Firstgear Laguna GPS Tank Bag and Tail Bag Review

Riders love to dream of endless journeys, but in reality many of us are hard-pressed to just get away for the occasional quick weekend trip. If you fall into this category, soft bags really make sense over the added bulk, weight and expense of a full dresser with hard luggage. This proved true with the Firstgear Laguna GPS Tank Bag and Tail Bag, which we recently strapped onto a 2016 Suzuki 1250 S during a three-day ride that covered about 900 miles, and both pieces served well.

Firstgear Laguna GPS Tank Bag.
Firstgear Laguna GPS Tank Bag.

The Laguna Tank Bag offers a lot of versatility: it attaches to a bike via straps, magnets or suction-cup mounts; it unzips from its base to convert to a backpack; and it features a compartment that positions a GPS in view or collapses when not in use. Measuring 13 x 15 x 10 inches for 1,950 cubic inches of storage, it can be expanded in height to yield 2,340 cubic inches. Access through the main lid is a touch cramped although not overly so. We liked the soft, gray-colored interior that made it easier to spot items at the bottom of the bag, and two large side pockets and a small rear pocket add convenient storage.

We used the magnet mounts on the Suzuki Bandit, and they proved very secure. The pop-up pocket places your GPS within easy viewing range, and there’s also a second clear-window pocket on top of the bag for an MP3 or cell phone. That’s great if you want a GPS and phone handy all the time; if you don’t, both compartments combined steal a significant amount of storage space. We also made use of the attached, transparent waterproof cover, which billows in the wind but stayed secure as it did its job. It stores in a zippered pocket on the bottom front of the bag; you cram it back in like a mummy bag in a stuff sack, and it does take up some interior bag space when not deployed.

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Firstgear Laguna GPS Tail Bag.
Firstgear Laguna GPS Tail Bag.

The Laguna Tail Bag measures 16.5 x 13 x 9 inches for 2,038 cubic inches, and it too can be unzipped to increase capacity to 2,467 cubes. It straps onto the bike with bungee cords that proved simple and secure. It also incorporates three external pockets for additional, convenient storage. There’s a zippered, clear-plastic pocket inside the top flap for documents or other flat items, and a mesh compartment beneath the main zippered lid. The tail bag also features an attached rain cover stored inside a zippered pocket, and it comes with a shoulder strap for carying off the bike.

While I did need to strap my rainsuit on top of the tail bag with a bungee net, together the two bags provided enough storage for a three-day trip that could have stretched to five days or even a week. MSRP for the GPS Tank Bag runs $169.95, while the tail bag goes for $109.95, and both come with a limited lifetime warranty.

For more information, see your dealer or visit firstgear-usa.com.

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