Introduction
I am an avid tourer and have done a fair bit of long-distance touring, including a few 3,000km Ladakh and Spiti motorcycle rides. Over the course of time, I’ve realised the importance of having a good motorcycle luggage system which makes planning such rides easier. So, when Carbonado sent its Drift Hybrid Hardshell tank bag for review, I was more than willing to test it out.
We will thoroughly test the tank bag on long rides, day-to-day office commutes, and everything in between. But that’s for future reports. In this report, we will take a look at what the Carbonado Drift Hybrid Hardshell tank bang has to offer.
The Construction
Unlike other tank bags, the Drift Hybrid tank bag uses an EVA hard shell top to protect your valuables from various elements. The exterior is constructed using a high-denier fabric, which is claimed to offer extreme durability. The bag also offers two D-ring mounts at the front and one at the back, to connect the strap mounts, while there’s also a headphone cable outlet for convenience. The outer material is designed to take abuse and feels durable and premium to the touch.
Then, there are four fabric hooks on the hard-shell top on each corner to attach the additional mobile holder (sold separately). You also get two pouches on either side to store your charging cables, while each of them also gets a reflective lining for better visibility in the dark. The base is constructed using thick foam with a soft exterior lining, which should prevent the fuel tank from scratching.
Inside, the Drift Hybrid tank bag is lined with a bright red-coloured fabric for better visibility of the packed items. The tank bag also uses YKK zippers and SBS pullers for durability and smoother operation.
Product Features
Feature-wise, the Drift Hybrid Hardshell tank bag comes with four removable flaps, which hold eight magnets. This should make it extremely easy to mount on metal tanks. However, for a plastic or fibre fuel tank, you also get a Y-strap and an X-strap, which go around the fork neck and under the seat, respectively, thus enabling you to mount the bag on such tanks. Further, you also get a sturdy and ergonomic handle to carry the bag around.
On the inside, there’s a 10-litre main compartment, which can be expanded to 12-litre if the need arises. This compartment should be good enough to hold your weekend clothes or other utilities like an iPad mini, a wireless air compressor, or even a pair of slippers. The inside of the hard-shell cover has a phone/utility pouch and a handy compartment to store documents or the bundled rain cover and mounting straps.
Other features of the Drift Hybrid include a removable and adjustable shoulder strap that can be mounted on the two D-ring hooks at the front. Moreover, the shoulder strap is versatile enough to convert the tank bag into a backpack. You also get a rain cover with Velcro straps to secure it onto the bag.
Pricing
The Carbonado Drift Hybrid Hardshell tank bag is priced at Rs 4,390 for the magnetic variant and Rs 3,390 for the strap-only version. All Carbonado products come with a warranty of one year against manufacturing defects. The tank bag can be purchased from Carbonado’s official website, or from other online resellers, and also from select offline retailers.
What’s next?
In the next report, we will tell you what you can pack into this 12-litre tank bag. And can it can be your go-to tank bag for all things touring and commuting? We will also tell you how easy or difficult it is to mount/unmount on a fuel tank, and whether or not the magnets are powerful enough to withstand the load. Moreover, we will explore if it’s easy to carry around off the bike, and whether or not it can double up as a backpack to carry your weekend’s worth of luggage.
Product Details
Make: Carbonado
Model: Drift Hybrid Hardshell Tank Bag
Type: Motorcycle Luggage
Price: Rs 4,390 (Magnyt), Rs 3,390 (Strap mount)
Availability: Online on Carbonado and other websites.
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
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