Viking 30L Tactical Motorcycle Backpack Review: Tested on a Honda Gold Wing

Finding the right motorcycle backpack for a Honda Gold Wing is harder than it sounds. The reviewer, a Gold Wing owner and YouTube creator who runs Cruiseman's Garage, says he had looked for a seat bag for his Gold Wing for years and had tested and reviewed a few. In his experience they were too big, too bulky, or did not work well with the Gold Wing's forward-lifting trunk. We reached out and offered to send him our 30L Tactical backpack to test and review.

This article summarizes his hands-on review, adds the specifications from our product listing, and includes the drawbacks he raised, because an honest review is more useful than a flattering one. For transparency: we sent him the bag free of charge, and he says in the video that Viking did not sponsor it or pay him to make it. Everything attributed to him below is his own experience on his own bike.

He found it works as a passenger-seat bag for a three- to five-day trip, it frees up the trunk and saddlebags, and it doubles as a backpack. His biggest concern was weather: no rain cover is included, and the zippers are not waterproof.

The reviewer explains the problem clearly. The Gold Wing's seat has a curve, so he says you almost need a bag that fits it. He notes that one very large bag from another maker does follow that curve, but it is massive and gets in the way of opening the trunk with the bag on the bike. The bag he tested is smaller and holds less, but he says it holds enough for a three- to five-day trip and frees up the trunk and saddlebags for other gear.

That is the context for this review. It is a test of one bag on one bike, not a claim that it suits every Gold Wing or every rider.

The bag he tested is our 30L Tactical Large motorcycle backpack. Our listing gives these details:

Our listings also state that any required hardware is included, that products ship within 48 hours, and that returns and exchanges are accepted within 45 days. Every product carries a one-year warranty. There is a version listed for Honda, so see the 30L Tactical Large Honda motorcycle backpack page for your bike.

The reviewer opened the bag on his table before putting it on the bike. Here is what he found, front to back.

• Front panel: A surface that feels like hook-and-loop, with a row of slots he says could take carabiners or other ways of attaching items. A small embroidered flag patch sits on it, and because it is hook-and-loop, it comes off.
• Small front compartment: Easy storage for cell phones, charging cables and other small items. He also found another front pocket of a good size, with slots for pins and other small items.
• Fold-up section: Pouches for business cards or pens, plus a container that looks like a sunglass or eyeglass case.
• Laptop section: He wondered whether a laptop or iPad goes here, doubted that a 16-inch laptop would fit, and said he would try it later. He did not show a test in the video. Our listing gives the laptop sleeve as 10.75 by 11.5 inches, so check your device's dimensions.
• Main compartment: The largest space, which he says unfolds and opens a full 180 degrees. It has a mesh pocket and a zippered mesh pocket, which he suggests could be used for items that need to breathe.
• Side pockets: One on each side. They hold a relatively thin water bottle, and he thinks they could also take an umbrella or a small tripod. They can be cinched.
• Cable pass-through: A small opening he describes as handy for a headphone cable.
• Back: A pouch where the shoulder straps tuck away, plus straps for attaching the bag to a bar, which he has not used.

He also likes that the main compartment closes with two zippers, and that the zipper pulls are nice.

He packed it for what he considers a four- or five-day trip, then unpacked it on camera to show the layout.

• Middle compartment: Three pairs of socks and four pairs of underwear.
• Large back compartment: A toiletry kit with shaving items, a pair of blue jeans and four rolled t-shirts, with the compartment opened flat.
• Front pouches: Empty, and available for cables, a phone or other small items.

He said he could probably fit a fifth t-shirt, and that he left space in that compartment for the toiletry kit, which could go elsewhere if he needed the room. He also said he could easily have added a fourth pair of socks, and that there is more room in the front pouches. His summary: there is enough here for four days.

This is the most useful part of the review for other Gold Wing riders. He tried it two ways.

He says laying the bag flat on the pillion would potentially work. The catch is the water bottle pockets, which would hit him in the lower back while riding, so he would not use them in that position. He also said that moving the bag to the other side would not sit well with the Gold Wing's seat. He used rock straps, routing one through the tie-down loops on the front of the bag, and tied the bag down on both sides. He said it would not go anywhere, and that he would probably add another rock strap to secure it a little more.

The bag also has a couple of straps on the bottom that could go around the passenger grab rail. He said he was not sure he would use them.

He then tried the bag sitting on its bottom and leaning against the backrest. He said that with the bag upright he could use the water bottle pockets, because they would not dig into his back. He also said that, with this setup, the bag would still tip forward when he opens the trunk, as long as a rider was not sitting on the bike. He called this probably the better way to mount the bag, and said it is a pretty good size for a Gold Wing because it is not really a seat bag.

A note from us: our listing recommends a sissy bar at least 24 inches high for secure mounting of the sissy bar versions. A Gold Wing does not have one, and our collection page says that if your motorcycle is not equipped with a sissy bar, you can strap these backpacks to the passenger seat or luggage rack. The reviewer's method is his own and not a Viking-tested Gold Wing fitment, so secure the bag firmly, keep straps away from hot or moving parts, and check it often.

If you want to compare backpacks with other rear-mounted options, our guide to motorcycle backpacks vs tail bags explains the trade-offs, and our tail bag collection covers bags designed to sit on the rear section.

The reviewer was direct about this. The bag is made of Cordura and is weather resistant, so he thinks that in very light rain you would probably not have an issue. But he has ridden in downpours, and he points out that the zippers are not waterproof. There is also no rain cover included, which he called the biggest negative and his biggest hesitation. He wishes Viking made a rain cover that slips over the entire bag and seals.

Our listing matches what he found: it describes the bag as weather resistant, not waterproof. If you ride in the rain, a few options help, and these are our suggestions rather than his:

• Use a waterproof liner or dry bag inside for clothes and electronics.
• Look at the Renegade dry backpack in our backpack range, which is sold as a dry backpack.
• Read our guide to waterproof motorcycle saddlebags for all-weather riding for more on keeping gear dry.

Our listing says the bag includes a wet pouch, and the reviewer found it confusing. He describes a waterproof bag that says you can put anything in it that needs to stay waterproof or dry, which then cinches up, with a small vent at the bottom, and he suggests it might suit something like camera gear. It also has straps so it can attach to the front of the bag. He said he was not sure what you would put in it, and that he reached out to Viking to ask what it is used for. If you want specific guidance, call or chat with our team before you buy.

The reviewer points out that the zippers on the large compartment have little rings so you can use a padlock to lock the zipper. He thinks that is because a laptop or iPad would go there. The other zippers do not have that feature.

He also shared a low-cost trick: the zipper pulls and the rings have slots, so you can run a zip tie through them and tighten it. Nobody will be able to open that compartment unless they cut the zip tie, which he suggests could be useful if you leave the bag behind the front desk of a hotel before check-in. Our note: a zip tie or padlock is a deterrent, not real security, so take valuables with you.

For more on this topic, see our article on whether lockable motorcycle saddlebags are worth it.

The bag has shoulder straps that he tucked into the back pouch so they are out of the way while riding. He said he would probably never use it as a backpack, but it is a nice option to have. He also never used the included sunglasses holder, which has a strap so it can attach to the bag, and said some people may.

His overall impression was positive: it feels very well made, sturdy, solid and high quality. He also said the bag is made in America. Our collection pages state that each product is made in Viking's own production house.

Consider it if:

• You ride a Gold Wing and want a smaller bag that leaves the trunk and saddlebags free for other gear.
• You want a bag with a lot of compartments for small items, plus the option to carry it as a backpack.
• You are packing for roughly three to five days.

Think twice if:

• You regularly ride in heavy rain and want a fully waterproof bag with a cover.
• You need to carry a large laptop in the sleeve. Our listing gives the sleeve as 10.75 by 11.5 inches.

If the 30L is too big or too small for you, the motorcycle backpack collection also includes the 45L Tactical XL, the 32L Trident Large, the 30L Voyage Large, the 32L Renegade Dry Backpack and the 22L Explorer Adventure Touring Backpack. Our guide on how to choose a motorcycle backpack explains features, capacity and fit in more detail, and our article on packing for better weight distribution shows how to load any rear bag so the bike handles well.

On Trustpilot, Viking Bags shows a 4.8 TrustScore from more than 6,000 reviews (checked October 2026). Many of those reviews mention our backpacks specifically, including the Tactical, Trident and Renegade models. Experiences vary, so read a range of reviews as well as this one.