New to the SW Motech luggage range, Urban ABS Bags add lightweight, versatile and unobtrusive carrying capacity to naked street bikes like the Yamaha MT-07/09, KTM Duke and Ducati Monster.
The minimalist rear ends seen on the latest generation of street bikes seriously limit soft bag mounting possibilities and rarely lend themselves to full hard luggage systems. The often substantial mounting frames ruin the compact lines.
Designed specifically to solve these problems, SW-Motech, the German company born out of the RTW experiences of its founders, have introduced Urban ABS Bags. Made from ‘hard’ ABS material, they keep contents better protected than soft luggage in the event of your bike accidently tipping onto unforgiving ground. They are also more compact and lighter than hard panniers – just 1.4kg for the 16.5 litre version – attaching with a keyless push-to-fit system for ease of use.
The cases are made from tough, scratch-proof and easy to clean ABS thermoplastic, and are shaped to follow the lines of the bike, designed not to add excess width, affect aerodynamics or get in the way of the rider or passenger. This specific design is great for a city break, or navigating narrow roads.
Zip entry makes loading and unloading a doddle – no fiddly catches or keys required – and each bag features elastic cross straps, hook and loop lid limiters to keep contents in place whilst riding and when packing/unpacking. Each bag is also supplied with a removable waterproof inner bag, securing your valuables even further for unpredicted and challenging weather conditions.
Attaching the bags couldn’t be simpler: just push onto the SLC Side Carrier rail until the click is heard. Removal is also super quick, just press the release button and lift the bag off. The discreet SLC Side Carriers are also compact and light, are bike-specific and attach using existing points on the sub-frame. No drilling or cutting or additional brackets needed.
Integrated carry handles make life off the bike easy too. Should you wish to leave one or both behind to explore new surroundings, the bags can be locked to the rails using a hidden twist lock inside – again, no keys to worry about. Combination locks are also supplied for securing the entry zippers, but these don’t look like they’d defeat much more than a curious seagull.
The SW-Motech Urban ABS Bags kit adds 33 litres of carrying capacity, and is supplied with everything needed to get up and running: two Bags, Waterproof Inners, two Combination Locks, SLC Carriers and all fittings and fixings. A typical system retails at £356.99.
We are yet to test these bags, but a video overview of the system can be viewed here
To find out more visit Motohaus
Lauren Haynes