A Rocket Pak for the SV650?

By Brett Rockwell (a.k.a. Ruefus on the SVrider message-boards)

One of the first thoughts I had when I bought my bike was that I wanted to add a good-sized bag to increase its versatility. Like many people, I dislike the straps and elastic cord mounting systems that currently exist.  They take time to mount, shift at the worst possible moments and eventually scratch something.  My initial idea was to buy an additional rear seat and mount a bag to it. A rear-seat-mounted bag was a simple concept with major benefits - no shifting or mounting worries and no scratches.  This appeared to be a solution ignored by the manufacturers.  Why hadn't the motorcycle industry already developed this?

As I began looking for bags to make my mod with, I came across a small company named Rocket Locker.  Wouldn't you know it?  Someone HAD developed it.  Not only that, but he's patented it and built a company around the idea.  Les Alderman, Rocket Locker's (soon to be Luggage Locker to better reflect what they do) owner/designer had exactly what I wanted – a well-built bag, custom fitted to the bike it's going on.   The Rocket Locker Elite Zip Pak mounts using the existing rear seat latch mechanism.  No straps or cords of any kind are necessary.  Just take off the rear seat, snap the bag in place and ride it like you stole it.

It isn't a problem if you don't have an SV.  An extensive list of bike applications exists and is always being added to.  Rocket Locker also builds the Elite Seat Sack, which is designed to have the same custom fit, but work on bikes with one-piece seats like the FZ1 or the VFR.  Check www.rocketlocker.com for specific information.

After reading a few reviews and a phone call to Les, I ordered an Elite Zip Pak in black with silver trim to go on my SVS for $196.95 plus shipping.  Not cheap by any stretch, but competitive for good luggage.  As you’ll see, you get what you pay for.

I live in Northeastern Ohio, and the bags are made in the Southern part of the state.  It still took close to two weeks for it to arrive due to the fact that Rocket Locker builds most bags to order.  I called to check on the bag's progress once or twice.  Each time, Les himself answered the phone.  Show me another bag company where you can get the owner simply by dialing the phone. 

When the bag arrived, the outside packaging left me a bit unimpressed, but in this instance the adage "never judge a book by its cover" has real merit.   This was a used box, and the seat bag inside was wrapped in a white plastic bag.  This wasn't what I'd expected.  To be fair, it was more than adequate.  Besides, inside this modest container was proof that Rocket Locker had saved money on packaging for a very good reason.  They'd put it into the product.

I know it's hard to get excited about a nylon bag, but if this isn't a very cool thing I don't know what is.  The material used to make these bags is genuine 1000 denier Dupont Cordura, the toughest grade available and the same stuff many high-quality textile riding jackets are made from.  When you handle the bag, it feels well made.  Craftsmanship is top-notch.  From the stitching, to the zippers, to the snap-buckles to the mounting plate, everything is done right.  It also looks cool on the bike. 

The bottom of the base-plate mimics the underside of the SV's rear seat to facilitate mounting.  All the attachment points are made from aluminum and arrive signed by Les himself.  The bag mounts with very little fanfare, going on just as easily as the seat it replaces.  Concerned about not being able to carry the bag away from the bike without leaving a gaping hole where the rear seat goes?  No sweat, Les named it the Zip Pak for a reason.  Just grab the zipper in front and unzip the bag from the base.  The bag and contents go with you; the base stays in place to maintain underseat security.  Nice.

Baseplate installed	Underside of the base-plate

Now to some of the more important questions people have.  1. How much can this thing carry?  2. How tough is it?  3. Can you really forget it's there?  Simply put the answers are a lot, very and yes.

How much can it carry?  The instructions say not to exceed 15lbs.  Ok sure, fine, whatever.  The question on the table is what will this thing hold?  Well, over the last 3,500 miles I've put a ton of stuff in this thing.  It’ll eat a full-face helmet with a yawn and space left over.  I regularly put my laptop, the associated cords, a folio, several work files, a pair of shoes, dress pants and a hat in the main compartment.  My cell phone, garage door opener, PDA, arm warmers, gloves keys and other small items go in the outer pockets.  Just to be clear, everything I mentioned fits without problem, all at the same time.  On a grocery run I had - get this - a gallon of milk, a gallon of OJ, a 2 liter of Pepsi some crackers and bread in there.  The crackers remained whole and the bread didn't get smashed and I still had room.  Now, that's more than 15 pounds, but you can still ride hard without concern.  The attachment mechanism leaves you worry free.  Know any strap/bungee bags that’ll hold that much and let you rip twisties on the way home and not shift or damage your bike?

I haven't taken it on an overnighter yet, but I think it's obvious from what I've stuffed in this thing that a weekend jaunt is well within the bag's abilities.

All of this...	fits into this without any trouble

While it's not claimed to be waterproof, I've been caught in a few downpours, some with my computer in tow.  Nothing got wet.  Well, that's not true.  I got bloody well drenched, but the contents of the bag never knew anything about it.  All the zippers are hooded, and the Cordura is very water-resistant.  I need a jacket and pants made from this stuff.   A newly developed liner is available.

As for security, you can get a few of those small travel locks to lock the bag to the base and to lock the compartments closed.  But let's face facts; this is a nylon bag.  If someone wants in, they're getting in.  If security is a concern, simply unzip the bag from the base-plate, grab the handle and take it with you.

As you can tell, I really like this bag.  I liked it before I got it, when I got it, and I like it even more now that I've ridden with it for 3,500 miles.  As I stated early in this article, I bought the bag so I could add some versatility and ride the bike more.  It's done that for me in spades.  In fact, when I'm asked to run an errand, having this bag means that nine times out of ten I can take the motorcycle without even so much as a dirty look from the woman of the house.  Can any other modification do that?  Get one, ride more.

Downsides?  Well it isn't cheap. By any standard $196.95 is a considerable sum.  I paid my money and both figuratively and literally, never looked back.  It is without question the most useful 'mod' you can do.  What other addition brings this much versatility to a sportbike?

A detachable shoulder strap on my bag would be nice, but that's purely a nit-pick.  On newer models, Les addressed this on by adding two D-rings to allow you to clip on a shoulder strap.   Also, the aluminum tab that mounts to the back requires adjustment from time to time in order to maintain a tight fit.  I was told about this prior to my purchase, so it was expected.

When trying to choose a bag, some are bound to compare this bag to the one available from Ventura.  While the Ventura is an extremely nice piece, it requires the use of using a rack that is permanently bolted to the bike.  One of the main requirements I had while selecting a bag was the capacity to return the bike to a totally stock look at any time, without tools.  The Rocket Locker does this better, faster and cleaner than anything else I've seen.

All in all, I have nothing but good things to say about the people at Rocket Locker and the products they produce.  I had the privilege of meeting Les Alderman at the recent AMA stop at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.  He's a great guy with truly innovative ideas who is executing on them well.  Take a look at their website for more information on their seat bags, as well as information regarding their new Tank Locker (very, VERY slick) and the forth-coming Snap Strap for tying down motorcycles.  Their web address is www.rocketlocker.com.  Don't forget they'll be changing their name and site address to Luggage Locker soon to better reflect their product offering.

If you want to 'ride With a Rocket' on your bike, this is how you do it.