By Greg Drevenstedt
If you plan to lay down the miles, a tankbag is a critical piece of kit. Even on touring baggers like the Harley‑Davidson Road Glide and Street Glide that my pal Eric Birns and I rode from California to Texas and back (read about our ride on Arizona’s Coronado Trail in Rider’s Sept. 2025 issue or on Rider
Magazine.com), you need a convenient place to stash essentials like a water bottle, sunglasses, and faceshield cleaner.
Both Glides have handy storage drawers to hold and charge a smartphone. The Road Glide also has small storage compartments inside its frame‑mounted fairing, but the Street Glide does not. Even the Road Glide’s compartments are small and awkwardly shaped. The Nelson‑Rigg tankbag provides up to 7 liters of easy‑to‑access storage.
Nelson‑Rigg has been making motorcycle luggage since the early 1980s, and its Route 1 line is aimed at cruiser riders. For our nine‑day, 4,200‑mile journey, Eric and I supplemented the Glides’ saddlebags and chopped Tour‑Paks with Nelson‑Rigg’s Route 1 Traveler Trunk Bags (see review in Rider’s Oct. 2024 issue or on RiderMagazine.com) and Journey Magnetic Tank Bags.
The Journey bags secure to metal tanks with four strong magnets inside wing‑like flaps that extend well beyond the sides of the bag. This spread‑out design ensures the bag won’t slide around even when fully loaded. A grippy, textured rubber material on the bottom of the bag and flaps won’t scratch or mar paint, but it’s always a good idea to keep the bottom of the bag clean, especially after riding in windy, dusty conditions.
The bag’s tapered design is slightly wider at the front than the back, and it measures 10x8x4 inches in the standard configuration (5‑liter capacity) or 10x8x6 inches when expanded (7‑liter capacity). The sides of the bag have leather‑like vinyl panels with reflective piping. At the front is a convenient carry handle, and at the rear (facing the rider) is a pass‑through port for a charging cable or wired earbuds. Atop the bag is a clear, touchscreen‑friendly pocket that will hold a smartphone, GPS, or map.
Inside the bag is a hi‑viz orange lining that makes it easy to see what’s in the bag, as well as three mesh pockets, two of which have hook‑and‑loop closures. There’s also a waterproof rain cover with a clear top.
Using the Journey tankbag is easy. Just open the flaps, lay it on the tank, and fill it with whatever you want. On the Harley Glides, the tankbag sits behind the fuel filler, so it doesn’t need to be removed during gas stops. During longer breaks or at the end of the day, you just pull the bag off and carry it with you.
The Nelson‑Rigg Route 1 Journey Magnetic Tank Bag retails for $124.95. It’s covered by a lifetime warranty, and the color is guaranteed not to fade.
By Bruce Gillies
Touring tires are asked to do quite a few things and last many miles. Recently, I had the opportunity to try a set of Dunlop American Elite 2 tires on my 2017 Harley‑Davidson Road Glide Ultra. I had previously tested the first generation of these tires (see August 2022 issue of Rider or RiderMagazine.com), and over the course of three months and more than 2,000 miles I found the second‑generation tires to be a considerable improvement over the already impressive original American Elites.
My test of the AE2 tires took me from my home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Lander, Wyoming, with additional trips throughout the Rockies. The tires were spooned on by Pikes Peak Harley‑Davidson, and when I talked to the service technician, he said installation and balancing were straightforward.
Heavy‑duty touring tires are designed to tackle long distances on interstates, state highways, backroads, and even an occasional dirt road. They need to provide stability and reliability for big bikes like my Road Glide Ultra, and the Dunlop AE2s delivered.
A new tread pattern gives the AE2s a more aggressive look, and a new compound is claimed to offer higher mileage and better wet‑weather performance. Dunlop’s Multi‑Tread technology uses a harder compound in the center and a softer compound on the shoulders for a balance between longevity and cornering grip. Cut‑breaker construction gives the AE2s a strong casing to handle the weight and torque of big V‑Twins and touring bikes.
Turn‑in on the AE2s was smooth and predictable, and they held a line in turns with very little input from the rider and excellent feedback. They soaked up harsh‑edged, abrupt bumps much better than the original American Elites. They also tracked straight and true while navigating road sections that had just been milled prior to paving and were rife with grooves, lines, and manhole covers that protruded from the roadway.
Rain performance is also a strong point. While I was riding south from Lander in a rainstorm, a small herd of pronghorn antelope crossed the highway in front of me, requiring heavy braking. The tires provided predictable, reassuring grip – exactly what I needed in an emergency.
While on rural backroads and byways, the AE2s held steady lines when going over tar snakes and patches and never felt squirmy. And during spirited riding, they handled exceptionally well.
Dunlop’s American Elite 2 tires are an excellent choice for your V‑Twin, delivering performance, reliability, and high mileage. Retail pricing ranges from $218.95 to $453.95 per tire, depending on the application. Note that the original American Elite tires were manufactured in Buffalo, New York, but that factory closed in 2024. AE2 tires are now made in Japan and Indonesia.