Aerostich Drybag Saddlebags

Aerostich Drybag Saddlebags

CW EVALUATIONS

Fly and dry

DON’T HATE US FOR BEING BASED IN Southern California, where beautiful, sunny days succeed one another much like naked supermodels at a tanline fashion show. Just when you think you’ve seen the best, well, there’s another. So imagine our dilemma when faced with testing Aerostich Drybag Saddlebags. As the name implies, the main selling point of the soft luggage is to keep rain off your stuff.

Available in black or yellow with reflective insets, the 15 x 10 x 8-inch throw-overs are said to fit “ahead of the turnsignals on all motorcycles.” This is because the shoulder-strapequipped bags have more adjustments than a straitjacket. So no matter how crazy you are when you pack, your things just can’t escape. Hell, they can’t even move. Which is good, because movement is bad. As with other luggage of this kind, the bags’ foam backing rests on the bike’s painted tailsection. While clean contact points and snug mounting resulted in only minimal scratching, clear tape over affected bodywork is advisable.

Months of no-rain use proved the PVC-impregnated, seam-welded polypropylene bags versatile, convenient and capacious. Plus, the adjustability of the mounting straps allowed the bags to clear even the most upswept sportbike exhaust systems. But what about the “dry” part? At potential detriment to a staffer’s finely manicured lawn, we parked thereon our long-term Suzuki Hayabusa. Bags sealed, we let the sprinklers do their worst.

A few margaritas and a nasty sunburn later, we found the luggage dry inside. So the Drybags live up to their name. All we can say is, cheers, and pass the sunscreen.

DETAILS

Aerostich 8 S. 18th Ave. W. Duluth, MN 55806 218/722-1927 Price........................$167

Ups Fit most motorcycles Can be hosed off when dirty Downs Rest on painted bodywork May hinder top speed