Tank Bag: Magnet or Strap?

[AZST]

Thinking about getting a Chase Harper Sport Trek for the beaST.
Any thoughts on which is better, strap or magnet?

Any input appreciated in advance.

--Bryan

[Daryl]

No real preference.


Just remember with the magnetic approach - no credit cards, ATM cards, or other magnetic media in the bag - You might have problems - it's a bi#ch when your credit card won't work anymore and you need gas!:eek:

[alan]

I use a TourMaster tank bag and I have the strap down model. I passed on the magnetic because I was concerned about the ease of someone stealing a magnetic tank bag. Sure a thief can steal a straped down model also, but not as easily as the magnetic. I leave my tank bag on when I run into a store and was concerned about a casual thief in a parking lot just quickly grabbing the tank bag.

A magnetic bag makes putting gas in the tank a lot easier though. The strapped down bag is a pain, gets in the way and is not easy to remove.

[georgeorge]

For what it's worth....I had a metallic painted truck that had our company signs on the side. You know those magnetic ones. And over time the sign actually pulled the metal flakes out of the paint and destroyed the doors. Now, I'm not sure if the metallic paint on our ST's actually has bits of metal in it...or some other kind of reflective material, but I have never stuck anything magnetic to anything metallic again. I learned my lesson the hard way. I'm not a painter though, so I'm not gonna say that it would happen every time, but I know it happened to me.

Brian

[BC Rider]

I use a magnetic one and take it off pretty much whenever I get off the bike. I have an expensive radar detector in there as well as my CD player and autocom.

I like the magnets, never had a problem with the bag shifting. I have however gotten a small scratch or two (more like marks in the paint) where I place the bag, likely because I sometimes pull the bag forward in the city to give the handlebars more clearance.

As I see it, you need to evaluate how much the convenience is worth to you. I'm happy I've gone with the magnetic.

[BikemanKZ]

I bought a Coretech magnetic bag, nice size, too small map pocket. I put my digital camera in it several times and I cannot download the images like I used to, (camera direct to my computer), I bought a card reader and it works just fine, but I am not sure if the tank bag had something to do with it.
KZ

[George Radominski]

I like magnetic system for expediency of removal. Based on previous experience :( , I always make sure that magnets don't have any steel or iron particles on them.
George.

[Kennedy]

Small magnetic one for me and like it.

[AgSTreak]

Mine is a Givi magnetic bag and I really like it. Doesn't scratch the paint like the strap-on I had on my BMW. Gas fill-ups are a snap. I keep my MP3 player and digital camera there with no issues. If I get another it will be magnetic. I rate it :) :) :-) could have been a little bigger.- john