Corbin-Pacific Beetle Bags

Corbin-Pacific Beetle Bags

CW EVALUATION

Storage for your stash

HERE'S THE SCENARIO: YOU'VE JUST purchased a brand-new Honda VTR1000 Super Hawk, and all you want to do is ride it-all the time. Unfortunately, that pesky desk job keeps getting in the way. And as bitchin' a sportbike as the VTR is, it doesn't really allow for stashing files, dress shoes and other officeoriented paraphernalia.

Enter Corbin-Pacific's Beetle Bags. Designed to make the VTR more commuter-friendly, the compact fiber glass bags are not so much conven tional touring luggage as they are a set of gloveboxes for your bike.

We ordered a set painted red to match our VTR testbike. Installation was relatively straightforward, and took about an hour. It involved removing the stock rear turnsignals, mounting no fewer than five brackets, the bags themselves, and then reconnecting the turnsignal leads to the red blinkers housed within the bags. Important: It's imper ative that every washer and spacer be properly positioned to ensure ade quate clearance between the bags and the bike's tailpiece. Otherwise, the bags' inevitable movement may scratch the paint.

Once fitted, the watertight bags' swoopy styling accentuates the VTR's organic bodywork. Although they make the bike look a little wide in the hips, they aren't a detriment to maneuver ability in tight confines. Furthermore, the plushly lined bags lock and unlock easily, and will accommodate most smaller items. In other words, they will hold a pair of shoes, the contents of a briefcase and a sack lunch. With parsimonious packing, clothing for an overnight stay will also fit. But an actual briefcase? A sack full of groceries? A loaded tote bag? No way. As with a piggybank, you can get a lot inside-you've just got to cram it through a small opening first.

Gripes include paint that doesn't quite match the bike's, and screws in the bags' lids that backed out from vibration. Also, once the bags are installed, they're installed-it would take another hour to remove them and re-attach the stock turnsignals. Moreover, Beetle Bags are expensive. Our painted ex amples carry a suggested retail price of $799, while the gel-coat versions cost $699.

Bottom line? Beetle Bags are con venient commuter luggage for the workaday rider with some extra cash. If this description doesn't apply, then look elsewhere for a place to stash your stuff.

BEETLE BAGS Corbin Pacific 11445 Commercial Pkwy. Castroville, CA 95012 800/538-7035 Price $799 A Turn the VTR into a bonafide commuter/light-duty sport-tourer A Safe, secure storage A Cheaper than buying a Ducati ST2 A Distinctive styling `~owns V Make soft bags look like a bargain V Don't quite match that Honda Red V Carrying capacity no threat to a Gold Wing V Distinctive styling