Cortech Sport Tail Bag & Saddle Bags

Another Christmahanakwazaka gift from my wife. I never suspected she was planning to get them for me so they were quite the surprise. I have no clue what the price was. Look in my gallery for pics of the tail bag mounted. Now that I have them, I almost never go anywhere with out the tail bag. While I would most likely have chosen the black, I do not find the red to be objectionable against the yellow VFR.

Pros:
size (they are very unobtrusive on the bike)
looks (they compliment a sport bike very well)
mounting (for the tail bag, it's a 10 second job, see below for the saddle bags)
expandable (not very much but it does help)
rain covers (I haven't used that feature yet)

Cons:
size (pretty much only big enough for 1 or 2 days of stuff)
mounting (the saddle bags are a pain in the ass, I had to modify the bike to get them to work securely)
mounting instruction (they didn't come with any, NOTHING)
security (they don't have any)

All in all, they carry an overnight or weekends worth of stuff for me. I can carry a pair of hiking boots, a pair of jeans, my shaving bag, a shirt or 2, & a change of socks/underwear without difficulty. Since I didn't have anything before them, they are a welcome addition to the gear stash. The Givi V35's are still on my wish list.
http://giviusa.com/caschi_borse_bauli_accessori.asp?CO_ID=18171

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

I couldn't live without my black Cortech tail bag, best $53.00 I ever spent...

 

Just got these for mine on Monday, where did you secure the rear stap???? I have a fender eliminator on my 07, think I may have to make a couple brackets.

Cortech must believe that with NO directions supplied, no liability??

One more question, the heat shields over the pipes, are they cool enough to not burn the bags?

 

I have the same system on my 2006 pearl black viffer
they fit the bike nice.Not much room but they are much better than having nothing,I use them for my chain ,lock,bike cover,BIBLE,and anything else thats useful for a simple ride.I have not traveled as of yet anywhere farther than 30miles from home yet.So they serve their purpose at present. will carry much more when traveling out of town. Enjoy them at least they were a gift from your wife.Hey some of us dont have that. lol tc

 

Soooo,,, any heat problems??? or does the BIBLE go between the heat shield and bags?

J/K,

(hope you can take a joke Pecarlo)

My normal ride is between 150- 300 miles a day, have a few longer rides coming up, concerned about the bags on the pipes,,,,,,, anyone???

 

HI , I have had no problems with the bags and heat Shields.The bags can be placed toward the rear cowl as much as possible.I do recommend that you remove the cowl and use the seat alone, also you can use plastic ties to secure the bags.

 

Anyone in Canada see these bags kickin about? Want a blue tail to go with my hard saddle's.

 

Hey buddy check these out:

http://www.luggagelocker.com/luggage-elite-seat-sak.htm

I have one and they are really a nice piece, they come in a blue and black color scheme too. The mounting system is one of the best ideas I've seen. Check it out. Yes it does fit Sargent seats - I know you might be getting a Sargent so I thought I'd throw that out there.

 

Very nice! Your right that mount system rocks. Good to know about the Sargent seat, that would have been my next question. :tongue:

 

Love mine, and Red is the shits....:thumb:

 

Soft Bags

I posted in another section as well.

I use a pair of soft bags by Rapid Transit, The Recon 45 bags. I like the soft bags beacuse they are easy to add,remove and store. Not to mention A LOT less expensive. My original concern using soft bags on the 6th gen was the location of the exhaust. I was assured by the regional Rapid Transit rep that there would not be a heat issue with the bags and after two years, I have had no issue of the heat from the exhaust on the soft bags.
The Recon 45 bags are small and really only good to carry extras back and forth to work or for bringing home small items from the store. They might work for a weekend getaway but I think that would be stretching it a bit. For multi day touring, I would step up to the Recon 77. Which I plan to do.

I am interested if any other folks use similar soft bags. Looking for comments. Interested in the Cortech but was concerned about the foam backing on the saddle bags up against the pipes.

 

Pics please.

As long as you have a lo-mount (on 5th gens), the Cortech bags will not touch the exhaust.

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

I have the Cortech "tri-bag" saddlebags, and they do get uncomfortably close to the mufflers ('07). If you tighten up the adjustable velcro cross-straps a bit, it keeps them from flopping down and making firm contact with the mufflers. The longest they have been exposed to heat on the VFR is about five hours, and that's winter temperatures (24 - 55 F). The right side bag gets a bit warmer than the left, but nothing has burned to date.

What I like the most about them is they are portable and they hold quite a bit. I also carry a soft duffle bag on top for layers, extra gloves, shoes, etc.

http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/product.php?productid=146&cat=31

 

I just bought some generic saddle bags from Pro1. They look very similar to the ones posted above. I have not recieved them yet. I got the cheaper ones because I am cheap, and because this is the first time I will be trying to commute with the bike. I wanted to see how it worked out before I invested in a long term set-up. I usually ride with the rear cowl on , but will take it off if need be. I thought I would try mounting the bags under the seat and cowl if it will fit. Has any one else tried this? As far as mounting under the tail...I will have to wait until they get here to figure that out.

 

But my VFR is the 6th Gen with the High Mount Under seat exhaust. I did find some thermal insulation that I thought of adding to the inside of the bag where it makes contact with the exhaust but like I said in the two years I have had them there has been no burning.

 

Thermal Fabric

The Adhesive Backed Heat Barrier protects parts and components from radiant heat. It can be used in applications to protect painted surfaces, plastic parts or any component from the damaging effects of radiant heat.

Aluminized Heat Barrier is made up of woven silica with a flexible aluminized finish. The highly reflective surface of the material is capable of withstanding radiant temperatures in excess of 2000°F.

The adhesive backed composite construction material can easily be applied to any surface or wrapped around a hose or wire to make a clean professional appearance.


$18 A sheet at Jegs http://www.jegs.com/p/Thermo+Tec/750869/10002/-1/10633


Im not sure how this would work but I am keeping it in mind for future if needed.

 

For those of you that purchased the Cortech Sport Tail Bag, does it come with mounting straps or do you have to supply your own bungie cords? I am thinking about buying one but can't find anywhere if it comes with straps.

 

An idea on the rear seat cowl...I just placed the rear velcro strap under the cowl and the front one in front of it. Not as easy to put on and off, but keeps the cowl from getting scratched and it looks better.

 

I'm thinking about getting these for the Indy GP trip! Any input for 4th gens with high mount exhaust?:usa2:

 

Where the 6th gen guys putting this? I've encountered the same delimma. For now, I just kinda wrap, then hook to the grab handles but there's got to be a better way.