Cycle Wear Bikini Bag

CYCLE WEAR BIKINI BAG

CW EVALUATION

Daypacks for sportbikes

SPORTBIKES ARE THE ULTIMATE DAY bikes, perfect for a blast down twisty sections of roads or over mountain passes. But for overnight trips where you might need a change of clothes and some extra gear, sportbikes lack cargo capacity. Tankbags, rear-seat bags and conventional, soft saddlebags offer carrying capacity, but don’t really compliment the lines of today’s sleek sportbikes. Cycle Wear’s Bikini Bag, however, offers an alternative.

The $54.95 Bikini Bag system (2320 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90291; 213/306-2033) consists of a tiny pair of black saddlebags with zippers that can be color-matched to individual motorcycles. Each bag, made of lightweight Cordura nylon, measures 10x9x3 inches and has 540 cubic inches of storage space. Stuff both bags just short of zipperstretching capacity, and they have enough room for a shaving kit and extra clothes. On the outside of each bag there is an additional zippered pocket for paperwork and maps. Best of all, the bags don’t spoil a bike's sporty silhouette and don’t get in the rider’s way during spirited cornering.

The bags attach to each other with velcro patches, forming an adjustable yoke assembly that is placed over a

bike’s rear seat. The bags secure to the bike with more velcro: A strip on the inside of each bag mates to a selfadhesive strip mounted to the side of the bike. These strips are available in red, white or black to match most bikes’ bodywork, making them as unobtrusive as possible.

The Bikini Bag’s simple mounting system may, in fact, be a little too simple. If you leave the bags on an unattended machine, anyone can walk up and pluck them off. Also, if the bags are not secured firmly, they can blow off. Cycle Wear suggests a solution would be to place the yoke under the seat, solving both problems at once.

Still, the Bikini Bag is a sound product that does what it’s supposed to do. Their small carrying capacity will prevent you from using the bags as cross-country luggage, but they are nifty little daypacks for sportbikes, making even the most specialized of motorcycles just a bit more practical.