MotoReview! Viking Bag 45L Tactical XL Motorcycle Backpack

Viking Bags 45L Tactical XL Motorcycle Backpack

Greetings loyal MotoReaders! It's time for another...

MotoReview!

Today, I'll be talking about the new Viking Bags 45L Tactical XL Motorcycle Backpack. This is gonna be a super fresh review, too... because I'm writing this from my hotel room in the hometown of Harley-Davidson motorcycles- Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The squeaky cheese is frying and the pretzels are baking as I type this... so let's not waste any time!

Full Transparency

You guys already know that I believe in full disclosure, and as such- I'll tell you that I did not buy this pack. Honestly, I wasn't even looking for a new pack, so when Viking Bags reached out to me last month and offered to send me their new Extra Large Tactical Backpack, I was a little shocked, to say the least. But, I was happy to accept the offer since I'm pretty familiar with them and the quality of their products. Besides... one of the best ways, for me anyway, to truly give my MotoReaders an unbiased review of a product is when I do get it for free. 

I know what you might be thinking... if I get something for free, wouldn't I be biased in favor of the company that gave it to me? Nope. Not at all. Don't get me wrong- I won't bash the companies that send me stuff to test and review- after all, they do trust me to do a fair and honest review of their products and they're showing that trust by sending the stuff to me for free-zies. When I buy a product, by comparison, I've already done the research before I shell out my own hard-earned cash-ola, so when I review a product that I bought, it will inherently have some bias- either good or bad, based on how much I've invested, as well as, how happy (or unhappy) I am with it.  Everyone gets a fair, honest, and unbiased review from me on their product... but I won't beat up a company that is asking me for my opinion.

45L - Tactical XL Motorcycle Sissy Bar Backpack

That name is a mouthful, I know. I got this bag after I got back from my recent trip to Daytona so I didn't get to use it for that trip. I did, however, get it in plenty of time for my trip to Milwaukee... and what better way to beat up a brand new pack, and put it through it's paces, than on a multi-flight trip a thousand miles from home? I mean, what's the worst thing that could happen- catastrophic failure of the backpack causing my worn-out socks and questionable condition underwear to spill out in front of hundreds of strangers at an airport? Sure, that would be less than ideal... but so far, we're in good shape and the pack is holding up great.

Updated already

Now, one thing I've noticed already, is that it looks like Viking Bags has already updated/upgraded the pack from the design I have. From what I can tell, the newest version has two extra straps/buckles on each side, to sort of cinch it all tight when packed- a feature mine does not have. Everything else looks to be the same, but I think it's really cool that someone at Viking said, 'ya know... let's make this a bit better real quick.' Now, I don't know how long this pack has been out because, well, like I already said- I wasn't looking for a new pack, so I haven't been perusing the sites lately. But, regardless... the new version is what you'll get if you start shopping for one now. 

The materials

First and foremost, the most important feature of any good product is the materials it's made of. Cheap materials will make any product useless, regardless of how well those cheap materials are put together. This pack is made of strong, really strong, thick Cordura. You can feel the quality in the body and straps of the pack. I haven't taken a stab at it, but I'd be willing to bet it's puncture resistant and ripstop, too.

The second most important feature of any product, is the way that it's made- the stitching, the reinforcements, the gussets, the padding and so on. This pack, again, doesn't disappoint. It's really well made. I don't like to check my luggage, so I tend to pack what I need into the smallest, most carry-on-able luggage that I can. With that said, I had this pack STUFFED TIGHT. I'm sure the good folks at Viking Bags might discourage this... but I had to lean on the closed bag, just so I could get the zipper closed.

Let's back up a bit

I feel like I need to quantify my last statement a bit by explaining this bag's capacity. They say it's XL... or 45 Liters. I don't measure bags like that, so I'll give you my measurement method, instead.

My typical retirement wardrobe now consists of jeans, t-shirts, and riding boots, pretty much on a daily basis. I do like to dress a little nicer for certain occasions, so I will also wear some button-down garage shirts (don't judge me- I'm retired). I'm in Milwaukee for 3 weeks and the hotel I'm staying in has an on-site laundry facility, so fortunately, I have the ability to wash and rewear my clothes during this stay. I don't, however, want to be in the laundry room every other day, so the goal was to pack a week's worth of clothes. 

In packing for this trip, I initially tried stuffing everything in my other name-brand backpack which, normally fits everything I need... but I guess this trip was one day too long, and it couldn't handle the job, so I decided to take a chance and try the Viking Bag. This is what I was able to get inside the new pack: 

• one fresh pair of Levi's blue jeans, 
• 6 of my favorite T-shirts, 
• 2 button down garage shirts, 
• 6 days of fresh socks, 
• and, because I'm not an animal- 6 days of fresh underwear.

I also packed charging cords and cubes, an external SSD for my laptop, a card reader, earbuds, a bathroom bag with all the necessary essentials to not look or smell like I'm living out of a backpack for 3 weeks, reading glasses because I'm getting old, and some over-the-counter medicines because I'm prone to migraines (and I refuse to take Rx meds to control them) and I'm just getting over a cold that has been wreaking havoc on my sinuses for the past week. This pack does have a laptop sleeve, but I chose to carry my laptop separately because I knew I was gonna be crushing this pack to close it and I didn't want to risk damaging my new 'puter. 

Carrying Options

The carrying options are, somewhat, limited for what I'm using it for on this trip. But... remember that this was designed as a sissy bar backpack and not as a piece of airline luggage. When I first got it, I did attach it to the sissy bar on my Dyna Street Bob... and it fit well and was easy to secure, but this was a fly-not-ride trip, so here we are.

As for carrying- it obviously has two backpack straps, but, it also has a chest strap, too. I think they may have redesigned the waist strap, in the newest version, too... because while mine has straps at the waist, they look a little different than what's shown on the new pack. Either way, I don't usually use a waist strap when I use a backpack, so that's a non-issue for me. There is a strong, well stitched and padded handle at the top of the pack, too, for when you need to take the pack off and carry it. The backpack's shoulder straps tuck away inside a compartment on the back of the pack, too for whenever you want to mount it on your bike. This is especially important because you don't want the shoulder straps of a backpack flopping around in the wind while you're riding. 

Pockets, Pockets and Pockets Galore!

I like pockets and compartments on a pack. The more the better and this pack has plenty. It has mesh pockets on the inside of the main compartment, one even has a zipper closure. The secondary compartment has mesh pockets in it, and the third, exterior, compartment has some sewn-in pockets on the inside of it. The smaller, top exterior compartment is easily accessible and, all of the compartments of the pack have dual heavy-duty zippers with rubber coated zipper pulls, on each one. There are two bottle pockets, one on each side of the pack, each with a toggle-locking drawstring-closure. The front and sides of the pack also have molle style attachment slots to accommodate anything else you might want, or need, to attach to the outside of the pack and, as an added benefit- the top of the pack has a velcro panel to attach your personal identifiers such as nametapes, flag, or your favorite tactical unicorn patch- do your thing, I don't judge. The pack even comes with an embroidered US flag patch and a rubberized Viking Bags identifier patch to start you off.

Other Cool Features

Another really cool feature of this pack is the way the main compartment opens- a full 180º, which makes packing (and unpacking) this pack a breeze. The bag also has a cord pass-thru grommet at the top in case you need to run a cord through the pack for any reason. The pack also has loops sewn into the webbing in case you want to adjust any of the mounting points, or add extras. Another cool feature is the TSA approved lockable main compartment. Unfortunately, the main compartment is the only one that has the interlocking padlock zipper pulls but if you need, or want, you can run a small cable lock through the rubber zipper pulls to secure them. Viking Bags also includes, at no extra charge, a hard-sided sunglasses case and a stowable wet bag, both of which can be stored on the molle and the sunglasses case even has a clip so you can attach it to one of the D-ring loops on the pack. 

 

Speaking of TSA, the bag is just the right size... if not a little bit too big for standard airline carry-on sizing regulations. Height and width is well within the standards, but it's a little thicker than the standard 9" requirement, at about 11-ish inches deep... just enough for a rookie TSA officer or an overzealous boarding agent to jam you up and make you check it. I was fortunate enough to have some really cool, laid back folks that I dealt with at boarding, though... so I had no issues. 

Pricing & Value

Okay... let's get down to brass tacks on cost and value of the pack. The folks at Viking Bags offer two options of the "Tactical Large Motorcycle Backpack"- the XL 45L, and the L 30L. Both packs look to have, almost, all of the same features but the 30 is just obviously a bit smaller. The 30 is priced at $149.99, currently marked down to $126.99 for their Spring sale; while the 45L has a regular price of $168.74, and it is currently on sale for $142.99.

Personally, I like to compare products to products when determining price to value. Doing so gives me a tactile, real world value that I can quantify easily... kind of like asking, "what else can I get for the same price?" So, by comparison... my other backpack, that I have been using for the past couple of years as my primary bag, set me back a smooth $140. Apples to apples... they are both really great, well built, bags. Now, my other pack is closer in size to the Viking Bags 30L, so capacity is about the same, too (although the Viking is a little easier to sort and organize than my other pack and it has more features). My point here is that the price of the 30L, and the 45L, Viking Bags are priced appropriately compared to their other, high quality, competitors. 

Can you get a bag that is less expensive? I have no doubt. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of retailers online that offer cheaper products... but rushing through the concourse, trying to make your connection... or worse... running down the interstate at 75 mph... isn't the place to discover how poorly that cheaper bag is made. The bottom line is, what it's always been, you get what you pay for. Good products aren't cheap and cheap products aren't good. That's not to say that you have to spend a ton of money to get a good product, but high quality materials cost money and highly skilled workers don't work for free. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, even though I didn't buy this bag, and I wasn't looking for a new bag when I got this one, it's proving to be a high quality bag that is priced fairly. Honestly, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this bag... especially for the current sale price of $149. Another great thing about Viking Bags, too... is that they are always having sales, so bookmarking their website, and checking on their current promotions from time-to-time, could help you keep some of your hard-earned dollars in your pockets.

 

At this point, I've done quite a few of my MotoReviews on a variety of products and I know you guys might be thinking, "geez, when is he gonna give us a stinker review?" Well, if I'm being completely honest- hopefully never! I know that a product that sucks will eventually find me, but this one isn't it. I like this pack, quite a lot, actually. As a matter of fact, it might be my new favorite piece of luggage. 

The local cuisine of the 414 is calling my name, and I've got some motorcycles to see, so until next time MotoReaders....

Ride safe and make good choices!

(Just a subtle reminder, too... I embed links in my posts and I encourage you to check those out as you're reading. Also- don't forget that you can click the links on the upper right hand side of the page to save some money on products like First Mfg, Sena and Unik by using my affiliate links and discount codes. Keep an eye on that sidebar, too... as I'm hoping to add more affilates, too)

Is the King Really Dead?

 

The King Is Dead

As I am writing this, I've got the sick riffs of Dave Mustaine and Megadeth playing in the background. The song- "Kill the King." Dave is growling the chorus, "Kill the King, the King is Dead, Long live the King (I am the King)" and I can't help but wonder if our newest Harley-Davidson CEO, Artie Starrs, heard this song and is taking it a little too literal?

There is no Road King for 2026

An indisputable fact, however, is that there is no Road King in the 2026 lineup. I'll admit, though, I sort of saw this coming over the past few years. I am, however, shocked to see the MoCo actually go through with killing off the Road King entirely like this. They slowly faded the FLHR out of the spotlight, hoping that no one would notice. Keen eyed motorcycle enthusiasts like yours truly, though... saw that the last year that a standard Road King was offered, was 4 (yes FOUR) years ago, in 2022. Each following year, they only offered the Road King Special (FLHRXS) to the civilian market, and the Road King Police (FLHP) to the boys in blue at police departments... right up until this year, that is. The bean counters in the Cream City decided that 2025 would be the final curtain call for their two biggest sellers- the extremely popular Police Road King and Police Electra Glide, opting instead to put all of their financial eggs in the new Police Road Glide basket. To add insult to injury for the hundreds of thousands of Electra Glide loyalists, they even killed off the whole Electra Glide lineage, in name only, choosing to fully invest everything into the Street Glide and Road Glide nameplates. 

Will the King return?

When the Street Glide and Road Glide models got their first major facelift in 2024, the biggest indicator, to me, that the Road King was in trouble was in the redesigned fuel tanks of the Street and Road Glides. The design team had decided to alter the tank design from the large, bulbous, classic tank that had been copied for decades by other manufacturers who were trying to emulate the timeless design of the Harley-Davidson tank. Instead, the design team decided to mimic the sculpted, angular design of their oldest competitor's new bike, the Indian Challenger. But not all of the Grand American Touring bikes got this new tank design, no... the last remaining Road King, the Special, still carried the original tank design. Not changing the tank was a red flag for me, mainly because the touring bikes always change together... but not this time.

What does this tell us, then? Is the Road King just getting a styling update? Can we expect to see a new, redesigned, Road King for the 2027 or 2028 model year? Will the MoCo marketing gurus convince Artie and the rest of the decision makers to file the Road King name into the archives, alongside the Electra Glide, Dyna, FXR, and so many others, and bring back the stripped down touring bike as another option under the Street Glide moniker... maybe call it the Highway Glide and give it a digital infotainment center in the tank console?

Or, will they kill it off entirely?

Has the MoCo become Model Killers?

Over the past decade, it seems as if the MoCo has developed a taste for killing off extremely popular models. Do you remember what they did with the Dyna? I wrote this slideshow article for Harley-Davidson Forums, in December of 2017. In the piece, I spoke hopefully... truly believing that the Dyna was only being updated, improved and prepared for a whole new generation of riders. I was wrong. The MoCo killed off the Dyna and, in just as poor taste as giving a new puppy the name of the dog that they had euthanised, they gave some of the new Softails names that once adorned the dual shock, powerhouse hotrods of the Harley-Davidson lineup. 

One could even argue that a few years later, they even did the same thing with the Sportster. When I wrote this piece, back in 2022, talking about the end of the Evolution Sportster lineup (yes, the Evo Sportsters had their own, full, lineup of submodels) in favor of the EPA inspired RevMax powered motorcycles- the Sportster S and the Nightster. One could argue, however, that the Sportster simply received a long overdue overhaul, but if that's the case, why didn't they update the original, instead of creating a whole new motorcycle? And... the better question- if the Evo Sportster was such a bad, antiquated, design... why didn't H-D shelve it, instead of selling the designs to this Chinese owned company, who is now selling them under their own nameplate? Go ahead, click the link... I'll wait here. I totally understand that the US and European Governments dictate emissions outputs from vehicle manufacturers, but damn... selling the Evo Sportster to SWM? That's just wrong. Before anyone says, "wait a minute... SWM is an Italian company"... yes, more or less. They are built in Italy, however, SWM is owned, and funded, by Shineray Group in Chongqing, China. The ironic part, is that they are being sold in the European and Asian markets... but Shineray is getting the profits of those sales. The question that begs an answer is, if the U.S. government said that no more air-cooled Evo Sportsters could be built and sold in the US, why didn't the MoCo just do what Shineray is doing and build them in Italy, and still sell them in those markets themselves? It would have been a win-win... European and Asian riders could get the authentic Harley-Davidson motorcycles without the import fees, and Milwaukee could keep their intellectual properties (i.e., the designs) and still make a profit from these incredibly popular motorcycles. 

Now, for 2026, we have also seen another model killed off- the Electra Glide. While they seem to have just folded the Electra Glide into the Street Glide moniker, the name carries significant history. 

FLH History

For those that don't know, the Electra Glide got its name from the introduction of the electric start option. The model designation was FLH, and looking at the bike, it looked like what most know as the modern Road King. But, the "Road King" model wasn't introduced until 1994. 

The original Electra Glide did not have a fairing as standard equipment. The iconic Batwing fairing, which could arguably be considered the most popular fairing design in the history of motorcycles, was offered as an option around 1969. It was so popular, that it became standard equipment in 1971, and the "King of the Highway" was an Electra Glide option in 1968, offering that big, lexan windshield, saddlebags and some other trim. 

As the fairing-equipped Electra Glide became more and more popular among the long-haul, cross-country riders, the MoCo recognized the market for an FLH based cruiser, that could handle a cross country ride as easily as it could cruise the boulevards around town and, in 1994, the King of the Highway option, found its own name, as a stand-alone model called the Road King. To the uninformed, the Road King and the Electra Glide King of the Highway might seem like the same motorcycle, but the easiest visual tell is the instruments- the Electra Glide models prior to the Road King have a large, unwieldy instrument "dash" mounted on the forks, whereas in 1994, the new Road King got its own gas tank, with a speedometer mounted in the tank console. This new design really cleaned up the forks and gave the newest FLH version a classic, cruiser look. Over the next few decades, the Road King saw several trim options like the Custom, the Classic, and most recently, the Special. 

While the Road King, Electra Glide, Street Glide and Road Glide may look different, their bones are the same. They all utilized the same frame, same forks, same swingarm and same frame geometry. The differences were found in the model specific pieces, like the fairings, wheels, tour packs (or lack thereof), trim and badges. Most of the parts, were interchangeable. For example, the Electra Glide, Road Glide and Street Glide models had fairing-mounted instruments, including fuel gauges, so their fuel tanks were interchangeable. The wheels, axles, engines, fenders, seats and a myriad of other parts are interchangeable among all of these Touring models. The Street Glide (FLHX) was little more than a more "custom" version of an Electra Glide that was introduced as its own model in 2006. Not many people know, however, that the original FLHX model designation was originally given to a special edition bike, created by Willie G in 1984, dubbed the Electra Glide Special and heralded as the "final Shovelhead" model.

What does it all mean?

I wish I knew. I've been to Juneau Ave. I've been to the Museum and I've walked in the vault. I know that the MoCo has been struggling for a long time, due to a combination of cultural, generational and economic changes that has taken place in our country over the past 20-30 years. I know that they have been forced to comply with stricter and stricter regulations and environmental restrictions. I know that as the founders and their ancestors have aged, died or sold their interests, the remaining investors have become less vested in the company and what it stands for, and more focused on how they can line their own pockets... even if doing so hurts the long-term stability of the company. Don't believe me? Jochen Zeitz's base salary before he was ousted, was $1.94 million dollars a year. Artie Starrs' starting base salary is $1.2 million per year. Their Chief Financial Officer is pulling over $575,000 annually, while their other CEOs are all pulling over a half a million dollars a year each, in salaries, not to mention their generous compensation packages.

Compare those salaries to their Principal Engineer's salary of, get this, $181,000 a year. This is the guy that's over their designs. Or, what about the blue collar workers, building the bikes? Well, the average operations workers are making under $100k a year. Now, don't get me wrong, I understand that a lineworker can't be given a half million dollar salary, and I know that a CEO can't be expected to run a multimillion dollar company for $150k a year, but look at the gaps for a moment. Let's pretend that Jochen loved the company, truly loved it like the founders did. Imagine if he had taken half of his salary and compensation package, and re-invested it back into the company. Would H-D be in the shambles it's in now? Let's also pretend for a moment that the other executives loved the company like the managers and executives did back in 1981. Imagine if, instead of trying to serve themselves, they decided to serve their company, and more importantly, their employees and their customers. Imagine if they sacrificed a fraction of their salaries, and invested it back into the company. I'd be willing to bet that they wouldn't be doing as many layoffs and terminations as they are now. I'd also be willing to bet that the salaries of all those folks that have lost their jobs at the MoCo in the past few months, pales in comparison to what the suits are earning. 

Final Ponderings

Who will save Harley-Davidson like the guys did, back on that fateful day in 1981? How can they expect to continue turning a profit, when they keep killing off models that are good sellers? Who are they listening to, before making these decisions? I would ask what they are motivated by, but I already know the answer to that one. 

I will say this, though- if I've learned anything from my time in Milwaukee, it's that EVERY person that I've encountered working for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company so far has spoken very highly of our new CEO. Everyone really seems to like Artie, even despite the layoffs of their co-workers. They have all said that he visits the facilities often, is very down-to-earth and friendly and is a very approachable guy. He's also doing some things that I, personally, really like- things like bringing everyone back to Juneau Ave and restoring the building back into a working Harley-Davidson facility instead of making the historic building into a damn farmer's market or whatever that nonsense was that Jochen was talking about doing to our beloved 3800 Juneau. 

Artie, if you're reading this (which I'm sure you're not, but IF you are), it seems like you're on the right track so far, at least with your employees. I'd like to offer you some advice, if you'll take it- don't forget us. We, the people of the Harley-Davidson community- the people that spend our hard-earned money on the company that was started over 120 years ago in a 10'x15' shed and now has a global following of dedicated, generational riders. We were raised on H-D, and we are raising our kids on H-D. We encourage our friends and family to join the H-D community. Listen to us. Follow the founders' examples and tune in to the people that ride the bikes, wear the leathers, buy the boots and the jackets, and the hundreds of thousands of t-shirts every year. It's safe to say that the people passionate enough to spend their money on the bikes, all the gear and even permanently mark their bodies with the company's logos, have taken a personal interest in the company that you now lead. We'll give you some good insights on what you can do to make the founders proud. We're all counting on you to bring the company back... and maybe even bring back some of our favorite bikes- like the iconic Road King.

Now, I doubt that Artie will get my little message there, and if Jochen is reading this- sorry if it seems like I'm beating you up, buddy, but you did sort of blow it back there, my dude. 

For now, my loyal MotoReaders, there's nothing we can do, so we just have to wait. Cross our fingers, hope for the best, and wait. 

Ride safe, MotoReaders.... and until next time...

LONG LIVE THE KING.

Daytona Bike Week- Daytona 200 King of the Baggers

Daytona 2026

I am going to preface this post by telling all of you, right up front, that I'm not a big "rally guy". But, in my recent retirement from my payin' job, I've found myself with a lot more time to do some of the things that I haven't had a chance to do for the past quarter of a century. Things like, taking a long motorcycle road trip with my eldest son, or visiting my best bro at his house in Florida. So, when the opportunity arose this year, to do both, I jumped on the opportunity. We also had the opportunity to see one of the most iconic motorcycle races in history- the Daytona 200 and, of course, the MotoAmerica King of the Baggers race. 

Pre-trip Prep

My son chose his 2007 Dyna Street Bob for this trip, and I... of course... would be taking my 2017 Road King Special because, well, ROAD KING! I swapped the seats and put on my tour pack, cleaned her up and figured I was set and ready. My son, however, needed to do a few more things to his Dyna before we left. He had been putting them off for a while, but this trip forced his hand, which isn't always a bad thing- after all, sometimes we need the right motivation to get things done, and this was definitely the right motivation. He needed to fix some wiring issues on his rear lights, his tires were toast, he needed a tune, front and rear brakes and, just for fun, his idle air control valve wasn't working properly... all things that we were more than capable of doing in-house, so he ordered his parts and we got to work. Murphy decided to apply his Law while we were working on the tires, as we quickly discovered that the wheel bearings on his rear wheel were pretty crunchy. The worst one fought a hard battle, but after a couple of hours of profanity-laced frustration, we finally prevailed with sheer determination, anger and a bit of luck and got it out of the hub. With only a couple of days to spare, I lucked out and found the bearings at an Indy shop in a nearby city. After hauling tail down there and picking them up, I got the bearings in and we got his wheels back on... just in time for me to notice that my front tire was worn down to the wear bars! I guess I missed that on my initial inspection, so with only two days left until we set out, I was on the hunt for a new front tire. My local H-D shop came through for me, so I went and picked up the tire, then hauled tail back home to mount and balance it, and get it on the bike. I won't get into the details of what happened during installation because I was in a rush and not paying attention... but suffice to say, I made a couple of stupid mistakes that cost me an extra hour or so of my time and a great deal of frustration. It all worked out though, and I was able to get my bike done with just enough time to scrub in the new tire. That same night, my son got his tune downloaded, installed his IAC valve and was able to get his tires scrubbed in, his brakes set and make sure the bike was running right with the new tune, the day before we left! 

The trip

We left the house on Thursday morning and pointed our bikes East on the superslab. Since this was the longest trip my son had taken so far, we took it easy and didn't push too hard. My Road King is equipped with electronic cruise control and a six gallon tank... my son's Dyna, however... has neither, so we made plenty of stops for fuel and rest. 

Both bikes were running, and riding, great though and we had beautiful weather the whole day, with the exception of a late afternoon rain shower once we got past the Florida state line. We stopped several times, taking plenty of time to snack, hydrate and stretch our legs and even stopped at a dealership to look around. We made it to Lee's house after dark, which was a bit later than we had originally anticipated, but we made it safe and he and his lovely wife had a delicious dinner ready and waiting for us! After a couple of hours of catching up, we turned in to get some rest before our next day of riding. 

Bike Week (in a day)

The next day, we jumped on the bikes and headed down to Daytona for a pass through Main Street for Bike Week, just to say we did it. As I said previously, I'm not really a "rally guy." I've been to a few, and they're okay... but I'm just not into parking my bike for several hours so I can hang out at a bar and I definitely don't enjoy being in the middle of a huge crowd of people. I also don't like sitting in the stop-and-go traffic... ugh. Even with the Rekluse slave cylinder I installed a few years ago, my clutch hand starts getting tired from the constant gray zone riding needed in heavy bike traffic. Not to mention, riding behind all of the duck-walking weekend warriors with throttle tourettes makes me crazy, especially as a certified motorcycle instructor. Look- I'm not judging anyone... if you need to duck walk your bike so you don't fall over, and you need to blip your throttle every few seconds to make sure your bike stays running, then more power to you... but I don't want to be stuck behind you in slow, stop, slow, stop traffic, either. 

After we made our obligatory pass down Main Street Daytona, we FINALLY got out of the traffic and were able to let our bikes breathe a bit, right before running into another traffic jam as we got closer to Destination Daytona, where most of the vendors were set up. 

Now, let me take a moment to tell you that some of the riders that show up for Bike Week are asses, plain and simple. We were all stuck in the same traffic, but some of them felt the overwhelming need to try to weave through the sea of bikes, ride along the shoulders, run red lights and ride like hooligans on the streets, doing burnouts and taking off like they were on a drag strip. Again, I'm not here to judge anyone, but don't get mad at the local cops for pulling you over when you are acting like an ass on the public streets, either. Take your tickets and be glad you didn't hurt yourself or someone else. Three people died in motorcycle crashes this year during Bike Week... that is 3 families destroyed in an instant. Local law enforcement reported, a staggering, 75 crashes during Bike Week... those are only the crashes that were reported, too- there were probably at least a few dozen crashes that weren't reported. That may not seem like many, considering that the number of people at the 85th Annual Bike Week was around 500,000... but imagine being in one of those 75 crashes. Imagine being the person with your bike totalled out because some jagoff decided that he needed to do some stupid stunts in traffic and lost control and smashed into your ride. Now, imagine being the family member of one of those three that died and getting that phone call. It just isn't worth it. I'll get off my soap box now. 

Destination Daytona was insane. The sheer number of vendors will make your head spin- over 120 just at the dealership alone. There must have been a skunk den nearby too, because it seemed like every hundred feet or so, we were smelling a strong, skunky, odor... so weird. We perused a few of the vendors, then went over to Houligan's for a late lunch before heading out. Traffic wasn't too heavy leaving, so we were able to get away from the crowds (and the skunks) and onto some back roads pretty quickly. 

Lee has only lived in Florida for a few years, but he is an avid rider and, like me, he loves to explore on two wheels. In his time on the East Coast, he's found some incredible back roads and he took us along a few of them. If you've never ridden this area, you need to make the trip. The roads may not be very curvy or hilly, but the ancient oak trees draped with spanish moss make for some truly breathtaking scenery. Riding along the St. Johns River, we stopped at a park that was absolutely stunning. The air was fresh, the wind was blowing and the temperature was perfect. After taking in the scenery, we jumped back on the bikes and headed back to Lee's house for the night.

Off to the Races!

The next morning, we headed out early to meet up with a couple of Lee's local riding buddies, Frank and Ben, both of whom were great guys riding gorgeous new Road Glides. After fueling up, we jumped on the superslab and headed south to the Daytona International Speedway. We had free parking in the infield of the racetrack, which was pretty awesome. Going into the venue, my son and I noticed a significant difference in the crowd at the races, compared to the crowd on Main Street or at Destination Daytona. The first thing we noticed was that there were no drunks, which was nice. We also noticed that there was significantly less skunk odor in the air. The crowds were friendly and the drinks, snacks and vendors were reasonably priced. 

We watched the Hooligans race first, which was pretty cool, then... the 200 kicked off. 57 laps of pure speed. The Super Sport bikes are cool, but if I'm being completely honest, I don't have the attention span to watch nearly 50 motorcycles racing for 57 laps. We were in the infield, so we got to see them coming through the S-curve, and also as they exited the pits, which was pretty impressive. These riders are practically on their elbows in the turns! They are also incredibly powerful, incredibly fast, motorcycles. Even if you're not into racing, you can appreciate the sheer power these motorcycles have and the skills that their riders have. 

Next up, was the real reason that we were there- the King of the Baggers race. Nine laps. 11 motorcycles. ALL V-TWIN baggers. Now, the sound of these machines don't even compare to any of the other bikes that were racing that day. Deep, loud, tuned, powerful V-twin engines roared... absolutely roared... along the track. Each rider trying to best the other, in 9 laps. These guys didn't have 57 laps to make up time, they had to get it done in less than 10! Don't get me wrong- I know that the 200 is as much of an endurance race as it is a competition of speed, but the 31-ish miles of the Baggers race is just pure fury, right out of the gate. You can see it in the infield, as the bikes power through the S-curve and nearly break the rear tire loose on every lap, as the riders crack the throttles and let those huge, torquey mills breathe! My Indian-favoring MotoReaders got to take the bragging rights on this race, as Team Harley-Davidson's Kyle Wyman lost his winning streak, although Wyman did jump in first place for a lap or two before being overtaken by Team Indian's Troy Herfoss (1st place) and Rocco Landers (2nd place). Side note- if you watched the "Why We Ride" documentary... you may have noticed a young Rocco Landers riding with his family... and in the final scenes, mentioning how he wanted to be a motorcycle racer when he grew up. Goal achieved, Rocco... good job, buddy. If you haven't seen the film... do yourself a favor and watch it- trust your old pal, the MotoWriter, on this one.

That's a Wrap!

After leaving the races, we rode to a cool little Irish pub for dinner and a cold drink, then, after dinner, we bid farewell to Ben and Frank and headed back to Lee's house for our final night on the East Coast. We got up the next morning, had a couple of cups of coffee, then got on the bikes and headed West. My son and I made really good time heading back, since he was, basically, a long-distance pro at this point. Our stops were also much more efficient- we rode tank-to-tank, only taking our breaks during the fuel stops. A storm front had been moving East across the country and we ran into it before we reached Alabama, but fortunately, we didn't get the rain that we were prepared for- just a few light showers, instead. We made it back to the MotoCompound by late afternoon, wrapping up a nearly 1,500 mile trip over 4 days. 

In all, it was an awesome trip... one that was long overdue. Even though we may have cut it to the wire before leaving, we got our bikes road-trip ready and we had a safe trip. As a matter of fact, the only close-call of the trip happened when we were on our way down to Bike Week, when a jackass in an old, crappy, Honda SUV decided to pull directly out of a side road, right in front of Lee, which forced him into an emergency, brake and evade, situation... which he handled like a pro. 

Final Thoughts

If there's a trip that you've been putting off until the "right time"... let me tell you- NOW is the right time! Take that trip! Make those memories! Do it before you're too old, too broke, too scared or too worn out. Don't be afraid to get out there and explore our world. Put a few bucks aside, here and there... skip the local latte lounge and drink your coffee at home for a few weeks, pack a lunch instead of hitting the drive-thru and plan a trip of camping or staying with friends. Your life is passing you by right now. As much as I love that you're on your computer, tablet, or phone, reading this... it's time to turn off the device and turn on your motorcycle. I'll be here when you get back... now... go... 

Ride safe, and make good memories! 

 

MotoReview- SENA Outrush 2 Helmet

MotoReview- Sena Outrush 2 Modular Helmet

Hello my loyal MotoReaders! I'm back from Daytona and today I'm bringing you a fresh new MotoReview- the new Sena Outrush 2 Modular communication helmet! Grab a snack, settle in and get comfortable... because this is going to be a comprehensive review!

Full disclosure

For starters- as you all know by now, I believe in full disclosure when I review any products. I want you to know how I decide to do a review on a particular product, or products. It's pretty simple, really. I'm not a spontaneous buyer- I have to work for my money, so I'm pretty discerning with how I spend it. With that said, most of the products I review are products that I've already done a fair level of research on before I bought them, so I'm naturally predisposed to give a good review of them. Typically, I end up reviewing overall quality and will make a recommendation based on that, but today's review is a little different- I didn't buy this one.

When I connected with Sena Communication as a brand ambassador, I thought it was going to be like the others- a simple agreement and a discount code with a small percentage of each sale kicked back to me as an incentive to advertise their product on my website. I was more than a little surprised to see that this collab actually required some formal documentation, but in return, they sent me a helmet for free. 

The terms of agreement were pretty simple, really- use the product, review the product, don't bash the company or any of it's representatives. That's about it. Pretty straightforward and some parameters that I can definitely work within. So, notwithstanding the fact that I got a new helmet out of the deal, I'm going to give my MotoReaders a full and honest review of this helmet. While the helmet was free initially, I look at it like this: the helmet was pre-payment on a product that I'm offering- my full and honest review for all of my MotoReaders worldwide to read. That's a fair trade, in my opinion, so I can assure you that I'm not being influenced by Sena or any representative of Sena (or anyone else, for that matter). 

What is the Outrush 2?

Sena has been making communication helmets for several years and the "Outrush" name is not unfamiliar to most folks that have been in the market for a new comms helmet. A lot of you may recognize it as a Harley-Davidson helmet, which you can check out here. Here's a newsflash for all of you MoCo brand fanatics though- Harley-Davidson Motor Company doesn't actually produce their own helmets. If they did... they would probably call themselves the Harley-Davidson Motor and Other Products Company... which doesn't really roll off the tongue as easily, or sound as cool for that matter. Common suppliers of helmets to H-D is Sena, HJC, Bell, LS2 and maybe a couple of others. That means that when you go into your local H-D dealer and buy that Harley-Davidson Outrush R Helmet... you are actually buying a Sena Outrush R with a H-D logo. The same goes for their helmet comms- they simply rebrand Sena and Cardo products as their own. Rebranding is a very common practice for many companies- including the company that claims to have been around for a few more years than H-D.

So, what is the Outrush 2, well... according to my rep at Sena:

"The Outrush 2 is a mid-price-point modular helmet." Sena wanted to create something that was accessible but also has some of their staple features. A couple things to note are: 

- The Outrush 2 does not have bluetooth intercom, it only has bluetooth connectivity. You should be able to pair it to your phone to listen to music, take direct calls, and listen to your turn-by-turn navigation.

- The Outrush 2 only has Mesh intercom. 

- This helmet is "backwards" compatible, but only with other devices that run the Sena mesh network, 2.0 or 3.0.

- The Outrush 2 also has Wave Intercom which requires each user to use their own phone/app and comm device. Each comm device must be bluetooth paired to the corresponding phone and, when opening the Wave Intercom app, the user should see their bluetooth device paired on the screen. This technology uses the phones to connect, instead of the mesh network created by Sena. 

Now, again, full disclosure here... I made a video review of the Outrush 2 helmet before I knew any of this. That was a little foolish on my part, but I reached out to my rep at Sena before writing this and have decided not to post the video review... at least not until I have a chance to revise it.

What does all of the aforementioned tech stuff mean? Simple- in order to use the Outrush 2 helmet- make sure that your riding buddies are running comms with more modern tech than the ole MotoWriter was using (a 20S EVO). 

The Test(s)

When I first received the helmet, I was eager to try it out. The day before, I had taken a pretty decent ride on the MotoWriter Road King Special, wearing my Nolan N100-5 modular helmet outfitted with my 20S EVO, so I decided to do a back-to-back comparison of the same trip, same roads, same distance (just over 200 miles with speeds ranging from 30-65mph), same length of time using the Outrush 2. After that, I decided to put the Outrush 2 to the test on a few more rides... one being a big one. My judging criteria for each ride was simple:

• how comfortable is the helmet? 
• how heavy is the helmet? 
• how noisy is the helmet? 
• how are the comms? 
• how is the audio quality for music?
• how long can I comfortably wear this helmet?

The next ride was a bit longer- just over 230 miles, again, on the Road King; after that, a 3rd, much shorter ride (less than 25 miles) on the Janus Halcyon 250. The next, and final (for this initial review) test for the Outrush 2 helmet was a trip from the Gulf Coast of Mississippi to Daytona, FL for a visit to Bike Week and, more importantly, the Daytona 200 and King of the Baggers races. The last ride was over 1,450 miles in 4 days and consisted of a variety of rides, roads and speeds. Overall testing miles for the Sena Outrush 2 Modular helmet so far, is just under 2,000 ridden miles. So, how did it do? 

Comfort Level

I've worn a few different helmet brands- HJC, Nolan, Shoei, Super Seer, "Harley-Davidson", Fulmer, Thor and probably a few others that I'm forgetting. The Sena is just as comfortable to wear as the most comfortable I've ever worn. If you're confused by the wording- simply put- it's a comfortable helmet to wear. It's relatively lightweight, has an appropriate amount of wind noise as any modular helmet that I've ever worn (more on that later, though) and I can wear it all day without any fatigue. The shield is wide and offers a clear view and the flip down sun visor is easy to use and offers just enough tint to take the edge off the sun, without being so dark that you go blind in the shadows or when the sun starts going down. Ventilation on the helmet is good... no, better than good. You can actually feel the air moving in the helmet when you open the vents, which has not been all that common in most of the full face or modular helmets I've worn. The Sena Outrush 2 has several vents- 2 adjustable and 5 non-adjustable. The two adjustable are located on the chin bar and on the top and both control the flow of air into the helmet to cool your dome while you're riding. The 5 non-adjustable are laid out as such- 2 on the chin bar that act as defrosters for the face shield, and 3 on the back of the helmet to act as exhaust vents for your hot breath. All of the vents work, better than expected, but the two adjustable vents are especially nice. When open, even behind a small windshield, I can actually feel the air flowing through them. The only problem that I've noticed with the top vent, is that it does tend to increase the noise level a good bit. But... if given the opportunity to choose between trading out the wind noise of the open vent for airflow- I'll take the airflow all day long. I can tolerate the noise, but as many of you can attest- riding with an itchy, sweaty head just plain sucks, so I'd rather have a cool head and turn up the volume a little higher. Speaking of sound quality...

Sound Quality

While I will have to update my wife's comms to a mesh compatible device, and get my buddies to update theirs (which they can do AND save 10% off their order, by clicking my affiliate link here- hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge), I mostly use my helmet comms for listening to music or answering calls while I'm out riding solo. My 20S EVO is a good device and has great sound quality on phone calls. The sound quality for listening to music is just okay,  though, and it gets noticeably worse as speeds increase. The Outrush 2, however, offers a vast improvement. The highs, midrange and bass are significantly better and I've noticed that I actually need to turn it down some while I ride, as the music sounds great anywhere from slower city riding, all the way up to much higher interstate speeds. The trip to Daytona consisted of a good mix of city riding, beach road speeds and jamming on the interstate. On each ride, the Sena Outrush 2 speakers did a fine job of keeping the beats. My music tastes are pretty diverse... I'll listen to everything from heavy metal or Indie folk music, instrumentals to '80's Pop and Rock. The Outrush 2's design, or maybe the speakers themselves, offer a great overall sound quality. I was able to go from having some music playing in the background while cruising down Main Street Daytona, to having a full-on concert going down the highway. Adjusting the volume is easy- simply push a button. Compared to the toggle dial on the 20S EVO, it did take a little getting used to, especially with gloved hands. Since the Outrush uses the volume controls of the paired phone, instead of a separate volume control on the device, though, I mainly used the phone controls since I use a Quad Lock and my phone is easily accessible, right in front of me, near my hand.

Answering calls is simple and easy, too. A simple push of the button on the helmet controls, or as I mentioned before, pressing the "button" on my phone. The sound quality for calls is exceptional, too. My wife said my voice was nice and clear, even though I was on I-95 keeping up with the Florida traffic. That tells me that the microphone on the Outrush 2 is obviously a high quality, noise filtering device. The only issue that I found with the mic, though... is that it's a boom mic. It's not adjustable (that I could tell, anyway), so it does tend to rest on my face. It should be noted that I'm currently sporting the thickest beard I've ever had though, so I'm sure that some of that could be me. Maybe if I shaved it would be less noticable. 

Fit, Finish, Color and other Features

Not everything in this world is black and white- but this helmet is. Gloss White or matte black to be precise. Those are your only two color options, for now, at least. I went with the gloss white because, well, truthfully I don't have (and can't remember a time when I did have) a white helmet. It was different and I liked the "gloss" part of it, too since my last several helmets have all been black or mostly black with a matte finish. The mattes are nice, but for this one (especially since I wasn't buying it), I wanted to do something a little different, and I'm so glad I did. The finish on the Outrush 2 is really nice- it's gloss white with some very tastefully designed silver-gray stripes. The Sena logos are simple, and not obnoxious, on the front and back, and since the only criteria that I was given for adding my own decals was that I couldn't cover their logo, I was able to throw in a couple of nice, reflective "The MotoWriter" decals on the side and back that I think compliments the design of the helmet very nicely. The gloss finish makes the Outrush 2 very easy to clean, too.

The fit is right on the money. I normally wear a medium so I ordered a medium and it fits very well- not too tight and not too loose. I do get a little vertical line on my forehead after a few hours of wearing the helmet though, due to the way the front padding is designed. That's nothing more than a minor inconvenience, however, and fortunately, it goes away pretty quickly after taking the helmet off. The flip-up chin bar is easy and simple to operate, with a quick lift of the button. The chin bar lifts up high, and out of the way. It locks quickly and securely when brought back down, but you do have to make sure the boom mic is inside though, which is such a minor detail that I wouldn't even call it an annoyance or inconvenience, but rather a barely noteworthy detail.

The Outrush 2 is pretty light for a modular helmet. It's about the same weight as some of the more expensive modulars that I've worn, and a good bit lighter than some of the less expensive ones. The weight of a helmet will make a big impact on comfort, especially the longer that you wear it and the Outrush 2 isn't bad, at all. Even though I could have (legally) removed my helmet once I entered the "Free State of Florida", Mrs. MotoWriter has a strict rule that I don't die, so I always opt to wear my helmet to protect this ole noggin of mine as much as possible. My son and I took our time getting down to Daytona, so it took us about 11 hours on the road, with several stops and a few helmet removal breaks. On the way back, however, we pushed pretty hard and only stopped for fuel, shaving off a few hours on the return. My head and neck never got fatigued from the weight of the helmet, going to, or coming back from, the East Coast.

I'm not sure if replacement shields or sun visors are available for the Outrush 2, yet... as I haven't been able to find them and I haven't contacted Sena about them. The shield comes Pinlock ready, although, the helmet does not come with a Pinlock insert and, again, I haven't found one specifically for the Outrush 2 helmet yet (and I'm not sure if the insert is interchangeable with other Sena helmets like the Outrush R). I do recommend that, once available, you get one though... as the Pinlock inserts work incredibly well to keep your hot breath from affecting your visibility, especially during adverse weather conditions. 

The fastener is the easy to use, modern, ratcheting buckle with a quick-release pull tab. I can tell you that if you've never worn a helmet with one of these- they are a game changer. No more fumbling with the D-rings or side-push "buttons". The mechanism is well made and features metal-on-metal components for a secure fit and solid retention if, God forbid, things go bad. 

The liner on the Outrush 2 is soft and comfortable, but, like I said previously, there is a relief gap between the forehead pads that will make a weird, vertical indentation on your forehead after a few hours. 

The battery on the device is incredible. As in... surprisingly so. I left the house for Daytona with a less than full battery and, 11 hours later, when I finally turned it off for the night, it was still saying "battery level medium." I charged it that night, then rode the rest of the weekend without plugging it in again, using it for several hours each day, and over 8 hours the last day, and when I got back home and turned it off, it gave me the "battery level high" notification. That was constant on, several hours of playing music and several phone calls worth of use on a single charge. As a matter of fact, as I write this today, I still haven't charged it and the battery level is still "high."

Pros and Cons Summary

Pros: 

• Finish is nice, looks awesome and is easy to clean
• Chinbar and sun visor controls work as expected... better actually
• Nicely designed shell that looks stylish and is comfortable
• Comfortable inner liner
• Airflow is fantastic
• Awesome sound quality
• Battery life is outstanding
• Background noise filtering (not sure if this is in the electronics or the helmet design, but it works and works well)
• Intuitive controls- only 3 buttons
• Overall fit and weight of helmet
• Pinlock ready
• Ratchet buckle 

Cons:

• Wind noise (but only when top vent is open)
• Limited selection of colors and finishes (which I'm hesitant to even call this a con, but I know that some of you like to be more colorful than me)
• Limited connectivity to older, non-mesh, devices and NOT backward compatible with all Sena products- ONLY Sena Mesh products. It can connect to other non-Sena products via open mesh or wave mesh, but will not connect to bluetooth comms like the Sena 20s and other Bluetooth-only communication devices.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really like this helmet. While I initially just quickly threw my decals on the Outrush 2 for the trip to Daytona, since I was planning on taking them off after I got back anyway, I've since decided to reposition them and leave them on. Mainly because the Outrush 2 looks as good as it does, and the color and graphics design lends itself nicely to the task of representing my little corner of the interwebs. I think I'm going to use the Outrush 2 whenever I'm out doing MotoWriter stuff and keep my other helmets for when I'm just doing me stuff.

The Outrush 2 has a retail price on the Sena website for $379, but you can get it for $341.10 by clicking this link and using my discount code. As for my thoughts on the price- most modular helmets sell between $150 for the lower end of quality, up to $950, according to the current offerings from Revzilla, with the majority of them fitting in the range of $300 and $400 USD. Keep in mind that those prices reflect the helmets only and no comms. Comms typically range from $98 for the old stuff, to well over $400 for the newer stuff. The mid-range mesh comms sit right in the middle, around the $200-$300 range. So, with consideration to the fact that this helmet has the mesh comms already installed, you could easily make the argument that the package deal is well worth it, especially since it's ready to go, right out of the box (especially when you buy it through the MotoWriter link).

Look, I know that some of you don't like to wear helmets, and I know that some of you don't care about listening to music and that you don't want to answer the phone while you're out riding... I get it. This helmet (or any helmet, for that matter) isn't for you. But I've seen first-hand what happens to the human head when it hits a solid object like the side of a car or the pavement and I'll tell you this- your old pal, the MotoWriter, will always wear a helmet. I'm also a husband, father, son, brother and uncle and I have a family that loves me, and that I love... so if they call, I want to be able to answer. Lastly, I've tried it, and I personally don't like my motorcycles to have big fairings with dashboard-mounted stereos, but I do like to listen to music sometimes, especially on long trips. Having a good set of speakers to listen to my favorite singers and bands, belting out their best music is pretty dang nice. 

You might be asking, though...would I buy it? Before seeing it and trying it out myself, I can honestly say that I would have been hesitant- after all, a comms company making a helmet? But after seeing how well this helmet is made- it has a good quality shell, a nice design, good aerodynamics, good quality materials and hardware and has a really nice finish... I can honestly say that I would be willing to pay up to $250 for the helmet itself, and for the comms- I'd easily pay another $200. That's a total of $450+ and would require me to install the comms, so for the asking price of $379 (or $341 with the MotoWriter discount), I think this helmet is a bargain, and I'd absolutely buy it, without hesitation.

Until next time, MotoReaders... 

Ride safe and make good choices!