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Posts Tagged ‘Motorcycle’

Side view of the Fandango tank bag on a Suzuki V-Strom 650

Motorcyclists have ridden off-road as long as they have pointed their wheels down paved roads. The term road should be used loosely to describe the rutted and muddy mess that riders took the early Harley Davidson and Indian motorcycles down. Despite this long history of on- and off-road riding, very few motorcycle accessories are equally at home on your bike in the dirt and at speed on the road.

No matter the terrain, carrying capacity is always in demand aboard our two-wheeled machines. Luckily, my Suzuki V-Strom come stock with cargo rack. Tying small items such as wallet, keys and camera to that rack is senseless. These items can stow in a pocket, but sometimes that option isn’t comfortable or pockets are in short order.

That’s where a tank bag comes into play. Tank bags come in many shapes and functionality. Some have so many pockets that you lose items in them simply because you can’t remember which pocket they are in. The shear number of pockets makes it difficult to get those small items quickly when you need them. For example, it should be easy to locate and pull out your wallet to fill the gas tank without getting off the motorcycle.

The accessories that get used day after day on my bike are simple, functional and water tight. A product that does all of these things well is few and far between.

The Giant Loop Fandango tank bag is a rare combination of simplicity and functionality that is equally at home on the road or on the trail. The Fandango has one large compartment that is accessible via a sealed zipper. The bag simple design of the bag makes it down right cavernous with a single Velcro divider for organizing contents. I keep the divider all the way to the back of the pocket. This is just wide enough to hold my cell phone, wallet and a small camera where I can get them quickly.

A clear plastic map pocket tops off the Fandango tank bag package. The pocket holds a folded map. Again a simple waterproof zipper protects the contents against the elements (see critiques below).

Removing the Fandango tank bag is simple. The single zipper makes the fuel cap easily accessible.

A third zipper runs along the bottom perimeter of the bag to attach it to the base. This simple design allows quick removal of the bag when needed. Upon removal of the bag, a cutout allows easy access to the fuel cap to keep the adventure going.

The base attaches to the bike with three straps. A single strap goes around the frame, under the triple clamp. The remaining two straps attach to the frame or other solid point on either side of the bike. I found the perfect attach points around the GIVI crash bars on my Suzuki V-Strom. In all, it takes a couple minutes to solidly attach the Fandango Tank Bag to the bike.

The Fandango was originally designed for use on dirt bikes. This means that when attached, the bag isn’t going anywhere. When I first attached the bag to my V-Strom, the triple clamp strap was a bit short. It worked, but left me nervous with the lack of remaining strap.

I ran into Harold Olaf Cecil from Giant Loop at the Vancouver Motorcycle show. Upon sharing my critique, he walked out to the bike to actually check it out. Apparently, their design evolved to fit larger bikes and I had one of the original (more dirt bike-oriented) straps. He was nice enough to pull the base off of a bike at the show and swap it out. Great customer service goes a long way with me. Giant Loop won me over in this area.

Simple, single compartment keeps everything organized in the Fandango tank bag.

The other critique that I have is that water does find its way inside the bag. The “truckers tarp” material and waterproof zippers are 100 percent watertight. The seams between the zippers and fabric allow the slightest amount of moisture to get through. The map pocket is especially susceptible to moisture and a wet map is a useless map. Therefore, I suggest spending a couple dollars on a tube of seam sealer to ensure the bag is totally sealed.

Giant Loop is a fairly new player in the motorcycle luggage field. This small company, based in Oregon, is definitely worth looking into. Their customer service has been quite impressive and the product is solid. They are passionate about their product and it shows.

The Giant Loop Fandango tank bag is available in three colors: black, orange and yellow. It sells for $149.00 at www.giantloopmoto.com. You can also find it through their dealer network.

Getting around in town can be a hassle. The streets are packed with SUV drivers who are more intent on talking on their cell phone than actually paying attention to what’s going on around them. Don’t even get me started on the absolute lack of parking in most areas that would pull you from the comforts of your home. Driving in these conditions can embroil the most patient of people.

Luckily, for many of you reading this blog you know the secret to traversing this trying environment. The fewer wheels you have rolling below you, the easier it is to get around. Have you ever watched an 18-wheeler navigate busy city streets? They make driving look like an art, but they are struggling nonetheless. Jump down to four wheels and things are still a challenge, especially when you want to park. Now reduce the wheels to just two and you’re skinny and nimble.

The physics and mass of a motorcycle makes it the perfect vehicle for exploring scenic roads and city roads. When you’re looking to buzz around in town, it is hard to beat a motorcycle. It’s hard, but not impossible to beat.

The motorcycle and two scooters nestled into the garage.

I presented a question the other day to the fans of BestScenicRoutes.com on Facebook. The question was, between motorcycles and scooters, is one better, worse or the same as the other as in-town transport? A response from Twitter was likely the most heated. That response basically said that the similarities between motorcycles and scooters ends at the engine being mounted between two wheels. Most responses were in support of motorcycles wiping the in-town road with scooters.

There are many reasons why scooters are the best way to get around in the city. Next to actually walking or riding a bicycle, scooters from Vespa, Lambretta, Genuine, Honda, Yamaha and more make very efficient runarounds.

There are three two-wheeled machines in our garage. A motorcycle and two scooters. The Suzuki DL 650 V-Strom motorcycle is my vehicle of choice for commuting and escaping on adventures. The scooters are top picks for running light errands to get bolts from the hardware store, picking up coffee and grabbing a gallon of milk from the grocery store in no time flat.

The rare occurrence of a fuel stop. The 1.3 gallon tank lasts about 110 miles.

We have a 50cc Honda Metropolitan and 150cc Bajaj Legend scooter. They get 105 mpg and 85 mpg, respectively. Both tip the scales at around 200 lbs. At least that’s my best guess for their weight. I can easily pick the rear end up to fit it in the corner of the garage. The turning radius is as tight as a few feet. I can literally turn the wheel completely perpendicular to the body of the scoot and pivot on the back wheel. Try that tight turn maneuver on any motorcycle. It would take a skilled rider on a trials bike to make a turn that any novice could do on a scooter.

Both machines have storage compartments built in. One can fit a helmet, gloves and a water bottle under the seat. The Honda Metropolitan is liquid cooled and goes about 30 mph. That speed is actually sufficient for around the neighborhood. The larger scooter, we affectionately call him Bruiser because he’s seen better days, goes up to 65 mph on flat ground. Bruiser is a full on metal-bodied scooter with a clutch and shifter ― which allows the rider to rightfully beat the snot out of the little engine by revving it up at will. I actually enjoy the ruckus that comes from the tailpipe on Bruiser. He truly is beastie.

An incredibly adaptive creature. The wild Bruiser scoot is often found blending into the foreground at local grocery stores.

Because of their small stature, the scooters can be parked right next to the entrances to businesses. Many times there will be bicycle racks that the scooter can be parked next to. Business owners nor pedestrians seem to have an issue with a scooter being slowly ridden up a sidewalk to the bike rack. This shaves minutes off of running errands.  Many big box stores have huge parking lots. With a scooter you don’t have ride every row of the lot to find the only open spot which is typically at the furthest corner from where you want to be.

Beyond the incredible fuel mileage, on-board storage and convenience of parking there’s one thing that stands out as the best part of riding a scooter. The best part is the people. Every time I’m out for a ride, someone walks up with questions about the scoot. Typically, they ask what kind of gas mileage it gets. People just find someone on a scooter less intimidating and so they’re willing to ask questions. I enjoy being a one-man crusader for all things two-wheeled. The scooter is just one more way of taking that crusade to the local roads.

In closing, motorcycles in all shapes and form are primo for exploring the best scenic routes. It is the route that determines just how much motorcycle you actually need. Just a few horsepower will do the trick for those local runs. Don’t shrug off the advantages of the mighty scooters. The Europeans truly created the most efficient means of getting around. Try it for yourself, you may just find a little Italian romance on two wheels just a few blocks from your home. That’s a vacation that you can take often and anytime you need to escape.

The best buy at this store is perhaps the scooter parked at the front door.