Vetter Flagman Hi-Tech Tankbag
VETTER flAGMAN HI-TECH TANKBAG
EVALUATION
A STAND-OUT IN A LOW-KEY CROWD
IT’S TOUGH TO STAND OUT IN A CROWD, particularly when everyone in it looks and acts alike. That dilemma seems especially true for tankbags; they all look similar and do the same job, so it’s difficult for one to break out of the boundaries of unvarying sameness. Thus, tankbags are all alike, right?
Not quite. And for proof, Vetter submits its BagMan Hi-Tech Tankbag ($99.95, in red or black, from Vetter Products Inc., Rantoul, IL 61866, or from your motorcycle dealer). At first, though, you might not be convinced that the BagMan isn’t just another tankbag; it looks like pretty standard fare, constructed of urethane-coated Cordura nylon, with a map case in the lid, a large main compartment supplemented by three pockets, and the ability to expand vertically to hold more gear. Instead, this bag’s departures from convention are out of plain sight.
Take the unique mounting system: Where most other bags use a multitude of straps seemingly more suitable for human bondage, and foam or acrylic fleece pads that can scour a gas tank’s paint, the Hi-Tech bag uses three suction cups secured with screws to the bag’s ABS plastic base. And since all tank tops certainly aren’t the same, BagMan includes several 3/16-inch-thick spacers, and alternate holes in the base, so the cups can be adjusted to deal with most tanks’ curves, ridges and gas caps. For added security, there are nylon mounting straps front and rear, with Fastex buckles. The result is an easy-to-use mounting system that provides far less surface area to damage a tank’s paint than is the case with conventional pad-and-strap systems. Plus, water can’t soak through the plastic base. It’s a elegantly simple idea that makes you wonder why somebody didn’t think of it before.
It also yields a mixed bag of results, though. On occasion, one or two of the cups would come unstuck, allowing our bag to wander around on the tank. Cinching the straps to banjostring tightness helps, but not always. Admittedly, the bag stays put most of the time, but once a cup comes loose, the plastic base can scrub on the tank and put small scratches in it that won’t wax out.
The BagMan’s pouches also buck traditional tankbag design, again with mixed results. The three zippered pockets—in front, back and in the lid—are internal rather than external, to keep the bag compact and prevent handlebar-fouling during full-lock turns. But in accomplishing that goal, the internal pockets force you to choose between filling either them or the bag; you can’t conveniently have both. Plus, the map pouch is rounded at its bottom, which makes map-folding awkward, and at supralegal speeds the pouch often inflates and tears loose from its Velcro mounts.
This is not to say that BagMan’s bag has no virtues. It’s plenty roomy,
easily swallowing a weekend’s worth of gear for a solo pilot, and it even holds enough for an overnight trip for two, or a full-face helmet, once you open the zippered expansion panel in front. In addition, the expanded bag doesn’t block the pilot’s view of the instruments the way some other bags do. And it’s amazingly waterproof; even without the included rain bonnet, the bag kept its contents dry throughout an hour-long deluge.
Still, other bags can do all of thatincluding BagMan’s own economymodel tankbag—without the HiTech’s drawbacks. In short, the bag trips itself up on almost every innovation. But, like we said, it’s tough to stand out from a crowd. The Hi-Tech does, but mostly because it’s different, not because it’s better.
