I’m convinced of a 
product’s worthiness when I see comparisons between two or more with similar features. I’ve been in the market for a day bag to mount on my Royal Enfield Bullet 500. There are lots of bags out there, but they never appealed to me.
I hadn’t found one that met my needs for convenience and ease of installation and removal. I hadn’t found one that was not overpriced. I hadn’t found one that looked as if it fit my bike until this one.
“MotorcyclingYogiG” is my handle, and I ride a motorcycle to yoga class which means I need to carry a mat, towels, and clothes. The right bag has to be sleek in appearance and yet roomy enough. It needs to attach and detach easily so that I can remove them when needed. The bags also must not sag in (like the leather bags on my Softail) which I previously owned. This one fits all categories; it attached easily with four small zip ties, and I set it on top of a rolled-up yoga mat over the back fender. This protects the paint, and when I sit on the spring seat, it holds the yoga mat in place.
This KEMIMOTO day bag fits my needs. It’s designed smartly with protected zippers and Oxford fabric (a sturdy form of polyester and nylon) the single white reflective stripe on the side, the angled front panel to lessen wind resistance, the zippered inner pockets for cell phones and other valuables that must be protected, the orange semi-hard panel to keep the bags from sinking inward, the hooks placed smartly on the panel facing the wheel for convenient attachment to the frame, and the fabric loops on the bag’s outside for quick access to tools or other accessories. At 10″ front to back, 8″ wide, and 9″ deep, this bag is the perfect size for my needs.
The Product Manual came with this product enclosure description: 1. left saddlebag, 2. right saddlebag, 3. cable ties. Cable ties are an incredibly simple addition to any travel contingency and they’re easy to use. I will show it on my YouTube video review. Removal of both ties takes about 30 seconds; I simply snip the ties and use others when I’m ready to attach the day bag.
Installation directions suggest that the rider take off the back seat and lay the adjustable straps 9″-15″ over the fender and then replace the seat. But this means taking the seat off. Since I have no pillion seat, I can either use a rack or a yoga mat. I choose the yoga mat for practical and simple reasons, and the installation becomes super-fast (see my YouTube video, link below). If I take an overnight trip, I can easily remove the bags and take them with me into a hotel room. Take a look at other motorcycle bags below and my reasons for choosing the KEMIMOTO.
Close-up
View from back with the bag over my yoga mat and the zip tie cutters tucked into one of the many outside fabric loops for carrying tools or accessories.
This bag is light and good for bicycles too, and the zip-tie attachments make it easy to change the bag from bicycle to motorcycle. A great fit for my bicycle cruiser.
Close-up of bicycle attachment with rear pannier rack.
This is the Pegasus model Military Panier Bag made by Royal Enfield for the classic 350/500. Yes, you can fit the kitchen sink in there, but for me, it’s way too big and if your bike is not brown, it’s going to look odd. They are listed at $139.99
SUMMARY FEATURES AND COMPARABLES:
The outward-facing fabric on the KEMIMOTO eschews metal buckles which I like. It’s clean, the zippers are tucked in and hidden, and the single vinyl strip of reflective material is good for a motorcycle or even a bicycle. (see the video for how this bag looks on a bicycle).
Anchoring the KEMIMOTO is easy with zip ties. The options for anchoring any bags are three: place under the pillion seat, place on top of a rack, or place the bag on top of a yoga mat or tent. The tent or yoga mat option is best for me as it keeps the bag and strap in place and won’t put scratches on my back fender. The KEMIMOTO attaches to the bike frame easily with zip ties. Simple, brilliant, and I can take them off in 30 seconds with a snip tool that fits conveniently on the outside of the bag.
The KEMIMOTO bag under review here is not too big for my day trip needs, and not too small for my yoga class supplies. Dimensions are: 10″ wide, 9″ deep, and 8″ wide. The adjustable Velcro straps that fit on top of the back fender can adjust for a narrow fender from 9″ to a wide fender of 15″. I set mine at nine inches.
EXTRAS: Inside protected pockets with zippers, bracers to keep the bags from sinking inward, outside strap holders for tools and small accessories, front zipper high quality tucked under a flap, two clips on the bottom inside of the bag (facing in toward the tire) for attaching to the frame of the bike. Zip ties are adjustable for a long or short reach to any part of the frame for attachment. The bags are water repellant and they come with two detachable hoodies to offer extra water protection.
MORE EXTRAS: By using code AFF17, anyone ordering these bags (SKU-F1801-0520 BLK) from my product summary will receive a 17% discount. That will bring your price down to a ridiculously good deal of $89.99. Bicyclists will receive the same discount, and these bags are light enough to be perfect for your bicycling day trip or camping trips. In the case of my bicycle, the back rack is in place and installation is easy.
See this bag at the following and use my discount code:
KEMIMOTO SADDLEBAGS: kemimoto.sjv.io/LXQabL
See more KEMIMOTO products at this link: kemimoto.sjv.io/75Zejr
YouTube link to my video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu_C7vvFJtI&t=6s
I was invited by KEMIMOTO to review this product.
MY RATING: 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent)
Ease of installation/adaptability (to bicycles) 5
Look and style 4
Functionality 4
Weather/rain 4
Price 5
Durability/materials 5
Gregory Ormson is #motorcyclingyogig. He’s a former MSF rider/coach for the State of Hawaii and has toured by motorcycle across the United States and ridden around three Hawaiian Islands. He motorcycled through the streets of New Delhi, India and knows enough to never do that again. His tours include journeys through Mexico and Canada. His Arizona tour of three pyramid tombs and the history behind them will be published in the November issue of American Rider magazine.
Ormson writes on motorcycling through American Rider, and stories on Medium.com, his website, and other outlets. His “Motorcycling to Mexican Time and the Zen Sea,” was a finalist in the 2023 Rigel Nonfiction Writing Contest of Durham in 2023.
Ormson taught yoga for riders (Yoga & Leather) at Superstition Harley Davidson in Arizona. He is the author of Yoga Song, Rochak Press 2022 and Yoga Song, Lantern Audio 2023.
“Resplendent Passages: Motorcycling Diaries in Soul Craft” is his growing collection on the whys and wherefores of motorcycle events, adventures, and touring. See more under the “Motorcycling” tab.
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