VOLUME ISSUE JANUARY , P83
on press intros (Ogio makes some
nice ones, by the way) because
most of the motorcycles we test
don't have saddlebags, and I
always need to carry my GoPro,
mounts and snacks for the ride,
as well. So, these things go in my
gear bag, too—all of this stuff has
to fit into one checked bag (we
don't fly first class and our tickets
usually only allow for one checked
bag). The Rig 9800 fits all my
riding gear, plus the top compart-
ment has plenty of room for street
clothes (and we typically need
five changes of clothes on these
trips).
Once it's all in, I use Ogio's
military-grade compression straps
to cinch everything tight, ensuring
that nothing inside can move around
during long international flights. In
addition to the high-quality materi-
als used throughout this bag, the
Sled on the Rig 9800 is what really
sets this bag apart from the other
bags on the market. The Sled is an
ultra-hard composite material that
almost always ensures that the bag
is sitting upright. The super strong
carry handles on top of the bag also
help ensure the bag stays upright be-
cause they provide a natural pick-up
location that almost forces baggage
handlers to use them. The heavy-du-
ty, oversized wheels and telescoping
handle make rolling the bag around
airports and hotels a breeze, so it's
big but not cumbersome. It feels
reasonably light for such a large bag.
You can certainly find cheaper
gear bags, but you won't find one
MSRP: $329.99
Website:
https://ogiopowersports.com
that's as sturdy and strong as the
Ogio Rig 9800. I love mine, and
based on almost every moto-journal-
ist friend I have using the same bag,
it's hard to argue with what works.
Keith Dowdle
• STURDY CONSTRUCTION
• SPACIOUS MAIN COMPARTMENT
• EASY TO MANEUVER
• STURDY CONSTRUCTION
• PRICEY
• SUSCEPTIBLE TO OVERSIZED
LUGGAGE CHARGES WHEN
FILLED TO THE BRIM
TRAVEL BAG
similar equipment. Similar but not
nearly as durable—and when you
travel through airports every weekend,
your travel bags need to be sturdy and
strong.
Sturdy and strong pretty much
sums up the Ogio Rig 9800. You can
feel the quality of this bag from the
moment you remove it from its pack-
aging. Unlike my old (but much loved)
Ogio gear bag, this one has more
rigidity, which translates into more
protection. Using the Rig for recent
international press intros, I found that
it accommodated my usual packing
method—and provided easy access
combined with more security.
When packing my gear bag for
airline travel, I start by putting my
helmet in a high-quality helmet bag
to give it just a little more protection,
then stuff my goggles and gloves
inside my helmet. I prefer to put my
helmet at the very bottom of the bag
near the wheels. I feel like that end
of the bag provides more protection,
and I've been lucky so far in that I've
never had a helmet damaged during
travel. Knock on wood. The Rig 9800
has a separate folding helmet pad
that can be placed anywhere in the
bag, so I was glad that I could still
place my helmet in its usual spot.
Next, I put my boots in the top sec-
tion of the bag, and on top of those,
I lay my padded riding gear with the
legs and arms toward my helmet. I
use the pads from my riding gear to
further protect my helmet. It's always
important to have a moto backpack
Ogio is essentially the industry
standard when it comes moto travel.
