C 400 GT: Wunderlich "Business Bag - 'Tank Bag' Style" Added to Hump Area

[wspollack]

In preparation for a multi-week trip -- and, you know, you can never have too much storage space -- I bought and recently installed Wunderlich's Business Bag - "Tank Bag" Style:

Business Bag - "Tank Bag" Style

Check out the deal on Business Bag - "Tank Bag" Style at wunderlichamerica.com

www.wunderlichamerica.com

Yeah, like most Wunderlich products:

- It's expensive.
- It's nicely made.

And in this particular case, it has a very nice fastening system: secure when it's in place, and easy to remove.

After messing with this in the garage, on balance I'm pleased with it, and would probably do it again.

Here are some pics from my gallery, but more pics and detailed captions are present there, starting with this image:

EDIT: CORRECTED LINK: https://www.billanddot.com/C400GT/#S-63

 

[MrDigital]

Thanks for posting this. I'm looking at that bag and wondering if you're still happy with it? Do you know if it can fit a laptop in there OK? Thanks!!

 

[wspollack]

Thanks for posting this. I'm looking at that bag and wondering if you're still happy with it? Do you know if it can fit a laptop in there OK? Thanks!!

Well, I don't really use it.

Pros:

- it's a very elegant solution for a little extra storage.

- Very clever implementation to hold it in place.

- And that implementation doesn't interfere with riding (or getting on or off the bike).

- It's waterproof (according to Wunderlich, and that looks to me to be the case, even though I haven't tested that out).

Cons:

- It's relatively expensive for what you get (including having to pay extra, as I did, for the carrying strap).

- You have to remove it to gas up.

- It's on the small side.

- The LOXX fasteners are a bit fiddly to press and hold, to unhook and then re-secure.

I just looked at my gallery again. I have five pics and captions, starting here:

'23 BMW C 400 GT Shad 59X Top Case Removed

www.billanddot.com

In one of those, I note:

By my measurements, the bag, sans flap, is about 2½" wide by 9" tall by 16" across, which results in about six liters of storage; Wunderlich lists slightly larger measurements that yield what it says is 8.5 liters.

(Wunderlich has its own measurements at https://www.wunderlichamerica.com/BMW_C400_GT_Business_Bag_Tank_Bag_Style ,)

So there's a sort of answer to your laptop question. I don't have a laptop myself (or an iPad, although my wife has one), so my guess is that it will fit a small laptop okay.

If it does fit your laptop, and you commute with one, and you don't have a top case (or one big enough), then it may be a good idea for you or someone else with that sort of use case. Otherwise, um, probably not a great idea.

Since I bought that bag:

1) I swapped out my 30L BMW top case for an adjustable (up to 58L) Shad case.

2) When I made my 2,000-mile roundtrip last year from NY to NC, I did NOT bring the Business Bag with me. This was before I swapped the top cases, but I did have my new-ish 54L Saddleman luggage bag strapped out back (from my gallery at https://www.billanddot.com/C400GT/#S-68):



So I had ample storage for riding the two days down and two days back (but, yep, no laptop with me).

I guess that's about all I can say about the bag, and I hope this covers your questions.

 

[MrDigital]

Thank you Bill. As always your insight is invaluable. I have actually already ordered, but not received, a Shad top box for my bike. I have the OEM BMW Rack already installed as it came on my used bike. From your other posts about your SHAD box I pulled the trigger knowing I will be able to fit mine on without replacing the OEM.

For NOW, I probably don't need this case but I love the way it looks and seems to have a nice fit. My more urgent need now was somewhere to put my helmet. Mine is too big for the under seat storage and carrying it everywhere is not ideal.

Thank you for your reply!

 

[wspollack]

Thank you Bill. As always your insight is invaluable. I have actually already ordered, but not received, a Shad top box for my bike. I have the OEM BMW Rack already installed as it came on my used bike. From your other posts about your SHAD box I pulled the trigger knowing I will be able to fit mine on without replacing the OEM.

For NOW, I probably don't need this case but I love the way it looks and seems to have a nice fit. My more urgent need now was somewhere to put my helmet. Mine is too big for the under seat storage and carrying it everywhere is not ideal.

Thank you for your reply!

You're quite welcome.

Note that in my Shad-adding thread (somewhere) I refer to someone else who did a YouTube video on adding the Shad. His method was simpler, and didn't involve any drilling, but took up about 3" of the passenger's room. If you don't ride with a passenger, that's probably the way to go. If you do ride with a passenger, then my more involved mounting is something you may want to consider.

 

[MrDigital]

Yes, I have had that thread bookmarked for a bit now.