World moto travelers will tell you that their luggage takes on the stature of team member and can make or break a trip; it’s that important.
On one long off-road camping trip, I realized that I’m not mature enough for soft bags — I’m incredibly disorganized, so I never remember where I put anything. At each stop, I’m opening and closing buckles, straps and roll tops, searching. I prefer big boxes that open from the top so I can rummage for gear then close the lids. I like locks that lock and seals that seal.
Four years ago, when outfitting my R 1200 GS to ride on- and off-road, I opted for Touratech aluminum cases because they were big, and well, what else does one mount on a beemer? They’re great cases — if you ride with them fully loaded all the time. But I don’t…and I fall. I’m handy with sheet metal, so I could bend them back to shape, but these skills were really put to the test when I let the bike tip over with a lid open. We soldiered on, my (now) leaky cases and I.
Two years ago, a new manufacturer gave me a set of their prototype top-opening bags in exchange for product feedback, with a caveat — they wanted me to beat the daylights out of them.
Acme Moto 2 said their hard cases were virtually indestructible. “We’ll see about that,” I thought. They’re injection-molded from Polypropylene Impact Copolymer and are 5.33 mm thick with sturdy external ribbing. The company has loaded their cases with rocks and tossed them from a vehicle at 50 mph, dropped them from 20’ and parked a truck on them overnight.
My friends call me the Skidplate Inspector because I tip over everywhere with abandon, just look at my crash bars. With the metal cases, if I crashed on a steep hill, I removed them before attempting to pivot the fallen bike around for fear of damage, plus their sharp corners would dig in and keep the bike from sliding over rocks.
I was happy to discover that on any surface, I could rotate my downed GS with far less effort, using the Acme case as a pivot point. They didn’t deform, and the plastic was slippery on gravel, rocks and asphalt; far better than metal or fabric. Plus, with the cases in place, the bike doesn’t tip over as far, so it’s easier to lift.
Let’s talk about those lids. Outside they sport two stout tie downs, which are constructed of solid 3/4” diameter 6061 aluminum tubing attached from the underside of the lid with stainless steel bolts, so they’re replaceable. But here’s the best part: the lids open outwards so that the top becomes a shelf where we the disorganized can place gear while we dig for that misplaced item or place tools while we effect a repair.
I’ve dropped the bike with the case tops unlatched and the Acme boxes didn’t deform at all. I ventured into a mudhole one rainy day, entirely submerging my rear tire. When human power and pulleys failed, we attempted to raise the rear with a felled 6” diameter tree, using one of the Acme bags as a fulcrum. The branch broke, the bike didn’t budge, but the luggage was undamaged. I called a friend with a big truck.
Despite my abuse, the Acme Moto 2 cases remain watertight thanks to a thick silicone rubber gasket bonded into a deeply molded channel.
For mounting, round acetyl pucks bolted to the inboard side of the case slide downward into key slots machined into the mounting plates. Cases are secured in place from inside by a stainless steel quick release pin, so once the lids are closed and locked, the bags cannot be removed.
The cases stay closed via beefy rubber catches borrowed from the 4×4 market, where rubber outperforms metal latches in the high shock and vibration environments. Two keyed-alike locks per lid keeps thieves out.
Acme Moto 2 is confident that their 5 mm powder-coated aluminum mounting plate will adjust to most rack systems on the market. The system adjusts 4” laterally, and 2 1/2” vertically, which allows the installed position to be optimized for rider preference.
A pair of 33 liter bags costs $889.00 (as of this writing they on sale for $755.64). Price includes everything you’ll need: shipping, bags, mounting plate, and quality hardware; plus, a 15-day hassle-free return policy and a one-year crash damage warranty. After the warranty expires, all of the bags parts are field replaceable.
I’ve abused these boys for 18,000 miles, the locks still lock and the seals still seal. The AcmeMoto2 bags are still my favorite travel companions.
Arthur Treff is a freelance power sports writer, MSF instructor and work in progress. As noted in the review, Arthur received the panniers from Acme Moto 2 for evaluation. You can read this article in it’s original format here.
