees all the saddlebag space for other things. I can still fit it in a saddlebag if I need to secure it on the bike and didn't already fill the saddlebag. There's room in it that I can go through the drive through for fast food and drop whatever inside and it swallows a meal deal for two, except for the drinks of course. I don't have cup holders so that's the only thing I haven't worked out yet.
This bag comes with a nice rain cover with a cinch cord to keep it on. Should work at least as well as my old tank bag cover did. The bottom of the bag is rubber/vinyl and is waterproof unlike my old tank bag, so should keep contents dryer. There is also net pockets inside across each side and the back. One thing it doesn't have is any pen holder or pockets on the lid. But don't miss that.

Steve, I'll be able to show you when we meet at camp.

 

[ShadowRider]

Bob: how is the luggage rack working for you? I think I might need one to make the camping trip. I looked at trying to secure my existing luggage to the rear seat but there are just not enough good mounting points. I contacted my dealer to see how soon he can get one for me. Frankly the thing looks too small to do much good, but you are already using it so I wanted to know what you thought of it before I spend the money and installation time on it.

 

[bob]

Don't have the luggage rack. I only added the tail bag here on the the pillion.
When I pack for camping I'll pack my small aluminum folding table (from Walmart) or an even smaller one from Scheels (?) on the bottom with a foam knee pad under that to protect the bike and use the table for additional tie points if I need to. Don't think I'll have a problem though since I'll only have a few dry bags on top that I'll be able to tie on with the existing hooks on the bike. Haven't test packed yet so we'll see. I'll try to remember to get a photo of my packed-for-camping load on the bike.

Someone else here does have the luggage rack though, I think.

 

[bob]

Just a few more photos of the tail bag straps. As I said before I didn't use the short straps that came with the bag but used 2 longer straps of the same kind that I had on hand. I moved the clips from 2 of the short straps to these longer straps and, as shown in the photos, ran them under the seat. I have them adjusted so they are just long enough to clip onto the bag D-rings and keep it secure on the pillion.
Here is where I position the straps under the seat.


One strap is just behind where the seat hooks go into the frame loops for them. The other strap is just in front of the seat latch.

Here is what the straps and clips look like without the tail bag in place.


I added the strap sliders to help manage the strap ends better.

 

[bob]

Well, I almost lost it today on my way home from work!
No, not the bike. My tail bag. I had my hands full with some stuff going to my bike from work to put in the saddlebag and set the tail bag on the pillion in it's usual place, locked away the extra stuff, put on my helmet and gloves and rode off. I don't know what prompted me to think of it but I suddenly realized as I was 8 miles down the Interstate through town going 60 mph in traffic that the tail bag never was clipped in. A few miles before I had even performed a rapid lane change to avoid some BDC who cut into my lane! I reached back and, yes, it's still there just sitting on the pillion where I left it with no straps holding it on. Just sitting there nestled against my back. I pull off at the next exit and clipped it on and was thankful there was no side wind/gusts today as there has been the past few days. whew!

I am sure the non-slick bottom of the bag kept it from sliding off but if there was a wind like we've been having it would have been gone and I would have had to backtrack to find it. Some important stuff in there... like my house keys, wallet, Nexus tablet, water bottle, oh and security badges and blackberry for work, etc.

 

[sleepngbear]

 

[stangfyer]

I just ordered that exact same bag and now what I have to do is find some straps to go under the seat. Thanks for the pics! :ty:

 

[bob]

Walmart should have web straps that work. They'll come with different buckles than you need for this bag but the clips are easy to move over.
I was sort of initially concerned how the clips and rings on the bag would do in the sub zero temps I ride in during colder months but they came through just fine and "weathered" the cold temps without cracking or breaking. Still going strong.

 

[Silverpugj]

Since I really don't think a tank bag will work well on this bike I decided to get a tail bag to do that job. I've had a tank bag on my last 2 bikes. OK, the Burgman really doesn't have a "tank" to put a bag on (it's under the seat!) but that one was referred to as a "tank" bag and sat in the step through space. I missed having something like that since I haven't been riding the ST any more (still trying to sell). I like having a smallish bag to hold stuff I carry in with me at work or other places I go on the bike. This tail bag, as I use it, works great and was a gift from my son and his wife.

It only came with 4 very short straps since it's intended to be added on top of a luggage set but I had a few longer straps the same width that I put the clips onto and run those under the seat. Works great. They bought it on Amazon. It has a wide long strap to go around a sissy bar or backrest. If I add that item, meaning my wife decided to ride with me, I will then mount it behind that and strapped on the luggage rack.

I think it looks very nice on the back seat. :smiley-happy0034:
I even think it complements the looks back there

Dowco Iron Rider roll bag/tail bag on the tail.

Just saw this post other day. Bought 1off ebay. My bike has back rest on it. Used straps on saddlebags for hold downs. Seems to work. Thanks for the pics

Sent from my SPH-L710T using Tapatalk

 

[SLP]

Just ordered one, nice looking bag.

Now if there was someway to store a helmet without needing a large case. Something to put the helmet in while shopping or eating. Scare to leave my helmet with, (or without) the Sena, hanging on the bike. Be convienient to able to leave the Helmet/Sena on the bike and not have to worry about the gear getting stolen, scratched up, or fumbling with the OEM seat lock. A lined SS mesh bag might work, but I haven't seen anything yet.

 

[4265]

Don't have the luggage rack. I only added the tail bag here on the the pillion.
When I pack for camping I'll pack my small aluminum folding table (from Walmart) or an even smaller one from Scheels (?) on the bottom with a foam knee pad under that to protect the bike and use the table for additional tie points if I need to. Don't think I'll have a problem though since I'll only have a few dry bags on top that I'll be able to tie on with the existing hooks on the bike. Haven't test packed yet so we'll see. I'll try to remember to get a photo of my packed-for-camping load on the bike.

Someone else here does have the luggage rack though, I think.

Yep, I have the luggage rack, and I think some other ones do too, and this is a video on how I installed mine at:

.

 

[bob]

@renegadebiker24, That post was almost 3 years ago (end of this month will be 3 years since buying the CTX1300). I since did add the tail rack 2 years ago and still keep the insert from the bike in my tail bag to use for color matching when I finally get around to stopping at an auto shop to get touch up paint. Just never get around to stopping mid-trip since I'm enjoying the ride so much, even though my rides aren't all very long.

See my Flickr albums to see how I pack now for moto camping.

 

[4265]

@renegadebiker24, That post was almost 3 years ago (end of this month will be 3 years since buying the CTX1300). I since did add the tail rack 2 years ago and still keep the insert from the bike in my tail bag to use for color matching when I finally get around to stopping at an auto shop to get touch up paint. Just never get around to stopping mid-trip since I'm enjoying the ride so much, even though my rides aren't all very long.

See my Flickr albums to see how I pack now for moto camping.

WOW, 3 years?? Oh, how time flies, or how quickly I forget when the last time that I posted it. LOL It is still being used to this day, and I love it. Oh, yeah me too, although, if you have seen my "Arkansas Tours" playlist, you will see how much of a workout it gets, and even going back and forth to work with a computer case strapped to it. How long are your rides? Sometimes, when I go on just a tour of Arkansas, it can take me pretty much all day, and I have yet to remove it at all.