harley pelican case tour pack

• Forum Listing
• Marketplace
• Advanced Search
• Road Glide Forums
• Aftermarket Accessories

Pelican 2620 custom tour pack

• Add to quote

I’ve seen a couple. I’m not to crazy about how they look, but it is very functional. You can buy an extra mount and use the Pelican, or the HD tour pack, depending on which one suits your needs.  

Yeah, not that pretty, but you could carry it like a suitcase. Could be pretty handy.  

To each their own but that is butt ugly.  

That is absolutely ridiculous. I’ve hated since the first time I saw it. Now what the cat is doing with it on the that Road King it makes 100% sense. He uses it to store all his video or photography gear so it serves a purpose . Other then that it looks like 💩. About as bad as when the Road King guys put the Memphis Shades Road Warrior fairing (what’s on the green bike). Looks like an elephant with an egg shell on its head.  

That is pretty fugly the suit case and the fairing!! Color match or not. Glenn  

What’s wrong with the regular tour pak ? Not sure what your looking to accomplish, but in the end, it’s your bike, customize it to your liking, doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.  

If it didn’t matter what other people think, the question wouldn’t have been asked. 🤷🏻‍♂️  

2015 up Tour pack holds just about as much as you should be stuffing in one.  

It’s utilitarian. If you don’t want to spend upwards of over a grand for a tourpack you’ll not use on a regular basis it’s a good way to add storage only when ya need it. Seen a few out there. Don’t think enough about them to shoot a disparaging remark about them. Just not something I’d do.  

• ?            
• 50.7K members

Top Contributors this Month

• $ 0.00 0 items

Back Road Equipment Wide Slider for Harley Tour-Pak

$ 164.95

Installation Instructions Tour_Pak_Installation

Description

• Reviews (0)

This is a wider version (16″ vs 13″ for the standard) of our popular Slider rack.

If you have a Harley with a Tour-Pak this is what you need to install a Pelican, SKB or similar case to your bike.

All mounting hardware needed to mount to the Tour-Pak is included.

• Slider 16 X 13 Aluminum Rack
• Made from USA 6061 4.8mm (3/16″) thick plate
• Hard coat anodized charcoal grey
• Comes with quick connect top box kit for mounting a SKB or any other top case
• Box can be installed or removed in less than 5 seconds
• Lever latches top box onto rack and has a built in pad lock security feature if needed
• Latch and pucks create a tight no rattle attachment to the rack
• Built in helmet lock
• Off Road/Trail Tested
• Flat head screws are used to create a completely flat rack surface
• Box can be removed without opening and removing contents
• Rack will accept Rotopax fuel/water jug mount – 3 unique mounting points
• Symmetrical box mount allows box mounting in 4 different positions (handle forward, handle rear, handle RH, handle LH).
• Rack will work with flat straps or hooked straps for securing your gear or bag
• Highest quality all metric mounting hardware available
• With this rack system you can easily explore on the weekends and then commute during the week.
• Additional pucks can be purchased allowing multiple boxes to be used with one rack!

There are no reviews yet.

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

Related products

Back Road Equipment Slider Rear Rack for Harley Pan American Premium Lock

Back road equipment slider for harley pan american.

Back Road Equipment Slider for Harley Tour-Pak Standard Width

• Forum Listing
• Marketplace
• Advanced Search
• Model Specific Discussion Forums
• Harley-Davidson FXR

1983 FXRT Tour Pak Mounting

• Add to quote

I have a Tour Pak and some flat brackets that I purchased and need to know what other part(s) numbers I need to mount it.It appears I need a luggage rack at least.The bike currently has the stock backrest bracket and pad. Thanks for the help.  

I always suspected the standard FX/XL luggage rack would work. To find out, I'd measure the cutout on the underside of the tourpack, and get the dimensions of the luggage rack. What flat brackets are you talking about? joe  

Like these I believe. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=fxrt...bnh=104&tbnw=140&start=62&ndsp=15&tx=34&ty=67  

Ok, those lay in the inside bottom of the tour pack. They sandwich the bottom of the tour pack between themselves and the luggage rack, and spread the clamping force of the bolts. If the lugage rack I mentioned is the right size, and you wanted to go that route, you could use those brackets to position the holes you'd have to drill in the luggage rack. joe  

I'm thinking about a way to mount my OL' camera equipment in a Pelican case. I got the same 7x7.25 rack and will mount 12x12x.25 aluminum plate to the rack, then strap the the Pelican case to that plate. I plan on having slots cut around the edges for strap to fit thru and rubber non-skid pads to keep the case elevated above the plate. That otta work.  

I opened the box,checked the paint,top rack and repackaged for later use. Thanks for the help,it is appreciated.  

for future reference....I have the correct rack.  

post a pic please!  

Thanks for the replies.  

http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p538/bigpeat/012-1_zps45dfd252.jpg http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p538/bigpeat/013_zpsda710baa.jpg If you can't find a rack, Al, this might be an option. You'd have to drill a hole on each side of the fender though. You could replace that top with whatever you wanted and the back bolts to the license plate bracket. If you want to go cheap, I've got a couple of these cop radio box racks...you're welcome to one. ~Pete  

Holy crap, thats awesome !!! how you been, man? healing up?  

• ?            
• 148.2K members

Top Contributors this Month

• Harley tour pack parts
• Harley saddlebag parts
• Harley Davidson fairing
• Harley lower fairing
• Harley rear fender
• Harley seats and backrests
• Harley tour pack liner
• Harley Davidson Parts Guide
• Harley Parts Installation
• Harley Tips
• Harley Rides
• Harley Safety
• instagram Instagram
• twitter Twitter

Harley Tour Packs: What You Need to Know Before You Buy

Before purchasing a Harley tour pack, I gathered many riders' concerns. The purpose of this article is to provide simple yet crucial answers to these questions, with the hope of offering some helpful tips to everyone.

Choosing the Right Harley Tour Pack for Your Bike

Consider the size and style that fits your needs.

Harley-Davidson's original Harley tour pack comes in three sizes: Razor, Chopped, and King. The three sizes have the same footprint, with only the height varying. Therefore, the covers of the three sizes of Harley tour packs are the same. Only the dimensions of the internal compartments change, allowing you to choose them for different scenarios. To help more people understand their carrying capacity, I will provide specific examples. If you need detailed dimensions, you can see them when purchasing from any store.

Razor: The smallest Harley tour pack. It can accommodate a laptop or briefcase, a set of spare clothes, and a half helmet. I found that its storage space is sufficient for my daily work needs, and I use it to carry my lunch.

Chopped: The medium-sized Harley tour pack. It can hold enough items for an overnight stay, including rain gear, a laptop, a small amount of spare clothes, and basic camping equipment. It is suitable for preparing for a day and night trip, but it is best to confirm the supply point for the next day.

King: The king of Harley tour packs. If you often carry a large amount of equipment, it is very suitable for multi-day trips. I have tried planning a three-day trip with it, but remember to have a supply point after three days. This is already the limit.

Comes with slim or full backrest options, in color matched finishes, and chrome or black hardware.

the Harley Tour Pack's replacement parts typically require an additional purchase. When you buy a Harley Tour Pack, there are usually options to choose whether to purchase other items, including: choose color of latch and hinges, need a backrest, need tour pack mounting rack, need tour pack liners, and need tour pack metal plate.

When you purchase them together, you will get a more affordable price, as well as matching accessories and parts. It is worth noting that there are many manufacturers of Harley motorcycle accessories, and they all claim that their parts are compatible with the original factory ones. However, there are always riders who provide feedback after purchasing, saying that someone is lying.

Harley Tour Pack :Installation and Compatibility

Based on the current situation, most independent websites and Amazon sellers can provide Harley tour pack that matches the following models: Harley Touring Road King, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Ultra Limited, and Ultra-Classic from 2014 to 2023. However, if you have an earlier model and need a Harley tour pack, you can communicate with the corresponding seller via email, and there may be unexpected surprises. In fact, most factories still produce models from before 2014 or even earlier.

Harley Tour Pack : Care and Maintenance

Merchants usually tell you how to maintain and care for the product: for example, use a soft cloth and mild detergent to wipe it clean, use a protective agent to prevent fading and cracking, regularly check and tighten the hardware as needed, and avoid overloading the luggage to prevent damage. Here, I want to share my lazy method: I prepare a clean cloth and alcohol. I disinfect and wipe the interior space once a month or whenever I think it's dirty, and to prevent fading, I don't use anything, I just park the car indoors or in a dark corner where the sunlight doesn't reach. I only check the hardware and apply a little mechanical lubricant and tighten it during long trips, and I often overload my Harley tour pack.

A  Harley tour pack serves various essential purposes for your motorcycle:

When you can't enjoy a bike trip, having multiple Harley Tour Packs won't bring you happiness. However, if you are enjoying the pleasure of riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, you can take a look at their benefits: providing convenient storage space for long-distance travel, allowing you to carry all necessary items. They also provide back support and comfortable armrests for passengers, making the ride more enjoyable. They enable you to pack efficiently, ensuring a lighter and more comfortable travel experience. They also protect your belongings from the external environment, providing peace of mind during your journey.

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

You may also like View all

• Shop By Bike

Your cart is empty

4 Best Aftermarket Tour Packs for Harley Davidson Motorcycles

Feb 7, 2024

Harley Davidson is renowned for manufacturing stylish power cruisers and for pioneering the Grand American Bagger segment. The high-powered Milwaukee-Eight engines installed in all of Harley Davidson’s iconic motorcycles are popular for their higher power outputs and ample torque production, making long-distance rides highly enjoyable. Consequently, it is not uncommon to see Harley owners use their Dyna, Softail, and Sportster motorcycles for touring. However, to make these urban utility motorcycles ready for highway travel, some modifications or the addition of aftermarket parts are indispensable.

The most common accessories that Harley Davidson motorcycle riders use to transform their street motorcycles and cruisers into comfortable touring machines include heated grips, heated seats, luggage racks, and Harley Davidson luggage bags. On the other hand, the owners of Harley touring motorcycles tend to install aftermarket Harley seats , luggage bags, and luggage racks for customization and personalization.

Therefore, whether a Harley enthusiast owns a Harley street bike, touring motorcycle, or any cruiser of the three most sought-after lineups — Harley Dyna , Softail, and Sportster — they are no strangers to aftermarket or OEM Harley parts, especially luggage. With a wide variety of Harley motorcycle luggage options available on the market, choosing a luggage bag that best fits all of the rider’s needs is quite a struggle. But as the world of motorcycles and the motorcycle luggage system has evolved, a significant increase in the demand for tour packs has been observed, especially by Harley Davidson owners.

The primary reason behind the consistent increase in the demand for the Harley Davidson motorcycle tour packs is their dynamic versatility and ability to offer a one-in-all solution. Similar to Harley saddlebags , the Harley Davidson tour packs juggle diverse and challenging roles, adapting quickly to the most-trying conditions and enduring without any signs of wear or damage. Initially, only OEM Harley tour packs were considered adept at grappling the tough road conditions riders encounter daily. Aftermarket luggage owners complained about mounting bolts coming loose due to vibration, incorrect fitment, subpar finish, and overall a disappointing performance. However, this eventually changed when more dedicated brands, like Viking Bags, entered the industry and helped establish customers’ faith in the aftermarket Harley products.

The efforts to win customer support helped aftermarket luggage bags grab a substantial market share giving tough competition to the OEM products on one hand and posing a difficult choice before the customers on the other. Eventually, aftermarket Harley motorcycle luggage manufacturers created their own space by introducing a wide scope of customization and creativity. The freedom of creative expression offered by the aftermarket luggage bags resonated with the freedom-loving nature of the Harley owners. Therefore, by offering the same quality at a less price, aftermarket tour packs for Harley manifested as a whole new movement, quickly gaining customers’ trust and favor. If you too are looking for superior-quality Harley tour packs that won’t dent your bank, this article brings you some premium options and useful tips to help you select a Harley tour pack that best suits your budget and storage needs.

Also Read: All You Need to Know About Harley Davidson Touring Luggage Bags

Table of Content

1. what is a harley davidson tour pack and its function.

Harley Davidson tour packs, also called Harley motorcycle trunks , were first introduced by Harley in its Electra Glide family under the 2014 Project Rushmore. The tour packs were introduced to augment the already large storage capacity of the motorcycle hence encouraging riders to use their bikes for comfortable cross-country trips. These new tour packs were designed to store a week’s worth of clothing, a full helmet, camping gear, motorcycle rain covers, and other similar large-sized essentials. Moreover, these tour packs included different amenities, such as an audio system for entertainment, a USB charging port, a communication system, and LED lighting to help riders easily locate their belongings inside the tour pack.

On the other hand, motorcycle trunks were introduced for riders who only needed a large and sturdy luggage compartment without additional internal amenities. However, much like the tour pack, Harley motorcycle trunks often include attached passenger backrests to enhance pillion comfort over extended journeys. The convenience of packing and anti-theft mechanisms made tour packs a must-have for almost all Harley owners.

2. Appeal of Aftermarket Tour Packs for Harley Davidson Motorcycles

As mentioned, Harley Davidson itself introduced stock and optional OEM tour packs for its touring motorcycles, but eventually, aftermarket tour packs emerged in the market as the demand grew exponentially and it became difficult for the American motorcycle manufacturer to meet the individual preferences of a wide range of riders. Aftermarket tour packs for Harley Davidson motorcycles are just as popular as OEM tour packs, if not more, for the following reasons:

2.1 Customization

Aftermarket tour packs for Harley motorcycles provide the easiest, and, at times, the most pocket-friendly entrance into the realm of Harley motorcycle customization. Different sizes, finishes, shapes, and colors, each piece is designed to tell a unique story of a Harley rider, plus it offers the freedom the American motorcycle brand symbolizes and stands for. As opposed to the uniform effect that the OEM Harley parts, the aftermarket Harley tour packs augment the bike’s alluring charm, helping it create a commanding road presence. However, the trick to reaping all the benefits of aftermarket tour packs is to find a well-reputed brand that has the expertise in the design and functionality of the Harley tour packs.

2.2 Affordability and Generous Discounts

Compared to OEM options, the aftermarket Harley tour packs are available at much more affordable prices, allowing riders not to compromise on quality even on a tight budget. The generous discounts offered by the aftermarket Harley luggage brands help keep the tour packs within reach of a wide range of riders, helping them enjoy seamless storage convenience for adventurous motorcycle escapades.

2.3 Warranty

A trustworthy aftermarket Harley luggage bag brand will offer at least a one-year warranty on all its products. Though it may seem like a privilege, manufacturer warranty is the purchaser’s right and must be prioritized as they are a testament to brand’s dedication to quality and customer satisfaction. Plus, they cover all the defects and lapses in the material construction at the expense of the manufacturer, offering you peace of mind and optimal cost performance/ value for the money.

2.4 Superior Craftsmanship

Most aftermarket Harley luggage bag brands start at grassroots levels and mainly consist of a team of Harley motorcycle touring enthusiasts who live for customization. Therefore, these brands are well-aware of the needs and requirements of customers and what they face out on the road. Consequently, most popular aftermarket Harley luggage bag experts are highly adept at engineering luggage systems that can withstand all the challenges a rider might face on the open road. Hence, superior craftsmanship is something aftermarket Harley luggage bags take pride in even more so than the OEM luggage manufacturer.

2.5 Functionalities and Amenities

Aftermarket tour packs for Harley Davidson motorcycles come with different amenities, such as a passenger backrest, free mounting hardware, a key-lockable system for theft protection, an internal organizer, a hi-viz mat, speakers, and a built-in USB port. While OEM tour packs also feature these enhanced functionalities, the price point at which they are offered compels Harley owners to opt for cost-effective, yet standardized aftermarket Harley tour packs.

3. Tips to Choose the Best Aftermarket Tour Packs for Harley Davidson

A Harley Davidson tour pack is a significant investment and requires certain considerations. Whether you are buying a new tour pack for your Harley street bike or cruiser, or looking for a worthy replacement for the stock tour pack on your Harley touring bike, you must deliberate over the following aspects before placing your purchase order.

3.1 Your Riding Needs

Each rider has a different riding style and needs as not all riders enjoy traveling 300+ miles on a two-wheeler. However, they may still require a large storage bag for their motorcycle camping trips, shopping excursions, and commutes. Simply carrying a motorcycle helmet may also require you to equip your bike with a large tour pack that can easily accommodate a full-sized helmet. Therefore, when choosing a tour pack for your Harley motorcycle, determine how much storage you need. Carefully check the dimensions of the tour pack as the height or depth of the tour pack is crucial to its storage capacity, and in case you are purchasing online, contact the brand’s customer service providers to ensure that the piece you are choosing is designed for that purpose.

3.2 Motorcycle Compatibility

Aftermarket Harley motorcycle tour packs are also popular for their universal fitment. But, should you click the ‘buy now’ button immediately if the fitment note says, ‘fits all Harley motorcycles’ Motorcycle compatibility goes beyond installation mechanisms, as the tour pack you are purchasing may exceed your bike’s weight limit, increase the width of the bike’s rear, and disagrees with the bike’s color scheme or finish. Therefore, when choosing a tour pack for your Harley Davidson motorcycle, make sure it aligns with the overall personality and DNA of the bike. While some contrast can be introduced in the bike’s styling, it shouldn’t result in a striking disparity. Also, never ignore the fitment note of the Harley tour pack because if your motorcycle model is not included, don’t try to force-fit the product. It will not only cause unnecessary wastage of money but also damage the tour pack and your motorcycle.

3.3 Ease of Installation

There will be moments when you would want to ride your Harley motorcycle without any additional weight and accessories. In such scenarios, ease of installation and removal play a key role. Also, it is advisable to opt for tour packs that come with mounting hardware so you don’t have to spend hours in the hardware store, trying to find the right-sized mounting bolts to install the tour pack.

3.4 Care and Maintenance Requirements

If your bike is equipped with a tour pack, it will tempt you to travel long distances every once in a while. Long-distance travels tend to expose the tour packs to harmful elements that fade the finish and impact its overall appearance. But in our busy schedules, sparing time to thoroughly clean the tour pack can be quite a struggle. Consequently, we end up neglecting Harley tour pack maintenance, exacerbating its deterioration. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a tour pack that is easy to clean and maintain using a clean damp cloth and protective sprays.

4. 4 Best Aftermarket Tour Packs for Harley Davidson Motorcycles

To help you find the best Harley Davidson tour pack, Viking Bags has shortlisted some of its best products that offer quality craftsmanship, increased functionality, improved aesthetics, and adaptive versatility.

4.1 Premium Motorcycle Tour Pack for Harley Touring Bikes

The Viking Premium motorcycle tour pack for Harley Davidson touring motorcycles offers an innovative luggage solution to hardcore on-road touring enthusiasts. This extra-large tour pack for Harley touring bikes is crafted from commercial-grade fiberglass that is rigorously tested for sturdiness, durability, and longevity. Plus, it boasts a luxurious gloss-black finish that demands attention. This weather-resistant premium-quality Harley tour pack by Viking Bags offers a highly impressive 70 L/ 4,290 cu in storage capacity, allowing riders to carry all of their essentials in an organized and convenient manner. Mounted securely on the rear of the Harley Davidson touring motorcycles, it comes pre-assembled and includes all the required mounting hardware for hassle-free installation.

In addition to the free mounting hardware, the Viking Premium extra-large tour pack comes with an internal organizer and hi-viz mat for increased visibility and ease of access. With your luggage safely packed in this tour pack for Harley baggers, you won’t have to rummage through things to locate different items. The built-in key-lockable mechanism offers reliable theft protection, while the rubber seals and a tightly secured fiberglass lid prevent moisture from seeping in, keeping your luggage dry and safe inside.

For quality assurance and customer satisfaction, the Viking premium hard tour pack for Harley touring motorcycles comes with a one-year warranty and is compatible with 2014 onward models of the Harley Road King , the Electra Glide, the Street Glide , and the Road Glide . Priced at $599.99, this color-matched Harley tour pack does not include a luggage rack or passenger backrest. If you have any specific storage or product-related queries, such as the product’s capacity to fit a helmet, make sure you contact customer service for a seamless purchase experience.

4.2 Voyage Chopped Tour Pack for Harley Touring

The Viking Voyage Chopped motorcycle tour pack for Harley Davidson touring motorcycles is another great option for riders looking for a chopped tour pack with decreased vertical elevation. Compared to the 13.5” height of the 70 L Viking Premium tour pack, the Voyage chopped tour pack features a height of 10.75”. However, other dimensions are similar, including the lid opening.

This extra-large fiberglass tour pack for Harley Davidson baggers features a high-end gloss black finish that is color-matched and complements the bike’s original styling. Offering an impressive storage capacity of 54 L/ 3,285 cu in, the Voyage chopped tour pack can be used for cross-country trips when combined with other Viking Harley luggage bags . When using solo, the tour pack offers a comprehensive luggage solution for short trips, highway travels, motorcycle camping trips, errand expeditions, and work commutes.

Featuring an internal organizer and a hi-viz mat, the Voyage Chopped Harley tour pack is all about ease of packing, organizing, and accessing luggage. Furthermore, to make the installation process simple and quick, mounting hardware is provided with this pre-assembled product. Its hard-shelled body, key-lockable system, and built-in weather resistance make it an ideal tour pack, offering reliable security to your belongings from unauthorized breaches and damaging natural elements. Available at a highly affordable price of $499.99, the Voyage Chopped motorcycle tour pack for Harley touring motorcycles comes with a one-year warranty. Though our products are well-known for their excellent craftsmanship and impeccable finish; however, if you find a lapse in the material construction, the warranty-covered product will offer you the peace of mind and value for the money you avidly seek.

Much like the Viking Premium extra-large tour pack, the Voyage Chopped extra-large tour pack is compatible with 2014 onwards Harley touring models, including Electra Glide, Street Glide, Road Glide, and Road King.

4.3 Premium Leather Wrapped Motorcycle Trunk for Harley Davidson

The Viking Premium motorcycle trunk for Harley Davidson motorcycles is a must-have luggage accessory, with its unique leather-wrapped design, robust fiberglass construction, and color-matched black finish. Offering an impressive storage capacity of 36L/ 2,196.9 cu in, the premium leather-wrapped Harley motorcycle trunk is compatible with all Harley motorcycles, including street bikes, baggers, Dyan, Sportster, and Harley Softail models. The extensive Harley model compatibility, makes the Viking premium extra-large motorcycle tour pack a best-seller.

Highly versatile and practical, the black leather-wrapped motorcycle trunk for Harley is large enough to carry all your essentials while being lightweight and compact, ensuring a streamlined look of the bike for agile handling. Large tour packs sometimes make slow-speed maneuvers difficult due to the significant weight added on the rear, but this Viking Harley motorcycle trunk helps preserve most of the bike’s original stability and handling.

Priced at $399.99, the premium leather-wrapped motorcycle tour pack for Harley features an attached backrest for passenger comfort, ensures reliable waterproofing, and boasts an innovative key-lockable system. When compared to other tour packs for Harley on the market, these features make the Viking tour packs stand out. The included free mounting hardware further enhances the attractiveness of this product.

4.4 Challenger Leather Wrapped Motorcycle Trunk for Harley Davidson

The Challenger motorcycle trunk for Harley Davidson motorcycles is another highly attractive and practical piece of motorcycle luggage in the Viking Bags collection. Compatible with all Harley Davidson models, the Challenger can certainly bring out the touring-friendly attributes of your motorcycle.

Offering a storage capacity of 32 L/ 1,952.8 cu in, this large Harley tour pack allows you to carry all your belongings for daily commutes, gym visits, short trips, adventurous motorcycle camping trips, and when combined with other Viking Harley luggage, the same can also be used for cross-country trips and highway travels.

This pre-assembled leather-wrapped motorcycle trunk is crafted from industrial-standard fiberglass, ensuring longevity, weather resistance, and prolonged rough use without deformation. For enhanced comfort and utility, the Challenger tour pack for Harley motorcycles comes with free mounting hardware and a passenger backrest, allowing you to save money on pillion comfort and the installation process.

The key-lockable system is another unique and valuable feature of the Challenger motorcycle tour pack for Harley motorcycles, as it enhances security, creates a strong seal against moisture seepage, and offers peace of mind when the rider has to leave the motorcycle and luggage unattended to take necessary breaks en route.

5. Last Words

Harley Davidson motorcycle tour packs are excellent luggage solutions, offering outstanding utility and remarkable functionality. With aftermarket Harley tour packs mounted on your Softail, Dyna, Sportster, Harley street bike, or Harley bagger, you can enjoy long-distance rides or some adventure on two wheels. Even if you have to participate in a motorcycle event like a rally or a festival, these tour packs will help you carry all the things you would need en route to reach your destination in comfort.

When choosing a Harley tour pack, make sure you consider its material construction, key-lockable mechanism, weather resistance, finish, and compatibility with your Harley motorcycle. Being the leading Harley motorcycle luggage bag, Viking Bags offers the best Harley tour packs currently available on the market. If you follow the tips mentioned in this article and pay attention to all the features of the best-selling high-quality products listed in this article, you will end up buying an ideal tour pack for Harley Davidson motorcycles that will easily last you for many years to come.

Also Read: How to Remove and Disassemble Harley Davidson Tour Packs for Painting Explore the Top Harley Davidson Baggers for 2023

Related Readings

All You Need to Know About Harley Davidson Touring Luggage Bags

How to Remove and Disassemble the Harley Davidson Tour Pack for Painting

Motorcycle Saddlebags vs Motorcycle Trunks - A Comprehensive Comparison

Reading next

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

• Forum Listing
• Marketplace
• Advanced Search
• General Forum
• General Motorcycle Related

• Add to quote

This is my 1st post on this forum so here goes. In preparation for my annual pilgrimage to Sturgis et. al. (my 1st with my new ride), I am trying to decide about tour packs for my 2019 Road King. I tried Saddlemens bags but it didn't work out. Great bags just not what I needed or was looking for. Now I am back to the standard chopped tour pack. I have found several on Revzilla, J&P etc. for over $700 not including the mounting bracket! Then I see some on EBay for half the price with the mounting brackets, rack and wrap around seat included. Is this a typical case of you get what you pay for or HD (high dollar), Hogworkz etc excessive mark up.? Anybody have these EBay deals and how are they working out for you? Thanks in advance for whoever chimes in with words of wisdom.  

Black Motorcycle Trunk Tail Bag Luggage Case Top Rack For Honda Harley Kawasaki | eBay

I went thru the same battle when putting a tour pack on my 2020 Road King, was trying to skimp and save a buck. At the end of the day I bought a king tour pack, mount, liner and wrap around backrest from the HD dealer. Was a few extra dollars, the color matches perfectly and I have no complaints. It is only on when the wife is aboard, happy wife . . . happy life. Enjoy the trip.  

My wife uses a T-Bag on her Road King. I believe it was originally marketed as a cooler, but they make a lot of different models. It came with a heavy plastic liner. That being said, after 25,000 miles of long road trips it has held up exceptionally well. It has a velcro band that goes around the passenger backrest and a couple of straps that attach to the luggage rack. Secure as hell and it holds it's shape great when not packed. As I remember the price was under $150.00. Has its own bungee bottom rain cover that stows in the top lid. Great product.  

• ?            
• 101.2K members

Top Contributors this Month

• Скидки дня
• Справка и помощь
• Адрес доставки Идет загрузка... Ошибка: повторите попытку ОК
• Продажи
• Список отслеживания Развернуть список отслеживаемых товаров Идет загрузка... Войдите в систему , чтобы просмотреть свои сведения о пользователе
• Краткий обзор
• Недавно просмотренные
• Ставки/предложения
• Список отслеживания
• История покупок
• Купить опять
• Объявления о товарах
• Сохраненные запросы поиска
• Сохраненные продавцы
• Сообщения
• Уведомление
• Развернуть корзину Идет загрузка... Произошла ошибка. Чтобы узнать подробнее, посмотрите корзину.

Oops! Looks like we're having trouble connecting to our server.

Refresh your browser window to try again.

Mosko Motos Gear Review: Reckless 80 Luggage System

If you are looking piss-off, excite, engage, or get a few un-friending’s in the motorcycle world, just go onto your preferred forum and ask what is better, Hard or soft luggage? My personal favorite is the Horizons Unlimited FB page. The Horizons page is a nice place to voice your opinions on all things adventure motorcycle related and get a face full of reason from all of the “experts” in the world. Truth be told, I go there all the time looking for advice. Then I try to wade through the opinions and flush out the facts. For my most recent Q&A, I went looking for soft luggage. I’ve used the hard stuff and now wanted soft. All roads from my research pointed to the fine folks at Mosko Moto and their incredibly innovated soft luggage systems. Sadly I paid full price for the Mosko Reckless 80 system, and am receiving zero compensation from Mosko for my opinion. You will, however, get a full product review based on my experiences and that of other motorcycle adventure “experts.”

Moskos Loaded From All Angles

MOSKO MOTOS. Who are they and why is there a lizard on my gear?

    Have you’ve ever sat around your day job gossiping about people who fell into success or just started doing something they loved and magically the universe conspired to turn them into a success story? I have, and quite frankly it winds me up.

Really, you just started selling shoes out of your trunk and now your NIKE.

All the while the rest of us seem to be crashing into one bad decision after another in the game of life. Well, the Mosko team came to life after a crash of their own, quite literally actually. As co-founder Pete Day was ridding around the far off regions of La Moskitia, Honduras he crashed his bike and ended back in the U.S. to heal up. It was there in the U.S. that Pete and his now partner Andrew Bryden brought to life the idea of high-quality, soft motorcycle luggage. As they say, the rest is history.

   Right, and the lizard. The lizard you might recognize as the spirit animal of Jesus himself. The Basilisk Lizard , as it’s more scientifically known, is also known as the Jesus Christ lizard as it can actually walk on water. I’m sure it’s either a roundabout way to relate the bags to a god-like status, or they are going to keep your bike a float in the event of an unwelcome bath while crossing a river. As for the name Mosko, it’s an abriviation of the word Mosquito Coast or La Moskita where this whole “twist of fate” was brought to reality.

A look Inside The Beavertail. Note The Clear & Zipper Pockets

The Mosko line up, a brief overview

   Mosko sells a variety of bags, accessories and luggage systems. Each one designed to fit a slightly different need. Whether you are looking for just a durable duffel, a waterproof tank bag, weekend warrior gear, round the world kit, or even a handy shovel for when its time for number two and there’s no loo !

• Scout 25L pannier kit. A quick-release pannier system with dual protection for aggressive back-country or off-road riding.
• Reckless 40 system. The weekend warriors set up. Designed with 40L of total storage from the two 15L side bags and 10L rear bag. Weighing in at 7lbs. Enough space to cover day trips, light camping, or pack your gear around when your hoteling it from place to place.
• Reckless 80 system. The end all for anyone looking to live off of their motorcycle. Designed with a full 80L of space from the two 25L side bags, 22L rear duffel, and 2x4L rear pockets. You could load up your 250cc, or nicely outfit anything from a 650cc-1200cc.
• Nomad tank bag. It’s a six-layer tank bag; it’s a hydration pack, it’s a backpack, it’ll even do your laundry! Ok, it won’t do your laundry, but seriously I don’t even want to try and cover all it can do. As a tank bag, wow!
• Mosko Deuce – Poop trowel. Looking to leave no trace for your backcountry camping? This product will put up with a lot of sh!t.

At the time of research Mosko sells 27 separate products, including bags you can add on, the full systems and a variety of moto-related luggage kit that will make other bikes jealous. For the complete list check out their sales page .

Alternate Beavertail Uses

Reckless 80 reviews. We go looking for weak points…

    Once you’ve tested a camping trip or two, did some weekend rides, and convinced yourself that the moto-life is the life for you. You’ll then need to kit-out your bike with gear that you can pack that new life into. Now there are indeed a wide variety of options out there. Giant Loop makes some sturdy setups like their Moto Trekk Panniers or their extra-strappy looking Round The World Panniers. There is Wolfman who puts out the “voluminous 36+ liters” Rocky Mountain Saddlebags as well as their Expedition Dry Saddlebags. To this list, you can add Ortlieb who dabbles in both bicycle luggage and motorcycle luggage and distributes their motorcycle line through Touratech. Notable mention should also be handed out to a few die-hard fans of Adventure Specs clumsy looking Magadan panniers, these were clearly not designed for the KTM or BMW crowd, but I’m sure they’re practical.

    Once you’ve stacked all these models side-by-side and compared looks, innovation, practicality, durability, and even choked a bit on the price. Mosko is still going to come out the overall winner, and it all comes down to design.

   The Reckless line-up acquired its name based off the pun rack-less, and the Reckless 80 was designed to work with or without a rack on anything from small two-strokes to big adventure bikes. Covering the riding spectrum from weekend getaways to full on RTW adventures. I think the idea here was to make adventure motorcycling the niche market, then apply it to everyone within that market. The luggage was designed as a double baggage system that has a high-abrasion 1680d ballistic nylon and water resistant exterior, that then has the internal 25L bags within it. The dry bags are made from an 800D polyurethane coated material, so even if you go skidding down the gravel on your side at 50MPH and shred a hole in the 1680d ballistic nylon, your inner bag should survive.

What MOLLE Gear Is Also Used For. Image: Jeff Gurwitch

Added to the front side of the saddlebags and top of the rear beavertail are MOLLE webbing panels made of Hypalon. What are MOLLE webbing panels you ask? MOLLE stands for MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. These are what the military use to attach gear to each other easily. I find this clever on several fronts; one you can say you luggage uses military technology and Americans like to hear that things ae military worthly. Two, you can also add on a host of other MOLLE accessories you may have, like gear or camera bags. Three, Mosko can upsell you on additional gear for your luggage. Mosko has a video explaining the MOLLE bag attachments. I might note they are expert bag designers, but defiantly not in the video editing business 🙂

    Design

• Luggage system can be used on anything from a small two-stroke right up to sizeable 1200cc adventure bikes
• Double baggage system that utilizes 1680d ballistic nylon as the exterior. Incredibly durable
• Roll-top drybags are made from an 800D polyurethane coated material that is PVC free 
• Exterior MOLLE attachment points for easily adding MOLLE accessories from Mosko or anywhere that sells related attachments
• See-through windows on the 25L pannier bags to get a glimpse of where something might be

The Stinger 22 Dobles For Washing Laundry!

Tell me more!

Additional design features include a well thought out tail bag design, or as they refer to it as the “beavertail.” The beavertails main design function is to store the Stinger 22L storage bag. I like that the bag also has a Velcro backing to keep it from slipping around. The bag also turns into a backpack for times when you need to possible hike out of where your bike broke down or just as extra gear for grocery shopping. Inside the beavertail are three separate storage pouches. One medium and one small zipper pouches for items that don’t need protection from the weather, like sunscreen or granola bars. On the other side of the tail is a see-through pocket that can be removed. This removable feature is excellent for holding your documents for border crossings or for people that use paper maps. I don’t know anyone who uses paper maps, but I’m sure you’re out there somewhere. The tail can also be expanded to slide your jacket on top of your gear for hot riding days or to cram in more stuff than you need.

On the backside of the pannier bags are additional storage pouches with a volume of 4L each. The pockets were specifically designed to hold two, 1L MSR fuel bottles on each side. Naturally, you can put anything you want in here from tools to food. I store my tent between both sides as well as one MSR bottle. They even tossed in a lightweight 20L drybag for putting wet clothes in to keep them separate from your other gear. The dry bag or Stinger bag can also double for clothes washing if you feel so inclined to do a bit of backcountry laundry with biodegradable soap.

Rear Storage Pockets

Even the strapping system has been cleverly designed. Mosko uses small aluminum bars to attach straps to the luggage. If you break a strap, you can easily replace one strap without trying to get it sewn back onto the luggage. The strap replacement is one advantage over something like a Wolfman bag. If you break a Wolfman strap, you’ll need to buy a replacement directly from them, here you can just fix the strap in the next town and move on. The aluminum bars are also a great feature if you’ve run a strap under a hard luggage case on the tail and don’t want to take the box off to remove the Mosko luggage. Just slip out the aluminum bar, remove the one strap, slide the bar back in and take off the Mosko system. I run my bags across the passenger seat and the rear strap under the top box, the strap keeps the bags from sliding forward.

Additional Features

• Expandable “Beavertail” that allows space to hold your jacket as well as gear
• Beavertail storage pouches for day use items and quick access documents
• 2x 4L rear storage bags for anything from fuel to tools
• 20L lightweight drybag for wet gear or laundry
• Easily replaceable straps via aluminum placement bars opposed to direct stitching
• Rear bracket hole for rear fuelling bikes
• 11.3lbs total weight for Reckless system
• Included “universal” heat shield to protect from exhaust heat

As far as the weak points are concerned I haven’t found many of my own. I switched from Pelican hard cases that opened from the side allowed me to view and access tools and equipment easily. The dry bags are long and narrow, and to keep the weight low I opted to put the tools on the bottom and clothes and gear on the top. If I need to access anything on the bottom, it requires taking out all of the top gear first. Though I’m sure over time or with the addition of a MOLLE bag, this can be resolved.

I also noticed after storing copies of my insurence and registration in the velcro-held clear map holder, that after a hefty rain storm the documents were soaked. I’m sure a ziploc-style zipper would keep them dry, but probably also break after some time. Another contrasting differnece to soft over hard bags on a RTW adventure, is the mental feeling of false security provided by locked hard bags is much better than easy to steal soft bags. Mosko sells lockable steal straps, but I feel that looking at hard bags VS soft bags, soft looks more vulnerable and the reality is if someone wants something they’ll get it.

Mosko Heat Sheild Along With My Panama Sovenier Licence Plate Heat Sheild

Online reviewers pointed out considerably higher positive reviews than negative; however there were some repetitive negative points. Reviewers felt that although you don’t technically need to use racks on the bike, without them, on some models, you will find that the bags get too close to the exhaust and melt. Also depending on your tail end, you might find it’s too narrow to support the bag properly and results in rubbing holes through the material. Naturally, these issues can be addressed through heat shields (Mosko does provide a “universal” one), as well as adding on additional wear materials to your luggage or covering up wear points on your bike. If you want to see the full benefits from Mosko they have a dedicated Reckless 80 video .

All The Wrong Ways To Use Your Mosko Gear!

Behind the scenes. How I acquired my Mosko Reckless 80’s and how they worked

    Not many events occur in my life the normal or natural way and almost always have a backstory. To acquire the Reckless 80 was no different. Having ridden from Canada to South America on my KLR with a full set of Pelican cases all around, and having broke the frame at various points due to the weight, I knew I would need to shed some pounds. I consulted various online forums and narrowed down what I wanted to the Reckless ’80s. At the time I was in the Amazon in Brazil with a broken rear shock (hence the weight), my girlfriend was flying into Santiago Chile to meet me in a couple of weeks, and a motorcycle tour company in Bolivia wanted to buy my Pelican cases. This situation is what is known as an international motorcycle issue.

   The choices were to convince the girlfriend to bring me this massive luggage system even though I suggested she not to pack much in the way of personal items for her visit. Doing this would require paying Canadian import taxes from the U.S. shipment and riding from Bolivia to Chile with all my stuff tied on in garbage bags. As well as explaining to the G.F. why it was essential to bring me a bunch of bulky gear while her stuff needed to fit into 10L drybag! I’m good a sales pitches but not that good. The other option was to have the bags sent from Mosko in the U.S. to the tour company in Bolivia and do the swap there. I was familiar with the postal system in Bolivia and although I could probably convince customs to let me pay a minimal amount of taxes, the chances of actually getting the bags in the country in under two months was unlikely. Option three required a bit of leg work but it magically presented itself.

Although Mosko does not have dealers, I found a company in Lima Peru selling Mosko gear and offered to ship me the 80’s from Lima to the border with Peru and Bolivia. Why he is selling Mosko gear I have no idea, I wanted a problem solved, and he could solve it, so I didn’t ask. My friend at the tour company had a friend in La Paz who needed some gear from Lima too. It just so happened that the equipment he needed was from a guy I knew who had worked on my bike after a little Peruvian crash earlier in the year. The guy I knew picked up the 80’s from the dealer, the packages were then promptly sent to the wrong city in Peru, and with a bit more mucking around, and a lot of exchanged messages with Spanish swear words mixed in. My 80’s eventually arrived at my friend’s at the Bolivian tour company. The tour company then purchased 2 of 3 of my Pelicans, and the trip continued without a hiccup. Sort of…

Luggage System Comes Off Easy For Flat Tire Dramas  

  Day two with my new soft luggage would be my first test of their ease of use. En route to the Solar near Uyuni Bolivia, I would have my first ever rear flat. I’ve had a number of front flats, but this was the first rear. I had fit a smaller profile knobby tire to the bike to get me through the mucky Amazon in Brazil along with a 4mm thick tube. This combination proved fatal, and I had rubbed/melted the tube to itself on at least seven points inside the tube. Once we were out of the warm parts of Brazil and Bolivia, a cold night in the mountains had separated the tube from itself and exposed all the holes. Just outside of Potosi Bolivia I would notice the flat. Not feeling great about leaving my bike and all it’s gear roadside while I went to get a tire fixed that I was unable to remove with my tools. I unstrapped the Stinger 22 and used it as the backpack it was intended. I also wanted my side bags but was running out of hands, so I unstrapped the whole system and threw it over my shoulder.

I was also carrying a rear spare on the bike to replace the knobby once I made it to Santiago and had more time. It seemed now was the time. I grabbed the spare tire, tire half on the rim, along with the full luggage system and walked across the highway to hitch a ride. Luckily the first car to come by picked up me, my two tires, my Stinger backpack, and full pannier setup and drove me around Potosi to acquire a new tube and get the rear fixed. *Note hecklers; I was carrying a 2mm spare, compressor, and irons. I could not get the tire off with the irons, so after about an hour of trying, I opted to grab my gear and hitch a ride.

As far as ease of use and practical, real-world experience, I was happy with how easy it was to grab my stuff and go. Looking back, I would have just left everything on the bike with hard boxes though you can’t have both worlds. I could have also covered the bike with my tarp, and it would have probably been fine. Over time I’m sure I’ll ease into the best way about leaving behind soft gear when you need to. No matter how you look at it, Mosko still has my vote.

‘Bang For Your Buck’ – Best Bluetooth Setups for your Motorcycle

World record setting motorcycle ride: across italy’s lake como.

• Tips & Tricks

Recent News

California Motorcycle Routes: The Redwoods (66 miles)

The 4 Best Motorcycle Roads Through New Mexico; Land of Enchantment

© 2024 MotorycleNerd.com

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Remember Me

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Armored Collection

Mosko's CE Rated Armored Apparel

Orange Collection

DESIGNED FOR
BACKCOUNTRY TRAVEL

Adventure moto is brutally hard on gear. Rocky water crossings, rutted hill climbs, gnarly descents. Crashing, getting up, then crashing again. If all of that sounds familiar, we designed this gear for you.

Reckless 80L

Check out how we pack the Reckless 80L for a multi-day, camping-from-your-bike moto trip.

Apecat 9L Harness

Backcountry Duffle/Pack

Boundary IR Jacket

THE DUSTY LIZARD CAMPOUT.

CAMP | RIDE | MUSIC | GEAR Come camp and ride with the Mosko Moto crew! A three day moto gathering in the heart of the San Juan Mountains, Colorado.

THE KIT THAT STARTED IT ALL

The Backcountry Pannier Kit is our flagship product. Designed for transcontinental adventure touring, enduro-style riding, and camping from your bike. It's tough-as-nails and built to take a beating, and we stand behind it with a lifetime guarantee.

MOSKO MOTO MARKETPLACE

Introducing the Mosko Moto Marketplace. Your official spot for acquiring and selling pre-owned Mosko gear.

Upcoming Events & Rallies

Follow Our Tracks

Warranty and crash replacement.

We never cut corners during development or manufacturing, so we stand behind our products. If one fails due to a problem with materials or workmanship, we’ll make it right.

We offer an industry-leading limited lifetime warranty on all our sewn seam bags, and a two year warranty on welded seam bags. Contact us for discounted crash replacement pricing.

Follow the newsletter

Notify me when available

We will send you a notification as soon as this product is available again.

We don't share your email with anybody

• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Recommended Posts

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• Special Event: Q&A with Laura Hodges Bethge, President Celebrity Cruises
• Hurricane Zone 2024
• Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com Summer 2024
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!

Write Your Own Amazing Review !

Click this gorgeous photo by member SUPERstar777 to share your review!

Features & News

LauraS · Started 4 hours ago

LauraS · Started 11 hours ago

LauraS · Started 20 hours ago

LauraS · Started Wednesday at 08:27 PM

LauraS · Started Wednesday at 02:38 PM

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...