Summary
This is a comprehensive Nelson Rigg NR-300 tour trunk bag review.
The NR-300 by Nelson Rigg belongs to a high-quality trunk bag series that the company has designed for touring bikes. So if you own a tourer like Harley-Davidson, Indian, Roadmaster, or even a Honda Gold Wing, this is the right option.
You can conveniently mount it on the luggage racks of most tourers and pack all the gear that you will need on your trip. It comes with UV protection, and there is reflective piping on it for better visibility.
Once you have mounted it on your motorbike, you won’t have to worry about fixing or adjusting it time and time again. It will hold its place and keep your items safe for the entire trip.
If you think that the storage space available on your bike is not enough, then go for the Nelson Rigg NR-300 and pack all the additional gear that you will need on the road.
- Features UV protection.
- Pretty quick to install.
- Compatible with most tourers.
- Lockable compartments with zippers.
- Large storage capacity.
Introduction
You will need to pack a lot of gear and stuff with you when you leave for a long tour. For example, you might have to carry your sensitive electronic devices, your camping gear, your clothes, food items, tools, and equipment for any roadside repairs and maintenance.
So, you are already packed up to full capacity with the available storage compartments on your tourer bike. But what if you can add additional storage to your bike?
This is where the Nelson Rigg trunk bag NR-300 comes in to play its role. But how is it different from all the other options that are available on the market? Is it durable and easy to use? Is it compatible with your touring motorcycle, and what kind of storage it offers?
We’ll find out all you need to know about Nelson Rigg NR-300 in this review.
Nelson Rigg NR-300 – An Overview
Nelson Rigg is well known for its high-quality products. If you need anything associated with luggage, covers, and rainwear, you can rely on Nelson Rigg. The company uses the latest technology to develop all its products, and similar is the case with the NR-300.
Their trunk bags come with plenty of storage capacity to put all your gears. But keep in mind that the Nelson Rigg NR-300 is designed only for touring bikes. It is designed to be installed on the trunk of your touring bike.
The trunk is not available on a cruiser bike, so it is not ideal for cruisers.
You need to go for the Traveler Lite version of this bag which is much smaller in size, but it works with all tourers and some cruisers.
The bag is made of fine quality materials, and it will stand the test of time. There are some other features on it as well, such as UV protection and reflectivity.
The bag will keep your luggage safe. Most importantly, this bag is straightforward to install and uninstall. So you won’t have to find a way to get it on and off from your bike.
Pros
- A top choice for touring bikes with a universal fit.
- Rigid and durable overall construction.
- Large outside pockets.
- Very easy to install and uninstall.
- Convenient carrying handles.
- Comes with a rainproof cover.
Cons
- Doesn’t work for cruiser bikes.
- Requires regular cleaning.
- Straps don’t come with a relocating option.
The NR-300 Technical Specifications
| Features | Product Details |
| Best for | Touring bikes (universal fit) |
| Storage capacity | 63.5 liters (expandable up to 73.5 liters) |
| Fabric | UltraMax w/ UV protection |
| Reflectivity | Yes |
| Carrying handles | 3 |
| Outer pockets | 3 |
| Expandable | Yes (up to 3 inches) |
| Attachment | Quick-release |
| Waterproof | No (rain cover included) |
The Nelson Rigg NR-300 comes with a universal fit. You can comfortably install it on any touring bike from Harley-Davidson, Honda, Indian, Roadmaster, etc.
You can conveniently install it right on the trunk rack on the back of your bike. And the installation itself isn’t going to take much time either. As it comes with a universal fit, therefore, you won’t have to find a way to get it all done.
Maybe there is a slight problem if you have a Honda Gold Wing. The bag doesn’t come with any adjustable straps, and you will have to do it, but that won’t take much time either.
This trunk bag comes with large storage space. It can easily hold up to two full-face helmets in it. The Nelson Rigg NR-300 comes with rigid construction. This bag won’t lose its shape with time. It means that all your stuff inside is going to be safe.
With three different carrying handles, you can transport it off your motorbike with ease. But we do miss a shoulder strap on it for more comfortable carrying, especially if your bag is carrying food items or heavier gadgets like laptops and tablets.
UltraMax fabric
Nelson Rigg has used UltraMax fabric in its construction. This UltraMax fabric ensures better protection against the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. The bag does come with a black color fabric, but it will not absorb all the rays from the sun. You don’t have to worry about the color of your bag fading over time.
Reflective piping
Apart from the UV protection, this bag also has reflective piping on it. With this reflective piping, others can see your motorcycle in the dark.
Of course, your bike also has a tail lamp and other lights on its back, but others on the road will see the exact size and height of the vehicle with this trunk bag.
It just allows them to maintain a safe distance from you. Even if somehow the trunk bag ends up on your bike’s top tail lamp, it has that reflective piping that will enable others to see you on the road.
Carrying handles
There are three different carrying handles on this bag for you to use when installing or uninstalling it on your touring bike. These handles will allow you to conveniently carry your bag when it’s not there on the trunk rack. You will notice that a shoulder strap should have been there, especially if you have your food items or other sensitive electronics gadgets in it.
But it’s not there, and there is no way to install such a strap. So, you have to deal with those carrying handles, and it’s not as if they are completely useless. On the contrary, they will allow you to carry your bag easily. But after a long ride, holding anything in your somewhat tired hands isn’t going to be very enjoyable for you.
Large storage capacity
Nelson Rigg NR-300 comes with a pretty big storage capacity. Touring bikes already have numerous storage compartments on them. But if you still need more storage, you can install the Nelson Rigg NR-300 on your bike’s trunk rack.
It can comfortably hold two full-face helmets in it. Plus, you will find there is still some space available for you to utilize. This is due to the expandability of this bag. It allows you to extend the storage of your bag up to three inches to place some more stuff in it. There are three separate pockets with zippers on their sides, and they are all lockable too.
The dimensions of the main compartment are 22-inch x 12-inch x 14.5-inch, and it roughly equates to 63 liters. When you expand the bag, its dimensions are 22-inch x 12-inch x 17-inch, and its overall storage capacity becomes 73.5 liters.
Universal fit
Among the primary reasons why you should go for this bag is its universal fitting design. You can install it on any touring bike with ease. Whether you own a Harley-Davidson, Indian, Roadmaster, or Honda, this bag is going to be an easy fit.
You might have to make a bit of adjustment when it comes to the Honda Gold Wing, but it’s not going to be a huge ask at all. There are not many bags out there that can brag about these features. And if you own a cruiser bike, then you can go for the Lite version of NR-300.
Lifetime warranty
This bag also comes with a whopping lifetime warranty. It means your bag has the ability to take a lot of toll during the trip. Just make sure that you take care of it and clean it after every trip, and it will continue to serve you for a long time to come.
Nelson Rigg NR-300 vs. Nelson Rigg NR-250
| Features | Nelson Rigg NR-300 | Nelson Rigg NR-250 |
| Best for | Touring bikes (universal fit) | Touring bikes (universal fit) |
| Storage capacity | 63.5 liters (expandable to 73.5 liters) | 35 liters |
| Fabric | UltraMax w/ UV protection | UltraMax w/ UV protection |
| Reflectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Carrying handles | 3 | 1 |
| Outer pockets | 3 | 1 |
| Expandable | Yes (up to 3 inches) | No |
| Attachment | Quick-release | Quick-release |
| Waterproof | Rain cover included | Rain cover included |
Nelson Rigg NR-250 trunk bag will be suitable for you if you are looking for a smaller bag on your trunk rack.
There is not much difference between these two models apart from the overall size and a few other minor differences.
The NR-250 also has a universal fit, and it is suitable for most touring bikes. The fabric is similar to what is used to develop NR-300, the UltraMax, which features ultraviolet protection. There is reflective piping on the bag to keep you visible during dark hours.
Installation is pretty easy, thanks to the quick-release features of this bag, just like the NR-300. But it only features a single carrying handle as opposed to the NR-300’s three carrying handles. This is primarily due to the overall size and capacity of the NR-250, which is smaller than the NR-300. A rain cover is also included to keep the contents of the bag dry.
The NR-300 comes with a total capacity of 63.5 liters (expandable to 73.5 liters). In contrast, the NR-250 comes with a total capacity of 35 liters which is almost half of NR-300’s. Plus, there is no expandable option available. So the NR-300 is a serious upgrade from its previous model with plenty of storage capacity.
The NR-300 vs. Other Trunk Bags on the Market
| Features | Nelson Rigg NR-300 | Kuryakyn XKursion XS 5251 | Chase Harper 4250 |
| Best for | Universal fit for touring bikes | Touring bikes (universal fit) | Touring bikes (universal fit) |
| Storage capacity | 63.5 liters (expandable to 73.5 liters) | 48 liters (non-expandable) | 25.8 liters (expandable to 39.5 liters) |
| Fabric | UltraMax w/ UV protection | 1680 denier fabric w/ UV protection and water resistivity | Urethane-coated industrial-grade nylon w/ water and tear resistivity |
| Reflectivity | Highly reflective | Yes | Yes |
| Carrying handles | 3 | 1 | No |
| Outer pockets | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Expandable | Yes (up to 3 inches) | No | Yes (up to 8 inches) |
| Attachment | Quick-release | D-ring mounting | Adjustable strap |
The XKursion XS 5251 Kyruankyn and the Chase Harper 4250 are worthy competitors of the Nelson Rigg NR-300. So let’s compare them and find out the winner.
NR-300 vs. XKursion 5251
The XKursion 5251 is just like the NR-300. It is suitable for all touring bikes as it comes with a universal fit. But the storage capacity of this bag is smaller than what the NR-300 has to offer.
It only comes with 48 liters of storage capacity, and there is no expandability option as well. So, the NR-300 has a definite size advantage here. The XKursion 5251 is made of 1680D fabric that has UV protection and water resistivity within it. So you don’t need an extra rain cover for it, as in the case of NR-300 with UltraMax fabric that comes with UV protection but has no waterproofing.
Furthermore, the XKursion 5252 features D-ring mounting as opposed to the quick-release system on the NR-300. So attachment and detachment will not be like a breeze on the XKursion 5251 as it is on the NR-300.
However, the XKursion does come with more pockets but with a carrying handle as well. The NR-300 has fewer packets but more carrying handles. A shoulder strap can always be worked around on the XKursion, thanks to its D-ring mounting. This system is not there on the NR-300. So for smaller storage capacity, the XKursion is definitely a good option to consider.
NR-300 vs. Chase Harper 4250
The Chase Harper 4250 is an even smaller trunk bag, and it comes with a storage capacity of almost 26 liters. The good thing is that you can expand it to almost 40 liters, so its folds are pretty compact for easy carrying.
It is made of industrial-grade nylon with a urethane coating and is completely UV and water-resistant. So you are not going to use any covers to protect your stuff from water. One of the best features of this bag is that it comes with adjustable mounting for attachment. There is a shoulder strap on it as well.
So it definitely has the upper hand here on the NR-300 that doesn’t come with a shoulder strap option. But it is significantly smaller than the NR-300 that comes with a quick-release attachment.
Things We Like About the NR-300
- This trunk bag comes with highly durable UltraMax fabric construction. It means the bag is safe and secure against any ultraviolet radiation.
- It features a large storage capacity of 63.5 inches that you can further expand to 73.5 liters. Therefore, it can easily hold up to two full-face helmets, and there will still be some space available for you to use.
- Three different carrying handles are there on it that you can use to carry it to and from your bike with ease.
- There are three different pockets on it with zippers that will allow you to place your gadgets and other smaller devices.
- The quick-release attachment system of this bag makes it highly useful for you to attach and detach your bag from the trunk rack easily.
- This bag is a universal fit, and you can install it on any touring bike that you own.
Things We Don’t Like About the NR-300
- There are no shoulder straps on this trunk bag, so you will only have to carry it in your hands.
- The UltraMax fabric used in the construction of this bag doesn’t come with any water resistivity, and you will have to use the rain cover included in your purchase.
- This bag requires regular cleaning, or its zipper will begin to stick. So make sure you give it a good clean after every trip.
Final Word
After going through the Nelson Rigg NR-300 tour trunk bag review, we can say it’s a pretty impressive Traveler trunk bag for touring motorcycles. It comes with a large storage capacity, three separate pockets, and a storage compartment divider.
This bag is effortless to install and detach from your motorbike. The only missing feature is the shoulder strap. Otherwise, this bag has got everything spot on.
