Bandit’s Dayroll is available for purchase in Bandit’s Gift Shop
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On a toasty Sunday afternoon, I was called from my tiny digs in the sizzling valley to the salt air breezes on the coast by a petite blonde with a hankerin’ for sun-settin’ delights before and after dinner. I couldn’t resist and with only a T-shirt and a vest on, I hit the road over Malibu Canyon to the Pacific Coast. As I passed traffic, the sun began to duck behind one jagged mountain crest after another and the shadows brought on a warning chill. I knew what lay ahead, the refreshing onshore breeze, the chilly evening mist, and the downright cold evening dew. That’s when I started thinking about the lean FXR I was riding at the time. |
| It didn’t want to mar the scalloped side panels with saddlebags, strap a tool bag to the motormount, wind bungee cords around my handlebars, or make a dresser out of the high-bar FXR. I thought about the Old West and the bedrolls the cowboys used to carry their shit, and it came to me. Something over the headlight, as long as it wasn’t too heavy, could do the trick. The bike would maintain its nasty profile, I could still pack someone on the back, and carry my shit.
As I wound through the canyon, my mind went to work on the bedroll concept. Could it carry all I wanted to pack? I thought about the last time I took a weekend run. I had grabbed a promotional cordura bag, packed some clothes and a ditty bag in it and strapped it to my front end. That was it, a hollow, durable cordura bag with pockets on the ends for keys, maps, padlocks, chapstick, nuts and bolts, and rubbers, perhaps not in that order. Another question smacked me as I rounded another corner and caught a glimpse of the Pacific lapping the Malibu shores in the distance. What about a tool bag? I always like to carry tools, at least a set of Allens, a role of electrical tape and a crescent wrench. I almost forgot a set of spark plugs and a socket for ’em. Then it hit me-I could form a flap over the center of the bag and line it with elastic straps to hold tools. The flap itself would contain a pocket for small tools, tie wraps, wire, electrical tape, plugs, and my Allen set. Done deal. I almost turned around and went back to my humble abode to make notes, but the salt air was already filling my nostrils, and the notion of her naked form lying on a bed overlooking the splashing wave-lined beach was too much of a lure to turn back.
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| This shot shows about how much a Dayroll will carry. The original Bandit’s Bedroll is approx. 2 feet longer for weekend getaways. I can easily pack for a weekend run and carry my ditty bag in the longer version. | |
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The bag was originally designed with an elaborate set of straps to hold it in place. We discovered after many miles on the road that the easiest way to securely fasten it to the bars was with a set of tie wraps. There’s also a center loop behind the bag to secure it down from blowing up in a gust, or working from side to side. If when you reach your destination, you want to remove the bags, simply cut the tie wraps off (if you cut ’em off behind the head, they can be reused), and replace them with new ones when you leave. Tie wraps also act as security. |
| The bag is designed to be taken off the bike whenever or worked with while in place. The easily accessible end pockets are great for padlocks, keys, bungee cords, smokes, a lighter, chapstick, anything you may need to get at quick. |  |
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The center of the bag can hold a light jacket, sweatshirt, your girlfriend’s purse, a flashlight, etc. The dayroll was designed so you can throw in a sweatshirt and a light jacket to be prepared for those times when the cold snaps at your back. If the weather gets more severe in your area, the bungee cords are always in the side pockets. The bag makes a perfect platform to bungee a heavy jacket to avoid damage to your chrome and so jagged edges won’t cut your $500 jacket. |
| This is my favorite part and I learned more about it on the way to Sturgis last year. This heavy-duty flap rolls over the center of the bag. Unzipped, it becomes a totally accessible tool box at your fingertips. You don’t need to remove the bag and spill tools all over the hot asphalt or crawl around on your knees. Here’s a tip, though: I discovered last year that what a man really needs to take along on a long trip is a set of sockets and a ratchet with a couple of extensions. Combine that with a handful of common, open-end wrenches and you’ll have it made. |
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Bandit’s Dayroll is available for purchase in Bandit’s Gift Shop
