Motorcycle Gear for Long Rides: Viking Tactical XL Sissy Bar Backpack Review-in-Progress
- Antonia Issa
- Sep 30
- 2 min read
If you’re planning long-distance motorcycle travel, luggage can make or break the ride. For my upcoming trip through Mexico, I’m strapping on the Viking Tactical XL Sissy Bar Backpack — a 45L Cordura beast built for comfort, capacity, and miles on the road.
Why I Chose It for Mexico
On this ride, I’ll be moving almost every day, so I need a bag that keeps me organized and makes packing and unpacking painless. The Viking Tactical XL opens flat like a suitcase — no more digging blind for socks or chargers — and comes with more pockets and attachment points than I know what to do with. I will pair it with my Dryspec 20L Saddle bags, and my Touratech Rackpack EXTREME edition 50L, giving me a total of 135L of packing space for a month on the road.
What I’ll Be Testing
This bag isn’t waterproof, so one of my first challenges will be figuring out how it handles Mexico’s tropical downpours (and what hacks it'll need to stay dry). Beyond that, I’ll be putting it through its paces for:
Capacity vs. comfort — Can it really swallow 45 liters of gear without feeling clunky?
Accessibility — Do the compartments actually save me time on the road?
Durability — Between dust, heat, and surprise detours, Mexico is the ultimate test track.
A First
This is also the first time a gear company has reached out and offered me a product to try. I’m excited — and a little humbled — that Viking Bags wanted to partner with me on this trip. That said, I’ll keep things transparent: I plan to give this backpack a fair and honest review, sharing what works, what doesn’t, and how it really performs out on the road. All opinions are my own.
I’ll report back once the miles are on it — but for now, I’m excited to see how this backpack handles the twists, topes, and tropical storms ahead. Check out Viking Bags for their other styles.
