Bigger is sometimes better, especially when it comes to carrying stuff on a motorcycle, and these Rev-Pack Super Deluxe Saddle Packs may be the biggest motorcycle saddlebags available. These are for the serious traveler, the serious weekender, the rider who likes to carry it all. If I measured things correctly, each bag can hold about 30 liters…not that I would want to carry 60 liters of liquid, as that would be way too heavy. On an inch-by-inch basis each bag measures roughly 9 inches wide, 13 inches deep and 18 inches long, which amounts to more than 2,000 cubic inches…if you measure your load in cubic inches. On a cereal level, that means you can carry about 15 boxes of Wheat Chex on each side.
I will emphasize that these bags may be too big for some people–but Jenny Reveley made them because she had customers who requested them. And responding to the market’s demand is the smart way of doing business. The advantage of these saddlebags (which are genuine saddle- bags, as they are thrown over the saddle), is that they can truly carry a whole heckuva lot. This can be important. I was reading a book called Mondo Enduro, about seven English friends taking off on a round-the-world trip on Suzuki DR350s. They packed everything so neat and so full that when they had to buy food in preparation for the first night’s camping…there was no place to carry the grub.
The outer shell of each bag is Cordura nylon, with an inner waterproof liner of urethane-coated nylon, and in between very lightweight sheets of something called Ethafoam, which help the bags keep their shape. The liner and the intelligent way the tops close make the bags quite water-resistant for any road trip or rainstorm, though I would not recommend taking them deep-sea diving. Each bag weighs just 3 pounds, and can easily carry 10 times that much. Adjust the straps that go over the saddle, secure the front of the bag to some place near the passenger footrest, and you are ready to go. The downside to these Super Deluxe Saddle Packs is that they are not really very passenger friendly, as they can intrude on the passenger pegs.
The loaded bags are surrounded by nylon web straps and plastic squeeze buckles, so there’s no stitching to tear out, and I imagine these are strong enough to support a hundred pounds or more. The weight is carried down low, near the rear axle, just where a rider wants it to be. On a practical level these bags can hold a sleeping bag, extra clothes, cooking gear, water and wine bottles, the whole stack of stuff for a journey to Baja, or a weekend camping trip. And Jenny has added to the usefulness by including metal loops on each bag so that I can strap or bungee on extra-long things like my tent and Therm-a-Rest mattress. I prefer being comfy when I camp.
If you want big saddlebags, you won’t find any bigger, all for $259.95.
For more information contact Rev-Pack at www.revpack.com or call (800) 766-2461
