Five of the best… tank bags for plastic tanks

Winning praise for its build quality and carrying capacity, and a 4.7-star average score from the first 150 reviews, the 15-litre XS307 Xstream tank bag is very popular with reviewers. Riders like how easy it is to attach and remove using the Tanklock fittings to mount to the fuel filler cap, and say the included raincover is very effective. They also like the tablet case that clips on top so riders can use it for navigation.      

Sportsbikeshop customers commonly use the phrase “perfect size” when describing the MT505 tank bag. One reviewer said they found the bag ideal on their 10-day trip to Germany, and they were able to fit in the essentials they needed to keep close at hand. Customers are in agreement that the five-litre capacity is great for everyday use, and overall have given it an impressive 4.9-star average from the first 64 reviews.

If you want something to sit on your tank and hold essentials like wallet, phone, house keys, passport and a choccy bar then this could be the bag for you. It has magnets in the base, so it can be used on metal tanks, but it comes with straps that allow you to mount it to any kind of tank. It’s got three litres of storage space in its standard configuration, but undoing an expansion zip reveals another two and a half litres of room for your bits and bobs. Webbing straps on the upper surface allow you to add extra storage if you wish. There’s a cable port, internal pocket and a waterproof cover supplied as standard.

This bag is popular with riders of adventure and dirt bikes, with a deliberately soft main construction to make it doesn’t get in the way of riders who are stood up on the footpegs. Enduristan’s construction quality makes it a decent choice with dirt riders, with a five-year warranty to show they’re confident in their standards. This one holds up to seven litres of stuff, has an internal organiser and a removable map holder on top, and straps in place on the bike’s tank - so no need for it to be metal. It’s been rated highly by the majority of reviewers, who mostly like the build quality and the way it doesn’t restrict movement on the bike.

Oxford’s Q4R has divided Sportsbikeshop customers. Some owners of sports bikes were critics, saying it can sit too high up and interfere with their view of the controls. Otherwise, customers are impressed with the build quality, and say its four-litre capacity is enough for carrying the absolute basics. This division explains an average score of 4.5 from the first 21 reviews.