A while ago I reviewed a leather Viking jacket in the Scorching heat of Merida, Mexico. This time I have the pleasure of trying the Viking Large Black Street/Sportbike Tail Bag.
At first sight a sturdy, decent looking tail bag with simple clean lines that will probably last for a long time. I like that it has no extra pockets or zippers on the outside. Because of the rigid side walls, it will keep its shape and protect your valuables well.
I thought I ordered a large tail bag big enough for my 17 inch laptop but unfortunately that was too much to expect. My bad for not checking properly. It does have the right size for a 14 inch for sure though. When you extend the tail bag, an extra helmet also fits in which is convenient when picking up that special person to go for a ride.
The tail bag seems pretty water resistant, but for heavier downpours Viking Bags included a rain cover which seems to be of decent quality too. The bag can be extended from 16 liters to 22 liters, this is effortless. It has reflective striping for visibility which not all tail bags have and on the inside, it has a webbed area to keep your small items tucked away.
At first the mounting straps seemed like a bit of a challenge, but after watching the instructional video it became easier to mount. The straps don’t feel like top notch quality, but I guess Viking Bags had to save on something to be able to offer the tail bag at this price. Viking tried to make them multipurpose so that you can make the tail bag into a back pack using the same straps, but when I tried that it just took forever to adjust the straps and it just did not feel right. A quick glance in the mirror confirmed my feeling. Apart from this, imagine riding for a while, getting the straps all dirty and then having to put them around your shoulders.
The straps are the only downside I can think of, but as long as you use it as a cool briefcase rather than a backpack you will have no problem whatsoever.
In short
- Installation is easy, probably 5 minutes
- Material: Sturdy Cordura (Nylon)
- Rain cover: yes
- Well constructed
- No zip off base that can be stolen
Pros
- Affordable
- Well built
Cons
- Straps could be better
Conclusion
All in all, great value for money, I wonder where the drawback is, if there is any. This is the second product I tried from Viking and it just is a very good bag, especially for the price.