As Egon Spengler famously warned in Ghostbusters, “Don’t cross the streams … It would be bad … Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.” No, I wasn’t building a proton pack in my garage, but I did need to ride our KTM 890 Adventure R to the Indian FTR S press launch in Phoenix. There I was on an off-road-ready adventure bike, wearing a helmet without a dirt-bike peak, a cruiser-style leather jacket, riding jeans, and high-top riding shoes.
Every Gore-Tex-clad, Instagram-famous ADV rider who passed me going down the road probably laughed so hard that Starbucks French Roast spewed out of their nose. Clearly I had violated rules of proper sartorial etiquette and must be banished.
Whatever.
I needed to get the hell out of the house and put some serious miles on the KTM, and I wasn’t about to wear one set of gear on the bike and carry another for the press launch. I’m not (that) vain. But I did need a place to stash my slinky black cocktail dress, laptop and other necessities for a two-night stay.
Standard equipment on the KTM is a luggage rack with burly passenger hand-holds and tie-down points — the ideal perch for Nelson-Rigg’s Sahara Dry Duffle Bag. Part of the Rigg Gear Adventure line of luggage, the Sahara is made of heavy-duty, waterproof 24-ounce tarpaulin PVC with heat-welded seams. Internal stiffeners help the bag keep its shape regardless of what’s inside, and a roll-top keeps the elements out. The bag has a 39.33-liter capacity and measures 20” L x 10” W x 12” H. A pair of adjustable compression straps further secure the outside of the bag, and it has a removable carry handle and reflective accents.
Four durable webbing straps with loops on each end attach to adjustable buckles (two on the front and two on the back) to secure the bag to the bike. The straps don’t stretch, so they required additional tightening as the bike’s vibration introduced a bit of slack. Being the paranoid sort that I am, no matter what bag I put on the back of a motorcycle, for extra security I always double up with a pair of Rok Straps since their built-in bungees maintain constant tension.
Although I didn’t encounter any rain or ectoplasmic slime on my journey, I dealt with some desert dust storms and nary a particle got into my gear. Overall, this is a solid piece of kit that will be part of my ADV arsenal for years to come. It’s available in Black or Yellow/Black for $114.95.
For more information: See your dealer or visit nelsonrigg.com
