Mark's big Bike Ride blog: Time to shed a few pounds

My GS fitted with the Vario expandable Top-Box (unexpanded)

While heading out on my last few local rides I made the decision to unclip the top box from my GS. I have had little to complain about over the last eight years with one fitted to my bike and the convenience is useful on long tours but the additional weight even when empty high up at the rear made me wonder if this weight was at the detriment of the bikes handling and tyre wear. The BMW GS Vario top-box complements the panniers well and provides padded support for a pillion passenger I never ride with. It seemed pointless to keep it fitted all of the time though. I've never really understood why some people consider it essential to use a top box as helmet storage while at a destination either, is it really worth turning a bike into a car for the sake of a hands-free walk to the cafe when you can simply cable lock the helmet to the bike or take it with you? The GS Vario is aesthetically pleasing when fitted unlike some of the nasty looking top boxes I see fitted to other bikes but I do think any top box spoils the lines of a bike somewhat. After a few trial runs to discover with such a revelation how lighter better handling the bike is around some 'twisties' without it, I decided to research soft luggage options for taking the essential stuff I need on a day ride to include:

Puncture repair kit (Stopngo) with Compressor or CO2 cartridges.
Disc lock/s
Spare gloves
Visor clean
Chillys drinks bottle (0.5L)
Face Masks and Hand Sanitiser (Covid required)
Food/Snack
Possible Camera
Multi-Tool

At first I was convinced I needed the official BMW tailpack bag similar to a tank bag that straps onto the passenger seat. Oddly though this doesn't fit on the rear rack of the GS and being square in shape the dimensions suggest it doesn't quite fit my (wonderful) chillys drink bottle length ways either. SW-Motech do some great looking tail packs, some ready to fit to a tail rack but in the end I went for a Universal (US) dry pack from the British company Kriega.

I'm really impressed with the quality of the Kriega the ability to connect them to other Kriega bags and the washable removable liner is a useful feature. Most of the above listed I can fit into the bag and very useful for items I need quick access to. I managed to fit the Multi-Tool and Disc lock under the passenger seat in the end so I don't need to repeatedly pack those and have the Wunderlich GS under rack bag on order to keep the puncture repair kit permanently attached to the bike for the same reason.

The tailpack comes with straps to mount to the bike frame or rack and lightweight aluminium hooks to attach to the strap loops with additional clips to tie off the excess strap. The bag is a roll-top design with an additional waterproof zipper pocket on top, useful for my visor clean, spare ear plugs, face mask and hand santiser and perhaps even a few notes/coins for a toll bridge crossing too.