Tank Locker
Tank Locker
CW EVALUATION
Taking the tankbag off the tank
PRISTINE PAINT GLEAMS WITH NEWness and smoothness, not a scratch on it. Yet you'd like to carry your things in a convenient tankbag. Magnets or straps are the usual anchoring choices, but both make direct contact with the gas tank, risking damage. The Tank Locker offers an alternative.
Key to the patent-pending design is a pre-drilled, bowl-shaped “collar” that bolts to the outer ring of the aircraftstyle filler caps used on many latemodel, sport-oriented motorcycles. Stainless-steel hardware and an Allen wrench are included. A central hole allows uninhibited access to the cap and filler neck, while a barrel lock secures the rigid baseplate-to which the conventional tankbag zips-to the collar. Once the lock is released using the supplied key, a Vsth turn frees the plate from the collar, allowing fill-ups.
There are two advantages to this method of attachment: 1) The baseplate never comes in contact with the paint, and 2) unlike magnetic bags, the tank (or its cover) needs not be steel.
There are downsides, though. While tank-top luggage is rarely pretty, the Tank Locker conflicts even more with a bike’s lines because your eye is drawn to the airy space between the bag and the tank. Not that you will ever notice this while riding. You will, however, notice that the mounting system causes the bag (we sampled the optional, waterproof, synthetic-leather Lexel version; a less-costly, 1000-denier cordura-nylon model is standard) to sit tall, especially on sportbikes with crouched riding positions. On a Yamaha YZF-R1, for example, the rider’s chest contacted the top-of-bag map pocket even when the bag was not expanded. Also, if you lose the key to the barrel lock, good luck gassing up your bike.
These shortcomings aside, there’s no getting around the Tank Locker’s innovative mounting mechanism. If you’re interested in a basic tank tote whose attachment system won’t mar your bike’s paint, it’s a viable choice. □
DETAILS Luggage Locker, Inc. 9ElmhurstRd. Greentree, PA 15220 888/414-2903 www.luggagelocker.com Price.. .$180 Ups A Never contacts paint A Sturdy construction A Lock ring also supports optional video camera mount owns v Lose key, forget filling up v Too tall for some sportbikes v Only works with certain types of fuel fillers
