MCN, S1000RR, Nurburgring & Kriega

The moment I realised I’d made the right choice borrowing the BMW S1000RR instead of my regular BMW R1200RT arrived as the S1000RR hit an indicated 181mph down the main straight at the Nurburgring. I was left giggling like a little boy before realising I was going to have to lose some speed into Antonibusche, shut the throttle and sat up.

The BMW S1000RR isn’t my long term test bike as I am running an R1200RT but a training course at the Nurburgring was far more suited to the class-leading superbike rather than a brilliant tourer. 

Swopping bikes with S1000RR keeper Trevor Franklin on a Friday meant I had a day and a bit to get ready for the trip. First up was a change of tyres as Franklin’s choice of Pirelli Diable Supercorsa BSB were going to be a horror show if it was wet on the way or back. Or more worryingly, while I was there.

A set of Metzler M5 Interacts were put on instead. BMW were kind enough to send in one of the very clever moulded tailpacks for the bike. Unfortunately, Franklin’s choice of full Akrapovic exhaust meant there are no pillion footrests and it wouldn’t fit. Instead I used my new Kriega R30 waterproof rucksack which was rammed with clothes, cameras, notebook and waterproofs. Despite a number of soakings it was perfect and was as comfortable as any rucksack could have been.

You can read more of Andy's S1000RR and Nurburgring experience here.

MCN - Motorcycle News - Andy Downes, Staff Writer

Hell for Leather Labrador Trip and Product Reviews

Hell for Leather web based magazine, used Kriega products on another trip to Labrador.  The following is their independent review on from their website Hell for Leather

Kriega makes some of the most cleverly designed and high quality motorcycle luggage and accessories on the market. For the Labrador trip, we equipped both bikes with front haul loops and I made up for the F800GS’s lack of a top box with a US-30 tail pack. How’d they work?

Kriega Front Haul Loop
Taking a couple of huge, heavy motorcycles into the wilderness was a bit daunting. Not because we were worried about mechanical problems, but rather failures of the human kind. What if we got the 500lbs (before luggage) R1200GS stuck in the mud? What if I crashed one of the bikes into a swamp? How would we get it out with no other help on hand? We fitted these haul loops in case we had to manhandle the bikes through any problems.

Intended for Enduro racing, where you often have to coax your bike out of trouble or over obstacles using manpower, the Kriga Haul Loops are extremely strong, semi-rigid straps that fit onto any motorycles forks. The rigidity makes them stand proud of the forks, making it easy to grasp without needing to look for them, while materials like Hypalon and Toughtek fabrics along with big stainless steel buckles mean they’ll support the weight of even these enormous bikes.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to test the strength of the haul loops as the bike stayed on road during my crash and we managed to stay out of trouble otherwise. To supplement the loops, we also packed four ratchet straps that we needed for the ferry crossings anyways, but could have done double duty as tow straps or a jerry-rigged winch in an emergency. At $35 and adding virtually no weight, these are a no brainer for anyone that might ever need to haul a bike around.

Kriega US Liner

Almost forgot about this one. We got these to use with our Kriega R35 rucksacks that we didn't end up taking along on this trip, but we did take these waterproof bags. It’s essentially just a 25-liter dry sack that seals by rolling the top down over itself and buckling the ends together. I kept my clothes inside this in my panniers until a taco’d them, then I strapped this sack to the 800’s luggage rack for the rest of the trip. Even during torrential rain, it kept all my clothes completely dry. Versatile, effective, cheap ($45).

Kriega US-30 Tail Pack

Composed of two separate bags — the US-20 and US-10 — the US-30 tail pack gives you 30 liters of totally waterproof storage that straps easily to the pillion seat of any bike. Two straps pass under that seat and buckle onto the US-20, which then connects to the US-10 in a similar manner. You can run either pack by itself as well. Both packs are made from rip-stop nylon with tough rubberized reinforcements on the top and bottom to prevent them from sliding and to protect against abrasion. Like the US Liner, they’re waterproof dry sacks that roll closed, but these feature and additional buckle to keep that roll totally secure and the compression straps you connect them with allow you to compress them very tightly. There’s external water resistant zipper compartments on the tops of both.

I used the US-10 to hold all my various layers of foul weather riding gear: three pairs of spare gloves, thermals, seal socks, Gore-Tex jacket liner, fleece, balaclava, neck roll, etc. The US-25 served as a compressible, waterproof stuff sack for my down sleeping bag. Down looses its thermal properties if it gets wet, so it’s crucial you keep sleeping bags made from it dry, the US-25 did that. I kept my passport and all the bike documentation in the top zipper compartment of the US-10. It’s not claimed to be 100 percent waterproof, but made from waterproof material and equipped with a rubberized, shielded zipper it kept everything dry even in some really nasty storms.

To say these packs are overbuilt would be an understatement. They stood up to every weather condition we experienced along the way including days of torrential rain and even more days of ridiculous heat. They remained completely stable and secure even at speeds far in excess of 100mph and only shifted slightly, as you can see, when I cartwheeled the 800 down a gravel road at 50 or 60mph. They stood up to all that abuse and served as my pillow ever night for two weeks.

An ingenious touch are the removable, washable, white liners. Dark out? You can still find what’s in the bags.

Since these will work on essentially any bike and are so incredibly versatile, I plan to use them for every bike trip I take in the future and expect them to last for years and years. A lifetime luggage solution that’ll work anywhere, anytime for $178? It’s almost too good to be true.

You’re probably detecting that I really love Kriega gear by now and it’s true, I do. Of course it helps that the company offers such solid customer support and really believes in its product. They gave us these bags for the Labrador trip and I deal directly with the customer’s owners, but judging by evidence I’ve seen on some of the forums I participate in, regular customers get the same kind of treatment I do as a journalist. I even witnessed Dom, the guy behind Kriega, talk himself out of a dead certain sale to a guy that wanted to use one of his bags for adventure racing. Dom simply didn’t believe that his were the best possible products for that guy and told him so. Awesome stuff.

USA BMW GS Trophy Team Training in California

The USA BMW GS Trophy Team, consisting of Bill Dragoo, Iain Glynn and Shannon Markle trained with Jon Beck and the 2008 USA Team.    1300 miles of off road adventure training to be prepared for the Africa event in November.

A lot of training went into riding in the sand dunes.   Shannon had a great dismount in the video below.  Score 8.5 for the hand stand, half twist.  Full 10 if had landed on both feet!




You can also follow Bill Dragoo's blog about the challenge here.

Howlin' at The Moon Rally - Prescott Arizona

The Arizona Trail Riders are proud to be hosting the 'Howlin at the Moon' Dual Sport and Adventure Rally as part of the 2010 AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding and 2010 AMA BMW National Adventure Riding Series.  This year the 2-Day event will take place in Prescott Valley, Arizona on October 23-24, 2010 at the Prescott Valley Elks Lodge.  Kriega.us will be one of the returning sponsors!

Kriega Sponsors BMW / KTM Riding Series Event - Tri County Sportsmen MC

Kriega and Matrix Motosports, llc is proud to be one of the sponsors for The Tri County Sportsmen Motorcycle Club, Inc. - 2010 AMA KTM National 2 Day Dual Sport Trail Riding Series and AMA BMW National 2 Day Adventure Riding Series. The event will be 11/6 & 11/7/2010
You can click the above title to go to the website.
The flyer is below (click to enlarge)

Australia's Carryology Review of the Kriega R25 | Specialist Carry

Our first specialist carry post revolved around riding your bike with a chainsaw. This time we introduce you to a potentially better way to carry when you’re halfway through your mid life crisis doing 40 clicks an hour on a Harley you paid too much for – Enter the Kriega R25.

The UK based Kreiga produces some of the worlds best motorbike packs. The funny thing is, that in designing for such specific use, they’ve stumbled upon a design that most other active daypacks really need to learn from*

The harness design for the Kreiga follows the shape of your ribcage, but we aren’t sure how far the harness stretches. And honestly, if you’re too big for the harness to fit, you might need a different solution anyway.

This design hugs the pack to your body, without then locking it to your hips. You can still bend and twist, and the pack will remain stable with your upper body. Flexibility is key here, you don’t want to be the tin man while riding right?

The packs themselves have quite a few other kinda cool details. Chest pockets (for ready access stuff like phones), bomber compression, streamlined shapes, and good weather proofing all backed by a nutsa 10 year warranty.

While not relevant for most of our community (all the non-bikers), we’re hoping that some other brands will understand just what a breakthrough this strap system is. Imagine a mountain pack that let you do backcountry rodeos with all your avvy gear held tight to your back?! The possibilities are endless…




*OK, we need to step back for a second and understand the general backpack market to grok why these packs are so unique. In semi-rigid trekking packs, the waist-belt takes some of the load from your shoulders and rests it on your hips. In smaller days packs, when designers wanted to stop the pack swinging about during activity, they borrowed this waist-belt idea as a way to stabilise the pack. But it has never really worked properly.

In activity, your back usually wants to bend (picture a skier or cyclist bending forwards against the wind). Add some twisting, and you can understand how much your shoulders keep changing their alignment with your hips. The problem with waist-straps is that if there is anything at all rigid in your pack, the waist-belt stops you bending or twisting – instead tying you to the straight shape of your pack.

Now you can see why we like the Kriega so much.

Thanks Carryology!

Kriega USA Donating 5% of Sales to Wellspring International Outreach in September

An Awareness Motorcycle Journey

Neale Bayly, founder of Wellspring International Outreach has been involved with raising funds for buildings and supplies for the children of Moquegua in Peru. In fact Neale just left the USA to make another motorcycle journey to the children, hoping to bring more awareness to their story. We all know Neale Bayly is a photojournalist for Speed TV, Motorcyclist, Ultimate Motorcycling and more. He travels the world extensively for his job. During an adventure motorcycle ride to Peru he met Father Gio, and learned about his work with the poor and needy in some of the more remote parts of the country. With Gio’s death in 2001 Neale was connected with Gio’s sister, Maria Fitzgerald. Maria has been fundraising for the abandoned children of Moquegua since the early 1990s. This resulted in the forming of Wellspring International Outreach, after the duo traveled to Peru in January 2008 to arrange medical care to the children. Neale's goal through Wellspring is to build a new home and a secure future for these children in need



What are we doing?

Kriega's North American distributor, Matrix Motosports llc, has agreed to donate 5% of all Kriega sales starting today through the end of September (9/30/2010) to Neale's program (Wellspring). Neale has been a great friend to Kriega, helping us with video and marketing content and we have to step up again to help him with a program that is near and dear to his heart. Awhile back Neale did another journey to Peru and Kriega supplied gear to outfit the riders. It was a rewarding experience.

What can you do?

If you thought of buying a Kriega product in the future, please consider doing so now. 5% of the sale amount (excluding shipping and any required taxes) will go to Wellspring. There will also be a product item on the home page for you to contribute additional funds. Just select the Donation Icon and select your charitable amount. It will be added to your order and given fully to Wellspring. Anyone adding an extra donation will get a discount code with their product package for future use from 10/01/2010 to 02/28/2011. Might help with the holiday shopping.

Whether it is a small or large order, we thank you all in advance for your contributions to this deserving project and the support given for another motorcyclist's commitment to a humanitarian effort.

US20 Review - Manbagaholic!

Found a great review by James a photographer who has a passion about bags to carry things as well as motorcycles. Decided to look at Kriega for a US20 after his old Givi's did not fit the new bike. Nice review and attention to all of the product's details.

Kriega sponsoring the AMA KTM BMW Hammer Run in NJ

Matrix Motosports, llc and Kriega have agreed to assist with sponsorship of the Tri-County Sportsmen Motorcycle Club Hammer Run being held 11/6-7/2010 in New Jersey. An expected 400 riders will participate over the two day event. The full flyer is here

Additional information on the event and club can be found here.

We are always proud to be asked to be a part of these AMA KTM and BMW events. It joins riders at all levels and supports to local riding communities.

Two Wheel Freaks R30 Review

Two Wheel Freaks online magazine conducted a through review of the R30 rucksack. The full review can be seen by clicking here

A few comments from the review.....

"Turns out that not only will my 15” laptop fit inside but a 17” laptop will also fit inside. And by”also” I mean “at the same time” (this was tested and proven by yours truly). Or you could do what I do and put my camera backpack in there along with my 15” laptop and still fit a substantial amount of additional “stuff” into the outer two pockets. And this isn’t even their largest pack!"

"...if your main goal is to carry a ton of “stuff”, keep most of it dry, be comfortable and look good doing it, then the Kriega R30 might be your next pack"

BMW MOA RALLY

Kriega products were well received at the BMW MOA Rally in Redmond last week. The location was superb, and the riders very enthusiastic. Special thanks to Black Dog Cycle Works for hosting Kriega this rally. Also well wishes as Kurt and Martha Forget of Black Dog take off in August for their extended Alaska tour. Look forward to hearing how the Kriega products performed.

Team Kriega Finishes 2nd in Class 40 of SCORE International Baja 500

Team Kriega, made up of Henrik Andersen, Todd Corbitt, Collin Corrigan and Eric Rasmussen, finished the second race of the Tecate SCORE International Series in 2nd place. Team Kriega races in the Class 40 motorcycle group (riders over 40) and again had a great podium finish.

The official score was as follows:
CLASS 40 (Riders over 40 years old)-1. Louie Franco, Sherman Oaks, Calif./Ricky Johnson, Trabuco Canyon, Calif./Brett Helm, Poway, Calif./Jeff Kaplan, Thousand Oaks, Calif./Scott Myers, Menifee, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 10:10:25 (43.13mph); 2. Henrik Andersen, Capistrano Beach, Calif./Todd Corbitt, Irvine, Calif./Collin Corrigan, La Mesa, Calif./Eric Rasmussen, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 12:15:00; 3. Brian Campbell, Bakersfield, Calif./Ron Wilson, San Diego, Honda CRF450X, 12:20:35; 4. Mike Prunty, Temecula, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 12:47:08; 5. Terry Peregoodoff, Canada, Yamaha WR450F, 17:12:37; 6. Duane Dickinson, Canada, Yamaha WR450F, 17:14:58 (8 Starters, 6 Finishers)

Some great images form the race. More to come in images and video

AMA American Motorcyclist - Carry More Stuff

AMA American Motorcyclist Magazine, used the Kriega 35 and US5 attachment as an example of who to carry more stuff. It will appear in the next magazine release in June 2010. The R35 is one of Kriega's core products with a very large (35 liter) cargo area , as well as accessory pockets, and other convenience features.

Elements - A Great Free Ride Video from Steve Haughelstine

Steve Haughelstine has departed from the normal track of motorcycle related videos. He has ridden in, filmed, edited and produced a film ELEMENTS, that combines free riding video with wonderful vistas and well as spectacular riding. Solo or with friends, the riding and scenery. mixed with great audio, keeps you tuned in for more and more.

We liked it so much, we contacted Steve and said what's next? After some discussion we agreed to supply him with some equipment for his pending Elements 2 later this year. This type of film making shows the potential of free riding and commitment by Steve and others to keep public lands accessible to riding.

You can see more of Steve's work at his site FreeRideMX. You can alos purchase his video through MotoXCinema.

Cole Kirkpatrick - 6th Round National Enduros

Cole continues his quest for the National Enduro Championship. This past week in Missouri for the 6th Round. We contnue to wish him great success as the events progress.

Images of Cole with Kriega Hydro 3 and Waistpack R3

GS Rider Challenge Results

A wonderful weekend was had by all. Jim Rawhyde put on a great event and the winners are not set for their journey to Africa to compete in the World GS Trophy Challenge.












A little video to let you see some of the terrain crossed.

Family Off Road Adventures/ BMW Yosemite Tour Event Sponsorship

Matrix Motosports and Kriega are proud to be added sponsors of the Family Off Road Adventures Yosemite Adventure Tour Event which is a BMW National Enduro and AMA Sanctioned event. Kriega donated a wide variety of products for giveaways and raffles which will support charities associated with the event.

This AMA Sanctioned “Adventure Ride” event is held at the gateway to Yosemite National Park, Buck Meadows California and is a two day, GPS based, self-guided adventure which includes scenic & historic destinations in and around Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest.

Using paved and unpaved roads with options of “dirt” & “paved” splits, you will have approximately 100 miles of fun each day! “Dirt” routes are approximately 80% dirt. “Paved” routes are 100% paved. All “dirt” routes are 2-track and appropriate for large “Adventure” bikes.

New Kriega R1200GS Adventure Display Bike

So many products from Kriega fit on the BMW R1200GS Adventure and for that matter almost any GS or dual sport bike. Since we have some upcoming focused events on GS, BMW and adventure touring, we decided to get a 2008 BMW GS Adventure and outfit it.

As you can see from the photos, the GS is set up with a US40 Drybag on tail, US10s on panniers, KS40 in pannier (both), Tank Adapter and US5 on tank and a Front Haul Strap on front forks.

Kriega Sponsors Rawhyde Adventure Rider Challenge & BMW GS Trophy Competition

Matrix Motosports and Kriega will participate as a sponsor for the above challenge and competition in California in Late April.

Now in its 4th year and dubbed ARC-X for the roman numeral “10" and named “Double Jeopardy” for the fact that there are two competitions within one event; the 2010 Adventure Rider Challenge (ARC) is North America's most exciting “Adventure Event.” The ARC has grown with each passing year and for ARC X the event that will surpass all previous years activities.

The incredible GS Trophy competition has been added to this years Challenge. Just as a teaser, the GS trophy challenge is your chance to win an all expenses paid trip to South Africa to represent the United States in an international riding skills competition. “Team USA” will be selected from a group of the top 20 competitors in this year’s Adventure Riders Challenge.

BMW S1000RR Tablecloth Trick!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it is not a Kriega item, but way cool. BMW TV showing some creative style for the new line of bikes.

Kriega Sponsors Kirkpatrick Racing

Matrix Motosports and Kriega have agreed to participate in the sponsorship of Cole and Cameron Kirkpatrick of Kirkpatrick Racing. Both will be using Kriega products in the training and racing of Lone Star National Enduro (03/28/10, Rad Dad National Enduro, 04/18/10 and Three Palms Torcs Race, 04/24-25/10 and beyond.



Some of the accomplishments:
2009: National Enduro Series 5th place, 24 Hours of Perry Mountain Team KTM Overall Winners, Ozark 100 Miler Champion.
2008: National Enduro Series 3rd place, Multi-time national enduro winner, TSCEC Overall Enduro Champion, TORO Overall Champion, Ozark 100 Miler Champion
007: TSCEC Overall Champion, National Enduro Series 6th place. ISDE Chile Junior Trophy Team Member Silver Medal, RedBull Last Man Standing 7th Place
2006: TSCEC Overall Champion, ISDE New Zealand Gold Medal Winner, Red Bull Last Man Standing 14th Place.
2005: TSCEC Overall Champion, RedBull Last Man Standing Finisher.
2004: TSCEC 2nd place Overall



We look forward to seeing their accomplishments the rest of the year,

SCORE International Post Baja 250 Results

Great News! Team Kriega officially finished 2nd in the Class 40 moto group, just behind Franco and Johnson.

Results (405x):




Gabriel Bolton and Kay Awaad also finished much better than originally thought. Their Sportsman Class (over 250cc) Moto results show them 6th in class and 61st overall, out of all the 257 entries. Great results (see Kay Awaad below - 259x)

BMW ON Magazine Reviews R8 Waistpack

BMW ON Magazine conducted a detailed review of the Kriega R8 Magazine.

Kit says: The Kriega R8 is undoubtedly the best waist pack I have ever used on a motorcycle. While riding over two-foot high “whoops,” through boulder patches and high-speed sand washes, the R8 was virtually unnoticeable. It remained firmly in place with no pressure points jabbing me in the back. There was no bouncing or shifting Kriega R8 Enduro Waistpack & Tool Roll of the contents. There is nothing complicated, fancy nor glitzy about the R8. It’s all about the design, construction and function.

Click on the image to launch the article for a closer review.

Team Kriega Pre-running San Felipe 250

Henrik, Todd and Michael were in San Felipe last week, pre-running the course for next week's race. All seems to be going well. The course is tough. Here they are trying to find a short cut, that just doesn't seem to be there. LOL

BMW MOA 2010 - Redmond, OR

Kriega dealer Black Dog Cycle Works will be displaying Kriega products at the BMW MOA International Rally in Redmond Oregon from July 15 - 18, 2010. Kriega will support our dealers efforts, so expect to see the complete product line, with all products available for purchase.

A little info about the rally from BMW MOA:

With a panoramic view of the snow-capped Cascade range, the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center is situated on the outskirts of Redmond, Oregon just off of Hwy 97 and adjacent to the Redmond Municipal Airport. This is a fantastic site for the 2010 Rally!

GPS: N44* 14.4545’ W121* 11.206’

Pre-Registration form will be in the BMW MOA Anonymous Book, the March issue of BMW Owners News and found on the BMW MOA Web site in early March. Pre-registration ends June 30.

SCORE San Felipe 250 Baja Race Sponsorships

Matrix Motosports and Kriega.us are sponsoring two SCORE Mastercraft Safety / Tecate / SCORE San Felipe Baja 250 race efforts.

The first is Team Kriega, comprised of Henrik Andersen, Todd Corbitt and Michael Graber pursuing a win in the motorcycle Class 40 group. This is their first team effort, but full of enthusiasm, commitment and a real desire to win. Look for the Kriega branded Yamaha WR450, number 405x. Go, Go, Go, Go, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The second sponsorship is for Gabriel Bolton, also know as "Baron Bolton" to many on the adventure forums. Gabe, hailing from the UK, has been on a world tour (Gabe's website) along with his soul mate, Char. While visiting Mexico on their journey, the opportunity to do the race came up and Gabe is going for it. Kriega is assisting Gabe with race quality Kriega equipment and other support. Gabe has been spending a month preparing and pre-running the course. We look forward to seeing him successful at the finish line.

The race is the 13th of March and we'll post more as news unfolds.

AdvRider Central Rally III Info

Kriega is one of the sponsors for the AdvRider community Central Rally III event being held in Eagle River, WI - 8/22 to 8/29/10. They just released their event poster. Super cool. Click on the image to open it in a full window.

Speed TV uses R8 for video equipment on BMW Launch in Portugal

SpeedTV used Kriega's R8 waistpack (without the tool roll inside) to carry onboard video equipment for their test runs of the new BMW S1000RR in Portugal last month. The waistpack carried everything they needed and then some. It fit closely to the body and stayed in position as the whipped the new machine through its paces. The R8 is not just for off road applications!

Kriega sponsoring AZ Beemers Roadrunner Rally 2010

Kriega and Matrix Motosports will participate as a sponsor for the 28th RoadRunner Rally by the AZ Beemers Club in Heber AZ May 15-17, 2010. More information about the event can be found on the AZ Beemers website. It is also a recognized event with BMW MOA.