Short version, i really like this bag. The tank ring bracket for the 2018 MT-07 also comes with the instrument riser bracket. In my opinion Those together with this bag are, at this time, the best tank bag solution on the market for my bike and my needs.
More detailed version. I'm a short guy (about 5'3") and with the set up i can see almost all of my instrument panel. The only thing slightly obscured are the "oh sh#t" lights along the bottom. And they are only obscured by the carrying handle on the front of the bag. The bag has lots of room, even with the lump in the center that is where the mounting bracket is mounted. It expands a lot more than i was expecting. Making even more room. Doing this will, obviously, fully obstruct the instrument panel, but it's nice to know the extra room is there if I absolutely need it.
There are a few cons, or really, just things to be aware of. Some of which I view as design flaws and could be corrected by H&B. The pocket that holds the rain fly takes up a portion of the inside of the bag. The rain fly is tethered to the bag with an elastic strap. It's not designed to be removed, which would allow the pocket to be used for other items on rides when rain is not a concern. You can always cut the strap, which i probably will do at some point. I was hoping to use the headphone port as a passage for a hydration bladder tube, but it only goes into the map pocket. I could slice into the cover but think I'll probably just leave it as is. The zippers on the main pocket seem slide a bit too easily. They worked themselves open when i left a gap big enough for my hydration tube. I see a potential for H&B to make an accessory for all their Lock-It bags. As mentioned above, the mounting bracket requires a square raised portion in the center of the bag. They should make a semi rigid water bladder that surrounds that and then has a false bottom you install over it to keep your items dry should the bladder fail and leak. It would be really awesome if they partnered with Geigerrig to make this a pressurized system.
I only have one real complaint about this bag. Well, actually it's more a complaint about the way the Lock-It system is used on this bag. It's a great system and is VERY secure. But they put the bottom of the bag on rotated 180 degrees from how it should be. As it is the strap you pull to unlock the bag goes to the front of the bag, towards the handle bars. This strap is long, too long. (scissors are in it's future) Depending on how you set it up it's about 14" long at the shortest, and 29" at the longest. That's a lot of nylon strap slapping against my paint when I'm on the highway. If the bottom was rotated so that the strap came out toward the rider, and only extended an inch or two beyond the bag, it would be much much better.
The only other thing the bothered me a little was that the screws provided with Lock-it tank ring aren't the same size hex key as the factory screws. Yamaha did a great thing in designing this bike in that almost everything i've messed with so far uses one of the 3 tools they placed under the passenger seat. I work with Engineers and a critical part of good design in a mechanical system is setting it up so it uses as few tool sizes as possible. I don't begrudge H&B too much on this one though. The smallest hex key under the seat is too big for such small cone head screws. So my solution was to replace them with same sized screws that use the Philips screw driver. I also put a small drop of blue thread locker on them, which is not mentioned in the instructions. I always use a little thread locker on anything that's going into a high vibration environment and doesn't have nylock nuts or locking washers.
Overall, great bag and great mounting system. I'm glad I bought it. I'm impressed with the build quality and plan on continuing to gear up my bike with more H&B luggage.
