OK, I've said it many times on this forum. I'm cheap and I'm lazy...at least as far as some motorcycle items are concerned. I saw one of my acquaintances over on ADV with some of those Wolfman Day Tripper bags that go over the sidecover number plate area on his new KTM. These things are just the right size IMO, as they don't really get in the way when you're riding rough terrain. On these big epic rides on my trips out west, I have an MSR fender bag bolted to my front number plate to carry my rain pants. I have a small fender tool bag on my front fender to carry most of my hand tools. I have a bicycle rack bag on my rear rack for various other items during the day. I then have a fairly huge hydration backpack to carry a good deal of water, jacket, GPS, spare 21" tube for front and rear, and a few other need incidentals.

I wanted to lighten my backpack load a bit and saw these Wolfman Day Trippers. Wow!...about $150 on their site. Even at $100 if I could find them on some other discount site, that's too much IMO for just a pair of small side bags. That MSR fender bag I use on the front number plate is too big IMO for an actual fender bag, but it is a nice bag. They're also cheap...about $20...and well made. Hmmm...they're just about the size of what I want as sidecover bags...not too big, not too small. So, I pick a pair up. I use the clips they intend for clamping to the plastic edge, but I drill a very small hole at the slot locations of these clips where they meet my sidecovers. The 4 holes fit very narrow zipties. The zipties go through the sidecover and metal clip slot. The metal clips still hold the weight of the bag, but they cannot come loose or fall off with the zipties. They fit nice and close to the bike and don't get in the way. I loaded them up with the items I wanted, and they work great...all for about $40. It's nice to have an easily accessible place to stuff some things.

 

Oh...here's a shot of the real Wolfman Day Tripper bags on that guy's KTM.

 

Nicely done! Have you given them the 200-miles of rough-@$$ trail test yet? Too much backpack weight is not good. Nice way to lighten the load.

Where's your best buy on the MSR fender packs?

 

I like it. Gives me some ideas for possible ways to improve on my cheapie ATV tank bags (used as rear saddle bags).

 

curious to see how they hold up. I have the same view about the day tripper bags, great size just not so excited about the price.

 

I don't feel nearly as cheap now. I'm in the process of turning a Joe Rocket Manta (small size) into a Wolfman-like enduro tankbag by adding some straps.

Good work. I bought one of those for the front fender but find it to be way too heavy flopping around up there. Now maybe it has a use along with a twin brother.

Do I remember correctly that you have a KLR? We're all the same.....

 

As far as holding up, the bag is very tough. I've had the one on my front number plate for 3 years, and it doesn't have any wear, damage, or issues. That one is bolted on, so I never take it off. Even off roading at our home area riding area it gets smacked by every cedar tree and mesquite branch out there. MSR has had this bag in their lineup for years. It's also the same one that Moose markets if I'm not mistaken. I wouldn't worry about the toughness of the bag.

 

Scott, I'm fixin' to give them the 1000+ mile rough-@ss test for a 2.5 week trip to the high country of Colorado starting the last day of the month. It will definitely be an acid test, but really I'm not concerned as I've used this bag for over 3 years now on the front of the bike.

On the purchase, you probably remember I get my stuff through the shop I used to work at. I get all my MSR stuff through Tucker/Rocky, a huge wholesale supplier to shops only. Now, I do know that the Motorcycle Superstore handles these bags, as well as what I believe is the identical bag from Moose.

 

Yeah, I agree that these things are kind of large for a true fender bag. On the KLR, I sold it a few months after buying the KLX, but I rode several of those heavy beasts for many years.

 

to quote mr. colton, imitation is the sincerest of flattery...nice work!

i admire wolfman and have a tank bag that i found used for half price.

looking forward to the 1000mi test.