BMW 51L SportBag

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Lost Rider
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BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Lost Rider »

Since there's not much praise of this great bag I thought I'd throw it out there for those of you who might want a softbag to take on Adventure's, or an alternative to a top box.
Yes, it is more expensive than other drybags, like most things BMW. With that extra cost comes extra convenience, and nothing but exceptional quality and design - also like most things BMW.
It's 100% waterproof, (the main compartment, even though there's been reports that the outside pockets are also waterproof, the zippers don't look like waterproof one's, therefore I pack things that can get wet in the outside pockets, ie; cooking, and fishing stuff. It has a built it strapping system, and comes with 3 sets of 4 straps, small 6", medium 9", and long 14". ( I use the small one's)
This allows you to use the size you need without having extra webbing flying around. It can be strapped down with 4 straps, or if you have a BMW with a tail rack it has 2 straps built in on the bottom that you slide your rack through, allowing you to just use 2 straps on the front to mount it securly - easy on easy off. The wider strap is for our bikes, the smaller one is for a K1200R, I know because a buddy of mine used it last weekend on his K-Bike for a 2-up trip. I have mounted it with 2 straps method and it is very secure, thought the pics are of Plan B without the tail rack. I opted to move it as far forward to help with my CG, and give my back a little support.
The hybrid hard/soft design is great helping the bag keep it's form, while still being very lightweight and expandable. Having a flat bottom is nice, you could even troop a laptop in there if needed.
It includes a shoulder strap, and has handles built in that zip into their own little pocket.
I ended up buying it with a credit I had at a dealer, I might not have ever spend the cash if it was out of pocket, but if it won't break the bank for you I highly recommend it, it's a sweet bag that's very convenient since you can get in it without removing any straps.

With some help from a few compression bags I am able to pack everything I need for a (summertime) camping/fishing trip in this bag, including a kermit chair - minus the tent that goes in a H2W bag strapped to my forks.
You can buy one from Chicago BMW @ 20% off for $169. Buy a couple of other drybags, with rokstraps and you're not far off from the price this one....


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Graf
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Graf »

thank you for the write up.......this is something that I am definately interested in buying. the only question that I have is what if I do not have those things on the side of the bike....I beleive they are the mounts for the side bags.....the only place that i see on my bike for the back straps is the turn signals.....and I do not beleive that anything can be secured tied to those......
Alex G. - San Francisco Bay Area - Member # 642
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by celticus »

ChiTown, Do you sleep in a tent or a hammock? I see no poles. I dig the compactness of your rig. Is there any way you could name item per item what we are seeing in the pictures? The wife and I are both into compactness.
Mark
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Lost Rider »

Graf wrote:thank you for the write up.......this is something that I am definately interested in buying. the only question that I have is what if I do not have those things on the side of the bike....I beleive they are the mounts for the side bags.....the only place that i see on my bike for the back straps is the turn signals.....and I do not beleive that anything can be secured tied to those......
Don't mount anything to the signals...
I choked the 2 front straps in the pics to the frame, running them in between the seat and the rear body panels. You could do the same I think, even for the ones in the rear. Or you could always remove ( 4 screws) the bag mount, choke the strap around it, then bolt it back on. It can be done...



celticus wrote:ChiTown, Do you sleep in a tent or a hammock? I see no poles. I dig the compactness of your rig. Is there any way you could name item per item what we are seeing in the pictures? The wife and I are both into compactness.
Mark

I sleep in a tent, currently (when I'm back in the saddle, it's just setup in my spare room for now - trying to dream a little for the big trip I have planned as soon as I can walk) ;) a North Face 2 man tent because I lost the poles to my Mountain Hardware Lightwedge 3 tent on my last trip. The tent and poles goes on the forks in a Helen2Wheels tent bag, secured with 2 Rok Straps.

Gear shown:

North Face Roadrunner 2 tent

Helen 2 Wheels Tent Bag

Big Agnes StormKing 0º Down Sleeping Bag

Therm-A-Rest Prolight 4 Sleeping Pad

Therm-A-Rest Compression Camp Pillow

Frogg Toggs rain gear Bright yellow

Merril WaterPro Shoes

Kermit Camp Chair

JetBoil Stove

Extra Jetboil fuel

MSR Blacklight Frying Pan / Aluminum Plate

Utensils / Aluminum Foil / Seasonings

Various Nalgene bottles with cooking oil, coffee, fish-fry breading, etc.

MSR Dromedary 8L Water Bag / MSR Flask

Gerber Wood Saw

Gerber Multi-Tool

Filet Knife

Mighty Lite Mini LED Lantern

Streamlight Scorpion HO Flashlight

Petzel eLite Headlamp

REI XL Camp Towel

Packsoap

Clear duct tape

Sea to Summit XS Compression Bag ( rain gear )

Sea to Summit S Compression Bag ( Sleeping bag )

Seattle Sports Roll Top Dry Bag

Bass Pro travel Fishing Rod

Shimano reel / Mini Tackle Box

JBL On Tour Speakers / iPod

Slime air compressor

3 Mountain House freeze dried dinners for when the fishing is bad

Cliff bars

Adventure medical kit - now stocked with GOOD pain pills :mrgreen:



All of this gear is what I have found through trial and error to work best for me. If you're looking into sleeping bags be sure to check out Big Agnes, it's hands down the best because of their unique system utilizing the insulation from the pad ( rated to 10ºF) therefore saving space by not insulating the bottom. Plus the pad slides into the Bag, getting rid of the whole sliding off the pad thing. Very comfy...

Here's the tent on the forks.
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by AllanCook »

This rig looks as though it would work fine with the side cases, yes?
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Lost Rider »

AllanCook wrote:This rig looks as though it would work fine with the side cases, yes?
It will, though you might have to unclip one of the straps to get into the pannier. Since they used the quick release type straps this is no big deal IMO.
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by celticus »

Try the Big Agnes sleeping pad to save even more space. The wife and I both prefer it to the Thermarest.
Mark
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Where is that protection that I needed?
Air can hurt you too
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Radar in oz »

Another option is : http://www.andystrapz.com/a_bagz.htm

These bags are also very well designed, as it seems is most of the other stuff this guy makes. I have one of the bags here at the moment that belongs to a mate of mine and he swears by it, waterproof, easy to access etc.

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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Lost Rider »

celticus wrote:Try the Big Agnes sleeping pad to save even more space. The wife and I both prefer it to the Thermarest.
Mark
I've always heard great things about the BA pad, it's just that I have Prolite 4 themarest pads.... someday.
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Dan-A »

ChiTown wrote: Buy a couple of other drybags, with rokstraps and you're not far off from the price this one....
Very nice bag. I have the little 19 ltr one and really like it, and could see owning this one for the mounting options. I have a Cabella's dry bag which is much cheaper, but perhaps not as nice.

RE: The rokstraps: I didn't post this but you may have noticed my eyepatch avatar. 2 weeks ago today I was strapping my cabellas drybag on my KLR for a camping trip I never made.

I was using bungee's with no eye protection and took a bungee in the eye (man that hurt). I have partial sight loss that the doctor says might (likely will) go away. :smt104

I am not posting this for sympathy as I did something stupid. I am posting this so anyone reading this might avoid my mistake.

If you use bungee cords, wear safety glasses or put on your helmet with visor down first! Better yet, buy rokstraps, I did, just a little late.

Sorry for highjacking the thread, back to the bag.
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Graf »

hi Joe......i noticed that the tent bag on the picture above is strapped to your forks and sits on the wheel guard......the light is right on a top of it......when the front suspension compresses, isnt the tent sqeezed between the wheel guard and the light?.....it seems that it can brake the light assembly....
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Lost Rider »

Graf wrote:hi Joe......i noticed that the tent bag on the picture above is strapped to your forks and sits on the wheel guard......the light is right on a top of it......when the front suspension compresses, isnt the tent sqeezed between the wheel guard and the light?.....it seems that it can brake the light assembly....
It does rub on it, it looks worse in that pic than it is really. I squeezed the bag better with the straps in real use. It might look bad, but with the 1000's of miles I have ridden with the bag there, including 100's of miles of ROUGH off road riding with no damage I'm not concerned. What you can't see it clear packing tape I have in the fender and forks to keep from them getting scratched. I also compress the tent on the outsides, but the middle stay squishy, so it's not really solid enough to put too much pressure on the lamp housing.

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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by AllanCook »

ChiTown wrote:
AllanCook wrote:This rig looks as though it would work fine with the side cases, yes?
It will, though you might have to unclip one of the straps to get into the pannier. Since they used the quick release type straps this is no big deal IMO.
Thanks. Between the side cases and this stonking huge bag, I could travel for months. I'm ordering one today.
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by alaskaflyer »

ChiTown,

How is that small pelican case mounted to your tank? and is your GPS mounted to that or is that the BMW set up you have there?

Thanks

Gary
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Re: BMW 51L SportBag

Post by Lost Rider »

Here's the install thread on the Pelican, besides a Pelican 1200 you'll need to buy SM-Motech bag to get the mount, plus the 1200R tank ring, they don't sell it separate as far as I know.
I had a Bags-Connection "Engage" Quick-Lock Tankbag that I liked quite a bit before I swapped it out for the pelican. I have pics of it on the 1200R if you want to see it...
You could just get the cheapest bag if you just want the mount for a pelican.
Good luck and hit me back if you have any more questions, I have plenty of free time....


-Joe

http://www.r1150r.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11206
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