Introduction
Carrying a backpack while riding a motorcycle usually gets uncomfortable in a city like Mumbai. The combination of extremely humid weather and stop-and-go traffic almost everywhere means you start sweating in no time. In such a scenario, if you’re carrying the weight of a backpack, it just adds to the discomfort. This is where tail-bags like the Viaterra Pod come in handy. It will not only make riding and carrying my belongings on hot days more bearable, but the promise of it being waterproof should also give me some peace of mind during the notorious Mumbai monsoon.
The one you see in these pictures is the smaller 12-litre variant of the Pod. We also have a 22-litre variant which Pratheek has been using and his review will be out soon. While the 12 and 22-litre variants are identical in terms of design, material, and construction, the main difference lies in their capacity and thereby the amount of stuff they can accommodate.
The Plan
The compact size of the 12-litre model makes it suitable for short rides only. In my case, I’ll be using it on my daily office-home commutes and try to assess how it fares in this use case. The agenda is to tell you what all it can carry, does the water-proofing work well, what is the longevity like in terms of wear and tear, and whether the whole action of mounting and dismounting is easy on a daily basis on different kind of motorcycles.
Construction
Viaterra claims that the Pod is 100 per cent waterproof and has thoughtful elements to prevent water from seeping in even during heavy showers. The roll-top mechanism with strap and buckle closure is accompanied by an inner drybag liner which gets gray Rip-Stop fabric with PU coating and is seam-sealed. It’s rated to withstand 5,000mm of water pressure.
Another impressive bit is its mounting mechanism. It comes with a modular mounting base with straps which needs to be tucked and fixed under the bike’s rear seat with the buckle straps hanging out. To mount the Pod, you just need to place it on the seat, loop the straps around the bag, fasten the buckles, and tighten them. The straps of the same mounting base can be fully extended and used to mount two Pods on top of each other.
Viaterra has used plenty of reinforcing elements to strengthen the bag. There’s triple stitching on the joints, bar tack for all stress points, and polyester webbing throughout. Plus, the Pod gets nylon thread for all stitching which is known to offer better strength and flexibility than polyester material.
Additional Features
Besides being a standalone bag, the Pod can act as an extension, or an expander for Viaterra’s Leh saddlebag or Claw and Claw Mini tail bag due to their mounting mechanisms being compatible with each other. Interestingly, multiple Pods can also be used to neatly separate out stuff within the larger bags. Other features include an inbuilt webbing carry handle and 3M reflective tape for visibility in the dark.
Product Details
Make: Viaterra
Model: Pod-12
Availability: Viaterra’s website and other online retailers
Price: Rs. 1,700
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
Gallery
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CFMoto 300NK Right Side View
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