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Old October 19th, 2022, 03:21 PM   #57
InvisiBill
EX500 full of EX250 parts
 
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Name: Bill
Location: Grand Rapids-ish, MI
Join Date: Jul 2012

Motorcycle(s): '18 Ninja 400 • '09 Ninja 500R (selling) • '98 VFR800 (project) • '85 Vulcan VN700 (sold)

Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 1
MOTM - Aug '15
I bought the "Dowco Rally Pack Value" luggage set for my EX500 in 2012. Saddlebags, tailbag, and magnetic tankbag for $130. I think I test-fit the three rear bags once, and haven't touched them since. But I use the tank bag almost every time I ride and need to carry something that won't fit in my pockets. https://smile.amazon.com/Dowco-50106.../dp/B000GU29ZS The top flap has a clear plastic map pouch on the outside and zippered net pouch on the inside. There's also a quick-connect keyring inside, and an attached rain cover. It does include straps if you'd rather mount it that way.

The magnets are enclosed inside the panels of the bag, so I've never had any issue with it harming the paint. Rarely, the two magnets in a side flap will stick to each other, folding the flap in half, and you kind of have to pull them apart. When it's not on the tank, the flaps fold underneath and stick to each other (leaving the bottom a nice little flat rectangle). It's not even that big a deal to temporarily take it off to refuel, obviously dependent on exactly what you have inside it at the moment. It fit a lot better on the large, flat top of the 500's tank, but I can still manage to make it work on the 400 too.

It will hold a ~10" round takeout dish or both halves of a Jersey Mike's giant sub (it's mostly been used for getting lunch lately). It will hold a few bottles of water, your phone, Kindle, wallet, etc. It might fit a small ultrabook, but it won't hold a regular laptop. I'm in IT so I constantly tote my laptop around, and use a Swissgear backpack specifically for that (whether or not the bike is involved). That's also big enough to toss a pair of shoes in, so I can change out of my riding boots after commuting on the bike.

I also bought a random thigh bag off eBay years ago. The thinking was that it was like a mini-backpack that would be a little more portable, and less in the way while riding. Similar to https://www.ebay.com/itm/403569776558. I'd say it's about fanny-pack size. You're not going to get a ton of stuff in there, but it's better than tiny/non-existent pockets, but still attached directly to you. It has the main pouch, a smaller zippered pouch on the outside, the keyring quick-connect, and the bungee cord on top. Once again, seemed like a good idea, but I never ended up actually using it.

Someone on the 400 forum posted about https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VW776KH/ as a seat-mounted tailbag. If you don't carry a passenger, this might be more convenient than a tankbag.
Quote:
It's not huge, but is large enough for small items or lunch or bottled water, and it is claimed to be WATERPROOF too.
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