Which tank bag setup for hydration bladder and with clear map pocket

jonz

jonz

Joined
Sep 19, 2008
Messages
311
Location
CA desert/Montana
Bike
2009 ST1300
Howdy,
I've been looking for tank bags for the ST1300 which are setup for use with a hydration bladder. By setup, I mean
with a hole for the tube to go from inside to outside and clips to hold the hose. If it's convenient, I'll use it more
often so even though I could make most any tank bag work without those features, I want them. I live in the
desert and have already had 2 kidney stones so I'm willing to pay more if it makes drinking that much more convenient.
I've used a 1 gallon wide-mouth Igloo jug mounted behind me with a tube rigged up from that but I either dropped the
tube and had trouble finding it, it got fairly disgusting when dropped, and had the tube connected to me and forgot to
disconnect it when leaving the bike.

Another feature I want is a clear map pocket on top, the larger the better. That is the only downfall of the current
front runner in my search, the Cortech Super 2.0 18-liter tank bag. The map pocket is small, especially where you
insert the map.

I don't really need the tankbag to carry much more than maps, hydration bladder, some snacks, and a pair of gloves.

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
I was kind of curious of the answers you would get because I was thinking about using a hydration system myself. I am thinking I will just buy the one at Costco and carry it on my back like a Camelback.
 
I have a gallon jug mounted to my passenger peg and an extra long drink tube to the tank bag.. works great!.
 
Garauld TechWorks LLC
61 John Smith Rd
Binghamton, NY 13901-5533
ph: 607-648-3978
GTWLLC@stny.rr.com

I got mine from here worked with Gary great guy makes a great product.
 

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Hi Jeff,

I also can recommend the Garauld TechWorks system. But to your questions about tank bags and bladders:

You can use any tank bag that'll fit your bladder. Route the tube out through the zipper/closure or cut a hole in the bag where you need it and seal the edges with a hot iron/flame.

CamelBak makes bladders with quick disconnects now that make it easy to pull, refill, and reinstall the bladder. BTDT with my previous system (fabric bag hung from saddle tiedown point).

To keep track of the drinking hose get one of the retractable key ring tethers and mount it to the bag or ST. BTDT KEY-BAK is one brand name. Fly fishermen use them for their fishnets.

HTH

Regards, John
 
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John OoSTerhuis said:
Hi Jeff,

I also can recommend the Garauld TechWorks system. But to your questions about tank bags and bladders:

You can use any tank bag that'll fit your bladder. Route the tube out through the zipper/closure or cut a hole in the bag where you need it and seal the edges with a hot iron/flame.
Click to expand...

This is what I have done in the past and it works great. I bought just the bladder and then length hose I needed and I push the hose into the tank bag leaving just the mouth piece exposed and pull it out of bag when needed.
I'm looking at the RKA bags for my ST. It looms like it has a shelf inside the bag and looks like my bladder will fit under it.



Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4 Beta
 
John OoSTerhuis said:
Hi Jeff,

I also can recommend the Garauld TechWorks system. But to your questions about tank bags and bladders:

You can use any tank bag that'll fit your bladder. Route the tube out through the zipper/closure or cut a hole in the bag where you need it and seal the edges with a hot iron/flame.

CamelBak makes bladders with quick disconnects now that make it easy to pull, refill, and reinstall the bladder. BTDT with my previous system (fabric bag hung from saddle tiedown point).

To keep track of the drinking hose get one of the retractable key ring tethers and mount it to the bag or ST. BTDT KEY-BAK is one brand name. Fly fishermen use them for their fishnets.

HTH

Regards, John
Click to expand...

Hmmmm. The retractable key ring tether sounds like a possibility. I want the tube connected to the bag so I don't do one of my usual brain farts and try to walk
away from the bike attached to something which is attached to the bike.

I had my own setup with was close to the Garauld system but it was not idiot proof as I proved on a number of occasions. During rallies and rides, I saw several riders
who either were or had dropped/drug their drinking tubes.

Lastly, I'm riding to Knoxville, IA in a couple weeks for a family get together. If you see a candy red ST1300 on the road, wave. :hat4:
 
I am using an old Tour Master tank bag. I put the bladder in the bag and run the hose out where the lid is zippered. It has two zippers, so I just zip both up and meet the hose at the bottom of the bag closest to my jacket. The bag has a hand loop to carry it when it is off the bike. I just stick the end of the hose in that loop and it stays put. You could get one of the retractors and just mount it on the side of the bag. Then the hose would always be on the same place on the bag.

I did not want to go with the backpack. It gets too hot on your back with a mesh jacket. No airflow.

Sorry, that I am not helping with anything on the market right now. The old tank bag has about 75,000 miles of use and just keeps going!
 
Update: I ended up getting and using the Cortech Super 2.0 18-liter tank bag for a few thousand miles touring the west/midwest.
It was okay.

As I thought, the small map pocket was a PITA. Good thing I'm a AAA member and get free maps as the maps will
be mutilated after just one trip.

I got a Platypus water bladder which has the removable hose to use with this tank bag. It was
a nice feature and made adding water convenient. On the down side, that bladder has a huge bite valve which is also a PITA to
get into your mouth while wearing a full face helmet. Also, the water still tasted funny (though less so over time) after 2 weeks
on the road. I'm assuming the taste is from the anti slime coating inside the bag/tube.

I ended up using the outer water tube clip on the tank bag to control the excess slack from flapping in the breeze and possibly
catching my hand at a bad moment. I ended up just sticking the bite valve into the main compartment and zipping it shut to
hold it in place. So the outer clip is an okay feature but not as handy as I was hoping.

This is my first magnetic tankbag and that was convenient. After a few days of riding in windy conditions, the tankbag was
rock steady and I quit using the safety tether. However, not before I scratced the tank with the tether. sniff, sniff

Everything else about the bag was good but knowing what I do now, I'd probably try another one that was flatter and had
a larger map pocket.
 
I have a MotoCentric Moto 19 Tank Bag that I used on my 2000 Honda VFR800. GREAT Bag .... lots of room .... Hydration ready. Have not yet tried it on My ST1300 cause I just got it 2 days ago and its been 10 Degrees here in New Jersey.
I have a full set of Motocentric Bags (Saddle, Sport Tail, and Large Roll Bag besides the Tank bag). GREAT Products. Selling the Tail and Saddlebags cause I don't need them anymore with my new ST. Listed on eBay if anyone is interested.

PS ... they all come with raincovers.
 
jonz said:
Howdy,

I've used a 1 gallon wide-mouth Igloo jug mounted behind me with a tube rigged up from that but I either dropped the
tube and had trouble finding it, it got fairly disgusting when dropped, and had the tube connected to me and forgot to
disconnect it when leaving the bike.
Click to expand...


I got around both of those problems by attaching the tube to one of those retractable badge holders on my tank bag. See the picture in the top post in the thread below:

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?63619-Mick-s-Hillbilly-Hydration-System&highlight=

I used this setup on a 6000 mile trip and it worked perfectly! I encountered plenty of 100+ degree temps during that trip so the ability to drink from that tube while riding, then just let it go to be retracted by that badge holder really came in handy. Here's a picture of it in action:

Hwy101_NearGoldbeachOR_2009_1000_zps1601b03e.jpg



This is a means of attachment that a couple of folks on the old ST1100 List used and none of them that I know of ever had any problems at all with the tube connected to a retractable lanyard like this.


(This is a response to an old post but this info may come in handy to others)
 
Last edited:
I did the same as Mick but used a vertical Polar Bear cooler. Inside I use a badder from a back pack style system. It sits close enough to me that no extension is needed. +1 on the Key back. I just clip it to my tank bag too.
 
I tried two of the Givi tanklock bags. Both in 15L size.
Enough room in there that I could put my 70oz CamelBak bladder in filled with ice water and also a 32oz CamelBak bottle filled with Gatorade. Samll camera and other misc. stuff.

The come with a pocket/sleeve to fasten on top for tablets, or if you prefer old school, paper maps.
The tank-lok is nice, super easy to pop off to fill the bike or take in the store if you are stepping away.

Just FYI.
 
Guess I'm lazy. I wear an Olympia Moto-X jacket which has the bladder on the back. Worked great on my other one, won it from Olympia which got totaled in the accident, so bought another one and soon as this hand heals, will be using it again.
 
Nicer thing with the tank trim ring mounted style bags. They are elevated off the tank and never touch it. SO they stay relatively cool.As cool as something black and sitting in direct sunlght can be.

Marks did good on the last long trip I took. My water bladder would stay cool for 6 hours or so. Actually I don't remember it ever getting hot.
 
Mick said:
I got around both of those problems by attaching the tube to one of those retractable badge holders on my tank bag. See the picture in the top post in the thread below:

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?63619-Mick-s-Hillbilly-Hydration-System&highlight=

I used this setup on a 6000 mile trip and it worked perfectly! I encountered plenty of 100+ degree temps during that trip so the ability to drink from that tube while riding, then just let it go to be retracted by that badge holder really came in handy. Here's a picture of it in action:

Hwy101_NearGoldbeachOR_2009_1000_zps1601b03e.jpg



This is a means of attachment that a couple of folks on the old ST1100 List used and none of them that I know of ever had any problems at all with the tube connected to a retractable lanyard like this.


(This is a response to an old post but this info may come in handy to others)
Click to expand...

Hi Mick. Ran across this older post of yours and was eyeing your setup here. Which seat is that and did/do you like it? It looks comfortable.

Thanks,
Paul
 
PNW ST said:
If you know, is there any issue with the bag hitting the horn button when turning the handlebars?
Click to expand...

First I was thinking it depends on the Heli risers you used... but actually probably not that much. I have Gen III on mine.

The Givi XS307 hits both the starter button and the horn button if you do a full lock turn.
The Givi 3D604 only hits the starter button.
 
I never actually needed to use the Mototrek 19 tank bag as shortly after my post I installed a Hondaline Top Box and have not need the extra storage space of the Tank Bag. I did however place the Mototrek 19 tank bag on the Tank and found that the length of the bag was a problem when turning the bars left to right. I ended up selling the Mototrek 19 tank bag on eBay. A buddy of mine has a Firstgear Silverstone Mini Tank Bag an I positioned it on the Tank and it fits well but there is no room for the Hydration Bladder. I did however purchase a backpack type Hydration Pak that I will use on long trips for Liquids.
 
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