Moto Fizz!

Moto Fizz is a Japanese brand of motorcycle luggage that's been around for a long time, though it is relatively unknown in Europe. It is also a household name in my family by virtue of the fact that my dad bought one of their bags a million years ago, and has used it on many different bikes, from long trips, to daily commutes, supermarket runs and everything in between.

Since then, Moto Fizz has become imbued with something of an animistic nature, taken on quasi-idol status, and it is always spoken with a smile around these parts. Imagine my surprise and my delight when I received a brand new Moto Fizz bag for my birthday last year! First of all, because I just assumed the brand was no longer in business (quite the contrary as it turns out!) and then because I now have a Moto Fizz all of my own.

On top of that, this promises to be a serious upgrade to the way I carry luggage on my motorcycles, and could potentially be the one bag to end them all (see more below the fold). The "camping seat bag 2", as it is called, is a high quality piece of kit, and incorporates more straps, pockets, accessories, compartments, zippers, nets and buckles than I can count.

The bottom of the bag is held together internally by two adjustable straps that serve two functions: they help keep the bag's shape, and they create a bottom "compartment" that can be used for gear such as the tent and sleeping bag. The main volume of the bag can be taken up by the self-inflating mat, an extra blanket, clothes, a camping cooking set, toolkit, and spare parts, leaving the various extra compartments for other items you might need during the ride (e.g. sunscreen, a snack or the rain gear).

Both sides can be expanded to significantly increase overall capacity, and opened to easily access the main compartment without opening the top "lid", thereby adding versatility. There are also two adjustable straps at the back of the bag to hold a sleeping mat, this is useful but obviously you'd need to waterproof the mat in another plastic bag of some sort. 

I will probably test this new set-up on the Fastback first, but speaking of the Sportster, over the years I have used several different arrangements to carry luggage on that particular bike. All have had their pros and cons, obviously, but there are some that stood out and others I would not try again:

Yellow Touratech - killer look, absolutely waterproof, very lightweight yet durable but very impractical to get at your gear: you have to open it completely, which for me also means undoing all of the mounting straps. The application that works for this bag is as main compartment for a long trip, with essential items kept in a secondary MOLLE type bag somewhere else on the bike, possibly on the left-hand side fender strut.

FAMSA round black bag - reasonably well made, perfect size for a full set of camping gear, tools and spares, clothes and rain gear. Easy enough to access, but odd mounting system and a polarizing look (even to me! sometimes I think it looks good, other times not so much). Not waterproof.

GIVI CL502 sissy bar bag - obviously well made but this is an overcomplicated "modular" system that seems the result of a drunken fanboy's fever dream, probably from having watched too many episodes of that '90s tv show with Lorenzo Lamas (don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about). To be fair I wasn't using it as it was meant to be (i.e. on a sissy bar) but this is just not for me: too small, too fussy.

Eastpack weekender bag - a civilian, non-motorcycle piece of luggage, good for carrying tools & spares, rain gear and a change of clothes. Not waterproof and obviously very small. Application here is only in case of a one or two-night tour, with hotel accommodation.

Cheap pleather: this one turned out to be quite the surprise; an absolute dirt-cheap and rather ugly, non-descript faux-leather bag that was probably meant as a gym bag. Another one absolutely not developed as a piece of motorcycle luggage, and yet... it turned out to be great. You could easily fit a basic set of camping gear, essential tools, rain gear and a change of clothes, enough for a couple of nights away in the mountains. In terms of "bang for your buck" this is probably unbeatable and I would probably use this again... if only I could find it again!

Honorable mention for the original H-D saddlebags which I can no longer use as the 1200S has piggyback shock absorbers, negating the possibility of fitting the mounting brackets.

Back to the topic at hand, I will report back once I've had a chance to test the new Moto Fizz during our next trip, hopefully sometime in the spring.