Wolfman motorcycle luggage review

It all started when...

I needed some gear to go on my first real motorcycle trip down to Las Vegas for the Interbike bicycle trade show. I had no idea about luggage or what I wanted. A buddy had suggested Wolfman luggage as a way to outfit our bikes for the coming trip. I already had a Wolfman tank bag, so I logged on and ordered up three more bags: the beta plus rear bag, a large expedition dry duffel, and a large rolie bag.

Beta plus tail bag:

This bag sits just behind the rider and is secured using buckle straps. Mine straps nicely to the rear rack and the passenger foot pegs. This bag is excellent for carrying clothes, extra jackets, shoes/boots, or your more sensitive items such as camera gear. Side pockets provide quick access for gear you may need on the fly. This is an excellent spot to put your rain gear or thermals. The extra straps make attaching any extra gear you may have a breeze or you can stack other Wolfman bags on top or the sides. I use these features to strap my tent on the top of the beta plus and strap my large rolie bag to the rear. The convenient location, directly behind the riders, means you do not sacrifice any of the rear cargo space, allowing the bike to have more bags, a hard case, or any other attachment you can think of! 

Rolie bags:

These little guys are awesome! Fully waterproof dry bag sealing makes these bags a great candidate to take on any adventure when the going might get a bit wet. The large bag has ample storage, most of which is soft good such as a sleeping bag, air mattress, and pillow, and is easily attached to most any location on the bike or to other bags. This bag is also connected using buckle straps but features a "rub resistant" patch on the back so the movement and vibrations of the bike don't wear holes in the vinyl. I primarily run this bag on top of my beta plus or strapped to the side of my rear crash bars. This location frees up a lot of space behind the rider and brings the center of gravity closer to the ground by a small amount. On the side, these bags make an impromptu set of saddle bags for quick access to gear that is sealed from the elements.

Expedition dry duffel:

A very large, waterproof duffel bag that really only fits on the tail of the bike. But that is just fine by me. This bag is a wonderful addition to any bike not running a box on the rear cargo rack. The large size is able to be compacted and rolled tight when running minimal gear but can be expanded to bring home all the goodies you bought while on a trip. This bag can also carry larger items that need to be out of the elements. I use it when carrying my tripod and camera gear because everything is secured down, and rolled up tight from mother nature, yet only takes jiffy to access. This was actually the first place I carried my tent, before I had a custom bag made, along with extra shoes, a warm jacket, and all of my camera gear. Having a bag that is large enough to carry a tripod out of the elements is an excellent accessory to have on any tour. 

Explorer lite tank bag:

When I purchased the bike it came with this tank bag, which was part of the reason I stuck with Wolfman luggage. Having a proper tank bag is a must for any bike. I have used this bag to carry everything from a six pack of Alaskan Amber to car batteries to my necessities for ten days on the bike. The map pocket on top provides ample space for your navigation tools like paper maps, a small atlas, or even a small tablet loaded with google maps. The Velcro ends keep out moisture so your stuff wont get all soggy  when you need to find shelter during a storm. The large main pocket houses most of the storage capacity which, if you are like me, is going to be filled to the brim. I honestly don't need half of what is in there but having the space for it is comforting. The front zipper pocket holds phones, ear plugs, iPods, and a host of other accessories you might need while riding. I like to keep my phone in this pocket for the accessibility, shielding from the elements, and protection from crashing. It is centered enough that even if the bike goes down, your phone will stay put. Granted the pocket has to be closed (I learned this the hard way and dropped my phone between the bike and the pavement). Overall, the explorer lite is an excellent tank bag for the everyday tourer. The only minor issue I have encountered with this bag is while running handlebar spacers the bag will interfere with the bars going to full lock. This is most likely not going to cause any problems because the bag will move but I am a bit nit-picky.