Once again I have decided to try a new luggage setup for my dirt bike. I had two primary objectives behind this upgrade:
- Reduce the weight in my top bag so the bike doesn’t feel top-heavy.
- Reduce the height of the top bag so it isn’t in my way on steep descents.
From the various systems I have tried, my AltRider Hemisphere bag was my favorite. It worked really well, but because I demand certain comfort items (like a chair and good air mattress), I tend to have a very large top bag.
I think one of the best luggage solutions for dirt bikes is the Reckless 80 bag made by Mosko Moto. Unfortunately it is really expensive. I just couldn’t justify the cost.
My friend’s Mosko Moto Reckless 80 luggage
I decided to try the Wolfman E-Base mounting platform.
Wolfman E-Base
The E-Base is well made, extremely easy to install (at least on my KTM), and very versatile. I really like that the base includes metal cam buckles instead of plastic buckles. This allows you to cinch the base down very tight.
At first I thought I could just strap some existing dry bags on the side and all would be well – but it didn’t work out as well as I had hoped. So, I decided to use the Wolfman Rolie bags that were designed specifically for the base. Wolfman makes three sizes of Rolie dry bag . I decided to install a large bag (20L) on each side.
Large Wolfman Rolie bag (20L)
The bags stay in place fairly well while you load or unload your gear. Once you get loaded, you can easily cinch down the straps to get everything snug and tight. I was worried that these simple buckles would wiggle loose on the trail, but so far they have stayed nice and tight.
These 20L bags are noticeably larger than the side chambers of my AltRider system, so I can move some of the heavier and bulky items (like my chair and air mattress) out of my top bag and into the side bags. This partially achieves both of my primary objectives.
Because the side bags stick up a few inches above the seat and fender, I ended up running my top bag lengthwise on the bike rather than crossways. The top bag is still taller than I would like, but it is noticeable lower than my older setup.
My new Wolfman setup
With my AltRider luggage I would carry two 1.5L water bottles on the backside of each side bag. I have now moved the water bottles to the tank shrouds to get the weight farther forward. I also moved most of my tools into the tank bag to get better bike balance.
On my first test ride I was impressed with how secure the luggage traveled, and I could tell the bike felt more balanced with the weight lower and farther forward. I would still like to reduce the bulk of the top bag, but at least I have made noticeable improvement towards meeting my objectives.
For my next adventure I want to try using a small Rolie (6L) on the back of each large bag. If this works, it will give me 26L on each side and allow me to reduce the top bag bulk even more.
Large (20L) and small (6L) Rolie on each side
I need to test this extra bag to make sure it rides nicely and doesn’t swing into the tire.
Gardiner Family Adventures 