#Wolfman

The image of adventure touring is that of riders traveling the world on heavyweight motorcycles with big, aluminum panniers and a variety of duffel bags lashed to the top. And if you consider the BMW GS crowd, that is a very popular look. However, you don’t need giant hard bags to travel.  Soft luggage will often do quite nicely for overnight, week-long, or even transcontinental treks, and they have the ability to better withstand tipovers without breaking, which can be an issue with hard luggage. What you want from this type of luggage platform is the ability to adjust the carrying capacity to the gear requirements needed for your particular trip. The reality of human nature is that we will find “necessary” gear that exactly matches (or slightly exceeds) the room we have to carry it. Try this quick test the next time you go on a day ride: Ask your friends with panniers what they brought with them. Odds are the bags are mostly filled with things they could need. 

Anniversaries are a time for celebration, and this July 4th holiday, what better way to celebrate the 243rd anniversary of America’s independence than by getting some killer deals on gear to make your motorcycle ride even better. Here, we’ve rounded up a bunch of items that are on deep discount this July 4th holiday, with some big tickets items being offered at almost half-off full retail pricing. Take a look around, and if you see something that catches your eye, now is the time to act – these deals won’t last forever.

Most, but not all, motorcycle luggage these days is waterproof or comes with a cover or something similar to make them so. Using waterproof luggage guarantees your belongings will stay dry and, in general, better protected from the outside elements. When touring, this is more or less a crucial requirement because the weather can change in an instance. Even for daily use, it’s good to know your belongings will stay dry in the event of a surprise Spring shower on your way to work.

Motorcyclists can be divided into two groups: those that love tank bags and those who don’t. Personally, I’ve had at least one tank bag for every bike I’ve owned. So, you don’t have to guess which camp I fall into. However, the trend towards tanks that slope sharply towards the rider has made using tank bags a challenge. Throw in the need to stand up on the pegs when riding an adventure bike in the dirt, and the sizing of a tank bag becomes even more difficult. Wolfman, a manufacturer long known among the adventure and off-road set, has come up with what I think is the optimum tank bag for the style of tank most commonly found on the current generation of adventure bikes. The Blackhawk tank bag offers a good compromise of carrying capacity and the need to move freely when standing.