Product Review: Royal Enfield Octopuss Weapon backpack - Installation

Gallery Introduction As a backpack As a tank bag As a tail bag

Introduction

So far we have told you about the bag itself, its handiness, and what its competition is like. You can read about it here. Given it is rated at 22 litres, there’s no dearth of space inside the Royal Enfield Octopuss Weapon backpack. However, the lack of compartments does limit its usability. The good news is, even though the bag might be a little too big for everyday use just to haul your laptop and some chargers around, it does work well as a shoulder backpack when travelling.

So, you can reach your destination, park the bike, and experience the place on foot with the backpack neatly on your shoulders without tiring yourself too much. But, the important bit is to know how well the bag works on the bike itself. The Weapon comes with three mounting options, and here’s how it fares when used as such.

As a backpack

As a backpack, the Weapon gets adjustable shoulder straps and a chest strap. However, the lack of a waist strap does put weight on the back and shoulder, especially when riding something sportier like a KTM RC or even a Yamaha R15. The magnets at the back of the bag do cause some inconvenience to one’s spine as well. Unless you are riding something upright like a Bullet, we won’t recommend backpack use on the bike.

As a tank bag

The magnets we mentioned earlier are there to help stick the bag onto the metal tank of the bike. If you own one of the newer bikes with a plastic cover for a tank, this option is pointless. But if you have a bike with a large, flat tank, the Weapon hooks up well. It gets three magnets per flap, which aren’t the most powerful, but thanks to the flat shape of the bag, no matter much you stuff into it, the chances of its rolling off the tank are minimal. Therefore, it gets our vote as a tank bag.

As a tail bag

The Royal Enfield Octopuss Weapon backpack comes with four long tie-down straps which one can use to mount the bag both on the tail as well as on the tank of the bike. The bag itself has six plastic loops that can be used to tie the bag down onto the tail of the bike, but one can only use four of these loops at a time. Nonetheless, it does give one the flexibility to mount the bag either longitudinally or in a transverse fashion. When strapped down correctly and tightly, it doesn’t loosen up over a long ride either.

To us then, using the Weapon as a tail bag is the most convenient option, and though getting it right on bikes with small pillion seats – like the KTM Dukes – might be challenging, this installation certainly gets our node of approval.

You can purchse the Royal Enfield Octopuss Weapon backpack at the Royal Enfield online store.

Photography by Kapil Angane