Dirt-Bike-Gear.com
Fender Pack
Prices
(Includes Shipping)
Medium (10x4x3) $42
Large (10x6x3) $43
KDX (8x5x3) $42
First
Impression:
When I first saw it I was impressed with the quality
material used (1050 ballistic nylon). I even took it
to the garage and threw it over a truss and hung by
my arms with it. It held my 220lbs without a problem.
Sizing:
There are several sizes you can choose from. I tested
the standard size (10x4x3) which, in my opinion, will
be more than enough for most riders. The riders who
like to carry a lot of supplies probably can use a larger
bag (10x6x3). For example, I like to carry a water bottle
with me in my bag. This bag fit it with all my tools
but it was a tight fit. If I was buying one for an enduro,
based on what I like to carry with me I'd have gone
for the 10x6x3.
An
inner bag is also available upon request.
As
delivered:
As delivered I had to drill 4 holes in my rear fender
and 4 holes in the bag to get it setup. I was curious
why the bag didn't come pre-drilled but after playing
around with different locations I finally came to the
conclusion that if it was already pre-drilled I'd have
had less options on my choices of mounting. If the bag
was pre-drilled that would hinder its flexibility across
different types of fenders. I went with the standard
rear fender mounting but I could see the option of mounting
it to my number plate or front fender if I chose to.
Modified
to fit:
I went with the standard mounting and immediately I
was worried what would happen if I bottomed the rear
end. However, the first 2 rides were on the motocross
track and I bottomed out big time a few at least twice.
I looked under the rear fender and noticed that the
skid marks on the fender were in between the bolts and
the tire was safe from any contact with the bolts.
After
that I put different bolts in and ran the bolts upward
instead of downward.
Functionality:
The bag allows you to not worry about carrying a pack
on your person. That is convenient but it does take
away some of the flexibility you have. You have to unbolt
the bag if you don't want it on the bike. I think the
casual rider and hardcore woods riders will get the
most use out of the bag. The motocross riders don't
need to carry tools so there will be less interest there.
However, one point I want to bring up is that I do some
"track cop" work occassionally where I ride
around and help fallen riders, stalled riders, riders
with fouled plugs, etc. A bag like this really helps.
I can put in extra plugs, plug wrench, water bottle,
duct tape, etc. If someone needs a new plug I am prepared
to help and do not need to run back to the pits because
I have a plug and plug wrench handy.
Some
asked if I noticed it hitting me in the butt. Yes it
did. However, once I knew it was there it didn't bother
me. As a matter of fact, I started looking for it when
going through whoops or when putting my weight back
while braking hard in braking bumps. The bag did not
get in the way in the least while riding. It did take
a little getting used to when dismounting the bike as
I caught my leg quite a few times. Also, with a jacket
on the bag (compressed by the straps) the jacket does
get in the way but for most trail rides or dual purpose
rides it will not be an issue.
Finally,
one of the things I liked the most was the compression
straps. If I only put my keys in there, which I like
to do when at a public OHV facility or new track, I
can use the compression straps to tighten down the bag
and not worry about things bouncing around a lot. I
recommend putting a shirt or towel in there when you
don't carry a lot so the items have some extra "stuffing"
for the compression straps to compress. It is also good
if you need to carry something like a jacket, towel
or small plastic case.
Wrapping
it up:
If you do any trail work or track help I suggest something
like this. It is much sturdier than the MSR fanny pack
I was using.
Pluses:
High quality material.
Holds plenty of tools and supplies.
Many sizes.
Compression straps.
Support. Dan is a dirtbiker and made the bags because
he wanted a better product than what was currently available.
I think he succeeded. This is a fine product and Dan
provides excellent support.
Minuses:
Bolts. That is the only negative I really have and it
is more of a preference difference than a minus. I'd
prefer hex bolts or standard box instead of a phillips
head. However, you can swap out the bolts as you wish
like I did. I put on a set of standard bolts and put
them UP through the fender instead of down through the
bag. This allowed the bolts to sit flush on the fender
with nothing sticking out downward. I did that just
as a preference.
One
thing to keep in mind if you do this is to put a pad
down to give some added protection. I used a thigh pad
from an old pair of MX pants. It worked great for what
I wanted.
Sizing:
Standard: 10x4x3 (tested)
Large: 10x6x3
KDX: 8x5x3
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