TOURATECH ZEGA FLEX SOFT BAGS

Refined March 2009

DESCRIPTION
Small, fabric, quickly-detachable (q/d) soft panniers/cases which lock onto a TT frame which then bolts on most racks. Includes a capacity-expanding pocket, outside zip pocket and various mount rings. Converts into a back pack.

WHERE TESTED
Off-road riding in Morocco in November 2008 on a Yamaha 660 Tenere.

PRO
Quick detach system
Secure mount: no more melting throw-overs
Inner plastic box liner gives shape and some waterproofness
Look good
Well made

CON
Tiny payload? ('5kg' says the catalog - is it a misprint?)
A bit small
Flimsy alloy mount frame on my version; others on the TT sites look notably tougher.
Expensive
Backpack idea unnecessary

COST
Touratech USA ZegaFlex page with prices
Touratech UK ZegaFlex page with prices
These bags were supplied free to me in exchange for a Touratech advert in my new Morocco book.

REVIEW
Touratech’s Zegaflex soft bags match the q/d element of some touring hard cases with the lightness of fabric. With a high-pipe bike like a Tenere, I believe soft luggage on a hard frame is the way to ensure a secure mount and avoid that melting feeling you get with throw-overs like Ortliebs, Andy Strapz (to be reviewed) and all the rest. The q/d is neat and quick, handy for wheeling a bike into a hotel and a nice touch for a road tourer.

Compared to alloy boxes, Zegaflexs are small: about 46cm long by 25cm high by 18cm deep (unexpanded) which works out a tad over 20 litres; the volume of a jerrican. Unzipped and expanded, the middle pocket adds another 8 litres or so. I’d have preferred something a bit longer and taller, but I suppose passenger legs and low pipe bikes become an issue; the slim width is good. They claim only 5kg max pay load.

The q/d mounting with ‘claws’ on the back of the pannier hooking onto 4 pegs on the frame is pretty clever (you need to know the technique), but the thin alloy ‘claws’ and mount frames (which then mount permanently to a proper rack) sometimes jammed and needed to be kicked off (oiling would have helped for sure, as it did when the lock jammed with dust). The ‘lock' is more to stop the bags jumping off over a bump than an anti-theft measure. For the whole trip I supported the bags with extra straps through the main rack to save stress on the frames/mounts and because I was typically running 10kg in each bag and didn't think the mounts would have been up to it. One mount peg on the frame fell off, but I'm sure using the straps paid off. Without them the claws would have bent out on the dirt.

They don’t claim the bags to be waterproof like Ortliebs and it didn’t rain enough on me to find out though I didn't use the liners that TT offer. I liked the outer zip pocket for quick access and the expansion zip/pocket. I added my own exterior 1.5L bottle pocket but the whole backpack conversion idea (see the TT websites) is a bit of a gimmick IMHO. I cut off the backpack straps as soon as i got them and then made my own top handles from the straps left over (the chunky, molded back handle is not so usefully positioned and with new holdall handles becomes redundant). There is a neat ‘underpocket’ which is good for stuffing in rags or wet gloves.

Of course a hard crash with a long slide down the blacktop would ruin them and I do wonder how long the zips will last when they get dirty and you're too tired to be careful. Overall I ’t think they’re more designed for road touring than sustained off-road use but I’m glad I tried them and plan to run them on my next bike until they wear out. Then, I may well finish off the job of making my own hypalon (raft fabric), Ortlieb-style roll-top waterproof bags to sit on an ‘L’ rack.

FEEDBACK & COMMENTS
The HU thread I started some time ago is here.

IMAGES
Click to enlarge

My bags mounted with backpack straps removed, but the relatively redundant rear handle (right) left on.
Inside: location straps stop all your stuff falling out when you open them mounted and a thin liner unzips...
... to reveal the plastic 'support' box on which the 'claw frame' mounts. It also adds a measure of waterproofing from wheel spray and has a certain 'secret compartment' utility.
Zips, smooth but not too chunky. When they break or jam, it could all be over. This is one advantage of a break-proof canoe bag-style roll top closure.
I added pink tape to the main zip tabs to make them easier to distinguish from the expander pocket zips.
I saw some display Zegaflexs on a KTM 950 in the TT UK shop with a hole worn through the fabric by the top edge of the inner plastic box. To avoid this happening to mine I filed the corners down a bit.
I cut off the relatively useless backpack straps and bodged on my own holdall handles. Much more useful and conventional.
The alloy frame mounted OK onto my non-Touratech OTR rack. I needed one bracket from a hardware store to finish the job. The 4 mount pegs on which the claws hook are visible. One unscrewed itself and fell off.
The back plate and claws on the wheel side of the bag.
The claws showed some signs of wear and bending and sometimes jammed, even with the support straps which helped take the weight. All fittings are easily re-rivetable though.
Underpocket: useful for stuffing stuff.
I added my own exterior bottle bag. Mount rings here would have made this easier.
In expanded mode, about 28 litres...
... I believe the support straps are even more important to spare the mounts, especially off road.
Expanded, back view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Chris Scott, 1998-2009. My other website is Morocco Overland
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