I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!!

A while back I was asked by the folks from adventure POCKETS to perform a product review.  I accepted the invitation to review their motoPOCKET Side Case product.

If you have not noticed, I do give my thoughts on books, TV shows and other motorcycle related product and accessories.  I tell you guys just what I think about X for good and bad.  I do this for things I review unsolicited and will have the same attitude for solicited reviews.

In this case the product that they asked me to look at was pretty darn good.  I installed it on my “Army Bike” the 2008 Heritage Softail Classic. The motoPocket Side Case by adventure Pockets is “Made in the USA” of study, heavy duty nylon. Its construction and feel leads me to think that it will hold up for years of service.  It is designed to hold your small things (glasses, paperwork, flashlight, etc.) in a convenient spot and not rattling around the bottom of the saddlebag.  It is primarily aimed at placement in the lid of saddlebag but I have “non-typical” bags and mounted it to the outside wall of the saddlebag.

Installation of the bag was simple, yet was also what separated it from other products of this nature that I have used.  The bag comes with heavy duty Velcro strips that you attach to the saddlebag; it also comes with a heavy duty squeegee.  That squeegee is used to help you apply the Velcro strips to the bag and squeeze out air bubbles at the same time.  No other product of this nature that I have used, to include Kuryakin, Harley Davidson and Saddleman, have provided a tool to help you apply the Velcro.  This was also a Homer Simpson “DOH” moment when I realized I should have used some form of squeegee in the past!

After letting the adhesive cure for 24 hours I attached the bag and filled it with some of my junk. Sure enough, as soon as I attempted to shut the saddlebag lid I realized I need to move the bag down and to the rear.  This was the first test of the bag as often times the Velcro, attached to the saddlebag, will come off when you attempt to adjust the placement.  Well, the Side Case did not pull the Velcro from the saddlebag, first test passed.

The second test for me is, “does the adhesive hold in high temperatures?”  With this test so far so good, but we have not had any super-hot days post installation.  My best guess is that the temperature has been no higher than the high 80’s or low 90’s (F), so no really hot days to test the commitment of the glue to its job.  If there is any failure of the adhesive I will update this review and let you know. (Just FYI, I consider glue failure to be worth at least 1-2 stars)

This is not a complicated device; it does exactly what it was designed to do…hold your stuff.  I feel it is well made of quality material and compares better than with similar products I have used in the past.  In particular the inclusion of the squeegee is a “brilliant” move; I will be putting that little piece of plastic into my tool drawer for the future.

I recommend you take a look at this product if you are in the market for simple storage organization in your saddlebag.  I have debated whether to give this bag 4 or 5 stars.  It does everything it is designed to do well but I think that a couple of elastic loops to hold a few items in place would put it over the top.  In the end I am giving it 5 stars as it does exactly what it should and comes with that dang squeegee!