SysBag 10L and 15L with SW-Motech SLC Side Carrier System Review

[MotoNews]

Published in: Gear

We’re happy to see small and mid-size bikes growing in popularity. As both new and old riders learn to do more with less, those who plan to travel or commute need luggage solutions that are not only lightweight, but also affordable and easy to use. Our project Royal Enfield Himalayan was in need of such a solution so we decided to check out SW-Motech’s newer soft luggage.

Their SysBags are a semi-rigid soft bag system which mounts to their SLC carrier system. The bags themselves are well built and made of a ballistic nylon with ripstop construction. Although the exterior is not technically waterproof, a waterproof inner dry bag is included that Velcros to the shell so you don’t really notice it’s there.

 

The lid flips up to expose the roll-up top. This allows for a small amount of expandability but ultimately being able to close the top limits the internal volume. The top is kept in place with a lightweight aluminum hook bound to adjustable webbing straps that do a great job of keeping everything in place. After being stuffed for a while, riding in rain and off road, we noticed the bag exterior loosens up. This doesn’t affect the functionality of the bags, but those nice sharp seams will start to round out as the contents and environment naturally take their toll on the material.

Different sizes are offered to fit a range of bikes. The 10- and 15-liter sizes allowed us to fit an asymmetrically smaller bag on the exhaust side with plenty of clearance. You can even put the bags on top if you’d like. What will need to change, depending on location, is the solid mounting plate you’ll need to configure for your bike’s rack. When mounting, it takes a little bit of time to line up and feel the correct orientation of the latches but after a while this becomes much more intuitive.

A feature I really liked about the SysBags and SLC side carrier system for the Himalayan is the small, rounded triangular side rack. Many Himalayan side racks are large and rectangular. Although likely more universal in use, they add weight and impact the lines of what I feel is a uniquely elegant bike. During off-road riding (mostly on various grades of gravel roads) the bags exhibited little of the vibration chatter you may experience with heavier, latch-mounted options.

All in all, you’re looking at around $180 per side, which includes the bag, mounting plate and hardware. The SLC side racks currently run about $160, totaling around $520 for a complete set-up. There are, of course, less expensive luggage options but the SysBags offer a well-built, good-looking, lightweight system for nearly any kind of bike and a wide range of riding needs.

TwistedThrottle.com

MSRP: $520 (as tested)

 

PROS:

• Lightweight and well built
• Not too expensive
• Adjustable and versatile
• Clean-looking, lightweight, SLC side carriers

CONS:

• Shell is not fully waterproof
• Assembly rather complex due to the system’s versatility

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