US20 reviews

Motorcycle News - August 2010

18 months / 2000 mile test - Chris Newbigging:

What's good?

This is one of those products that gives me joy to use when the need arises - the two straps wrap around the bottom of a pillion seat, clip the seat back in place and tighten the straps. It's fantastically easy to fit - even on modern sports bikes with stupidly small seats. You can re-route the straps and it still holds firm. It's not the biggest tailpack on the market, but on a recent trip to the Isle of Man it swallowed a laptop and charger, a pair of trainers, a jacket and other odds and sods. Or it will hold the basics for a weekend away, or everything for a day at work. It comes with a shoulder strap, and a £19 harness allows it to fit on top of plastic tanks, but it's fitted various bikes from a Gladius, a CBR600RR, R1 and even a Derbi 125 without needing to go on the tank. The roll-top and waterproof lining proved itself on the Island trip - not a drop got in. It also stayed place on a 160mph run over the mountain.

What's not ?

Nothing. Through laziness, I didn't remove the shoulder strap and failed to tuck it away properly, and it melted on an exhaust - but that's my fault. On sporty bikes it's perfect.  Rating  * * * * *

RIDE - June 2010

3000 mile test - Simon Weir:

This has to be the easiest tailpack to use, ever. Simply lay the fixing straps across the tail unit, refit the seat, clip the bag in place and adjust the straps until it's secure. Then unclip it, leaving the straps safely on the bike. There's a shoulder strap for carrying it. I've used it for some commuting and a number of short trips - even with my baseball boots in there, the 20-litre bag can take four days' clothes and a wash kit. It has proved to be totally waterproof, even on long and sodden journeys, and is so compact and solid you won't notice you're carrying any luggage at all. As we have come to expect from Kriega, simply brilliant.

RIDE - December 2007:

Tony Hoare:   This is the larger version of the 10-litre tailpack that won a RiDE Recommended triangle in our test last year. We loved its versatility and ability to swallow a larger amount of kit than its size appeared to allow. With double the capacity in this 20-litre pack, I managed to get a weekend's worth of clothes, spare visor and gloves plus a small washbag into the pack. And it has a simple fitting method: put straps with click fasteners under the seat or pillion pad, then clip the bag to the straps to secure it to the bike and pull them tight to stop it moving around. It's waterproof thanks to a roll-over closure and sealed zips. All in all this is a quality piece of kit.

Performance Bikes - October 2008

IN THIS WE TRUST Kriega US-20 ,  Ben Wilkins:

Since getting this tailpack last year, I've not used another. Finding a bungee hook on a modern sports bike is almost impossible, so a pack that attaches to the pillion pad with quick-release straps is a godsend. Trying to fit anything, let alone a tailpack to the back of my test ZX-10R is fiddly, but the US-20 fits snugly and doesn't wobble around. The seceret to its success is that it is shaped long and thin, so uses the entire pillion seat. Waterproof zips and a waterproof liner keep my guff completely dry, even through a torrential downpour on a 700-mile round trip to Cornwall and back earlier this month.

FOR: Waterproof and no bungees

AGAINST: 20-litres is only just enough for a weekend, but two 10-litre US-10's can be added to augment this.

Gravel Travel - October 2007

Sahara trip - Shaun Merrick:

The US-20 tailpack performed brilliantly in several areas. Firstly it kept my clothes completely dry as it rained in Northern Morocco, then it kept all of the dust out whilst riding in the desert which was nice. The fastening system is so simple yet effective, not only keeping the tailpack firmly in position irrespective of the pounding the bike took off road, but at the end of the day so quick to remove from the bike. During the course of the trip 3 of my travelling companions all had problems with their luggage and were eying my set up with great envy. Indeed the performance of the products in the harsh conditions of the desert means that they have all said they will be using Kriega products themselves next time. Many thanks for producing such good kit.

John H. Vermont - November 2009

US customer review:

On my 3600 mile round trip/pilgrimage to Barber Motorsport Museum's Vintage Festival, the US20 and 10 system performed flawlessly, from 95 degree sun to freezing rain and snow coming home through Pennsylvania. I had to get off the road to allow the salt/sand trucks to clear l-81 at one point, and through it all my gear stayed secure and dry. Wonderful gear!

Derek C. New York - January 2009

US customer review:

I rode my 848 from the Adirondacks to Indy for the MotoGP race last September(2008), and I used the Kriega US-20 as a tailbag, along with a US-5...... they worked great!!! I had her up to a around a buck-forty on the superslabs on the way out, and experienced no problems whatsoever! I would recommend Kriega stuff to anyone interested in touring with a sportsbike.