After a few days of hard riding south of the border, the importance of luggage choices became pretty clear. In conditions as rugged and varied as Baja, the best gear quickly rises to the top. In just 3 days and a few hundred miles, it was easy to see the difference between the well-built and meticulously designed moto bags, and the rest.
One of my riding partners had small 14L saddle bags that didn’t fit everything he brought on the trip — and luckily, he wasn’t last in line when his shoes went tumbling down the road. Another friend had a pair of bags from Amazon that needed to be repaired three times in the same number of days. And the last had a setup slightly too large — and needed to be tightened every morning.
After the trip, two things were clear to all of us:
- If you’re looking for the American Dream, it’s probably in Baja California.
- Investing in the right gear for the right job is always worth it. Buy once, cry once. Enter: Mosko Moto.
In short: The Mosko Moto Reckless 40L System is a top-tier choice for riders who want to tackle off-road terrain and bring their gear along in confidence. It’s modular, tough, and fits a wide variety of motorcycles. Whether you’re doing errands in town or heading out on a cross-continental ride, this setup delivers.
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Modular design (8-56 L) -
Set it and forget it -
Durability
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Expensive -
Slight weight penalty over competitors
Mosko Moto Reckless 40L System V4.0 Review
Over the last 16 years, I’ve spent a lot of time traveling via motorcycle on four different continents. I’ve tied a duffel bag to my rear fender for weekend trips, used giant cavernous saddlebags for cross-continental rides, and pretty much everything in between.
Over the last year and a half, I’ve been testing the Mosko Moto Reckless 40L System, and I believe it’s the most user-friendly, durable, and modular option on the market.
You can run this system with as little as 28 L of gear, all the way up to 56 L. Some additional dry bags and attachments need to be purchased to max it out, but this is a tremendous amount of versatility and modularity. If you need even more space, Mosko also sells a Reckless 80L system.
Nifty ‘Beaver Tail’
Perhaps the shining example Mosko’s user-friendly design is the kit’s “beaver tail” (an expandable harness over the tail of your bike). This can adapt and expand to fit a wide range of items, like tent poles, a duffel bag, or anything else you need to quickly attach to your bike.
Case in point, one evening I ran into a winery to get a bottle for a family dinner that night. I slid the bottle under the beaver tail, tightened it up, and off I went. Zero issue.
Earlier in the trip, I had my riding jacket strapped under the beaver tail for quick access as temps dropped near the coast. There was no need to undo a bunch of straps to pack something away or access what I needed throughout the day.
From my assessment, I could do everything, from an afternoon ride to a round-the-world tour, with the Reckless 40L system as the starting point. It offers tremendous range for one luggage setup.
Versatile for Any Trip You Can Dream Up
On a recent trip to Baja, I ran the Reckless System in the “Minimalist” configuration (also the cheapest option when purchasing the luggage), which gave me 36 L of space.
I had tools, spares, tubes, a first-aid kit, snacks, off-bike clothes, a riding jacket, running shoes, and electronics — all neatly packed away and organized.
On nearly every surface of the harness (the part of the luggage where the dry bags slip into) are MOLLE (modular lightweight load-carrying equipment) tie-down points that riders can utilize to mount various optional accessory pouches Mosko sells, or to tie down anything else you might need. And, though lightweight is in the name, I’ve run a ski strap through these to carry splitboard skis down some gnarly roads, and they held up just fine.
On a spring moto-to-shred mission last year, I deployed a 56L version of the Reckless System, with the larger Stinger 20L tail bag and two 4L Aux Pox that can attach to the rear of the harness system.
As the name implies, they each hold a 4L dry bag that offers a great place for quick-grab items like snacks, a first-aid kit, or tools.
To top it off, I had my splitboard, bindings, snowboard boots, and backpack strapped to various points of the system. Even with all that stuff and extra weight, it still didn’t stop us from getting on some single track and tough terrain, because the Reckless 40L system handled the riding without issue.
Simple Install
Setting up this system was easy and intuitive. Mosko has multiple great videos on its site to help you with setup and install. The composite harness that forms the base of this luggage system can be adjusted to fit on any motorcycle with four cam straps.
Two 14L dry bags slide into the sides and an 8L (or optional 20L) dry bag straps on the top. The Stinger dry bags that sit on the top of the harness (over your rear fender) strap down with the expandable beaver tail harness, and the 20L version even has backpack straps if you’re going on a hike, exploring a city, or traveling on a fly-to-ride trip.
A word on cam straps: This detail alone makes this system unique on the market. I tightened these to my sub-frame and they didn’t shift a millimeter while riding hard off-road for a number of days.
Need to take the entire harness off? An easy cam strap release, and it’s off in moments. The days of spraying water on tied straps to get the weeks of dried dirt off are over, thank goodness.
Convenience Through Smart Design
One thing that has been a challenge for me with other moto luggage is that oftentimes it’s just one big cavern; you have to open the whole bag and three to five straps to access anything inside. And then you have to pull out multiple dry bags (because the external fabric wasn’t waterproof) to find what you’re looking for.
The Reckless system addresses this beautifully. If I need to quickly access something, I can undo the Beaver Tail and access the Stinger dry bag. At night, I simply unclip and pull out the two side dry bags and the top dry bag, and I’m off.
The packs even have clear panels on the dry bags to see what’s inside — anything to make life easier after a full day of riding is a benefit. The dry bags themselves are overbuilt and will keep your belongings dry and take a beating, too.
Minor Qualms
Mosko Moto makes expensive gear, but from my perspective, it’s absolutely worth it. If it’s not in your budget, there’s of course other good options on the market. But, in this case, you get what you pay for.
One small gripe I experienced in using this setup emerged because I didn’t bring enough to max out the volume. So I had to tuck away the extra length of the compression straps each time, which was a slight nuisance. I could have avoided this by simply running the 14L side dry bags and not the Stinger 8L tail bag.
I will say that each of the compression straps on the harness has small hook and loop fasteners at the end of each strap to help ensure there aren’t loose straps hanging around.
Lastly, because of the composite harness, the Reckless system is slightly heavier than similar offerings from competitors. Personally, I’ll take a slight weight penalty for this level of functionality and durability every day of the week.
Mosko Reckless System: Who Should Buy?
I’ve spent a lot of time over the years living off of my motorcycle, primarily on dirt. It’s vital that I can trust my gear to handle any weather, any terrain, and the inevitable crashes that come along with pursuits on two wheels.
I want gear that does its job, is easy to use, and enhances my time on the road. Mosko Moto checks all of these boxes. I know I will continue to rely on the Reckless 40L System V4.0 for years to come.
And while I try to avoid hyperbole when writing about gear, using this system over the last couple of years has been a pure joy. I cannot overstate the attention to detail that went into this luggage. I put these bags through the wringer, and it’s clear they were designed by people who have likewise put in their time traveling on two wheels.
Each morning packup, lunchtime stop, and nighttime unload will be more efficient, and I won’t spend a second worrying if my luggage has shifted, no matter how many Baja whoops I’ve ridden that day. If you want the best of the best, then save up for a Reckless.
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